OK Etec owners...

[Stoo]

I'm about >this< close to buying a 150 Etec. I've read lots of great comments on here and done my research...

Does anybody have a reason why I shouldn't buy one???

[RIVA]

buy a 175

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Stoo

Does anybody have a reason why I shouldn't buy one???

Because you wear short shorts with sandals?

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by RIVA

buy a 175

I have actually been wondering about that! I gather it's the same weight and so on... I haven't priced one, but I suppose it's not a lot more. I was going to run it past my insurance carrier to see what they have to say... Either that, or just get the dealer to get me some 150 stickers or the cover...

Have you had any problems with your 250?

Originally Posted by Mollers

Because you wear short shorts with sandals?

Not today... it's about 3 degrees above freezing!

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Stoo

Have you had any problems with your 250?

Nope, I've not fired it up yet.

I rang the order through for the prop today.

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Stoo

Does anybody have a reason why I shouldn't buy one???

Evinrude seem to be very confident about them, particularly compared with 4-strokes. They've just produced a flyer/poster aggressively putting their case:

THE TRUTH BEHIND EVINRUDE E-TEC AND 4-STROKE OUTBOARD ENGINES

Myth 1: "The 2006 EPA & 2006 EU legislations make 2–strokes illegal."
Fact 1: Evinrude is worldwide emissions compliant

Myth 2: "4-stroke engines are cleaner because 2-stroke outboards expel oil directly into the environment."
Fact 2: Evinrude engines have simply the cleanest outboard technology available

Myth 3: "4-strokes achieve the best fuel economy."
Fact 3: Evinrude gives you superior fuel efficiency

Myth 4: "4-stroke outboards require less maintenance than 2-strokes."
Fact 4: Evinrude outboards require the lowest maintenance

Myth 5: "Four-stroke outboard engines offer more torque than other outboard technologies."
Fact 5: Evinrude engines offer the best power to weight in the industry

Myth 6: "4-stroke outboards are quieter than new DI 2-stroke engines."
Fact 6: No other outboard engine gives you a quieter boating

There's more blurb in the full version attached.

Obviously this is sales material and should be regarded as such. However there do seem to be a lot of happy ETEC owners out there, and not many horror stories.

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by Mollers

Nope, I've not fired it up yet.

I rang the order through for the prop today.

LOL... Well you're a lot of bl**dy help then! Obviously you have forsaken all others in favour of an Etec, so that must be a good thing!

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by RIVA

buy a 175

Nah get a 200hp - they are all the same weight!!!

I would love an ETEC - I just wish they would bring out a nice light 400hp V8.........

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Obviously this is sales material and should be regarded as such. However there do seem to be a lot of happy ETEC owners out there, and not many horror stories.

Thanks John. I spent some time with a dealer last week that sells Merc, Yamaha and Etec. His opinion after listening to me about the type of boating I do was that either the Yamaha or the Etec would be great engines for me. I have had two bad experiences (i.e. 2 blown heads @ $8000.00 each) so I am "disinclined" to go with them again. Plus, I still think the 2 stroke makes sense in a marine environment...

My Yammie is running well, but with the current strenght of our Canadian dollar relative to the US, the prices have come down considerably... $18.5K two years ago, about $13.5K today!

[Mollers]

I actually put a deposit down on a Suzuki DF 250. I'm not a massive 4 stroke fan, but thought that the DF would hold up well when I eventually sold the boat on. Ian at Liverpool Powerboats sold both, so he was getting the sale eitherway. However, he is a big fan of Etecs and basically reckoned it beat the DF in every dept. He rang me in December to say that BRP where running an Autumn deal which dropped the price of the Etec to that of the DF and that they were offering free extended warranty to 5 years. Bye bye DF.
Humper and I were having a deal on a pair, he also then went for Etec as he'd had on his previous 'flume ride'.