Outboards in remote areas.

[Still_Dreamin]

I agree with Kondo1. What are the locals using?
There will be reasons why the locals use what they use so why reinvent the wheel.
I have an ETEC and love it but I also have Downes Marine 20 mins away for my annual service. The guys there live and breathe ETEC.
Not sure I would be so keen somewhere remote. I would go an old school two banger. It maybe 20yr old technology but there is a reason they still make them

[Andy56]

Chino posted what everyone else here has, lol. I have not seen any new outboards here whether old school 2s or what ever. They all seem to be from a dark distant part of the world. Literally 20yrs old. Down Phuket way I havent been, but its a more boat friendly environment and more boating tourists. Maybe different there.
.The locals use what they use because they cant afford the luxury of a boat with an outboard, not because of ease of operation. Its not a boating culture.
This infatuation with carbie 2s is also a bit weird from my perspective. Maintenance is similar, , dealer issue the same. If something major goes, the same issues. Only advantage is dirty fuel survival. But well filtered fuel is a non issue. I see lots of BMWs and Mercs, VW , Range rovers and the odd Ferrari so really, old school is old school for a reason. ( there is a HQ in my neighborhood, and yesterday i saw an XF falcon.)
It still comes down to "faith" that what ever i buy will not have major issues. For sure thats something only i can decide, but its not clearcut as some make it out to be.
I still favour the yamaha slightly.

[scottar]

Chino posted what everyone else here has, lol. I have not seen any new outboards here whether old school 2s or what ever. They all seem to be from a dark distant part of the world. Literally 20yrs old. Down Phuket way I havent been, but its a more boat friendly environment and more boating tourists. Maybe different there.
.The locals use what they use because they cant afford the luxury of a boat with an outboard, not because of ease of operation. Its not a boating culture.
This infatuation with carbie 2s is also a bit weird from my perspective. Maintenance is similar, , dealer issue the same. If something major goes, the same issues. Only advantage is dirty fuel survival. But well filtered fuel is a non issue. I see lots of BMWs and Mercs, VW , Range rovers and the odd Ferrari so really, old school is old school for a reason. ( there is a HQ in my neighborhood, and yesterday i saw an XF falcon.)
It still comes down to "faith" that what ever i buy will not have major issues. For sure thats something only i can decide, but its not clearcut as some make it out to be.
I still favour the yamaha slightly.

The other advantage of the older design engine is simple electrics - no computer either in it or required to diagnose it. Any mechanic can chase the basics - fuel, spark and compression and with a service manual and some basic tools sort a lot of issues. I would even go as far as removal of any oil injection system and running on premix. There are untold numbers of these style of engines still running at 20 -30 years old (and older) around the world - none of the new platforms have these runs on the board yet (and they may never get them either due to changes in ownership patterns). Its your money, its your motor, its your decision ultimately. You asked for recommendations - you got them. Not much point then telling people they are wrong. The resounding theme with modern outboard ownership is that a good relationship with your servicing dealer is as important as the engine itself - even more so if you are not great mechanically yourself. Your call from here
.

[Giveitacrack]

Buy a Yammie 2 stroke. With the price of fuel over there it is not an issue if fumes don't bother you. I travelled through Indonesia and Thailand and all you see is Yammy 2 strokes.I have been many times and you rarely see 4 strokes, only on some of the higher end charter boats. Probably the cost of them.Counted over 200 boats one arvo at Nusa Dua in Bali and only one boat had Suzi's on it, the rest were Yammies. They never get flushed and just go and go. Even more interesting was the colour of the fuel they pour into them....They fix there Boats like there Scooters...someone will always help.

[Noelm]

Its your money, its your motor, its your decision ultimately. You asked for recommendations - you got them. Not much point then telling people they are wrong. The resounding theme with modern outboard ownership is that a good relationship with your servicing dealer is as important as the engine itself - even more so if you are not great mechanically yourself. Your call from here
.

I said similar ages ago and got a reprimand for it.........

[scottar]

I said similar ages ago and got a reprimand for it.........

Guess I'll have to take my chances Noel.

[Noelm]

I agree with what you say, OPINIONS, were asked for, and opinions vary on nearly every topic, some people are so brand loyal, that regardless of the question, they seem to think everyone should have the same motor or boat that they own, nothing could possibly be better, when in fact, lots of variables come into play, I currently own a centre console, and it suited my fishing just fine, but, now I have grand kids that are over 10 years old now, they want somewhere to sit in the shade, even lay down at times, so, the centre console is going to be moved on, and some sort of Plate hard top will probably be on the menu now, similarly, on this thread, what motor is the "best" is not what might be his wise choice, there is not even an Evinrude dealer in the entire Country, that alone (in my opinion) rules that brand out, I don't care how good or bad they might be, at some point, you will need "something" and that could keep you sidelined for weeks, waiting for one to be shipped to you.

[lembo]

heres my 2 cents
your issues are lack of dealers, fuel quality.
in regards to fuel quality run awesome filter setup with water seperators. and don't go an etec, they have the most advanced injectors and if get gunked up with fuel would cost you a bomb. 300 hours service is a crock of s#%t as soon as it touches salt water. at least get an outboard that has dealers in the country.
and old tech 2 stroke will be simple for you to service.
The new mercurys look like a very simple motor to work on and service, id be inclined to lean towards a merc or Yamaha. both easy to work on. Yamaha have millions of you tube videos to help you with servicing and probably are the easiest to get parts for. don't be scared of servicing yourself, theres so much info online doing simple service items is super easy. you tube is your friend.
oh I do recall seeing lots of Hondas over there too

[Ocean_Spirit]

A mate runs a big charter fleet in Fiji. He had run Yamaha's for years and then started trialling ETEC and Sea Doo ski's. The Evinrudes are working well. The 60 HO is a detuned 75 and good engine. These are modelled around the old venerable 3-cylinder OMC engine, with an eTEc direct injection system added.

I agree with everything above. If I was in PNG and running engines, I'd buy an Enduro (Yamaha). But if you want to go modern, it would probably be a Yamaha 4S. Don't get me wrong - the ETEC 3-cylinder is a top engine - but you need a dealer who knows the product.

[aussiebasser]

If you've moved to northern Thailand, yet don't want to go back 20 years in technology you could be in for some severe issues. Yamaha still make Enduro motors for a reason. They are the most common motor you will see in the less populated corners of the world. There are not many longboats in PNG without the obligatory Enduro on the back. It seems you want an eTech, so you probably should buy an eTech. Personally, I'd buy one of these http://www.yamaha-motor.com.au/produ...r/11-60-enduro and I'm definitely not a Yamaha person.

[Andy56]

now guys , don't get me wrong, I wasn't knocking or disregarding anyone's opinion. I just wanted to drill down to reasons rather than just flat out rejection. To me the ONLY difference between all three motors is dealer support. All else being equal they all have the same issues.
From my perspective, I am 10-20hrs away from a dealer. This makes it a bit more difficult to just say no. If I was an hr or two away , it would be a no brainer. You guys that feel aggrieved because i dont instantly take to your opinion, dont. I do appreciate your input, just that i am not used to "because" as an answer, hahahahahaha
I am sure I wouldnt be the only one in this situation and its my hard earned at stake. I need to be sure its the most informed decision I can make.

[WildFishExpeditions]

Andy I think a few punters a feeling aggreieved because a lot of the same points are being repeated. Etec injectors, Etecs on bad fuel, no dealers or support for Etec in Thailand. If it was me those 3 things alone would be enough to get me away from an Etec. I know you have said that the dealer support is still a long drive away for you. But they could still source parts for you and send them to you I'm sure. Personally I dont have a problem with Etec, and I think a lot of their issues in Australia and the US are from people running the wrong oil/oil settings. not all their issues, but some.

I think the consensus has been pretty clear.
- Etec injectors unreliable on bad fuel
- 300 hour service doesn't work if in salt water
- you have 0 dealer support

So a lot of guys on here are probably thinking, me included, why you are still considering it.

I love my mercury, but if I didnt have a mechanic close by who could service it i'd probably have something else.

At the end of the day it is your decision and you know what the pro's and con's are for each, we cant tell you much more than that.

now guys , don't get me wrong, I wasn't knocking or disregarding anyone's opinion. I just wanted to drill down to reasons rather than just flat out rejection. To me the ONLY difference between all three motors is dealer support. All else being equal they all have the same issues.
From my perspective, I am 10-20hrs away from a dealer. This makes it a bit more difficult to just say no. If I was an hr or two away , it would be a no brainer. You guys that feel aggrieved because i dont instantly take to your opinion, dont. I do appreciate your input, just that i am not used to "because" as an answer, hahahahahaha
I am sure I wouldnt be the only one in this situation and its my hard earned at stake. I need to be sure its the most informed decision I can make.

[scottar]

I think the consensus has been pretty clear.
- Etec injectors unreliable on bad fuel
- 300 hour service doesn't work if in salt water
- you have 0 dealer support

Think you have misinterpreted yourself a bit Wildfish. No injectors are any good with dodgy fuel - nor high pressure fuel pumps that are used to drive a "standard" injector - hence the recommendation from most to stick with a carburetted two stroke.

The 300 hour thing - it works fine if people bother to read the fine print - 300 hours with no dealer scheduled service. This doesn't mean you bolt it to the back of the boat and don't look at for 300 hours. There are some things that require an annual inspection that is easily performed by the owner.

IMO servicing a two stroke annually is a massive waste of money unless the engine is subjected to either harsh operating conditions (they are not dredges) or very high hours. Maybe I was lucky but my previous engine was shouted a new impeller about every 6-8 years and apart from the "normal" VRO fault and a trim and tilt piston (not a service item), it never missed a beat. I am not the only one among my circle of family and friends to use these sorts of service intervals on conventional two strokes and I don't know of anyone that has had a failure due to service related items. Apart from a smart fuel delivery system, there isn't a lot of difference between an ETec and a traditional design two stroke - VST filter and exhaust pressure fitting probably the only things touched in a regular service that are different besides an engine download.

If the OP is going to go "new tech" regardless, there are a list of things that need to be taken into account. Given that he doesn't wish to travel the 10 hours to a dealer annually, my thoughts in regard to this matter are

- readily available connection software and hardware for computer download, software updates and fault diagnosis. Not all brands make this available to an end user - regardless of circumstance. Some require dealer pass codes to access certain functions - so a good relationship with a dealer "somewhere" is still going to be an important consideration. There are such dealers on the ETec owners group forum - can't comment on the other brands - my Merc is a conventional two stroke.

- readily available and realistically priced factory service manual either on disk or as I prefer, a hard copy - some of these may as well be printed on gold leaf with the prices being asked.

- a dealer that can reliably dispatch parts because he either has quick access or better still stocks them. The globe is a small place these days
provided the end user has a reliable postal service. Given the location, a local dealer may not even carry parts for 4 strokes or really have any idea on servicing one. If Brand "X" then doesn't have a base in Thailand or doesn't have stock, the parts still have to be shipped from OS but they potentially will go through a further two sets of hands prior to reaching the OP. The warranty won't be worth the paper it's written on due to end user service but potentially could be the only sticking point in this situation.

As far as "basic" servicing is concerned, I see it as being of little consequence. There isn't much difference in reality but once again a good dealer relationship will see a list provided with the necessary parts, all delivered in a cardboard box. ETecs can be run on any conventional TCW3 2 stroke oil provided they are programmed to do so initially so if oil supply is cost prohibitive or logistically an issue there are options.

All this said, given the opening paragraph of the original post, would I personally own any "new tech" outboard in the OP's situation - not in a pink fit. Would I have any brand of preference - depends on the level of local dealership parts supply and knowledge - the OP is in a far better position to ascertain that information than we are. Would I have any issue, all things being equal with picking the ETec if I had to go new tech - not at all knowing what I do from frequenting the owners forum and actually owning one but if the other brands have everything mentioned above available, they would also come under scrutiny with the decision then coming down to the best power option for the hull, value for money and dealer relationship - even if it is only by phone and email.

[WildFishExpeditions]

yeah you are right no injectors are good with dodgy fuel thats true. what i should have said was that the Etec has got a bad rap in the past about its injectors, and if you know something has an issue, running it on potentially dodgy fuel could make that a lot more likely to happen.

[Andy56]

Ok guys after a bit more research, i have come up with a few surprises. Yamaha warranty on exported motors, Zip reply. Suzuki warranty on exported motors, Zip reply. Evinrude warranty on exported motor 3 YEARS WARRANTY.
PLus as an added bonus, evinrude have a dealership in Bangkok.
It doesnt mean I have made up my mind yet. I am still open to the idea of buying secondhand. Murcury 4S is also now another option i am looking at. But the kicker is Murcury only warant their motors in asia for ! year.

The warranty issue says a lot to me about sticking your money were your mouth is.