Why All Outboards Are Trash 

2006 Suzuki DF150 owner here. The thing has been very reliable. Very, reliable. I do keep up with the recommended maintenance, especially oil/filter, gear lube drain/replacement, spark plugs, zinc anodes, impeller, thermostat grease Zerks etc. The basics. 99% salt water usage and I flush after every trip.

I found your podcast by accident and am very impressed. I'm a 65y/o disabled VET who used to love nothing more than ripping on the water before the military, now I'm watching youtube clips of other people on their boats, poker runs and the like. Your opinions and answers to questions is what prompted me to post. The tool set on the 18ft boat (I think) was right on, most bolts on the outboards are metric not standard, something some may overlook, even down to the wire brush for electrical connections, a must have, zip ties etc... Good luck with your boating endeavors and I wish you success.

Mercury 2.5L so simple so light and fast. Cheap to rebuild and plenty of aftermarket support. I don’t see me getting rid of my old girl.

One problem with a new product design is the time it takes for the mechanics to get familiar with the new design and it's quirks. Another is the public being the final R&D test bed. From what I was told many years ago is that the bean counters are the final engineer of the product. Meaning the engineers design a part then the bean counters send it back saying make it cheaper. This can go back and forth several times until it is accepted and the dependability is reduced. Then the bean counters dial in a cost to the purchase price of the product for warranty claims. I'm not sure but some of the difference in cost of the Japanese engines and Mercury Marine is Mercury designs everything from the ground up and the imports have their automotive engines to barrow from to redesign for the outboards. Mercury's labor cost also plays into it.

First thing you need to do with any new oulboard motor is buy the FACTORY REPAIR MANUAL. Remove and install all the sacrificial anode holding bolts and bolts holding the lower unit on removed during a waterpump impeller change and coat the threads with NEVERSEIZE compound. Spend the extra dollar per gallon and buy ethanol free fuel. Put fuel that is more than 90 days old in your car and get fresh fuel for your boat. Check the lower unit oil very often for color and water. Change it regularly. Store the boat motor out of the sun.

My Yamaha 115 2 stroke doesn't miss a beat but I take very very good care of it

I still run twin 115 Hondas that are 23 years old now. 😊. It may rust apart some day even with maintenance.

Dude: history class! Cook islands were named after captain Cook. The british explorer. He died in Hawaii at a place that is now called… wait for it… Cooks Monument. (Also a GREAT dive site!)

beating the dead horse, my 1998 honda bf90a never had problem providing it was a sheriff boat and i go underway offshore every week. 🎉

yamaha 150 four stroke. Enough said. My engine over 2k hours. Since 2007 0 probablems 🤷‍♂️

I have owned boats all my life (66 yrs.) and IMO there are few keys to trouble free outboards. Obviously, religious maintenance but operating the engine on ethanol free, stabilized fuel and running the engine monthly (on the flush adapter) in the off-season to keep everything moving and lubricated. Simple.

That idea has always been interesting to see. just because a brand is "junk" dose not mean it really is. it's because innovation has a lot of growing pains, and a lot of people buy into that new series... then get burned by small issues or even catastrophic issues with whatever that is. I like you take on this, very insightful.

I was in Alaska and it’s like Honda world out there. I couldn’t believe how many. Big following

Our Marina sells boats rigged with both Yamahas and Mercurys. It’s a pretty even split. I agree with you on the perception of each brand. Yamaha definitely has the reliability edge on Mercury. I have done way more Mercury warranty and recalls than Yamaha. Now that’s not to say Mercury is not a reliable brand it’s just that Yamaha is that much more reliable. However the new Mercury outboards are way smoother and quiet than the Yamahas. It really all depends on what you’re looking for. IMO if your more of a day boater going to the beach/cruising around you’ll probably enjoy the performance of the Mercury. But if you’re making longer runs from home fishing offshore you’ll like the Yamaha as you won’t have the small issues the Mercury may have that would be a real nuisance far away from home.

I totally keep a Leatherman on the Boat ALWAYS

Tohatsu 9,8 here no, and what a little engine, i live with a lake connected to the nortern sea fjord and this engine is much in use, often one hour each way to islands, this little thing if get oil changes, just go and go. But quite new 2021 with 200 hours in salt water. My prewious a 25 efi Tohatsu lasted 12 years, newer stopped.

Honda = Reliable and very fuel efficient and in my experience easier to work on with good aftermarket parts availability but if you are not a DIYer its harder to find a mechanic.

I only have three inboards. Two in my Cruisers and one in my Baja. They have plenty of their problems too….Maintenance is everything on a boat. You must run them every few weeks and so much more. I get roughly about 20 years out of my engines. I don’t know why outboards became so popular though.

twin yam 300s here 530 hours 8,100 miles and zero issues

I think mercury I think trash I will say 4 stroke outboards are not very great but nothing beats a 2 stroke

MULTI METER , SPARE FUSES, BASIC ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS ECT.

Some of the top new 4 strokes are now dissolving.

Would love to hear your thoughts on newer boats getting cracks in the gel coats. I have a 2020 215xts nautic star that has fine cracks developing in the gelcoat. Hoping this is covered under their lifetime hull warranty, but seeing how warranties work I’m concerned they will claim “abuse” Most of them are on keel and top deck caps*.

I have 1985 Mako 224,add bracket or don't add,tramson is in good,owned from new

I have a mercury 40hp 4 stroke. It gets gas in the oil. Not much but it does get in there between oil changes. Everyone says don’t idle and run wide open to get it to temp. Does this sound normal to you?

those brands that make unreliable and expensive products will simply be put out of business soon by other players on the market (like Evinrude\Omc lol). So there are no plain good or bad products if the manufacturer made it that far. I owned Mercury, Mercruiser, Tohatsu, Suzuki, Yamaha - they will all last, if you maintain them and even a brand new from the box engine can be undone in a season if operated and maintained improperly.

If you think your outboard is unreliable, I suggest you buy a boat with a stern drive. (Or an I/O as you US guys call them. You’ll be happy with your outboard for ever more. 😂😂

I have a Yamaha f50 with 1 million hours

:5 - :47. There’s no excuse. How many decades have these companies been making outboards? The answer is….if they wanted to, they would. Any outboard owner would gladly pay an additional 1k for the additional manufacturing costs of better metals, hardware, corrosion protecting coatings, heavier wiring, quality paint and computers and modules that hold up better. If that meant it would no go back for repairs before the replacement cost double again. They know how but they don’t and it’s simply to dig money from our pockets. Flame me if you want but these facts are true and can not be disputed.

2006 Yamaha F225 was an absolute shitshow between the exhaust and temperamental fuel system absolute trash.

Outboards are much more superior to a inboard 😂😂