What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

[boatersboard]

I am looking at a 1988 fourwinds vista cruiser with a 5.7 omc/ king cobra I/O I have not had luck with the omc line, as i do have a 1966 grew with an omc strendrive now that has not been good even after 4 mechanics have convinced me they know what they are doing so i am cautious....it has nore miles on it than hrs or knots. however i am willing to keep an open mind sort of I am looking for input if anyone has any on the reliability of the I/O drive system is it reliable with the prober maintence or does it have inherant problems?

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

Howdy,

Welcome to iBoats!

Don't buy a boat with an OMC Cobra drive. Just Say NO!

In todays market there's plenty of boats out there and after this summer there'll be a lot more with much newer Volvo Penta and Mercruiser drives if you must have a Boat with a Stern Drive. You can easily get parts and good service for VP and Merc systems even when they're quite old. OMC went out of business almost 10 years ago and some parts for early Cobra and King Cobra engines and drives are simply not available.

You will always find someone that will $ure! I can $$ work on an OMC $$ !!


Look for a Merc/VP powered boat. Just say no-OMC!


Cheers,


Rick

 

[danond]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

King Cobra drives are very rare. If you can't resist the hull and the deal is incredible, you better be able to get it fixed using someone local who knows what they're doing. If not, you're still SOL.

Regular Cobra drives are less of a big deal. Most shops can do 99% of the maintenance and repair, 99% of the parts are available and you can learn the 1% required if you're handy with tools.

If none of the above applies, stick with Merc/Volvo.

 

[boatersboard]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

thank you all
I thiink i knew the answer just needed a little push

 

[Don S]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

King Cobra drives are very rare.

Not really, OMC in it's infinate wisdom actually named 3 different drives "King Cobra"

First there was the standard Cobra drive with the dog clutch, but on the 460 Fords, they were called a King Cobra, also some of the SB engines.
Then came the OMC cone clutch drive (circa 1990 to 93) that was used on the Big Blocks. Called it the King Cobra.
Then they decided that in the Joint Venture with Volvo, that they would also call the SX drive, a King Cobra.

Is it any wonder they went out of buisness

 

[Bondo]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

Repeat after me:I will not buy a OMC. Over and over again.

Ayuh,.... Exactly....

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

Originally Posted by chiefalen
Repeat after me:I will not buy a OMC. Over and over again.

Ayuh,.... Exactly.... __________________
Any Grease is Better,..... Than No Grease at All.......

This would be a great "sticky"!!!

 

[danond]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

Howdy,

Don't buy a boat with an OMC Cobra drive. Just Say NO!

You will always find someone that will $ure! I can $$ work on an OMC $$ !!

... Just say no-OMC!

Spreading FUD is fun, ain't it??

 

[Uraijit]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

Spreading FUD is fun, ain't it??

Not as much fun as giving someone fair warning about something they're BOUND to have problems with down the line.

There are plenty of folks on here who seem mighty sensitive about how others feel about their beloved OMC, but most of the folks who get up in arms about it, are doing so simply because they made the mistake of buying one.

Most of the people who are so hell bent on defending OMCs wouldn't purchase one again, if they had it to do over. But they're stuck with 'em, and they don't want to feel stupid about their mistake.

If your setup works for you, then great! But the first time something major goes wrong with it, I'm guessing you'll be cursing OMC as much as anybody else.

Probably not openly, though... It's hard to admit a mistake.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

FUD....I thought that was a Microshaft thing.......



I'll take the FUD accusation in stride.... I don't consider it FUD either......I had a Cobra. A King Cobra in fact. (in fact I still have it sitting on the floor.....there's nothing wrong with it....anyone want it?)

The Cobra problems are well documented and are not in dispute. If some have a problem with the truth, so be it. We should still speak the truth.

The truth is, people who are going to buy a boat for the first time should AVOID OMC. (period)

Those who like to scrounge for parts, work on their own stuff, improvise when they cannot find or afford ridiculously expensive parts, or no longer available parts, have at it!!

But for those who just want a boat with minimal or normal maintenance.....BUY SOMETHING THAT IS STILL SERVICEABLE!

That means that you'll want something that has a manufacturer that still exists with a COMPLETE parts source THAT STILL EXISTS! OMC doesn't meet that requirement.

Sorry. I'm afraid that's the truth......not FUD.


Cheers,


Rick

 

[PBKboater]

Re: What Do I Do Buy Or No Buy Cant Decide!!!!!

Rick, sorry posting reply on this link but PM is disabled. But I would be enterested in your King cobra. can you send me details?

Thanks Pbkboater (Paul)

OMC Cobra 460