High hours boat motors.

What would you guys consider high hours of use for a boat motor, I'm talking 150+horse power motors.

Well i had a 225 Opti Max with 1086 hours on it when I sold it. It ran like a top for sure...  I have a 250 Pro XS on my Phoenix with around 450 hours and it has never had a thing wrong with it. SO my thing is Run it like you stole it and use good oil and have it service once a year.

Wow, I read initial post, and first 10 or so replies, people sure got off on a tangent.  Anyhow, I have heard of many motors over 150 HP going for 3000 plus hours.

I agree, the worse thing you can do to an outboard is not run it. 

The more you use them, the better they run.  

Also, with today’s fuel, a splash of fuel maintainer / cleaner in every tank keeps em’ running good! 

On the question of hours, i have read many comments on the (hulltruth) the commercial buys that tow, ferry, comercial fish, get 3 to 5,000 hours on their outboards.  They like yamaha, suzuki, nissan, honda,.

They use their motors every day and do their required maintenance.  I think outboards need to be run frequently.   I believe long layoffs of time and lack of routine maintenance is a big problem maker for outboards.

Yes, same reason I traded my Merc. For an 50 E-TEC. Love the Motor, But when I looked for a new kicker 5-10hp. Everyone was made by Tiatahsu(sp) in Japan.So I kept my 96 5hp.Mariner,also made in Japan! No complaints at all about the E-TEC.

From what I heard,Mercury Marine built that plant in China to meet global demand.But I will bet that most of the engines made there are imported back here.When I priced out 50 HP outboards,Mercury was more than Honda equipped with the big tiller handle.Suzuki was decently priced,but no dealer close.And both Yamaha dealers here are a-holes.The Honda dealer sells lots of units to commercial users.I see many commercial fishermen on the Mississippi running Honda's with lots of hours on them.

I don’t mind buying engines made in Japan, but I will never buy another Mercury due to their moving some production to Communist China. Same thing applies to GM.

They both took American dollars, or tax relief to stay in the USA, and both did not hold up their end.

You are right 40-60 power heads basicallY Yamaha power heads installed in FonDulac, check in parts suppliers they are all the same. That is why I laugh when  the “EXPERTS” say Yamahas are much better then the Mercury Junk! 75 and above all made here .Smaller motors are all Jap,read the name plate!Even smaller Evenrude are made in Japan.

It may have in fact been been assembled in Fond du Lac but it was a Yamaha power head. At that time some HP's just a Mercury lower unit and case, some where all Yamaha painted black.

and here is the list as it stands right now: 

Mercury Outboards, 30 Hp and less, are made by Tohatsu in Japan. Mercury Marine builds 40, 50 and 60 horsepower outboard motors in Suzhou, China. Mercury also manufactures engines over 75 horsepower at its facility in Fond du Lac in Wisconsin.

Mercury has never made their own 30 HP 4S engine and still do not.

If it was a 2003 4 Stroke it was made in FonDulac had exact same motor!.name plate is on pivot on Transom mounting. Should say Made in FonDulac. After 2004 same plate will say made in CHINA.!

I have a 1997 25 horse Merc I bought new. I used to troll with it for hours . I ma sure I have 1000 hours on it. Runs great and was in the shop one time for a water pump that I figured must be bad by now, and it was. Never had a problem. Now I went and got a 5 horse for trolling. It already has 11 hrs on it so they sure add up. 

I have a 150 hp 2010 Etec with 1,500 hours, it still runs perfect!

Turn the key in Spring after a 4 month nap, and it starts right up.  

With annual maintenance on newer motors, I wouldn’t worry much about hours. 

Your 2003 Mercury was manufactured by Yamaha.

Just traded my 2003 Mercury  60 4 stroke, not sure how many hours on it but a lot. Averaged 90 trips a year with plenty of trolling hours. Never had a problem but decided to replace before there was one. Serviced every fall, stored outside one tough motor. Replaced with another Mercury, wonder why !!

I got a little over 1300 hours from a Yamaha 50HP 2-stroke.Only put in a neutral switch for repairs.It still ran strong when I retired it,I guess I drank the 4-stroke kool-aid.But I can get the same use from it with 3 gallons vs 6 with the 2-stroke.Honda 50HP.But I really don't miss the oil smoke smell,the Honda smells at worst like a Coleman lantern when you first light it.