[mikeski]

I am on the hunt for a motor. It had a 55. Except for the cost a 75 would be nice. ;-). I'm thinking 60. There has been plenty of talk about Etech and 4 stroke, Evinrude and Yamaha here.

I need some pointers of shops to talk to about used motors. Good used motors. I would like to keep it to $2,500. But we all know how that goes.

The hull is a 1962 Starcraft 16' Viscount. New it weighed 475lbs. Max HP was 75.


The front deck, steering, seats, windshield, ... was removed and replaced with a lowered fishing deck and seat.
Steering and controls were mounted to a center console.
The current configuration would do 25 kts @ WOT with the 55 when it ran. I have no idea if that's good or not.

To help with prop selection....


1 large deep cycle, 1 cranking battery, bow mount trolling motor, couple anchors, 16 gal Moeller above deck tank at the stern.
2 people, an enthusiast amount of gear.

Please help me wizards of the web......

mikeski

 

[mikeski]

I called the Used motor place on CL which I found is Northampton Marine at Lake Gaston.

They have a 1998 Johnson 60 hp. $3,500 out the door.

They say they go through the motors, replace everything without actually breaking into the head or foot. So not a rebuild. They clean and repaint. What I see online looks brand new. This particular motor is not on their web page. But many of the ones on their web page are gone. Said they don't keep that up as well as they should. It's the same as the 1996 60 they no longer have.

Price includes new controls, correct prop, mount and install, test a few times and a 90 day warranty. Said it takes 2 weeks with their workload.

I have no idea if this is good or not. Nada lists Avg retail at $1000. That's for a decent motor. Might need a little work.

If I were to buy a new motor from a shop. What could I expect to pay to have all the mounting work done? I know some do not come with controls so that's even extra beyond the actual motor.

This motor would be a good solution. And I would not need to do the work. Also, same mixed gas. So no new tank or cleaning of the old one for strait gas.

Another thing is I will know it runs and is setup correctly for my boat. If I buy a strait CL motor I get what I get. Then need to get anything missing like controls and install it all.

The more I think about it the more the price does not sound so bad. hahahahah.

Thoughts??

mikeski

 

[Brenardo]

I am not claiming to be an expert nor do I want to really i influence your decision about buying a motor.

But 3500 for a 1998 60HP sounds awfully high unless it is super low hours immaculate condition.... unless it is a rare engine. Maybe find out if it is a 2 or 3 cylinder?

 

[mikeski]

I agree. It does sound high. And why I am posting. But is it? A re-manufactured motor, installed, tested, with a warranty.

1998 Johnson J60TLEC

3 Cylinder, Electric Start, Electric Tilt/Trim. Iboats says it has power steering?

Motor was dismantled, cleaned, new parts(Ignition, water pump, and whatever else), fully painted. 90 day warranty.

What I really need is a true cost to have a new motor installed, tested and tuned for your boat. Like if I have this old motor and want that new 4 stroke.

I will not be able to use my red plug controls. That's about $300 + A new prop is at minimum $100. So lets say $500. Now the motor is $3000.

Then installation. Looking for the cost of that. And I am sure the warranty is built into the cost.

I still think it's high. Don't get me wrong. But it is not as high as I initially thought.

And I will not do the work. There's a couple days for sure.

mikeski

 

[sundrop]

wiring harness, controls with tilt and trim, battery cables, fuel line, engine reman, painting, etc, all new externals, new prop matched to your boat, tested on the water, possibly a few times to get prop and tune right. Engine mounting, possibly requiring new holes drilled old ones sealed etc. Now figure the labor rates they charge and I guess its not so bad. Plus for the first 90 days, and this time of year hopefully that means ALOT of use, they fix anything that isn't right.

 

[NCTribute]

You can buy a brand new 40 hp 4 stroke for $4500, or new 60 hp 4 stroke for $5800. $3500 for a 17 year old motor sounds way too high to me.

http://www.edsmarinesuperstore.com/mercury.htm

 

[Brenardo]

I personally think those motors that are "refreshed" are for old heads with plenty of cash to spend that want something just like what they had for whatever reason.

I maintain $3500 is on the extreme high side. If they would rig it for you for that price and let you water test it. Maybe... maybe consider it.

This is my opinion.

 

[mikeski]

You can buy a brand new 40 hp 4 stroke for $4500, or new 60 hp 4 stroke for $5800. $3500 for a 17 year old motor sounds way too high to me.

What do I get for the $5800? I am guessing just the motor. Then add a prop, remote, installation and tax. Now we are pushing $7000.

I don't have $7k and don't want to spend $3500.

mikeski

 

[mikeski]

I personally think those motors that are "refreshed" are for old heads with plenty of cash to spend that want something just like what they had for whatever reason.

I maintain $3500 is on the extreme high side. If they would rig it for you for that price and let you water test it. Maybe... maybe consider it.

This is my opinion.

From an earlier post.

Price includes new controls, new correct prop, mount and install, they test and tune and a 90 day warranty.

mikeski

 

[Brenardo]

Welp sounds like you have made up your mind

 

[mikeski]

C'mon Bernardo. Actually I have not made up my mind. I am just trying to figure it out. My last response was in response to (If they would rig it for you for that price and let you water test it. Maybe... maybe consider it.) So I pointed out that they do that.

I would love a new motor. It would make my day. $7k is hard to swallow.

My thing here is to get as much good info as I can so I can make a well informed choice.

mikeski

mikeski

 

[NCTribute]

Might be worth a phone call to see if Ed's motors come with controls and prop. At the very least it might give you some bargaining power with the $3500 motor.

 

[Brenardo]

I read that earlier. I was just trying to be nice by saying maybe so that if you decided it was what you wanted nobody could raise sand over it.

Get what you want dude. Sounds like you are handy with a wrench. Rigging a boat is not bad to do as long as you understand what you are trying to do. 5200 seals the old holes and can be sanded smooth once cured. I would spend a couple more grand and get a new one even if you had to pay a couple bucks interest on it. The longer term warranty is piece of mind on the water as far as I am concerned and that has some monetary value IMHO.

 

[mikeski]

I need to dig up my old avatar. It was Number 5 from Short Circuit.

"I need input"

Thanks... mikeski

 

[sundrop]

ok lets say you go ahead and pay $7k for a new 4 stroke (which would probably get you a Suzuki maybe a Yamaha if you shop hard. Hanging it and running the controls, no big deal, flushing out the fuel tank, no big deal. BUT! to my knowledge NO manufacturer ( and I might be wrong) will warranty an engine not installed by a licensed certified dealer, and all maintenance during the warranty period MUST be done by a dealer. Now price a 4 stroke oil change, a yearly lower unit flush and fill, water pump impeller, fuel filter for the warranty life of that engine and it adds even more, wayyy more... Now lets say you do have some failure. How hard is a dealer going to push to say it is the fault of the owner and NOT a warrantied issue? Especially with it hanging on the back of an old boat? Just pointing out the negatives here. Plus now you have a 4 stroke, which is heavier so you have to consider that weight too, can you carry a 4 stroke 70hp? will you have to downsize to 50? 40? to keep the weight right? Now you lose torque too. Oh and 4 strokes I believe will require more gauges too to monitor them properly so there's more stuff to buy, more wiring to do.

 

[sundrop]

I dunno I think about that kind of money for just a motor and then I find stuff like this you can water test buy and ride! http://eastnc.craigslist.org/boa/5034896420.html

http://eastnc.craigslist.org/boa/5019621200.html

http://eastnc.craigslist.org/boa/5002407738.html

http://eastnc.craigslist.org/boa/4998309404.html

 

[mikeski]

**** Drop. Find me a whole boat with the motor I need for the same price as an older motor. Your killin me. But it has been in the salt.

Something else I was thinking about. If I get a new motor I will be married to this boat for years. Or move it to another. Or take a big hit on a sale. With the used motor I should be able to get what I paid for the motor for the boat anytime in the next couple years.

Not that I am looking to sell.

As "The Dude" would say... There are lots of ins and outs.

mikeski

 

[sundrop]

4 on that list. so far...

 

[Brenardo]

That triple wide is a **** deal.

 

[mikeski]

I was talking to the wife. She said why don't you just get a new one. I said a new one is about $7000. Then she changed her mind real quick.

I did send a note off to Denver Marine. They have a 2005 50 hp Yamaha for $3,550 on their web page. No other info though. So I asked for the details.

Still surfing....

mikeski