Motor replacement decision

[Otis313]

Just got the bad news and it seems like my trusty Merc 40 2s is shot. Compression in one cylinder is less than 50 and the other 2 are at the minimum. To top it off, I had a rock strike earlier this year that took 2" of the skeg. I was holding off repair till the end of season but seems that the compression issue have sealed the deal on the repair work. We were talking just last week about how much use were were getting from the boat and considering an upgrade to something with a little more kick, so no point putting money to repair a motor that no longer meets our needs. We still like our old 99 Legend V178 SC.. its in good shape and meets our needs nicely, but faced with the motor issue we are having a hard time deciding if it make sense to put a new motor on such an old boat.

Would like to go to either a 60hp or 75hp 4 stroke, but we are looking at anywhere from $8 to $10k. The trailer is rusty and safety is a consideration... so add another $1500 for a replacement trailer. Without a motor the old boat isnt worth much on a trade in, and a new-ish boat that meets our needs starts at about $17k with a brand new around $25k.

Weighing the pros and cons here.... $9-11k cash to upgrade a 15 year old boat with new trailer and motor, or toss in the extra $$ to get a 2008 or newer boat\motor\trailer and finance it over 10 years or so.

Any other thoughts I need to consider??

Cheers... Jon

 

[airshot]

What condition is the boat in....how bad you want to keep it....your cost on a motor sounds high, many good used ones out there for much less. It all depends on what you want..

 

[Otis313]

The boat is OK... dry as a bone and everything is working right now. Shows wear as expected for its age. It meets our needs, and if we were to replace it we would be looking for similar size\style. Could take it or leave it right now... all depends on the best course of action from here. Not may used motors available that I have been able to find. More might come up in the fall but with 3 months left on the boating\fishing I hate to let it slip by waiting for a gently used motor that may or may not come along. Best deal so far is $6700 for a Merc 60hp 4s... long shaft though - not sure its right for our boat. Plus remote, install and taxes.....

 

[pckeen]

First, check that your boat is genuinely in good shape, if it is....

The reality is a new boat motor and trailer package will cost you a fair bit more than a new motor. I did a 'nearly new' motor replacement on a 60s boat - by the time we were done, we had $12k into it (but that was for new steering, motor, guages etc.), but a new boat would have been $25 - $35k. If I were you, I wouldn't go out and buy a brand new motor. I would hold off until winter, and buy a new old stock, or one year old motor. If you are prepared to wait, they come up for sale - big savings over a new one. If you switch brands, you will need new control.

 

[roscoe]

Weighing the pros and cons here....

Any other thoughts I need to consider??

Cheers... Jon

Sure.
How about a used motor?

Lots of people upgrade and trade-in their used motors, so you might find a bit of savings.

 

[bonz_d]

Agree that buying a newer used would be the way to go. Expand your search area if you must. I recently drove 7 hours round trip to buy a boat and trailer because it was what I was looking for and I couldn't pass up the price they were asking. I then drove another 5 hour trip to pick up a used outboard for it. So as it sits now I've invested about half of what it is really worth.

 

[crb478]

I my area I have seen newer four strokes in the 60 HP range go for 4-6000 dollars. Most were being sold to up grade to a bigger motor. You will need to look everyday and they probably wont last long, but they are out there. I have a 2008 four stroke on my 1990 boat. I love the motor and the boat fits my needs well. I also have less than 10,000 in the pair, much less than a new boat would cost me for similar performance.

 

[Otis313]

Thanks guys - yeah, I've been watching for used models but have not run into anything that fits the bill yet. 2013 and 2014 stock seem to be all thats available right now... probably dealers trying to clear out for end of season. Searching in Ontario on Kijiji and Autotrader daily since I got the bad news.

The service center I store at is a Tohatsu dealer - they can install a 2014 75 TLDI 2 stroke for about the price as a 2013 Merc 75 4 stroke... and say that will save me about 100lbs.... both about $10k out the door.

Found a 2014 60hp Merc ELPT 4 stroke which would be about $8800, but have read these are now made in China and have issues...anyone know if theres any truth to that rumor?

Im tempted on the Tohatsu... reviews are all really positive. "Bulletproof" has been used many times in the research Ive done, but I honestly know nothing about the brand. Sounds to be the engine of choice overseas, but seems Merc has the NA recreational boating market pretty much cornered here.

 

[crb478]

Tohatsu's have good reputations here, and I have also heard them referred to a bulletproof. If you can afford it, it may be a good option especially since the dealer is where you are.

 

[Otis313]

Yeah, Im still thinking... haven't pulled the trigger on anything yet. I worry that being a relatively unknown brand and the lack of certified service locations may have a negative affect on resale down the road.