2008 Mercury 115HP EFi 4 Stroke - The Hull Truth

pjd196 · 11-07-2009, 04:14 PM

I am considering to buy a used 186cc with a 2008 Mercury 115HP EFi 4 Stroke motor on it. I realize there are lots of threads about Mercury motors but I need a specific question answered.

Is this motor reliable or should I stick to finding a boat with a Yamaha?
Thanks

timebandit · 11-07-2009, 04:50 PM

To new to tell for sure.
But so far so good.

Seawolf2 · 11-07-2009, 06:31 PM

Current outboard engines are rather reliable, look into JD Power reliability ratings, and most differences are so small that they fall with the margin of error of the sample.

How much warranty is left on the engine, and is it transferable?

Mercury is currently offering some engine deals with 5 year warranties, if this is your case and the boat is priced right, go for it.

This engine is a Verado 150HP without the supercharger, and even includes a dry sump, should be sturdy enough.

By the way, I'm a Yamaha fan, but if you like the boat, there is no reason to try to find another one with a Yamaha.

pjd196 · 11-07-2009, 08:40 PM

This motor has a 5 year transferrable warranty which is one of the main reasons I am considering the deal.
Most of the dealers that I have spoken with, dealers who sell multi brands of motors, say that Yamaha is the most reliable product on the market. I guess I was hoping to get the attention of some mechanics that subscribe to this forum and get their honest opinion.

Seawolf2 · 11-08-2009, 06:29 AM

pjd196

These engines are fairly new on the market. Horror, stories, if they ever occur, will normally come at a later date, so there is not much more a mechanic will be able to tell.

Remember this is a Verado sans 2 cylinders and the supercharger, and with a simpler steering system. Maybe you want to go to Verado Classic where you may find further information.

I do agree with the dealers that you talked with that for reliability (and I may add parts availability) Yamaha is king.

sundancekid · 11-09-2009, 03:09 PM

That particular engine is very reliable, they have been building it since 2007 and the design is very robust. It is essentially a 4-cylinder Verado without the supercharger and smaller gearcase, etc. I have rigged a few and was very impressed by their power. One in particular was a 22 Mako deep v that did close to 50 with a pair of them with great mid range and very miserly fuel burn.

timebandit · 11-09-2009, 04:43 PM

Merc seems to have vowed to set the wrong things right after the F-115 YamMerc mess.

noelm · 11-09-2009, 05:00 PM

the only people who say the Yamaha is the best motor ever made are Yamaha owners and dealers, they are a great motor, no doubt about it, but certainly no better than the motor you are looking at.

timebandit · 11-09-2009, 05:07 PM

In this case I will tell you that the Yam is not better than the L4 Merc.