Need some boater advice...*Update*

[ezmobee]

Re: Need some boater advice...

Re: Need some boater advice...

How about option C......find a lower unit for your Force on ebay and DIY.

 

[bkwapisz]

Re: Need some boater advice...

Re: Need some boater advice...

Just out of curiosity, do they offer any kind of a warranty with the two new(er) motors? Seems like a good deal to me on those. I'd go that way myself.

 

[USCG Flyer]

Re: Need some boater advice...*Update*

Ok, stopped by the shop today to see what he found out taking the gear case off. He said the motor turned up fine and ran great. He took it apart and found out what was broken, basically a whole rebuild was in order. So, around a $1000.

Now for the other two 4 strokes. Basically, the Suzuki wouldn't work without buying another remote control. That was about $475, bringing me up to $3000 for that motor. I also found out the motor has about 2700 hours and came off a crab boat.

The Johnson 140 had about 1000 hours, came off a police boat and the remote control for that motor was only $100, bringing me to $2600 out the door.

Neither of the 4 strokes has a warranty, so if it craps out in ten hours, oh well, back to square one. If the I fix the Force, at least I have an idea of what the powerhead is like. Comments?

 

[Pez Vela]

Re: Need some boater advice...*Update*

The shop gave me two options.

... But you should not limit yourself to them. I'd keep looking for other motors, now that you've got more details.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Need some boater advice...

Re: Need some boater advice...

Well, as everyone knows..Force is basically the renamed design of one of the worst engineering outfits in history...Chrysler Corporation (aka 'Mopar',etc)...and it doesn't get any worse.
BP

Ahhhhh, the old Ford Chevy debate. My father-in-law swears by Fords. He also swears AT them just about every week when he needs to fix something. His aunt willed him a chevy and he drove it for 4 years without hardly a hiccup. He hated that car every day. Ended up buying another Ford.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Need some boater advice...

Re: Need some boater advice...

Thanks again John, all fine points. I mean what would that motor even be worth? $750-$800? At this point it almost seems like a no Brainer. Then we also have the resale value, and as I've found, 2/3 the value seems to be in the motor.

If you plan on selling it then most definately you need to be concerned with resale value.

If you plan on using the boat, then buying a second hand motor that was previously used commercially with thousands of hours on it is not a wise move IMHO.

If you are concerned about reliability, then go buy a new one.

If your main concern is cost, then my opinion is the same as before.

 

[USCG Flyer]

Re: Need some boater advice...

Re: Need some boater advice...

If you plan on selling it then most definately you need to be concerned with resale value.

If you plan on using the boat, then buying a second hand motor that was previously used commercially with thousands of hours on it is not a wise move IMHO.

If you are concerned about reliability, then go buy a new one.

If your main concern is cost, then my opinion is the same as before.

Roger that! The deal we came to was $1000 for the rebulit lower installed, with a tune up and good check on everything. I have been calling around and it seems the used motor market is quite thin. I intitially liked the 4 stoke Johnson, but 1000 hours of commercial use and no warranty is concerning.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Need some boater advice...*Update*

Mosey over to the Force outboard section and ask what lower units will work with that motor. You might be able to find a compatible one cheap. Heck I have an extra one for my '88 85HP that I would sell you for the price of shipping (special CG discount) but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't work with your motor.

 

[USCG Flyer]

Re: Need some boater advice...*Update*

Thanks NYbo, that is a very generous offer. After wieghing the options and checking with a few other shops in the area, I just came to the conclusion to fix the one I have. I figured with including a good going over on the motor and tuning it for a $1000 would be better than dealing with a used motor, with no warranty and an unknown history. Who knows, the thing could last ten years or blow up next week, then I'd really be it it for deep cash.

 

[spudshaft]

Re: Need some boater advice...*Update*

I'd pass on both of those outboards. Crab motor has too many hours, and the police motor was subject to rough use. Keep shopping. I'd probably try to find a good lower unit myself for a few hundred and roll wth the Force until I was "forced" to buy new. P.S. Yamaha is great, but I love Merc's too.