Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

[Commando C2]

Hey all
I have a 25hp Evinrude 1985 and have the opportunity to purchase a 2001 mariner 25hp
Just after thoughts or which one is considered better, due to reliability, maintenance, durability power/torque etc

obviously one is alot newer than the other, just after some advice from any experiences with these engines?
Both are 2 stroke by the way!!

thanks

 

[Chasing Tail]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

if both are going to be used as a tiller model, the mariner is more capt. friendly due to its all in one tiller. you can shift gears, accelorate, and kill the motor all in the tiller. Im 99% sure the shifter on the 'rude is near the cowling. the 25hp merc 2 stroke has been said by many people to be the best 25hp tiller out there.

they are getting really hard to find and if its in good condition, can be sold quickly and easily, while holding a high dollar price tag for a almost 10 yr old motor

 

[will941s]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

Merc will eat the evinrude....I have had both, and still have two merc 25, 2-strokes. They will run circles around almost anything, and the speed compares to a 30-35hp Evinrude. Great torque, great holeshot, bulletproof, Ok on gas. They shake rattle and roll a little at idle, but smooth as a whistle on top end. The shift on the tiller is another BIG plus.

 

[rg2]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

I have a 1998 25 hp 2 stroke Merc. I bought it used last summer and was a little disappointed in the fact that it would act quirky after you ran it awhile then shut it off. When you would start it up again it would want to sputter and die on takeoff. Once you got the throttle opened a little it would run great. I put some sea foam in the gas and it seemed to work better - could just use a good carb cleaning. At wot the thing runs! - it pushes our 15 foot mod v with two men and gear with no problems - 27mph using gps. Years ago I had a 1980 kitted 9.9 Evinrude that ran like a dream - no maintenance problems at all. JMO

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

Come on now . . . really. Is there a decision to make between buying a 25 year old motor or a 9 year old motor?

Does the brand really matter when one is 16 years older than the other?

Doesn't even matter how well each one was taken care of to me.

I would never buy a 25 year old outboard unless I was real handy at tinkering around with it as a hobby or as a collectors item.

We have the same 1998 25hp Merc 2 stroke that came on a used 15 foot aluminum we bought last season.

I had the dealer put on a new carb just to head off future issues and change the impeller at the same time. Cost me about $700 for the service. Motor runs great, as the above poster said really pushes our 14 foot aluminum boat with 2 people very well.

But be prepared for a possible onslaught of Evinrude owners because this forum is heavily weighted to Johnson and Evinrude.

Check out this link: http://forums.iboats.com/
and scroll down to the engine repair section. There are 485,792 posts on Johnson and Evinrude as compared to 213,135 posts on Merc. Granted the Johnson and Evinrude are two names under one thread.

And I'm not pushing Evinrude over Merc especially if both outboards were close in age the decision would be a toss up because they are both good names. Just be prepared for some opinions that may say go with the Evinrude even though it's a 25 year old outboard just because of this forum's preponderance of Johnson Evinrude owners.

I've also found with my 10 year old Merc when I've asked for help on the Merc thread the responses were very sparse, but not so when in the Johnson and Evinrude threads. There is plenty of help available there.

Still, I personally would never by a 25 year old outboard even if the story was the typical "this motor was used very little by Dad who was in a wheelchair the last 20 years of this motors life and it's is in excellent condition with very low hours"

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

Expidia, i would buy a properly maintained evinrude, any day over a merc. the reason, if you start going back and looking at parts list. Merc/Mariner has too many NLA parts on their motors. some of them are essential to the engine running.

 

[achris]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

If you're servicing engine yourself, the Merc is decades ahead of a JohnRude. The maintenance on the Merc's is so much easier.

Chris.............

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

Expidia, i would buy a properly maintained evinrude, any day over a merc. the reason, if you start going back and looking at parts list. Merc/Mariner has too many NLA parts on their motors. some of them are essential to the engine running.

Hence why I would not touch most older motors. When I buy a used rig all I care about is the boat. I expect to have to find another motor for it becausevery few of us would ever sell a good well taken care of small outboard outright.

They are always grabbed by a friend, relative, office associate etc, I prefer to max out the HP anyway for the particular boat or to find one with power trim.
Our 10 year old merc does not have power trim! My Daughter is short and its dangerous for her standing up at the back of the boat especially if the waters rough to pull up even this lightweight o/b.

In my opinion, all outboards should have power trim if you already have electric start since you have the battery on board anyway. I even hate manually pulling up my 9.9 Merc. The $700 I invested in the 25 hp at the start of last season will help to hold up its resale value. I'm going to sell the carb on Craigslist for $100. I just didn't want to spend the time to clean it.

I know there is a huge market for old 2 strokes. As long as continues to run, it can stay on there. I'm going to get one of those leverage bars that goes over the cowling to help her pull it up before the season starts.

but as soon as it falters, it will go on Craigslist and I'll pick up the lightest weight 4 stroke brand I can find with ELPT and Elec start. Probably wouldn't mind test driving a 25 hp Etec. since I read they are coming out with one. This rig has a 30hp max but it's only a 14.5 Monark aluminum and 25 pushes it real well. That rating was 10 years ago and probably today a 4 stroke due to the weight would have a less than a 30 max HP rating.

I know for many of us, money is always an issue when buying a boat and motor, but getting a bad especially older outboard can really cost you more in the long run. Why throw money down the drain.

Not trying to start a brand war . . . But sorry, in my opinion, great motor or not you are not doing any possible new boater any favors by suggesting they buy a 25 year old Evinrude.


Good point on checking the availability of parts before you make any purchase. Mine 10 yr old 25 hp says Mercury on it.

I thought Mariner was a different division or model. If mine is actually a Mariner it will now go to Craigslist even sooner!

 

[achris]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

...I thought Mariner was a different division or model. If mine is actually a Mariner it will now go to Craigslist even sooner!

Mercury and Mariner are exactly the same thing with a different colour paint, have been for over 2 decades.

Chris.......

 

[Commando C2]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

Thanks all

More posts than i expected to be.
I already own the 1985 evinrude which cost me ?400. It was an auxuillary on a survey vessel so got serviced regularly but not used much. its had new coils and all the electrics look sweet. Paint is a bit tired but pretty good for a 25 year old motor.
I also find it easier to lift /tilt on the back of my boat than a 15hp i had because the weight is over the transom more and not hanging off the back.

The mariner is on offer for ?600.

Thinking its worth the extra money because its newer.
The mariner still has the side gear lever not the one built into the tiller.


will digest the replies ........
thanks again
nath

 

[achris]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

.... if you start going back and looking at parts list. Merc/Mariner has too many NLA parts on their motors. some of them are essential to the engine running.

TD, I think you'll find OMC (and all other manufacturers worldwide) are doing exactly the same thing. And I think I know the reason.

Over the last 20-30 years the developed world has moved from a 'service' based economy (buy a product and the manufacturer will support you and it for the life of the product) to a 'sales' based economy (buy new products as often as you can, because the manufacturer will abandon you the second the sale is made). The most likely reason for the shift is the emergence of the Chinese economy. They have cheap labour and so the developed world moved the majority of its manufacturing there, and since they need sales to justify the move, we lost the service industry. The whole world is so gear around sales now. The minor glitch in the economy last year saw sales drop slightly, which pushed so many companies to the wall. Had we still been in a service based economy we would hardly have noticed it.

Bottom line is that manufacturers can't afford to have you fix your old engine (or TV, or VCR, or anything else in the house), they need you to buy a new one, hence they will 'NLA' parts to ensure that.

We are now a truly 'throw-away' society (because if we don't throw things away we don't have jobs!).

IMHO...

Chris..........

 

[Expidia]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

Mercury and Mariner are exactly the same thing with a different colour paint, have been for over 2 decades.

Chris.......

Wikipedia shows Mercury Mariner's branding is for outboards sold outside the U.S.

I knew there was a difference that I've read in the past as to the Mariner brand vs the mercury badging. Article also says current 30hp and less are made by Tohatsu. And many of the larger ones are made in China.

Mariner vs Mercury . . . same outboards though.

 

[Commando C2]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

What have i started????


So what is it like getting spares for a 2001 mariner 25hp?

There are lots of spares on ebay for the evinrude but they are all from second hand motors that have been broken for parts i suspect as they have died.
If i can pick up the mariner for the right price i think i will as it has a better shallow water design for adjusting the trim which is useful for where i use it.

Lets all donate our 2 cents to charity for the rest of the night!

 

[achris]

Re: Best 25hp Engine? 2001 Mariner or 1985 Evinrude.

Spares for a 2001 model will be around for a while yet, the model is still current.