How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

[BudInTenn]

I am a new member. Recently bought a new outboard engine. How old should I expect the actual manufacturing date to be on a new motor?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

Welcome to iboats.

If you purchase a 2013 motor then you should expect it was built in 2013 however, there are left-over models out there and dealers should let you know. The warranty should start when sold not when built. There have not been any great advances in outboards and I would not worry about it.

I have seen outboards as old as 5 years old being sold as "new" ......... technology has not changed

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

Welcome aboard, Bud.

You don't say what the mfg. date and model year are, but it isn't uncommon to find the build date is later in the prior year. For example - If you buy a 2014 XYZ, it could have been built in the mid to late months of 2013 as part of stocking up for the new model year. Just like today you can go to a car dealer and buy a 2015 model and some of those have been on the showroom floor since 2013.

The important thing is having the full warranty period. All outboards aren't sold every year, so it isn't rare to find a new motor that is 2 or 3 year old being sold as brand new at a discount. As long as it has the full warranty.

 

[BudInTenn]

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

Well I got the full warranty, just no notice that the build date was 16months ago. Not going to let it bother me. Thanks for the responses.!

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

Well then, it's time to go boating.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

TDLI, EFI, 2 and 4 strokes will not change dramatically over the years, they are at a tech point that usually same HP models are being built year after year.

Happy Boating

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

Yamaha is trying its best to get rid of any reference to the year of a motor, saying it's 100% irrelevant and only the model matters, but the market won't let go of that detail.

But my Yam 150 has a manufacture date on the plate of Nov 2002. That's when the plate was put on at the factory, pesumably in Japan. It's on a 2003 boat that was sold new in 2004, so some of the registration/title/nisurance calls it a 2004.

even before the economy crashed I think it was typical for there to be a shelf life of a year or two before they were installed, run and sold. And there's one dealer nearby who advertises heavily that his old but new motors are cheaper, but just as good, as new/new ones. And I also sense that larger boats may sit for a year or so on the show room before sold.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

Years ago most engine manufactures would make changes to the cowl decal every year. For the past Decade, some manufactures haven't done the annual update, allowing old inventory to be sold as current, provided there no major changes made

 

[roscoe]

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

Several manufacturers don't even assign a model year to the motor any more.
Just a serial number and a build date.

When the new stricter epa rules went into effect, many 2 stroke motors were built and warehoused, then sold as new several years later.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: How new should a new motor be? mfg date vs sale date?

...When the new stricter EPA rules went into effect, many 2 stroke motors were built and warehoused, then sold as new several years later.

A Big +1 on that!

Not an OB, But, I bought a brand new 2012 Bow-rider 2 years ago, and made special arrangements with the manufacturer to put in a brand new, 3year old, 2009 4.3L MPI engine. No EPA, No Catalytic Converters, and $2000 less expensive.
Give me that Old Time Engine, Its Good Enough for ME! :music: