which new small outboard would you get?

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nyx

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my old 2stroke has finally died so it's time to get a new 4stroke 2.5hp but which one.

mercury £400
Suzuki £440
Yamaha £420
Jetmarine £300
Is it worth trying to save money and get the jetmarine which ive never heard of or am i better off sticking to a well known brand name?
the above are the cheapest prices ive found but if anyone can reccomend a good stockist with a good price that would be great help.
Thanks
 
are 2 strokes any less reliable than 4 strokes. im not really bothered about cost just want reliability.

funny you should say that as i know of a 4hp mariner 2 stroke at about 10 yrs old and he wants £200 for it and he tells me its very clean and low usage as it sat on the back of a small boat as an auxiliary.
it has an internal and external tank choice
 
Shop around and you might still get a new "old stock" 2-stroke. Or you could wait until you get the chance to visit the CIs. They aren't effected by EU rules. 2-strokes are still being made for the Pacific Rim and African Markets.
 
what do you think..
is there any reason to believe that the 2stroke 4hp i was offered would be any less reliable than a new 2.5hp 4 stroke.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Get a Tohatsu but avoid Honda.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or a Mariner, or a Mercury, they are all the same engine as the Tohatsu.

The Honda is reliable, but noisy and awkward to use because of that daft clutch idea.

Not much to choose between the Suzuki and the Yamaha, both very good.

Another that is worth a look, is the Parsun 2.6hp starting to build a good reputation for reliability, can't comment on the noise levels, having never used one.

http://www.parsunoutboard.co.uk/buyonline.php

I would go for a four stroke every time these days, small two strokes are just noisy, oily, smelly little buzz boxes. As far as I can see the two stroke only has two advantages, in that you can stand them on their heads to store them if you want, and generally they are a tad lighter. Four strokes have to be stored upright or laid down in a certain way, (depending on model). For ease of starting, cleanliness, quietness, and environmental friendliness (that's a lot of nesses).....you can't do better than a four stroke. All just IMHO of course! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
yes. 10 years old and its not use that o/b dies from usually but corrosion.

engines are consumeables. go for new every time. personally I would look at Honda since that is air cooled so it isnt circulating salt water ovcer aluminium.
 
I would argue the noise bit ..... at Bembridge last year with other boats it was surprising the difference in sound carraige and level of engines on tenders.
It's not just dB 's that are relevant - it's the style and note of the sound.
The worst was the Honda - awful row as it went past, even the Seagull later was more acceptable. But there were 2st's and 4st's going about and generally the 2st's were less intrusive a sound. maybe because over the years we have got used to that type ?

I can understand 4st's in large engines, but for small tender jobs ? IMHO the 2st wins hands down for useage.

Like another says normally they dont give up due to engine failure - it's often the waterways.
 
We have the 2.5 Suzuki and find it excellent. Quiet, economical, light and easy to handle. Thoroughly recommended.
 
thanks very much for your replies.
it seems an equal split between 2stroke and 4stroke users.
I'll give outboards direct a call on Tuesday and see if they do the mariner 2.5hp and get a price. if not I'll look at the Suzuki as well.
the 4hp 2stroke i was offered is tempting just for the extra power but would have to check it very carefully.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I would argue the noise bit ..... at Bembridge last year with other boats it was surprising the difference in sound carraige and level of engines on tenders.
It's not just dB 's that are relevant - it's the style and note of the sound.
The worst was the Honda - awful row as it went past, even the Seagull later was more acceptable. But there were 2st's and 4st's going about and generally the 2st's were less intrusive a sound. maybe because over the years we have got used to that type ?

I can understand 4st's in large engines, but for small tender jobs ? IMHO the 2st wins hands down for useage.

Like another says normally they dont give up due to engine failure - it's often the waterways.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree about the Honda, as I said in my post, noisy and a bit agricultural, also that daft clutch arrangement makes them a bit awkward to use, though I suppose there are those that will say that you get used to it, in their favour they do appear to be reliable.

As to noise, depends a great deal on how wide open the throttle is. The four strokes are quieter, that has been tested and documented, you will find various comparisons on the web. As to it being a different noise, yes I would agree it is, it seems to me, that the noise you get from a two stroke is more akin to a maniacal chicken in a biscuit tin /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif The fourstrokes have a much softer kinder on the eardrums kind of noise, accompanied by less decibels.

It all depends on your point of view really, there will always be two stroke die hards, just like there are Seagull die hards, (though I think that they are just a tad eccentric)....

I think that four stroke tender size outboards (2.5-3.5hp), are a considerably better bet than two strokes, saying that though, I think for small ribs and inflatables with V bottoms, with owners that like to get up on the plane and wizz about, then you can't beat a two stroke, they have much snappier acceleration, and possibly more revs? I am talking of motors in the 6-15hp range here.

It's all down to horses for courses, and what your personal preferences are really.
 
no-one seems to have mentioned the major downside to 4st in that you have to watch how you store them or you get a bore full of oil !!
 
You haven't read my post then?

From my first post for your benefit /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.....

"I would go for a four stroke every time these days, small two strokes are just noisy, oily, smelly little buzz boxes. As far as I can see the two stroke only has two advantages, in that you can stand them on their heads to store them if you want, and generally they are a tad lighter. Four strokes have to be stored upright or laid down in a certain way, (depending on model). For ease of starting, cleanliness, quietness, and environmental friendliness (that's a lot of nesses).....you can't do better than a four stroke. All just IMHO of course!"
 
That's ok, probably just a case of forumitis? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Having bought several 4 - 5 hp new engines over the last 3 years I concluded that the 2 stroke overall offered more advantages than downsides.

This season I managed to get one of the last Mercury 2 strokes in stock and am very peased with it. The difference in fuel consumption is barely noticable and in every other way the 2 stroke is easier to live with and quieter.
 
Like I said, horses for courses, if you are happy, that's all that matters /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
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