Buyer Beware, INSPECT and CHECK!

[Frank C]

Frank, I have no idea what the point of your post is, unless it's simply that the relative condition of any ten year old motor should not be a major consideration.
... Hondas, on the other hand, are very quiet, get good gas mileage, and seem to have gained a reputation for being very finicky.

Bingo! And bingo!
Nearly all outboards of that age are nearly worthless, so I simply observed (a contrarian view) that the buyer could validly ignore the motor and concentrate on finding a solid hull ... a ten-yr od outboard is a deminimus element in the value of the boat. Worse yet, even the highly regarded Honda seems to suffer annoying carb problems as it ages, while the Honda owner will still be trying to recover half of his motor investment!

My post followed six others that warned the outboard was the greatest concern in testing a used boat. That's simply not the case. Stephen understood my point. Moe ... ? It's a case of perspective. If the $14k purchase is the total budget, or if a loan's involved ....? I'm dubious that a 10 yr.old boat would qualify for a loan? But one who's focused on "just buying a ten-yr old boat" might be missing the beauty and potential of the 26X purchase. Pragmatism demands considering, at least, that a $12 to 14k Mac investment simply might not deliver a full, working package ... or if it does, that it could be a disadvantage

Fact is, most 26X owners probably fail to see the real potential of our own boats because they're "old and used." Even Duane recently considered trading his boat ... bet that is significantly due to the noise, smoke and thirst of an outdated outboard (still servicable, hard to abandon, but ...). Yet the replacements he described will cost $75,000 to replace the Mac's accomodations, at vastly greater fuel consumption. I'd say - contribute that relic to the Sea Scouts, and buy an outboard that matches the potential of the 26X!

I spent a year shopping for a used 26X before buying a new one. Unfortunately, all the owners were still trying to recover the cost of THEIR new motor investments - most of which were then 3 or 4 yr.old 2-smokes. I never did find a used 26X with acceptable 4-stroke, and the purchase-delta was only $5k. Starting over, I'd buy any solid, used 26X in a heartbeat - the older 26X hulls, if solid, are absolute bargains. (True enough, I'd prefer to find a '98 with stainless rudder brackets).

I just cautioned the buyer (and owners, too) to avoid mental myopia. It's tough to make the attitude adjustment that's required to invest a brand new motor onto an older boat, but a solid 26X hull might be one of very few examples that truly deserve that consideration. Just ask Rolf or Mark how pleased they are with modern new outboards on older hulls?

[Catigale]

IF I were in the market consider this...

Get a solid older hull in good shape.

Buy a 75 or 90 HP motor to get rid of the older POS engine.

Figure in the worst case, you could get rid of the higher horse power motor to an existing 50 HP M or X owner on this board for half its price if you took care of it.

I know I would consider the upgrade for one....

[Frank C]

Stephen, especially since your hull is new, you might consider shopping the larger outboard dealers for a demo motor. I think they might go at $2,500 below retail. Now's the right time of year, too, and if your 2-smoke is only 3 years old, it can still bring a little cash.


If someone nearby who wanted a 2000 DF60, maybe I'd visit Billy 'n take a real close look at that 140 !!
Hmmm ....

[ESPERANZA]

Yes, if I were to listen to Frank, I would have never bought the Mac...

[ESPERANZA]

By the way Moe,
You're right, it is my boat that barebirken is coming to look at. Yes they did ask me to pull the boat and meet them in Douglas Wy. with it... This little Nissan runs like a champ, always has. I've probably toed more boats back to the docks than any other boat on the lake...

[jetta01]

The other thing to take into consideration with the cost of the motor is the 2 stroke to 4 stroke issue. Depending on where you plan on sailing, the 2 stroke may not be usable. Here in Southern California, you can hardly give away a 2 stroke now. None of the resevoirs allow 2 stroke engines on the water. I suspect that in Wyoming, if they follow the pattern of what they just did to the Snowmobiles, they will eventually ban 2 strokes. Just more food for thought....

[RandyMoon]

New 2 strokes like my Tohatsu far exceed pollution standards. Might not be true about the old oil burners. I could be wrong, but I think some of the new 2 strokes far exceed 4 strokes in pollution. That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

[Divecoz]

IMHO your buying used it may depend on who you buy from and what your buying and what your knowledge is of the item.
I see everyone here being right in there opinions to some extent . .
Yes Out boards can no doubt be costly to replace but they can if taken care of last a long long time . .Case in point my oldest daughter owns my brothers 23 year old 20' Switzer with a Johnson 150 on the back, its been rebuilt once and runs like new and that motor was run hard for thousands of hours towing skiers and barefooters for the first few years racing a lot of loud hot rod wannabes . . but it was taken care of as was the boat . .on the other hand I have seen some that were junk after only a few seasons . . So you buy this boat . . from a board member and he hopefully has taken good care of it and I am being presumptuous here but you LOVE to sail and a couple years down the road you splurge for a larger 4s. . .but you've been watching and looking as your in NO HURRY TO BUY and you find one for a great deal and you have the boat for many more years to come. You don't have in it what I have in mine but it doesn't sell for what I get for mine either. . . sounds like an even trade off . . but what are those 100's maybe 1000's of hours of good times worth with family and friends ? Heck do a search on this board and see what questions have been brought up by the owner . . .

[Catigale]

Stephen, especially since your hull is new, you might consider shopping the larger outboard dealers for a demo motor. I think they might go at $2,500 below retail. Now's the right time of year, too, and if your 2-smoke is only 3 years old, it can still bring a little cash.


If someone nearby who wanted a 2000 DF60, maybe I'd visit Billy 'n take a real close look at that 140 !!
Hmmm ....

Ive found Im motoring less and less and sailing more and more as I get better...might even drop to that 9.9 Mercury if I were looking to re-motor.

Then I would remember "shooting the Hole" at Woods Hole MA at full flood tide and remember why that 50 is useful....

[Duane Dunn, Allegro]

The new generation 2 strokes meet all the current and future California requirements just like the 4 strokes. They are not banned from the California lakes.

It is also true that over long term use the new generation 2 strokes use less overall oil than a 4 stroke operated for the same number of hours when you factor in the oil you throw away at each 4 stroke oil change.

I try to ignore the slick my old generation Tohatsu leaves, particularly when warming up at the dock.

[Chip Hindes]

Due to an unfortunate incident I'm about to drop over $2k insurance money into a lower unit replacement on my '00 Tohatsu 50D, and I still don't believe I can justify, financially or mentally, the purchase of a new, larger 4S or TLDI 2S (even though I really want one).

Somebody please talk me (and my financial first mate) into it.

[Frank C]

Wow - sorry to hear that, but at least it's "insurance money," a glass half-full? You did see the "demo" motor comments? ... a discussion I viewed right here in calendar 2000, just after I bought my new motor. Take $2,500 off for a demo model, deduct your magic $2,000 - why heck, you're down aroun' $3k.

Can you get the Admiral a ride on Billy's boat? ... take wine & cheese along, too? Suzuki typically has a promo during Q1 each year, but it's only $500 or so. I suppose if you haven't reached the "new motor" conclusion after two pages ... you probably can't.

[DLT]

Wow, $2k for a lower unit?

A replacement lower unit, for my "new" motor looks to cost less than $1k...

P.S. I've been looking recently, because I recently had one of those unfortunate incidents too. I broke the skeg clean off Sunday...

How important is the Skeg anyway? I may just replace the prop (which of course was destroyed too) and let it go at that...

[Chip Hindes]

A replacement lower unit, for my "new" motor looks to cost less than $1k...

The total cost for mechanical stuff is nearly $4500, which includes R/R of the motor, replacement the trailer winch post, ladder and jack, and a pretty good chunk of labor at $65/per hour. Doesn't include the additional $4K for the fiberglass repairs to the transom. The $2K is just my guess of the portion which is the lower unit, plus a new prop. The guys doing the estimate knew it was an insurance claim, so there was no incentive to keep the numbers down. Knowing how these things work, I wouldn't be surprised if, by the time the insurance people get done with the "negotiation", it will be somewhat less.

Since the fiberglass guy will be in there anyway, this would probably be the best opportunity I ever get to have the transom reinforced, as well. Even if I don't get the bigger motor now, I may pay the extra out of pocket for that in anticipation.

Regarding the question, since the incident, with the "blessing" of a Tohatsu mechanic I've run mine something like 40 hours, including to Bimini and back, with a broken skeg and slightly bent prop shaft, with no appraent ill effects. I've not attempted to run high speed though, probably no more than 7-8 knots and 3K RPM on the motor. I would guess the skeg is important at high speed, not so much at low speed.

Frank, interesting you should mention it. Though she hasn't had a ride, the Admiral has had margeritas on Billy's boat at anchor, seen it at speed, was quite impressed and even somewhat sympathetic to the notion, but in this case there's a wide gulf between sympathy for the cause and concurrence with the action.

[Jeff S]

Nearly all outboards of that age are nearly worthless.

Not necessarily...According to NADA a Nissan 50 of the vintage mentioned by the original poster is worth $1240 on the low side. Still 10% of the hull price you mentioned. It also varies significantly with the age of the motor and since X's were produced for awhile I think it is wise to check the NADA guides because the same rationale does not apply to engines that are 4-5 years apart in age.

So... in your previous example you used a motor that was not mentioned by the original poster- a Force, notably a poor engine worth little, to make your point. The 1996 Force 50 is listed by NADA at $620 on the low side. (Personally I would either value it a zero for my offer or look elsewhere as you mentioned since I don't think the Force is a very good engine in general). Of the engine choices listed the Honda is listed at $1500, and the Nissan at $1240. It would not be unreasonable for the seller to use that value in the price of the boat- assuming they were in good condition. Based on my experience with Tohatsu/Nissan I think that is a good value for that engine in good running condition. I have seen much less powerful motors that are much older and more suspect go for more on Ebay by themselves. With that relatively small sum of money you stand a good chance of getting a good engine.

I am much happier that I bought my used Tohatsu rather than discount the boat by its value, give it back then spend $8k+ on a new motor. Not to say that a new motor is not better- it cleary is, but I didn't want to spend that much. I do want a TLDI 90, but while I have a perfectly good running 50 I can't justify the extra expense. (Believe me I have tried!!!)

I did see an '89 Tohatsu 50 with no remote or indicators with a current bid at $495 with 2 days left here.