Need help picking out new outboard

Greetings:

I have a 31 year old Johnson outboard (pull start) that runs great!  Problem is I am getting older and  my bad right shoulder is not happy when I pull the cord.  Time for electric start.

With Evinrude gone, what to get?  I am thinking of a 20 horse Mercury, Yamaha or suzuki.  I rented a 20 horse Yamaha while on vacation this summer (tiller model, electric start) and fell in love with it.  

My issue is I see almost no Yamaha dealers in SE Wisconson.  Same for Suzuki.  Where would I go when I need it repaired or need some simple part that I can replace.  No motor works forever so I assume some day I need it repaired.

LOTS of mercury dealers around here so perhaps mercury is the best bet.  Can anyone comment that owns a 4 stroke mercury, Yamaha or Suzuki in a 20 or 25 horse?  Just wondering what others have experienced before I decide what brand to buy.

Repowering my 2006 Alumacraft Dominator with another Yamaha 4 stroke.

A new Yamaha SHO VMAX 4 stroke.

Perfect way into spring fishing of 2021!

You should probably just get one of these as this seems to be the trend lately lol

These days there's not a lot of difference between Mercury, Suzuki and Yamaha when it comes to engines in that size range. They're all really good, so choice comes down to the dealer. At some point you're going to hit a rock so its no good if the closest dealer is 85 miles away. 

If you have a lot of Merc dealers then buy a Merc and enjoy. Seriously, under 100 hp i's just about impossible to go wrong.

No help here!

Repowering my 2006 Alumacraft Dominator with another Yamaha 4 stroke.

A new Yamaha SHO VMAX 4 stroke.

Perfect way to go into retirement the spring of 2021!

I have a 20 hp tohatsu 4 stroke. I like it a lot, I did my research they are very reliable and just as good as any other outboard, but if I had the extra money to spend I would have gotten a Yamaha or Honda. 

yamaha hands down

One thing a dealership salesman said 20 years ago still rings true...all motors have the potential to break down; if you plan on going to Northern WI, Canada, etc., Mercury mechanics and parts are a lot easier to find than any other motor.  I have now owned a few Mercs (currently have a 150 Pro XS and a 9.9 Pro Kicker) and only have done regular maintenance and added Sea Foam to the gas for any of them without having any issues.

With that said, I can't say that Mercury is "better" than any other, but some things to consider.

Moon Marine in Fondulac, not sure if that's to far for you. Yamaha

J-N-T Marine pro, between whitewater and delavan is a yahmaha dealer.

I have a Merc Optimax 225.  Full disclosure.

On my old boat I had a 50HP Yamaha tiller.

That thing (Yamaha) was amazing.  It was key started with tilt and trim.  So quiet.  Used almost no gas.

I'm very happy with my Merc and would have no problem getting another big Merc.  

But at that size, yah, Yamaha.  You'll love it.

Thanks everyone for the information!  I am leaning towards Yamaha.  Anything electric start will be better than having a sore shoulder even before I get a line in the water.  

Mercury 30hp and down are rebranded Tohatsu motors, 40, 50 & 60 hp motors are built in China at a Mercury factory and 75 hp and up are built in Fon-du-lac. 

I’ve owned a 50 HP Yamaha for 18 years. One minor repair and always works fine with normal (nothing difficult, done myself) maintenance. I also owned a 20 HP Mariner many years ago. As I understand it that was actually a Yamaha. Great motor! Never a problem. As an aside I like the fact that Mercs  are built in Fon du Lac, but if I heard correctly lower hp Mercs are actually Tohatsus and are foreign made.  Please correct me if this isn’t correct.

chevy vs. ford vs. dodge vs. toyota. Buy what you like, I have a 40 merc 4 stroke and its great. I have a f150 and a polaris sportsman so open up on me if you want.

I had a Yamaha on my last Lake Michigan boat and my new boat has 2 Yamaha's on it and never had a bit of trouble with any of the 3 motors of which one is a 8hp kicker that runs for hours and never missed a beat. For some reason I was talked into a new 8hp Mercury for my little boat at the cabin that has had lots of troubles running at times. At times it runs fine then the next time out it shuts off for no reason and takes 25 pulls to restart. Had it back in a few times and they never find anything wrong. Pretty soon the nearly new Mercury will be traded in for a new Yamaha!!