Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

[boater1234]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Actually he has a bunch of engines in his shop as we speak and yes they are imported from canada.You know the way i look at things anymore,almost everything is made out of the country anymore and what isn't just give it time and it will be.All the lines of outboards to me are still as good as the next guys i just always loved my little 9.8 2stroke tohatsu as i think it may have been[now i'm guessing at this now]150 to 160cc's of mega power.That little motor moved me 260lbs,my brother270lbs and all my gear on a 1436 lowe jon boat yrs ago and man it scooted us faster then we ever thought we could go.That little motor was bulletproof and started everytime i needed it to.Why go away from that as this 25hp is made from the same company.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

My 2 cents: I think it's a good choice, although I'd rather have the yamaha 25hp you mentioned. We can still get them for about 3100, tax and all, electric start in the deal, too. I'm suprised at your comment about the merc having far more power than the yamaha of equal horsepower. My dad's yamaha seems to have about the same as my '84 merc 25xd.
I would also be interested in the etec, and am suprised as well at the price mentioned----$400 more??? I'd be tempted to pay that much more and test the etec out and see how I liked it, since I have always been partial to evinrudes. However, as you mentioned, the weight of the etec would definitely be a concern for me, too. I can't see a reason that the merc woudn't make you very happy. Good luck with the merc--I highly recommend a stainless prop for it,
JBJ

 

[boater1234]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

This is not the same old merc that people are thinking of with the old red stickers.The motor is a tohatsu with merc labels on them.They have ocean blue labels not red.This is actually the sea pro merc that is very different and either merc will have more power then a yamaha even know i love yamaha i have seen it with my own eyes.A 25hp merc will just leave a 25hp yamaha in the dust on the same boat with the same weight and conditions.The 25hp torque in mercs is just way better to me then in the 25hp yamaha.I have always felt like that.Plus this sea pro motor has 430 cc's compared to the yamaha with 395 cc's which isn't huge but very noticeable i bet in torque.I could be wrong but i do know the merc is at 430cc's.Me and a buddy always had jon boats growing up and we use to change motors all the time and the mercs just had some power.Even the the little 15hp 2stroke merc i have is a beast.I like all motors though as long as they are dependable.

 

[will941s]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Wow, this post covered all the world news, views, then some. Pretty much anything you buy current day...other than E-rude will have some sort of overseas affiliation, even E-rude to a certain extent. America has to pay off it's debt somehow to China and overseas market or we will become the United States of Communist China....which I'm sure Obama would be just fine with. Anyway, I had a Tohatsu once, and you can say that E-rude has better technology (more technology to go wrong) but that Tohatsu 25hp was simple, strong and bullet proof...not to mention VERY light. It blew a head gasket, ran hot twice.....and did no damage! That was 6 years ago and it is still running just as strong and reliable today as it did new in 1989. It belongs to a friend now, he is using it for duck hunting this season, then it will be serviced and go right into fishing. Motor does not rest.

I have a 1998 merc 25hp 2-stroke....also bulletproof and will smoke the prop off of a Yamaha, or Honda, and will take pass a E-rude like it's sitting still.

Nothing wrong with a overseas product, and nothing wrong with American products. It's about the reliability and i'm not going to hang some huge oversized headache waiting to happen on my transome to save the American Economy. I drive a Chevrolet, got my Wife a Honda...why? I can work on my Chevy on the side of the road if need be, she can't....she needs something more reliable and it so happened to come from Japan. As far as jobs being taken away and headed to overseas markets.......always a steady career in Law Enforcement thats not going anywhere, just have to deal with people complaining that they commited the crime because no one handed them a job and they needed the money.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Actually he has a bunch of engines in his shop as we speak and yes they are imported from canada.You know the way i look at things anymore,almost everything is made out of the country anymore and what isn't just give it time and it will be.All the lines of outboards to me are still as good as the next guys i just always loved my little 9.8 2stroke tohatsu as i think it may have been[now i'm guessing at this now]150 to 160cc's of mega power.That little motor moved me 260lbs,my brother270lbs and all my gear on a 1436 lowe jon boat yrs ago and man it scooted us faster then we ever thought we could go.That little motor was bulletproof and started everytime i needed it to.Why go away from that as this 25hp is made from the same company.

That's kind of weird. Albert was here a couple of weeks ago and made a big point about the fact that he was only acting as a booking agent for the Canadian dealer. Doesn't matter to me though. He's a nice guy, the engine is a good deal for you and you will live happily ever-after

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

I decided to look at them for myself... The motor looked plain, had the shifter handle on the side, looked like rather old technology that's been used forever------LOVED IT!!!! I think it's a good deal. I'd buy it, myself, if I needed one.
I like the black and blue color scheme.
You should give a report on it after you've had it a while and broke it in.
Later,
JBJ

 

[boater1234]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

I was just relaying what the guy said at smalloutboards tohatsu guru but i'm sure you know him much better then i do.When i called him he said he actually had them in stock were i could just come pick one up.Well i guess if thats not the case no big deal as i should be able to get one in a few days after being ordered.He said he would have to charge me a shipping fee if they were not in stock as he could just order one motor at a time but he said he gets them in bulk at a time.The time before i talked to him he said he had 50 in stock.But anyhow i will be able to get it one way or the other.I will probally sell my 15hp 2stroke merc for the most i can get for it which will be close to $1500 or more and then just take what ever i need left and buy the 25hp.I just need to get a good day to getter done.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Well i was weighing out my options on this subject and i have decided for now to just keep my 15hp merc.Now this will give me some more time to at least do some research on the etec that i have also been interested in for a long time.I mean if you break it down how can you beat a 5yr warranty and if you set the etec to full synthetic which would run the xd100 or any synthetic oil for that matter how can you beat it for a few hundred more.Plus the oil consumption would be night and day compared to the 2 motors[sea pro merc or etec]I would use prob half or less oil then the merc pre mix.I found the xd100 full synthetic evinrude oil at a place here in fl down the street from me for almost the same price as pennzoil full synthetic.The pennzoil is $29 at walmart and the etec oil was $33 at the marina not to bad i would say.I really didn't know that the etec comes preset to run on certain oil and can be changed to what you want it to run to.Technology wow!!.

So if it were me i would want the full synthetic so it runs the cleanest.Lots to think about now.This motor will be for a alumacraft 16ft [ncs]flat bottom that will be brand new.I know it's rated for a 30 but the 25 either way i go will and should be way more then enough power.I still like the merc but good ol jim has got me thinking now.Well i will do some more reasearch before i do anything.

 

[pootnic]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

I look at posts like this one fairly often,on a few different sites.
In the 25-30hp class,etec is the clear performance winner.
This comes from duck hunters that love their bigfoot mercs(40hp turned 60hp)and microskiffers,that zoom the flats in their gheenoe's.
Just something I've been noticing,I do not own one.
When people are loyal to one brand and start talking about another manufacturer in a good way,makes your ears perk up.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

I look at posts like this one fairly often,on a few different sites.
In the 25-30hp class,etec is the clear performance winner.
This comes from duck hunters that love their bigfoot mercs(40hp turned 60hp)and microskiffers,that zoom the flats in their gheenoe's.
Just something I've been noticing,I do not own one.
When people are loyal to one brand and start talking about another manufacturer in a good way,makes your ears perk up.

The only thing is that its not the clear performance winner in the 25/30 class. In fact it's a dog in some respects. Is it the winner over the 25 Sea Pro? Yes, except for price and reliability it is. But, that model is old school tech and is not legally even available in the U.S. Compare the Evinrude 25 etec against current tech models and it has the same plus's and minus's as everything else. I happen to like that model myself....But, it is a dog out of the hole.

 

[pootnic]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

I'm only going from what I've read...no personal experience.
If your comparing the etec against the newer 4 strokes...
Still lighter,although not as much as older 2 strokes,a big factor in small boats.
Meets all emission standards and has the biggest displacement.
The suzuki,being a vtwin(269 each)still less displacement,but quicker...probably?
I have know idea how it compares to price with the new 4 strokes,must be in the ballpark.

An older tech. 2 stroke would be alot cheaper,lighter,probably out perform and last a long time.
It would come down to money first, then manufacture service(for new outboard),and real people reveiws...thats the boat I'm in.
All the brands are good and at that horsepower,speed isn't the deciding factor...I'd say reliablity.IMO

 

[boater1234]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Ok so what would be the pros and cons of having the merc/tohatsu or etec.We know the etec is newer technology,has a better warranty,burns less oil and prb fuel i would guess.Now will the merc out perform the etec as far as hole shot and overall top speed.From what i have seen in videos on you tube for the 25hp etec it has some good power and gives good top end.Also the merc is a powerhouse in it's own right.So will the merc out torque-power the etec?If yes how much could it be?I would think the overall top end would be close if not the same.So i would really like to hear some good opinions on this as i don't want to make a bad decision.I have been going back and forth on my 15hp merc and i will probally end up just keeping it and buying a new 25 for my bigger boat.The 25 will be bought in the next 3 weeks so this is why it is such a tough decision.

I know some people like their own brand they have stuck with but this is tougher then i thought it would be.The merc is somewere around 30 to 35lbs lighter then the etec as i'm just going to get a short shaft manual start either way i go.

pros for merc that i know-
lighter
very simple engine
great torque
very dependable
Has alot more stainless steel hardware as it is a commercial motor built for abuse and use from what i have read.
$2600+tax

cons-
Runs rough
smells which i actually like that 2stroke smell but some don't
uses more oil and fuel
1yr warranty

etec-
pros

Less fuel and oil use
Runs smoother
newer technology
5yr warranty
runs cleaner

cons-
heavier
Don't know for sure but maybe slower out of the hole
Not as simple of an engine as the merc
Has not been out to long and is unproven compared to the merc that has been out forever.
$3000+tax

Anyone want to give some good opinions please feel free to help me make a decision.

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

It's very simple: go to a dealership near a lake and test run the etec. I believe your decision will be easier this way.
JBJ

 

[pootnic]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

I really don't feel there is a "bad" decision...only a tough one
Didn't realize they were so close in price.
Will the etec have all those neat functions on the tiller handle in that model,think it does.
Troll down function for one is kinda neat,maybe more to go wrong...don't know.
With all the electronics probably most stuff will be dealer serviced.
With that warranty though....
Tough one,like you I wish there were more direct comparisions on the web.
There probably are some just havn't found them yet.
If it is posssible the above statement(test drive) would be great.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

See i would love to do a test drive but most places don't like doing that because then you have to put gas in them and the customers get a little upset as they think they are buying a used one.Most people like me want to get one right out of the box that has never been used so i can get it the way i want.I have only seen a few merc dealers that will do that if they have a motor that has been ran already and had gas and oil in them.It's a little different then cars as all the cars you want to buy you can test drive but it works a little different with outboards.I agree though i wish they all had floor models that you could just pop on your boat and test it but it is not that way.

Their thinking is,why pull one out of the box if they don't know for sure if the customer wants to buy it,which makes alot of sense.Do you know how many motors dealers would have sitting on the showroom floor that would be test run and not bought.Plus they could sit for along time and could cause problems with the gas and oil sitting for so long as you never know how long it was sitting there.I agree marinas should have at least maybe one test motor in a few hp ranges so people could get the feel of them and not get stuck with something they don't want.But i have yet to see any places who do that.I'm sure there is a few out there.I bought a 2008 25hp 4stroke efi merc from a dealer a few yrs ago and i wish i could of done a test run on that first as it was a dog and i sold it 2 weeks after i bought it.It was a nice motor but the torque was nill and it was hard to get my boat on plane even changing props 3 times.Plus it was heavy,heavy,heavy.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Hands down, the etec 25 is better in every respect against the Seapro except for:

Weight, reliability and purchase price. Number of dealers isn't really important as there are right at 1000 Evinrude dealers across the U.S. and you only need one.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

You did say in one post the etec is a dog out of the hole.So what would have the better hole shot between the 2 with them both having stock props.I know most 2strokes are pretty tourqey.This will be on a 14 or 16ft flatbottom alumacraft with me at 260lbs and some stuff like 3 coolers,4fishing poles,Tackle box,safety equip,gas tank,so your prob looking at an extra 400 to 500lbs to put it on the high side.Once in a while i will take my wife and kid to just for rides with no equip,just the gas tank.The boat is rated up to a 25hp and close to 800lbs total weight.

Also you think the merc will be more reliable or about the same?My biggest goal is to be able to get out of the hole asap as i fish around alot of rocks,oysters and sand but i can skim across the water with a boat like i have as long as i can get on plane fast.The boat will float in inches and only needs say 8inch to plane but i need to get up on plane really fast.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Between these two, the etec has more hole shot. The Seapro would be more reliable as it is old school tech.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Between these two, the etec has more hole shot. The Seapro would be more reliable as it is old school tech.

Maybe a better way to put it would be to say that the Seapoo has known good reliability, but the long term ETec statistics are as yet unknown. It could be worse, or better?

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Any thoughts on a brand new 2010 merc/tohatsu 25hp sea pro

Not really...It's more like which is more reliable, a chain saw or an axe?. The etec isn't as reliable as it is a much more complicated system. It's a better system in terms of the performance, but that does come at the price of reliability. The Tohatsu TLDI system is a DFI like the etec. It's not as reliable as the old school carb models either. It's not about brand loyalty, it's about system failures on a more advanced system that is a lot more complicated.