Advice on 2nd hand outboards

[simoncchadwick7]

Currently looking at buying a Mercury 90 1998, any comments on these engines? Its mainly for skiing

 

[FullCircle]

Welcome to the forums.
General Note: Avoid E Bay for large outlays on outboards without inspection and specialist knowledge.
The tech lowdown on this will be along shortly, but you might consider trying to move this post to MoBochat.

 

[simoncchadwick7]

Sorry just realised, I put this on the wrong forum

 

[paul_williams]

I hate mercurys, american built crap! I've never had a good one in 30 years.

 

[simoncchadwick7]

Any suggestions on brands, I have approx £3500 to spend looking for 90-135Hp

 

[paul_williams]

can't say for sure, yamahas, were always good. I havn't owned a big outboard for a few years. but the 25 mariner/mercury on my boarding dinghy is rubbish. great power. build quality leaves little to be desired. I can however recomend tohatsu's Ive had 8 for the last 3 years with no problem apart from fishing line ruining the gearbox last week, and that was my fault for leaving it in the well. you might get a honda, if you look around. friend of mine replaced 120 hp two stroke with a 90 four stroke, and said their was no differance. four stoke has that much torque. evinrudes and johnsons, V4. belting engines. not sure they're in business anymore. but the V4's'll run forever. far better than a merc

 

[simoncchadwick7]

Its a shame its my Johnson V4 which is giving me trouble at the moment and what I'm looking to replace, however she is a tad on the old side at 26 years old!

 

[paul_williams]

that's not bad service when you consider my 25 is only six,hardly does anything but push a twelve foot 'with' and its falling apart despite my best efforts.