---

My 16 old engine is fixable for about $1200, but at the end of the day it will still be a 16 year old engine with something else possibly happening around the corner. I hate the idea of spending 10K, but thinking about repowering, and there is a lot of helpful info posted here, but can someone clue me in as to how the warranties actually work? If my motor has problems, does the mechanic come to me or am I responsible for getting the boat/engine to him? Are there fees associated with this? I ask because the Yamaha, Merc and the Honda dealers are nearby and on the water, and Sea Tow can get me there if need be. I was thinking about Suzuki, but dealership footprint is small in the area, and the one nearby dealer is more interested in Suzuki's land vehicles, and the Tohatsu dealer is not near the water and, frankly, a good 40 miles away.

I'm thinking it might be worthwhile to pay for a better product knowing that if there is a problem, the guy with the solution is close by.

thoughts? Thanks!

---

How big is your boat?

---

Montauk 17

---

The mechanic will not come to you, I had a 1980 17' Montauk and found it very easy to tow. Consider looking at the 90 hp Evinrude as an option for you boat as well as the others you mentioned.

---

Mechanics will often come to your boat, particularly in the off season. The engine warranty will not cover the mechanics travel to the boat. There is always an extra charge for the mecanic to come to the boat foe any reason in order to pay for his time in transit.

Generally it's a bad idea to have the mechanic come to your boat. If he finds he needs a tool or part or whatever he then has to make another trip on your dollar. If you don't have a trailer consider getting one. Small boats are much more difficult to sell without a trailer and as mentioned service is a problem.

---

Outboard warranty cover defects and not wear and tear items. Almost every motor in the 70-115 hp class is extremely reliable. I highly doubt you will ever need a warranty visit.

If you are "in" NYC, I would tow my boat an hour or two out of the city to get better prices and service.

You don't need a dealer to perform maintenance.

---

Thank you all. The annual upkeep isn't a problem, and I have a trailer, but i was thinking if for some reason the engine wouldn't/couldn't run then I would have no way of getting the boat to a point where I can get it on the trailer and transport. I gather from the above a landlocked dealership may be an issue for me, whereas Sea Tow or a Good Samaritan can get me to a waterfront dealer's dock. Thanks!

---

If they can get you to the dealer's or mechanics dock then they can get you to a ramp. Much more important than a mechanic's location is his reliability and skill.

---

I just went through this with my 2001 Johnson 35 hp, spent $850 on a power pack, then another $300 for additional work, the motor then blew the #2 piston. Repowered with an Etec which I should have done originally prior to wasting $1,200. Etec offers 3 years/300 hours no maintenance as well as no break in period. They just ended a promotion with a 5 year warranty, Yamaha did as well. The Yamaha I looked at had a 10 hour and a 20 hour services, as well as yearly service, and was significantly heavier.
Hoping to not experience any problems at all for many years.

---

And I went through this as well... $1,300 to get my old 50hp Slowzuki in good running order (the mechanic insisted that it was a great motor and for sure worth putting money into). A couple days on the water later, a blown head gasket, and after $200 of further diagnosis work, a bad head. The part was nearly $3000, labor was a few hundred, and the motor was worth less than $3000 if in good running order.

I scraped the motor, received a few hundred for the lower unit, and then bought a 2015 Tohatsu 90hp TLDI. 5 year warranty, and it runs like a top. Should have bought the new motor in the first place...

If you are still considering purchasing a new motor, consider a Tohatsu. All of the manufacturers are building great motors these days, but the TLDI is nearly as light as the E-Tec, is about $2000 cheaper, and has a 5 year warranty. If I remember correctly, I paid $9,500 out the door (rigged, prop and controls, tax, etc.).

---

Towboat/US gold plan will tow you from your home dock up to 25 miles to a repair facility or your trailer. It's a little pricy though, over $150/year I think.

---

I think 10K is too much to pay for a Montauk repower.

Re-rigging work consisting of new control ($250), key ignition harness ($160), cables (recommend Teleflex Xtreme for $100) and labor ($500) should run about $1000. You may also get some trade-in value.