New motor- what to buy

I

Ingold Archery

Well-Known Member
Looking for new motor to power bass boat. What to go with Mercury 115 pro xs, or Evinrude 115 e-tec.
Both are close in pricing.
What's everybody's thoughts on these motors?
 
I have a 2012 Mercury 115 for sale, very low hours Not the pro xs but a great price compared to new. I'm re powering my 20' with a 150.
 
Go with the brand you are already rigged for, you won't need to buy new controls that way.
 
The Pro XS is a 4 stroke, the E-tec is a 2 stroke, did you have a preference? The Pro is actually a fair bit lighter than the E-tec so that shouldn't be an issue....
 
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Some good recommendations above. From my experience it's best to speak to your dealer first and see what your legitimate options are. Sometimes changing brands also means exchanging your instruments, your controls or both. Changing the weight of the engine can also create issues you may not appreciate.
 
see what your options are. lately hear bad things about the e-tecs, but can't go wrong with yamaha
 
dj92 said:
see what your options are. lately hear bad things about the e-tecs, but can't go wrong with yamaha
Click to expand...
We have two twelve year old Yamaha's on our 20 foot fisherman, a 200 hp and a 8 hp kicker, both 4 strokes, lots of hours on both, do your basic maitenance, oil changes and plugs, you couldn't kill them with a stick.
Bd
 
I have heard only GOOD things about the E-tecs- Good on fuel economy and are light weight! The Pro XS by Merc. is a 2-stroke and are also great on fuel economy. Either motor Evinrude or Merc. you can not go wrong!
 
Have a look at the ETEC 115 HO. I have a 60 HO and been happy with it so far. It's a big jump up in displacement from the regular 60, 3 cyl. vs 2 cyl and supposed to have the same bottom end as the 75hp. Apparently they can be 10% more HP than rated for some extra performance. Not sure if the same applies to the 115's though.
 
It's so frustrating. The controls that are on the boat are yamaha's, I have a Mercury 75 hp on it now. They tell me that I have to change the controls no matter what brand I go with. I realize the merc pro xs is 4 stroke, and the e-tec is 2 stroke. The issue I have with the 4 stroke is the torque, but they tell me this has really changed.

the new motor is going on my skeeter bass boat, so hole shot and top end speed is critical.
 
Torque and hole shot are going to be better with the 2-strokes IMO. Have a look at the prop sizes on the 2 strokes vs the 4's. Yamaha's have a good reputation for durability and reliability but don't hear much good about their aftermarket customer service and warranty work.
Not sure where you are but you could talk to Doug Heighinton at Proctor Marine in Simcoe. They supply Mercuries as the factory pairing on their Crestliners but also sell Evinrudes. He could give you an unbiased opinion on the pros and cons of 2s vs 4s for different applications.
 
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I'd vote Yamaha, but then I've seen first hand how terrible their customer service is on warranty if you actually do have a problem. Their motors are super reliable unless you get one of the few that are not, and then you are on your own. So merc then.
 
I have a 2005 etec 90. Great motor absolutely bullet proof. Easy to service (every three years is what they call for). Easy to winterized. Great performance. I just love it.
 
I had 2000 evinrude on my old that never gave me any trouble and now have a 2008 225 E-tec on my new boat. The 225 get 50% better fuel economy than the 90. Told that is the difference between direct inject and carbs. The e-tec is nearly silent, and ran like top all of last year. They self winterize without having to remove the cover.

Read a post on another site about a guy that had either a 2015 115 or 175 merc (can't remember which) that he ran into the rocks early in the season and damaged the lower unit. He took it to the dealer and got it back just in time to wrap it for winter. Know a professional guide that has only run 200hp+ evinrudes for more than 30 years because he said that it is to difficult to have mercs serviced. The stuff on mercs is not my own experience but worth considering.
 
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