Re: May be looking a force 125.
If it's white then it's pre-1987 give or take a year or two. Rarely do I see any older outboard for sale that isn't advertised as "excellent running condition with good compression." LOL! Do a compression check yourself. If you can test it out, even better.
It's a very basic 2-stroke outboard, no bells or whistles. Only "bell" on it is an overheat alarm. Parts are still available on line. If you are mechanically inclined and don't feel intimidated about working on it, and don't mind waiting for parts ordered on line, then it shouldn't be a problem to maintain. Parts are relatively cheap, and lots of used parts for decent price on the auction sites. Trouble-shooting the Prestolite CD ignition system can be a little frustrating at times. Other than that, it's nothing fancy, but there are many out there that are over 20 years old and still running. I've had mine, a 1988 125HP motor for 6 or 7 years now and it has never let me down yet. Only down side is that since these motors have been around for awhile and gone through many owners, sometimes you get one that has been butchered by previous owners. Man made problems are the worst type to have to figure out.
I believe the Force engines have gotten an un-deserved bad reputation, mostly from boaters that did not follow basic maintenance procedures and common sense. They just ran'em 'till they blew. Also, not all marine shops will work on them.
