Which engine? Mercury Optimax or Evinrude E-tech?

[retiredbosn]

I am curious as to which engine would be longer lasting more durable engine.  Different manufacturers offer an unlimited list of engines to choose from others offer only one manufacturer.  As I start my search for a new boat, or new to me boat, I am more concerned with the engine than the hull.  So which engine manufacturer makes the most durable, reliable engine?

[I Love BassResource]

 This is going to be largely opinion based.  I've been researching and driving boats for most of the summer, and I personally feel either engine is up to par, given its properly taken care of. Lots of folks suggest making your selection based on the support shops you have nerby.

 

 My personal choice has been narrowed to a Merc xs for various reasons, but I really wouldn't hesitate to drive a boat rigged with an Rude.

[Ellesar]

If its a new to you boat, the most important thing is just maing sure that the engine that is on the boat is in good shape. That means having it checked out by a certified mechanic, leakdown test at a minimum with fault history and repair history.

If you have a choice, remember to look around and see where the closest certified mechanic is. If you don't have one close, then I wouldn't recommend that brand. Talk to people in your area that have various motors, its been my experience that finding a good OB mechanic is very hard to do.

The pros for the Mercury, probably best mpg out there definately better than the etec. Will probably give you the most mechanics in a given area. They have some good electronics that go along with their engines.

The etec HO's are putting out a bit more power than the Pro XS line.

Yamaha isn't going to produce 2 strokes much longer. They are going to all 4 stroke.

[R520dvx]

I have owned both over the last 35 years .... I believe both are good engines. I run Evinrude and will continue to do so based on the support I have been given. They actually pulled a lift pump off of the factory line aand next dayed it to my dealer when the pumps were on national backorder through the parts system.

[whoopbazz]

Any motor is only as good as the guy who fixes it when it's down.

And they both will go down.

Good service is the key...ask locals where the bought there motors/boats and get an honest answer on their service form that dealer.

[harshman]

the only thing that scares me about Evinrude is it is becoming harder and harder in my area to find someone to work on them and Merc shops are everywhere. I own three rudes and getting work and parts is usually a headache.

Harshman

[Jig Man]

Since Mercury by far has the lions share of the market, I'll stick with them because you can find a decent wrench turner in every little town around most any lake.

[Tin]

Any motor is only as good as the guy who fixes it when it's down.

And they both will go down.

Good service is the key...ask locals where the bought there motors/boats and get an honest answer on their service form that dealer.

x2, they are both amazing motors but the local dealerships reputation would determine which way I go.

[urp]

I once toured the Champion spark plug factory where they run various engines night and day untill they just give up. They claimed a Johnson [Evinrude] would outlast a Merc x 3. However this was 30 if not 40 years ago. As I surf the web I see too many reports of the Etec overheating and burning out--and Rude will find a way out of paying if they can.

[Way2slow]

Today, both outboards are all extremely high tech.  The more high tech and complicated they get, the more likely you will have a failure.  Finding someone that can diagnose a fix the problem as well as the actual cause of the problem is also a challenge in itself.  

Yes, you will read about blown ETecs but if you do you homework on Opti-Max's (also know as Opti-Pops), you will see a huge number of them blowing also.  I've seen more than one Opt- just about sawn into when stick a piston, break the rod and the rod start opening the block up.

I'm partital to E-tecs and if I was going to buy a new motor, it would be an E-tec but I'm not as scared of an engine failure after the warrrenty runs out because I can fix it myself.    

For the average boater, the warrenty is going to be everything and should go with the one that's going to give the best and longest warrenty.  When either of the motors break and they are out of warrenty, repair cost can be astronomical and because of the difficulty most have diagnosing the actual cause of the failure, it can repeat itself very easily.   Running either of these motors without a warrenty can totally ruin your day if it breaks.