age old discussion....Mercury vs Yamaha

[bigcreekdad]

My son and I are toying with sharing the cost of a new tiller boat. We're pretty much down to three aluminum manufacturers, and would take any of them. It seems as all the boat packages you can order come only with Mercs. Having had two superb trouble free Yamaha 4 strokes in the last 21 seasons, I am reluctant to change to a Merc. In my childhood on Lake Erie, we had two mercs and they were troublesome. That's a while ago obviously, but, more recently (12 years), a pretty well known guide in the Sanibel Island Florida we were fishing with said the guides referred to Mercs as "black anchors". On the other hand, I have a few friends that bought mercs in the last few years and they are pleased with them.

We could order a boat and trailer only, and have a Yamaha installed, but that is a bit more costly than ordering a package with a merc.

As I said, this is an old discussion, but I'd be curious to hear from any recent (5 years or less) Mercury buyers if they have any thoughts. Especially if they previously had a Yamaha.

[Terry]

I have owned both and I have no problem buying either. 2014 I bought a 125 merc and a 9.9 merc.   Never a problem  and I am hard on equipment 

 

but for some reason Yamaha owners are like tundra truck owners no matter what ,they believe they are the best nothing else like them and he will show you how great they are as soon as they get it back from the shop

they are good machines but if you google them they have problems just like the others 

[fisherman7]

I've owned both over the years and have decided that the only engine on my boat will be a grey one. Preferably Yamaha but Honda is a close second. 

If you ever are down south, all you'll see is Yamaha. 

[AKRISONER]

if you are ever in mexico, cuba or even australia...all you will see is yamahas. 

The mexicans and cubans cant deal with their outboards breaking.

My family in the past 6 years has owned a johnson, a mercury, a suzuki and 2 yamaha outboards.

The Johnson is dead, the mercury is in the shop as we speak the suzuki and two yamahas havent had a single issue.

My 2 stroke yamaha is a 98, bone stock...perfect compression, doesnt smoke much and starts easily. 

[Fisherman]

Yamaha by a long lead.  Honda a tight second.  they don't call Mercs black anchors for nothing, they're even too cheap to throw in the anchor line.

[Moosebunk]

NOBODY uses Mercs or prefers them in the remote parts of Northern Ontario and Arctic where I've worked and lived.  Wait... I take that back, I've seen two or three I think in 20 years. 

It's all Yamaha and Honda with the odd Rude where reliability is needed most, if it was Merc, then I'd surely think that many people in the northern communities with less money to go around would choose them.

Edited November 26, 2020 by Moosebunk

[Sinker]

Yammy hands down no question. 

Have  you ever met an unhappy yamaha owner? I haven't. All my stuff is yammy, and I have never been let down, never had a single issue with any of it. Sleds, bikes, and outboards......even guitars, speakers, PA systems....lol

S. 

Edited November 26, 2020 by Sinker

[Garnet]

I can think of 5-7 guys that couldn't get rid of there Yammaha fast enough. Can also think of same number Merc owners .

Rudes same . Suzuki same.

Should I go on. They all have problems. They all need Mechanics.

Merc dealer every town and many many Merc mechanics. 

What ever you choose hope for good motor.

[BillM]

I've got a 17 year old Yami 115 strapped to the back of my Lund.  I don't need any convincing that's the only engine brand I'll ever run, lol.  

[Fisherman]

33 minutes ago, Garnet said:

I can think of 5-7 guys that couldn't get rid of there Yammaha fast enough. Can also think of same number Merc owners .

Rudes same . Suzuki same.

Should I go on. They all have problems. They all need Mechanics.

Merc dealer every town and many many Merc mechanics. 

What ever you choose hope for good motor.

Merc dealer every town and many many Merc mechanics.  To try and keep them running.

[irishfield]

Yamaha, Honda, Merc.. same yackidy yack as Ford, Dodge, GMC...

Flawless... 13 years now. Nothing but the odd oil change, and have never even pulled the spark plugs..

 

[Sinker]

6 minutes ago, irishfield said:

Yamaha, Honda, Merc.. same yackidy yack as Ford, Dodge, GMC...

Flawless... 13 years now. Nothing but the odd oil change, and have never even pulled the spark plugs..

 

I put more hours on my yammy in a month than you have on that old thing!!! 

 

[Sinker]

1 hour ago, BillM said:

I've got a 17 year old Yami 115 strapped to the back of my Lund.  I don't need any convincing that's the only engine brand I'll ever run, lol.  

I re-powered my boat last  year with a new yamaha, but my 1993 40hp 2 stroke yammy still runs like the day I got it. I still have it sitting in my garage. Can't bring myself to let it go. I know for sure I could hook it up to muffs and it would start on the 5th pull.... lol 

S. 

[Hack_Fisherman]

There will always be the same thing as the Ford/GM/Dodge argument. I’m using a 45 year old Merc that I just pulled to put out to pasture. Would I buy another, sorry...Yammy, Honda or Zuki if new. Used? Can’t find one. Nothing out there this year. What’s that tell you? Lots of dead or tired OMC or Mercs out there. Especially VRO OMCs with wasted power heads. 

 

 

[John Bacon]

Have you looked at G3 boats?  They're owned by Yamaha, so you should be able to get a package.

But, yeah, most of the other boats seem to be either owned by, or otherwise associated with Mercury.

[porkpie]

I'm pretty happy with my Suzuki.  I would never buy a yamaha again, not because they make bad motors.  But there is a good chance Yamaha Canada will screw you on warranty in the unlikely event you ever need it.  I found this out with the motor on a duckboat.  And no, it wasn't a dealer issue, I saw all the paper trails and eventually ended up dealing with Yamaha Canada myself also.  Yamaha Canada wouldn't honor their warranty, it was astounding.  So, while they make a ton of good products, including my ATV that is  in my opinion probably bullet proof, they've lost me entirely and for good.  I'd spend my money on Suzuki or Honda, both of which I've owned and they start, run and perform all the time.  Many commercial fishermen regularly get 5000-6000 hours on zuke outboards.  As for use, I tend to believe that it has a lot to do with the long term "reliability" of wear items.  Every time I hear a guy claim he gets 8 or 9 years out of deep cycles for his minn kota, I know he either doesn't use the minn kota much, or the boat doesn't get wet much.  Anyway I'm not big on Mercs as that's the only motor I've ever had to get towed in on but that's just one mans opinion and any motor can have a bad day.

[Sinker]

16 hours ago, porkpie said:

I'm pretty happy with my Suzuki.  I would never buy a yamaha again, not because they make bad motors.  But there is a good chance Yamaha Canada will screw you on warranty in the unlikely event you ever need it.  I found this out with the motor on a duckboat.  And no, it wasn't a dealer issue, I saw all the paper trails and eventually ended up dealing with Yamaha Canada myself also.  Yamaha Canada wouldn't honor their warranty, it was astounding.  So, while they make a ton of good products, including my ATV that is  in my opinion probably bullet proof, they've lost me entirely and for good.  I'd spend my money on Suzuki or Honda, both of which I've owned and they start, run and perform all the time.  Many commercial fishermen regularly get 5000-6000 hours on zuke outboards.  As for use, I tend to believe that it has a lot to do with the long term "reliability" of wear items.  Every time I hear a guy claim he gets 8 or 9 years out of deep cycles for his minn kota, I know he either doesn't use the minn kota much, or the boat doesn't get wet much.  Anyway I'm not big on Mercs as that's the only motor I've ever had to get towed in on but that's just one mans opinion and any motor can have a bad day.

I could be swayed into a suzi. They are also great engines. 

S. 

[Tjames09]

I had a 2011 Mercury and it ran amazing, never had a single issue. Oil change at end of year thats it. 

[Garnet]

My last Merc 13 years of hard tournament fishing hardly seen a mechanic. It's just luck.

Bill is 15 years on 115 yammy, I have a buddy with 115 Yammy blew up got in the US Yammy Canada Yammy crap.

Factory re build and grenade on start up . Complete block replace got it going. They all have problems.

Check your available repair shops.

The most important thing to remember there's 2 motors 1 is blown up and 2 is going to blow up.  

[lew]

I bought a new 90HP Merc 4 stroke in 1999 and put a ton of hours on it over the next 10 years and never had a single issue with it. I sold it to a bud in 2009 and he drove it for another 7 or so years before it needed it's 1st repair.

I'd say 17 problem free years is pretty darned impressive.

I bought a new 150 Yamaha 4 stroke in 2010 and drove that one for 7 years before I quit fishing but they were also problem free years when I sold it.

I've always figured if you take care of your gear and keep it well maintained it'll last you a long time.

[Whopper]

1 hour ago, lew said:

 

I've always figured if you take care of your gear and keep it well maintained it'll last you a long time.

Bingo, give this man a cigar 

[Spiel]

Bought new in 2006, 75 tiller, no complaints what so ever. Starts instantly every time and runs quieter than the Honda, right Fish Farmer. 

[Garnet]

So a Merc story a buddy bought a 1999 225 EFI Merc.

First year good. Then problems cutting cylinders back wouldn't run.

Trip after trip to dealer they changed everything I made sure he got a binder and kept all info.

Had the factory tech from Merc Mississauga out 3 times.

Thing wouldn't work. I told him I would take it to Merc Mississauga un bolt and leave it there.

He did 1 better went in and ask to borrow wrenches.

Had a meeting with the #1 Merc guy in Ontario.

They went all threw ever attempt to fix. The exec said he estimated 200K man hours and parts.

Sent it for 1 last attempt. They found factory parts mix up and some damage in trying to repair it.

About 3 years..

They all have problems. 

[AKRISONER]

On 11/26/2020 at 11:33 PM, porkpie said:

.  Every time I hear a guy claim he gets 8 or 9 years out of deep cycles for his minn kota, I know he either doesn't use the minn kota much, or the boat doesn't get wet much. .

Johnson controls and minkotta is another company and a whole other story to talk about...I finally gave up on them this year after breaking 4 trolling motors in 3 years.

Then you talk to what seems like at least 50% of ultrex owners and the steering cable issues with them it’s embarrassing.

im hoping the ridiculous amount of money I’ve spent on a new Garmin troller will at least hold up 

 

[Terry]

Yeah but garmin is so quiet and uses so little power.    I’m sure it will last for years 

cause I have one too