Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

[boater1234]

Ok guys i need some expert opinions on what motor to buy for my 16 ft alumacraft,it's rated for a 35hp but i know that a 25 will scoot it along fast enough.Here is what i have found so far.P.s this motor will be brand new so the things i'm naming are new motors.These will all be manual start and no tilt and trim as i don't need all that.

Brand new 2011 25hp 2stroke sea pro merc/which is the tohatsu/for $2600 1yr warranty
Brand new 2011 25hp etec 2stroke for $2500 5yr warranty
Brand new 2011 25hp suzuki 4stroke for $2700 3yr warranty
Brand new 2011 25hp yamaha 2stroke for $2600 5yr warranty

As of right now i'm leaning towards the etec or the merc sea pro but does anyone have any opinions on this as what would you buy and why?The merc is very hard to find and i only know one place who has them and he has 50 of them in stock.This will be the last yr he can get them but the warranty is not so good.But if you take care of it there should be no reason why it wouldn't outlive the warranty even if it were 5yrs.The etec is the new wave in technology and has a 5yr warranty but the weight difference between the 2 is like 33lbs which is not huge but some difference.So please guys chime in on what you think would be the best buy.Thanks for any help.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

The best buy would be to go for the Tohatsu 25 HP and pass it to 30 HP with peanuts investment, are very reliable engines. This way will be near recommended 35 HP for your 16 Ft alumacraft.

Happy Boating

 

[steelespike]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

They are all fine motors.My preference is:
The 25 Etec:: on an Alumacraft V16 280lbs, 2 men 6 gal gas, gear- 31.6 mph 6,000 rpm 10.2 mpg. 4,500 21.5mph @ 16.8mpg. No breakin and no service for 3 years or 300 hours.
Direct injection 2 stroke meets all "CARB"requirements. approx. 147 lbs.

 

[richardgreen]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

Based on my experience I'd have no reservations recommending the Yami 25hp 2 stroke to you as my first pick.

I've run one on the back of my 40hp rated Alumacraft V16 for the past five years and it's been great. It runs like a top, starts right up on the first pull and is easy on gas even running full throttle. Lots of power for pushing a fully loaded boat yet light enough to work well if I go out alone. I also appreciate it's light weight (approx 108#) since I take the motor off each fall for winter storage.

The Etech would be a good choice too if you could really get it at that price and you're not worried about the extra weight.

My opinions...

RG

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

I vote E-Tec.
Is Yamaha making a 2 stroke 25 anymore?

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

I vote E-Tec.
Is Yamaha making a 2 stroke 25 anymore?

According to this (US) website, no:
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard/overview.aspx

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

No they are not making the 25hp 2stroke yammi anymore but there is a bunch of them left for sale.They are all over the u.s for sale.I was leaning toward the 25hp 2stroke yamaha at first but i have owned tohatsus all my life and this merc/tohatsu sea pro is built like a rock as it is actually a commercial motor.It has a ton more stainless stell parts on it then most motors plus if i'm not mistaken it is a 440 cc motor as the standard merc is only 400cc's so it may give me a little more top end but it will give me a ton more torque out of the hole.The yamaha 25 weighs in at 105lbs the merc weighs in at 114lbs,etec weighs in at 146lbs,I just checked out yamahas web site and they stopped the extra 3yrs for warranty but it will come back soon as they have to mach all the other competitors with a 5yr warranty.


I would think anyone of them would break 30mph as that is extremely fast for a tiller.Well i will see what happens with the next promo for yamaha,if they go back to the 5yr then i will go with that even know the chances of it breaking down will be slim but it will be nice to have an extra 3yrs for free.If they don't go that route i will make a decision on the merc or etec as the etec has a 5yr warranty also.Well thanks guys and if anyone has anymore opinions please let me know.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

does yamaha still make the 25 two stroke? yes.
do they impot them to the US? NO.
and they have not since january 01 2010.
very good engine though.
dirt reliable and the electronics rarely fail.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

yamaha is the OMC of the sixties. Easy to get service, too, on the off chance you'll need it.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

This is another no-brainer question, at least in my highly biased mind....LOL. The E-Tec exhibits awesome technology AND its made in America. That alone makes it the ONLY logical choice.

I've personally heard nothing but high praise about E-Tecs from anybody I've ever talked to that owned one. And I make a habit of asking the owner when I see one. I'm not questioning the reliability or quality of the others on the list...and if anybody particularly enjoys suppporting workers in the Pacific Rim, then I say go ahead and buy a riceburner.

Now, havng said that, I'm the "proud" owner of a Yamaha 25 HP 2-stroke bought new in 2007. I hate the motor with a passion. When I bought it, BRP had not yet introduced the new 25, and my local dealer said it may be quite a while. Since I neded to upgrade right then, I went with the Yami. I needed a short shaft, so that further complicated the problem.

The motor takes 9 pulls to get it started cold. Once running it starts first pull every time. When it first fires up and run at idle, whether hot or cold, it smokes like a 16:1 oil burner from the 1950's. It was broken in by the letter of the book, and only run using Yamaha recommended products for its entire 120 hours of life. My local master Yami tech can find no fault.

On the positive side, it has good power, runs very smooth and quiet and uses awesomely little gas.

After buying a new boat in 2008, there was no money in the budget. But next year there will be. Next May there will be an E-Tec hanging where the Yami used to be.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

No they are not making the 25hp 2stroke yammi anymore but there is a bunch of them left for sale.They are all over the u.s for sale.I was leaning toward the 25hp 2stroke yamaha at first but i have owned tohatsus all my life and this merc/tohatsu sea pro is built like a rock as it is actually a commercial motor.It has a ton more stainless stell parts on it then most motors plus if i'm not mistaken it is a 440 cc motor as the standard merc is only 400cc's so it may give me a little more top end but it will give me a ton more torque out of the hole.The yamaha 25 weighs in at 105lbs the merc weighs in at 114lbs,etec weighs in at 146lbs,I just checked out yamahas web site and they stopped the extra 3yrs for warranty but it will come back soon as they have to mach all the other competitors with a 5yr warranty.


I would think anyone of them would break 30mph as that is extremely fast for a tiller.Well i will see what happens with the next promo for yamaha,if they go back to the 5yr then i will go with that even know the chances of it breaking down will be slim but it will be nice to have an extra 3yrs for free.If they don't go that route i will make a decision on the merc or etec as the etec has a 5yr warranty also.Well thanks guys and if anyone has anymore opinions please let me know.

The Mercury Sea Pro isn't offered in the U.S(new). as that would be in violation of the current EPA regulations....You could make a case that the Yamaha or Merc/Tohatsu are the best of the list based on available power, but in terms of fuel consumption they are a step backwards from the E-tec or the four-strokes.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

Tohatsu guru i know you are a smart fellow and have helped me out before but you are wrong on this one with the sea pro they are 100% brand new in the box shipped directly from canada.Whether the marina is in violation or not they are new as can be.I have seen them with my own eyes.There is a dealer with 50 of them as they are 2011 models and belive me they are not used as you get the full 1yr warranty merc offers for it's 2strokes.

However this will be the last yr they are available in the u.s.I'm leaning towards the merc,yammi,or etec those will be the 3 i will decide on.It will be a tough decision as they are all the same price but the etec's warranty is very impressive as well as yamahas when the promotion is running every other couple of mths.Well i will just have to lay out the pros and cons and make a decision as all 3 are good outboards.

 

[Lostfisher]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

If this is there last year making the sea pro how hard do you think it will be to find some one that works on the motor, and how available would parts be 10 years from now.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

It's the last yr they will be available in the u.s i meant.It's no more then a 25hp tohatsu there are tons of parts available for it anyway.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

Tohatsu guru i know you are a smart fellow and have helped me out before but you are wrong on this one with the sea pro they are 100% brand new in the box shipped directly from canada.Whether the marina is in violation or not they are new as can be.I have seen them with my own eyes.There is a dealer with 50 of them as they are 2011 models and belive me they are not used as you get the full 1yr warranty merc offers for it's 2strokes.

However this will be the last yr they are available in the u.s.I'm leaning towards the merc,yammi,or etec those will be the 3 i will decide on.It will be a tough decision as they are all the same price but the etec's warranty is very impressive as well as yamahas when the promotion is running every other couple of mths.Well i will just have to lay out the pros and cons and make a decision as all 3 are good outboards.

Actually I'm not wrong about them not being available in the U.S....It is not legal for them to be brought into the U.S. as new. Huge fine and/or jail time for the importer. So, it's one of two things:

1) Not new (A lot of campground engines are brought into the U.S. with anywhere from 100 to 1000 hours on them)

2) New (Illegally imported)

So, be real carefull with the dealership and get everything in writing to protect yourself. If it is new you need to check with Mercury and see if they will honor the Canadian warranty. They won't, but you need to verify that directly with them.

PS If it does turn out to be on the up and up please let me know by email so that I can buy some myself.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

I hate being wrong Mercury will honor the new one year warranty in the U.S., but the dealer is misrepresenting the engine as a 2011 as they will not be available until January. Also, be advised that that they cannot have the free or paid extended warranty put on them as they are NOT legally sold in the U.S....But, that burden falls on that dealer as the importer much more than you as the consumer.

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

Sounds good to me tohatsu guru.There is a little info at the end of this for ya.The yr warranty probally won't be worth anything anyway as that motor will outlive it 20 to 30 fold.Now if i would end up getting a lemon then i would loose by a@#.But it is a slim chance.I have owned tohatsus most of my life and have never once had any problems with a new one that i have taken care of.So the warranty never was ever used.I just like the fact that it is a simple engine with a massive amount of power+the power to weight ratio is awesome.I just might take a chance at $2600,why not if it goes good and i have no problems then that motor will probally outlive me especially how i take care of it.I'm very anal on how i take care of my stuff.You can eat off my motors even after 10yrs when i had my 9.8 2stroke it looked like it just came out of the showroom.

Hey maybe i go a little overboard but i have earned everything i have ever had so i tend to take care of it more if that makes sense.Even if it was for free i would still take care of it like that.I'm the same with all my stuff.The etec and yamaha is a very nice outboard to so that is why it is a tough decision.But i just think the merc/tohatsu is the way i may go.Tohatsu guru if your wondering were they are,smalloutboards.com,check it out and let me know what you think.They also sell 15hp 2stroke mercs,but long shafts only.

 

[Andyfender]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

Where are you finding those motors at that price?


Andy

 

[Andyfender]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

Oh Yeah......Go with the Etec. I am in the same boat as you. I am going to get a 25hp for my boat.

Andy

 

[boater1234]

Re: Need help with buying a 25hp outboard

I do alot of research andy.I can find the best prices on anything,especially outboards.There is a little marina in clearwater ,fl that sells etecs cheaper then anyone i know.Darn near cost.If you want me to get more info let me know and i will throw you a pm.