Therefore if you have a choice look at resale, and I agree look at where are you going to get it serviced.

 

I am also a sucker for the 2 stroke 3 cylinder engine.   A great design.

The variables are

2 stroke ~ more fuel usage & noisier but bottom line ~ cheaper.

4 stroke ~ less fuel usage ~ quieter ~ expensive (but greener !)

 

I think the most important consideration is the dealership that will be doing your servicing.

Check out who are the agents for merc / yammy / tohatsu / Evinrude / Suzuki etc in your area.

Place a list of their names  ~ using this forum ~ and ask for peoples experiences with them.

Then make up your own mind based on after sales service ~ not necessarily on resale.

I would far sooner accept $1000 less as a trade than miss out on 6 months of boating because someone could not get my motor running properly.

 

 

Have to agree with the other posters though on 4 stroke and direct injection technology being the way forward.  I just like pure simplicity in an outboard and to do the servicing easily and cheaply myself once out of warranty and to also be able to fix a problem out in the middle of nowhere. 

 

I would have a 4-stroke if I could afford one and they were a bit lighter in weight.  On a small boat like mine, weight and power mean absolutley everything.  Not such an important consideration on larger boat.

 

I honestly think all outboard manufacturers get it right these days, and it's hard to go wrong with the major players as mentioned above.  Each brand has it's lemons though...

 

I just traded my 115 yammy 4/s on a 150.  The motor did 1300hrs over the six years I had it and it was still running sweetly at trade in time.

 

Original cost was $19,000 and they gave me $9,000 trade in for it. 

 

I serviced as per recommendations and servicing cost worked out about $4.00 per hour until I had the 1000 hour service which cost $1200 and effectively increased the servicing cost to $5.00/hr. I see with the new motor there is only one 30 hour service before the regular 100 hr services. The last motor had a 10 hr, 50 hr and then every 100hr service.

 

I was averaging a fuel consumption of about 1 litre per nautical mile and the motor was pushing a 6 metre hardtop alloy boat. I feel the 115 was underpowered for the hull it was pushing.

 

I was seriously contemplating changing to a suzuki but their trade in price on the old motor did not stack up with Mr Yamaha's offer.

 

I feel proximity to service centre and quality of service as well as servicing costs are important considerations.  The nearest reputable Honda dealer is miles away which is why I did not look at a Honda as replacment motor.