Why would I buy a 4 stroke?

[SgBFish]

This is a very interesting comparison. When you look at oulay and running costs the choice is obvious.

http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/004083.html

Cheers.

[billfisher]

So what is the obvious choice? The 4 strokes are in most cases slightly ahead in efficiency, but the comparisions take no account of the purchase price or maintainence. The e-techs must be ahead on maintainence with three years sevice free and no oil changes needed. I don't know the purchase prices exactly, but I think they are similar.

[serene_lady]

I would go for e-techs or tldi in tohatsu range, similar weight and price but quicker out of the water and even less fuel than 4 strokes. bob.

[SgBFish]

Can someone check my sums please.
If you look at the link above and the comparison of the Yamaha F150 and Evinrude ETEC 150:

After 3 years if you do 50 hours per year and get the 4s serviced each 50 hours and the fuel difference for the 115 Yamaha and Evenrude 115 is about 3.6l/hour @ 25MPH(approximately based on their consumption graph). lets assume the 4s is $2000 dearer on sale price (conservative) and over the period the 2s uses $150 worth of oil. The 4s will cost about $400 each servise (3X$400=$1200) and lets say the 2s is the same cost therefore only 1 service in the 3 years($400).
Over 3 years the cost of the 4s is:
$2000 initial difference
$1200 servicing
$3200 TOTAL

Over 3 years the cost of the 2s is:
$400 servicing
$150 oil
$550 TOTAL

A difference of $2650. Does this make sence?

[joeT]

True, but those calculations are only for the first year of use. You will need to divide the initial difference by number of years used, as well as take into account the higher resale value at the end.

4 strokes start to make more sense when you use them more. 50 hours a year is not much and if you're using your boat that little, then you should save your pennies and get a 2 stroke.

[noluck]

sgbfish
you made good poit there
it all cam down how much you can spend and what you like
no_luck

[Roo]

with low usage you should definatley go 2 stroke as the cost saving to purchase would outweigh the fuel cost saving of a 4 stroke. I looked around at boats on the weekend and comparisons i found were 2st to 4st 40hp p.t.t. extra $2000. 4st to etec 40hp p.t.t. was an extra $1000. so the etec costs more than the 4 st and uses about the same in fuel...... will smash it out of the park in service costs if you use 100 hrs a year as your usage datum. thats assuming service at 6months or 50 hours x 5 (i've not included the run in and 10 hr as both would have the same costs for these (assumed). or the last one at 300hrs)@ $400 (don't know how good that figure is?) =$2000 to nil (this oply up to 250hrs). i think that means your $1000 bucks aheadwith the etec. remains to be seen if the 300hr service for the etec isn't a whopper to make up for it. if so could be picking up cheap second hand etecs with 290 hrs use. ;D ;D

DISCLAIMER: I don't know if any of these figure stack up...just relaying what i was told by various dealers and putting the maths together myself(unsupervised :o)

food for thought.
Cheers, Roo.

[Tony_N]

Just to add to the notion of comparative prices of 4 strokes and e-tecs. For my new river boat I priced a 40 HP Suzuki and a 40 e-tec both with electric start and power trim and tilt. Both needed a conversion to tiller steer for my needs The Suzi was $7200 and the e-tec was just under $10k. To be fair the e-tec conversion to tiller was considerably more expensive ($600 for the suzi and $1500 for the e-tec - might be an indication of spare parts for the e-tec when required) - so the price difference is about $1000 - $1500 for a remote steer 40 HP motor. NB I probably got the best price on the Suzi and only one price on the e-tec

The e-tec at $3k more expensive (tiller) took it out of calculations for me especially when nothing is known about them after 3 years and people are still having problems with them - flat spots etc

So (getting back to the why have I opted for a 4 stroke over a low tech 2 stroke? These three reasons probably wont stack up tp economic/budgeting scrutiny but:

1. Lower fuel usage
2. Quieter
3. Less polluting

So without doing any budgets on it, the philosophical plusses of these 3 facts was enough to encourage me to outlay the extra bux for the 4 stroke.

I am aware that the 2stroke is a simper motor with less to go wrong with it and will be cheaper to service - however 1, 2 and 3 above are powerful incentives for me.

FWIW
Tony

[bazzaman]

Yep i went for the 4 stroke 60hp for fuel economy. I use my boat an average of 1 to two trips per week and have just clocked up 150hrs on it in 6months. However the klms travelled averages about 9klms p/hr as ive done mostly trolling with it and only run it at revs no more than 4800 99% of the time. Fuel is incredible compared to two strokes and quietness you cant hear it when a slight breeze is blowing! What a motor the yammy is!

Cheers

Shane

[Spaniard_King]

Fuel economy
No Smoke
Quiet
and RESALE

The biggest factor will be longevity, 4 strokes should go twice as long as 2 strokes before needing a rebuild.

I don't think anyone has big hours on an E-tec to see how they will go.

Garry

[Rod_Bender]

I have heard from people that the actual dealers of E tec's suggest that the plugs be changed at least once a year as a minimum. Another hearsay comment was that each plus costs $80.... something i guess to follow up on if your choosing an E Tec. I've been in a boat once driven by an E tec, and we needed a tow home. It was a fishing charter. I don't think i'd like to be out in my boat 30 miles into the deep sea and my motor hasn't been inspected for 24 months... Time will tell, but my first hand experience with these E tec is that there not anywhere near what they claim to be. Even the charter operator said so!!!! One bloke told me at the boat ramp when i asked him about this big e tec, was that with same boat, he traded in his old Evinrude to the same size HP in an e tec and his boat now goes 2 knots slower at top speed. Suzi's or yammy's are my only option in 4's.