Tohatsu...any good?

[petrolhead]

Anyone had experience of Tohatsu outboards, are they any good? I'm looking for a cheapie motor to put on the back of a small runabout I want to sell, needs about a 5hp, and I notice that Tohatsu 2 strokes are really cheap! For little more than the price of a used motor of another brand I could get a brand new Tohatsu, and I'm thinking a new motor would make it more saleable. I have no experience of these motors though, would I be better off spending the money on a good used Johnson/Evinrude/Merc etc...? Any downside to Tohatsu, what makes them so cheap?

 

[phatmanmike]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

what makes them so cheap is a few things..... #1, whens the last time you saw a fishing tourny sponsored by tohatsu?!?<br /><br />they are very basic and i bet they out run the rest. i own 3 and would by another in a heartbeat. 2 of the ones i own are 5hp, they are the lightest 5 hp models around. howbout keeping the tohatsu for yourself and selling th old johnson

 

[petrolhead]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

Sell my old Johnny, are you kidding? I'd sell my wife and mother first!<br />I've never seen a fishing tournament sponsored by Tohatsu, but then I don't think I've ever seen a fishing tournament, sponsored or otherwise! Do outboard manufacturers really sponsor things like that? I guess they must or you wouldn't have mentioned it.<br />Well thanx for the vote of confidence anyway, I may advertise the boat as is, with no motor, and offer to fit a motor of the buyers choice if they don't already have one. I could confidently offer the choice of a Tohatsu as a cheap option if I know it's going to be OK.<br />At least I can then give potential buyers an accurate idea of a starting price to get them on the water.

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

The point about the fishing tournaments is that they DON'T spend money on things like that so they can sell the product for less. They just don't have the advertising and marketing that the others have.

 

[petrolhead]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

I understand that RR, just like in other fields, it's no coincidence that the companies who spend most on advertising their product usually sell it for the most!

 

[roscoe]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

The Tohatsu motors are fine. They actually produce most of the small motors for Mercury, and all of them for Nissan.<br /><br />So when they run the assembly line a little longer and slap their own name on the motor, the costs are pretty low.

 

[DJ]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

They're fine. Service and parts CAN BE spotty.<br /><br />Why cheap? The people assembling them make $1.00/hour.

 

[Alex65]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

Petrolhead: Tohatsu engines are an excellent value. There is nothing wrong with them vs. the Johnson's, Mercs etc. They are very simplistic & strong running.<br /><br />I bought a 9.8 2-Stroke this year for $1250.00 brand new w/ warranty. It's weight is 58 lbs.!!!! Quite for a 2-Stroke as well & has plenty of zip. If you do a search on Tohatsu in these forums or on google, you'll get positive posts. <br /><br />Just see where your nearest dealer is, because in some parts of the USA, Tohatsu is a little weak. <br /><br />Good Luck!<br /><br />Alex

 

[petrolhead]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

Well as I'll be selling the boat parts availability isn't something that really concerns me too much. I just need to be able to offer the boat for sale with something reliable on the back, and from what I've heard it sounds like Tohatsu is certainly an option.<br />I've been thinking some more about this and I believe I will offer the boat for sale without a motor, allowing the buyer to fit their own if they have one, but being able to suggest one or two suitable motors that won't break the bank if they don't have something suitable already.<br />Apparently the last owners had an electric trolling motor fitted, and the boat originally had an inboard of some description, so there are plenty of options!

 

[Luna Sea]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

Yeah, sell it without the motor. You put a $1250 motor on the back, you'll be lucky to recoup half of it in a sale.

 

[petrolhead]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

That was my only concern, that despite it being a brand new motor I might still lose money on it!<br />If I offer to fit a motor of the buyers choice at cost I can't go wrong, but I expect potential buyers to ask how much this will cost, what's the cheapest they can get away with, and it would be good to have a ready answer.

 

[Tracy Coleman]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

Brunswick/Mercury owns what- 90% of Tohatsu. You don't know who is in bed with who nowadays.<br />Backfire

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

Actually Mercury does not own any of Tohatsu. It's a common misconception encouraged by Mercury because they do not like admitting they do not build their own engines. Mercury is a partner with Tohatsu on owning some land and a manufacturing plant that leases space to Tohatsu to produce engines. When Tohatsu had to ramp up to provide additional engines to Mercury they demanded that Mercury subsidize the manufacturing costs. Tohatsu was afraid that Mercury might decide to have someone else build their engines for them and did not want to get caught with excess manufacturing capability. ( They are very old and very wise. See China.)

 

[swist]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

In small working harbors in Maine there is a very large presence of Tohatsu engines on tenders, skiffs, and other workboats. These are people who can't make a living of their engines can't run. The common wisdom is that you don't need parts or service all that nearby if nothing ever breaks, and these simple engines can be self-maintained by almost anyone.

 

[petrolhead]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

simple engines can be self-maintained by almost anyone. <br />

I'm a great believer in simple engines, my British Seagull has to be about the simplest motor imaginable, it's almost like a kids toy "My First Outboard"! But it's incredibly reliable, never fails to start at least by the second pull, and chugs along all day without missing a beat.<br />I drive two vintage aircooled VWs too, nothing under those engine lids that I can't fix myself with basic tools. I look under the hoods of modern cars and I can't even identify half the parts, let alone fix them!

 

[John_S]

Re: Tohatsu...any good?

I own two off-color Tohatsus (Nissan), and when I need another lower hp outboard, would be looking at them first. After years of OMCs, purchased first Nissan (40C) in mid-eighties. Was first attracted by the price (even less than Force @ the time), but was impressed by the build quality. We were the first on our lake to have one. In fact, only in the last 5-7 years, have others began to show up. Probably from availability via mail order, but there is a decent spread of dealers across our state now, as well.<br /><br />PS: I still have a running '63 10hp sport twin in storage, and a '76 35hp Johnson parts motor. I just can't seem to bring myself to sell things!