Is Yamaha or Mercury Better 

What is your opinion; what is the best boat outboard engine brand?

I purchased a Yamaha 3 hp Malta outboard 29 years ago , it’s been underwater in the sea twice . It still runs as it did new ,

Been running an F225 in UK for 15 years with nothing more than routine maintenance. Never missed a beat. That builds brand loyalty

Interesting thing about Mercury. The small, up to 40hp outboards, are Tohatsu outboards with Merc hookups, Merc cowlings, and phantom black paint.

I have that same 1980s knee board hanging on the wall. Still use it to this day. I pull it with my Yamaha 40 hp, which has been super reliable. Great video.

I’ve owned both and they were both excellent motors.

I think it’s kind of like vehicles…….people are loyal to a brand until it gives them problems……then they may switch to another brand. I’ve never had any issues with Yamaha

Great, informative video. One significant difference between Yamaha & Mercury in a (30HP) outboard is the massive weight difference. I recently outfitted a 16" SIB and went with the Mercury 30ELHPT over Yamaha's F30LEHA, due to the the Mercury being 78 lbs. lighter. For my purposes (outfitting a lightweight boat,) it was a no-brainer. Yamaha uses the 40HP head and "depowers" it to 30HP. Also, Mercury recently switched to a resin manifold, making for an even lighter powerplant.

i am a certified technician on both Yamaha and Mercury outboards. We are the guys who have to travel several hours away to fix your new engine if you experience a problem. After 12 years of doing this, i want you all to hear this: Buy a Yamaha. Everything on a Mercury takes at LEAST twice as much time to fix, and they break down a whole lot more often than Yamahas. I just want to spend time with my wife and son...

No one has even taken delivery of the new v10 400 Mercury so we don’t know how that will perform long term yet.

That see your slipway for the brand most used and nearby dealer preferred brand is spot on

I have owned many many mercury outboards including most recent 2020 20 efi, fantastic motors, quiet, reliable and I will never go to anything else.

Mercury v8 in 3 years have a 16000 hours in police department Puerto Rico

Another excellent video. Thanks

I love me a good mercury, I've had my 40hp for a while and have only had a overheating problem one time all it needed was a new water pump, easy fix.

Thanks for providing something along the lines of facts from your operations.

According to our experience here in the Parana delta in Tigre, at the same power Yamaha offers (in the 20-90 HP range) better performance (with little difference, obviously) and less noise.... On the other hand, Mercury has better internal durability of components, especially in engines with many hours of use, the block and cylinder head are in better condition than those of Yamaha (and other Japanese firms). greetings from Argentina

Yamaha F200, never had a problem. Only regular maintenance such as oil change, impeller, and anode replacement. Going on 1700 plus hours so far and no issues offshore being stranded.

The Johnson 150, back in the day had an amazing sound. You knew one when it was coming toward you!

WOW, Very nice to hear some body make sence. I kneeded to know the oppinions of others. A lot of those questions went un answered. But you we very on the spot with your answers. Not knowing about engines in general, I had a un educated view of how they actually work. And all the little things to get the best performence for the dollar. I naturaly saw one engine as being better, unlike most people I am a sailing sailor guy. I did have small Boston waslers with 25 hourse power. Which was suprisingly strong. if it could pull me up with one ski and me at 229 pounds of muscle. But a forty hp would have been better. The redundicy of having two engines apealed to my old age of 67. But one engine is a LOT MORE QUIET I BET. Quiet is the best for sailors.

They are all good. These days your choice of engine really depends on where your local service agent is. Simple. But I will move house to be near a Yamaha Dealer.

Thanks for the honest analysis

I'm selling a boat with a Mercury Optimax that didn't the past 2 summers in the shop with various issues, and it only had 400 hours. I put 6 hours on the motor in the almost 4 years I've had the boat and it left me stranded twice. Just bought a boat with twin Yamahas with 1400 hours

Okay, I have a question for you. You said that Suzuki was better for the lower end motors. Then you jumped to the "why the hell do you need that big of motors" engines My question to you is What about the Mid-Size motors. The 65s upto100 hp?

Does the Mercury v6 range have annodes in the block?

My Mercury 150 is running great with 600hrs. Alternator went out with 500 hrs. $180, 15 minutes and back on the water. Only issue.

This is the definition of beating around bush 🥴🤷‍♂️ Mercury 250 V-6 weighs 505lbs.. Mercury 250 V-8 weighs 505lbs. So now that’s cleared up.. I power yearly and with that being said the 2021 Mercury V-8 250hp was so terrible simply because of the trim pin screw going from the tri lobe pin style to a stainless steal screw threaded into stainless steal 👎 Note : Stainless steel doesn’t tighten, threaded into stainless steel.. Period!! If it can’t lean the threads, it won’t tighten… This small/giant problem cost me THOUSANDS literally… If you want a dependable outboard that’ll go every time buy a SHO.. If you want to spend half your days at the Mercury trailer and pretty much forced to buy a Mercury code reader because of the 101 guardian modes this engine has and stays in,Mercury’s your motor 👍 Ill definitely give up 2 mph for reliability.. Owning 13 brand new Mercury’s over the years, never again.. I call it like I see it…. Full time fisherman with a full time review.. BUY A SHO FOR SHO

Great video! And I agree on almost everything you said. One point though. You state the I4 200 yamaha is lighter then the V6 200 Mercury. It's not. According to yamahas website the 20" 200 I4 Yamaha is 525lbs for the 20" DEC model (520 for the 150 version) and the Mercury 175/200/225 V6 motors are 475lbs for a 20". So they are 50lbs lighter. It's hard to beat the V series Mercury's right now.

great video we just liked and subscribed

Here in Miami.Florida..every boat has a Yamaha motor on its transom...even law enforcement boats use Yamis...Yamaha owns over 40% of the outboard market worldwide n sells more motors then anyone else...that's telling u something

Yamaha for me. During my 25yr navy career, we used Yamaha outboards exclusively without any issues. I also had twin Yamaha 85's on my personal offshore fishing boat and never had any problems.

Yamaha is the best outboard in the business but I think Mercury is catching up.

Yamaha is reliable but conservative At 2023 Mercury mid-big range seems to be the best choice, because of their innovations they’ve achieved. AMS, lightweight & big displacement engines, resulting in good torque and low noise. There is a Swedish boat manufacturer (Arronet) who have put lot of efforts on low cabin noise boats. Mercury is ideal for their boats, compared to Yamaha or Suzuki.

I'm not about brand because it won't get you home offshore. What will get you home is reliability and that's my Yamaha

115 hk for fishing?? Mostly trollingfishing with downriggers, Merc or Yammy???

Kinda like choosing a chain saw, Stihl or Husqvarna. In reality you can't go wrong with either, if you're brand loyal stick with it,if not either will give you a satisfying experience.

Mercury Marine was the only outfit GM entrusted to build the venerable LT5...

What about Suzuki?

A lifetime of Mercs and MerCruisers. Both Merc and Yamaha making great products but it’s Merc for me!

Mercury 2.5 liter 2 stroke promax is a fast motor i think that was the best motor for bass boats but i own a 07 Yamaha 115 2 stroke that runs like new

In my area the boat techs and shops wont work on your boat unless you have a Merc.

Yamaha all day. Yamaha's hold their value

I have owned 3 Mercs 2 Yamahas and now a honda. Only ever had problems with the Mercs.

*Suzuki* of course! The hammer from Hamamatsu!

My 4 stroke 75hp feels like no more thrust than my Evinrude 2 stroke 50hp E-tec.

All four stroke outboards are reliable.

I enjoy your videos but frankly on this topic it really is not possible to believe your opinion given you sell both brands. I’m in freshwater Midwest US where there are lots of Mercs, but the saltwater offshore guys seem swear by Yamaha.

Very disappointed with the yamaha's I've had for commercial use😔.

Is it fuel efficient?

I think the last version of the Evinrude G2 was in allot of ways the best outboard on the market. It’s so good at so many things. Such a shame they got shut down rite when they we’re getting dialed in

Mercury's all day long! I have a 1980 Merc 9.8 hp that still runs like the day I bought it!

I've got a Mercury 60hp Bigfoot that came stock with my '06 Whaler Sport 150. Does Yamaha make a motor that's equivalent to the Bigfoot design? I'm drawn to a Yamaha replacement at some point because I think of them as being quieter. Thanks.

The fifty and sixties are put together in China but all the parts are made in the USA I got a fifty mercury it is a great moter

If you are in high salt water like the coast of Florida, you want a Yamaha. Period.

Yamaha hands down

Mercury looks better

What about Suzuki

Yamaha!

japan

Ok tutti e 2 ottimi. Ma il peso? Mercury piu leggero.

Independent mechanic says he only buys Yamahas, best electrical system. He’d go Suzuki also, and Tohatsu for power/weight ratio.

Comparing Mercury vs Yamaha, no matter what size, is like comparing a Ford Taurus to a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry and saying they're equally good. It's almost laughable because anyone who isn't bias, knows for a FACT that a Honda or Toyota is 10x the car of any Ford on the road. Same as a Yamaha is 10x the motor than any Mercury. Japanese/Yamaha engineers are light years ahead of even the best engineer working for Mercury Marine. That's not an opinion, that's just pure and simple fact!!!

I want Honda 250 for my boat but heck ima stick with my yama 200 until she craps out

Worst piece of machinery I’ve ever had was a Mercury outboard. I became so frustrated with the constant breakdowns and pitiful customer service by Mercury I made up Tee-Shirts stating “ Want a Lemon? Buy a Mercury Outboard” I made sure I wore it at all the local boat shows. We called it Satan.

Mercury! Owned both.

If Mercury was so great Brunswick would not have to own such a large amount of boat companies, just to make it so that you can only get that boat with mercury motor rigged on it. So that Mercury can sell motors. They know given the choice most people would have a Yamaha or a brand other than Mercury put on it.

Yamaha.

Mercury made a bunch of engines in China! No thanks. Yamaha = Made in Japan = legendary reliability.

How much did Mercury pay you for this? They are the worst for reliability on the market, always have been!

1. If you boat 100 hours a year with your wife's permission.. 450r's look great on your dock. 2. If you fish 100 hours a month... well figure it out. Don't feel bad lots of tourists love the sand bar, lol

Yamaha is definitely more reliable than Mercury, especially in a saltwater environment with the bigger engines.

Coleman outboards are the best

If you can chose , stay away from Mercury . Had two of them , always something wrong with them . Do not listen salesmen , listen to Mechanics. Had Nissan , Yamaha , now Suzuki.

I stopped listening as soon as I heard how he pronounces Yamaha.

Thanks for saying nothing.

Suzuki is better than both the way the overhead camshaft are managed is way better than both

Speed=mercury Reliability =yamaha

yamaha has super corrosion problems... F150 - F200 - F250...

Suzuki

A few minutes of my life i wont get back. Waste of time.

EVINRUDE👍🏻

Suzuki is better.👍🤣

SUZUKI WINS,WEIGHT,COST AND WARRANTY

This argument will never be won. Just like Ford vs Chevy, Piper vs Cessna, Boeing vs Airbus, etc. Many have personal experience, just speak our ignorance or make crap up but you are not going to change the mind of Merc or Yamaha fanboys. My preference is Mercury but Yamaha and even Suzuki makes good motors too. You can’t go wrong with either motor.

What about good old Chrysler.😳😳🤣

Ya- ma- ha....not yamm-a-ha.....a yam is a goddamned sweet potato.

I’m a music fan and a company that makes the engine for the legendary LFA and a grand piano is the engine I want Yamaha for life!🚤🤯🔫