Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

[NCLakeboater]

I was wondering how often companies like Yamaha and Mercury make design changes to their motors? Other than introducing larger motors, there doesn't appear to be much difference in the 4 stroke line of Yamaha in the last 3 years.

 

[BillP]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

There is no way to tell when changes happen. Merc and Yamaha did away with "model yrs" so any engine on a showroom floor can be old or new technology. Their excuse for the change is that they can change engines as technology changes. The best bet for getting the latest technology engine is probably to find a motor that shows 2008 stamped on the id plate as mfg date. I'm still seeing 2003-2004 mfg dates on engines being sold as new off showroom floors...as "current" yr motors. The used book value of those motors makes them 5 yrs old one day after being sold new. Buyers aren't happy when they learn about this after the sale.

bp

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

Dropping the model year was done for one purpose and one purpose only! That is so the dealers can sell a motor built in 2006 for the 2007 model year and carried over to 2008 as a new motor. Understand that for boating, the 2008 model year for example can start anytime from the fall of 2007 to Jan 1 of 2008. In this example, technically, it is a new motor because it hasn't been run or previously used. Technically, it is NOT "current production" even though they would have you believe it is. Generally, once a given design is finalized and production starts, that engine will be built in that configuration for many years. The problem arises in the "tweaking" of that design over that span of years. Rarely does a design stay 100% the same over the production run. Problems inherent in the initial design are generally worked out so second year, third year and so on all get better. Granted, some even get worse due to cost reduction efforts. So your only protection against this scam is to examine the motor you are about to buy and make sure the production date or code is for that Model year. If it doesn't have one, make sure the dealer sales agreement specifies that this engine was produced in the current model year.

 

[NCLakeboater]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

Thanks guys. I guess that unless the companies list any new improvements on their website or in new motor brochures there really would be no way of knowing what, if any, yearly improvements were made. Good to know about how the dealers can include a new "older" model year in a boat package. I will be sure to check the manufacturer date when I am ready to buy the boat and motor package.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

Just another example of how the lack of regulations and/or strong consumer laws enable corporations to STICK IT to the consumer

 

[BillP]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

With the economy tanking and taking it's toll on boat and engine mfgs it may actually be better to buy a "current" 2006 motor than a "current" 2008. Today's business climate probably has mfgs cutting corners. I once bought a factory new OMC built during a strike and it had all types of problems...the worst being one rod cap bolt that was totally left out of the assembly. OMC replaced the motor no questions asked but "built during our strike" was trickled down to me from the dealer.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

There is no "current" 2006 motor. This is 2008. Even though the motor was "current in 2006" it is now two years old. Yes -- it is still new and unused and yes you should be able to make a deal on it. But no -- it is not 100% identical to current production. But that's the point, unless you have a way to identify the actual "build date" the dealer may not deal since you can't prove it is not "current production". He/She slaps that 2 year old motor on a brand new 2008 boat and you think you have a matched set. Wait until it comes time to buy parts. The only thing you have to go by is a serial number. Yamaha knows what year that engine is but you may not.

 

[NCLakeboater]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

Will Yamaha tell you the date of manufacture if you provide them with the serial number?

 

[jimmbo]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

I once bought a factory new OMC built during a strike and it had all types of problems...the worst being one rod cap bolt that was totally left out of the assembly. OMC replaced the motor no questions asked but "built during our strike" was trickled down to me from the dealer.

What do you expect when managemant actually has to do some work? That's why they were made management, because they could not work if their life depended on it.

 

[BillP]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

Merc has the mfg date stamped on the ID plate of every motor...with model, serial, weight, etc.

bp

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

ALL 05 and newer yamaha outboards have a date code for date of manufacture, other than to tell the consumer what the date of manufacture was its totally useless.
mercruiser until 1998 had seriel numbers only and was always that way as well as mercury marine.
in the marine market, remember its a very low limited production market, there is no use for date codes.
however by breaking the production runs into seriel groups it aids in tracking engineering changes.
if there isnt a change for say 3 years why bother to date it?
take the 06 F150, the seriel breaks due to a running change in the Balancer assy.
the newer will fit the older but the older wont fit the newer, thats where the seriel break is handy as it was a mid-year change.
but the date of manufacture is on a black and white tag on the stbd clamp bracket, whether Joe schmuck is smart enough to read isnt yamahas problem.
since 1998 the EPA has a tag that states the engine family and year of certification as well. so actually since 1998 ALL outboards sold in the US have at least one year of production code on them from the factory, all ya gotta do is look. why is it that yamaha leaves the date of manufacture but goes to a seriel number for production runs and folks whine when mercruiser,mercury and mariner did it that way for over 40 years and never a wimper ?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

It wasn't an issue 40, 30, 20, or probably even 10 years ago because people "didn't know what they didn't know" (and yes -- that's exactly what I meant to type). There were no forums like this one and and when people went in to buy parts for their motor they were asked for a model and serial number and they got their parts. The issue arose because of forums like this one where people are getting better informed. You can't tell me if when buying a new boat, and the dealer took you by the hand and showed you three boxes, each with a date/model/serial or any other marking that did or did not indicate year of manufacture, and said "that motor was built in 2006, this was built in 2007, and this one was built in 2008 but they are all identical, which one do you want" that you would not pick the 2008. The others have been sitting on a shelf for two and three model years. Simple as that. Is there a problem with that? Mechanically, probably not. At sale time - as we say up north -- you betcha. If the manufacturers would get their collective heads together and develop and education program that explains the details regarding engine manufacture dates and went to a common coding scheme like the serial number on automobiles, this would cease to be an issue. But trying to sell a boat that is sold by model year that includes an engine with a year of manufacture different than that is a hard sell to a leary buyer. For all he knows, that engine was actually run for one or two years and transferred to this boat. And that's just one scenario.

 

[jimmbo]

Re: Outboard manufacturers yearly changes

mercruiser until 1998 had seriel numbers only and was always that way as well as mercury marine.
why is it that yamaha leaves the date of manufacture but goes to a seriel number for production runs and folks whine when mercruiser,mercury and mariner did it that way for over 40 years and never a wimper ?

During the 50s, 60s, most of the 70s and 80s Merc usually changed the decals on the cowl every year, though 76 and 77 appear the same as do 80 thru 83 with very minor changes, 84 and 85 shared their decal.