Yamaha outboards

[Gumboot]

Any consistently poor experiences with Yamaha outboards?  I know there is always possibility of a lemon, but overall quality and reliability?  Thought I read somewhere a while back that Wrench wasn't high on them..?

[fishinwrench]

Love the 2-strokes.   Everybody's 4-strokes are crap (Yamaha included).

By "crap" I mean Short Lived.  They run great when new, but soon after the warranty period expires the performance begins taking a nose dive, and the cost to refresh them is outrageous.  

If yours is a 2-stroke I'd love to hear what problems you're having.   If it's a 4S then I already know.  

[MOPanfisher]

Heck I ended up with a 2 stroker Yamaha 90 HP a few years back just because I was too cheap to buy a 4 stroke.  Everyone was saying how much better the 4 strokes were, but how many 1960 something model 2 strokes are still out there and running, I plan for my Yamaha to outlive me.  It runs great, its a little cold natured, and definitely does not like to have its little fuel line bulb pumped, and doesn't like to be choked, but otherwise its boringly reliable. 

[Gumboot]

I don't have one.  Looking at an older boat with a looks to be low hour two stroke.  Just wanted to get some opinions.

[Brian Jones]

We're on our third Yamaha.  All have been two strokes, ranged between 1985 and 1997 model years and have been jets.  Absolute pleasure to own and operate and would recommend one in a heartbeat.  

Brother in law has a 115 four stroke on his pontoon and it has been as reliable as the two strokes.  Plenty of torque to pull a skier out of the water.  Enough power to cruise along in the 20's (24 foot pontoon), and crazy easy on gas.  I believe his is a 2006 model and he's experienced none of the problems that have been common with the four strokes.  

[Brian Jones]

3 minutes ago, Gumboot said:

I don't have one.  Looking at an older boat with a looks to be low hour two stroke.  Just wanted to get some opinions.

What year and HP??  If the compression and ignition are good, and the lower unit lube is clean, everything else is fixable.

[Ketchup]

Owned a 2000 50HP 4 stroke. BEST motor out of the many that I have owned from small tillers to 225 Mercs.  By best I mean most reliable, most cost effective, most quiet, best on gas, never had to worry about being stranded.  I would take a Yammie 4 stroke over any outboard on the market no matter what year.  This coming from a 30+ year boater that has owned many boats. 

[fishinwrench]

5 minutes ago, Ketchup said:

Owned a 2000 50HP 4 stroke. BEST motor out of the many that I have owned from small tillers to 225 Mercs.  By best I mean most reliable, most cost effective, most quiet, best on gas, never had to worry about being stranded.  I would take a Yammie 4 stroke over any outboard on the market no matter what year.  This coming from a 30+ year boater that has owned many boats. 

Key word is "owned"    Where is that 16 year old 50hp 4S now ?

[Ketchup]

Sold it to a KU kid a few months back. Would love to had taken that motor off and put on the new boat, but not enough HP for this boat.  Upgrading from a 115 Merc. currently to a 150 Merc. 4 banger soon.  Love to go with the Yamaha, but to cheap to change controls also. 

[Ranger520vx]

I have a 2001 Yamaha 225 2 stroke on my Ranger 520 it is a great motor. And my dad has a late 80's 150 Yamaha that is still running strong. Don't think you will be disappointed if you buy one justy 2 cents worth.