Best 75 HP outboard

[Rawleigh]

I have a friend who is looking for a new 75 hp 4 stroke outboard. Who makes the best one right now? It seems like a choice between Honda, Yamaha and Mercury, but please give me your thoughts.

[Dug]

Suzuki is not bad either.

[ianupton]

I think anything new is going to be reliable, quiet and efficient.

If weight is a consideration, the Yamaha F70 is the lightest 70 hp outboard on the market.

I am considering going the ETEC 75 route for my Hunt 14.

[Howesounder]

I have a 25 tohatsu 4 stroke, suzuki 140 and 150 hp all three have been pretty well abused. The tohatsu 25 is the same as the 30 hp tohatsu, and my 25 spends its entire life at either idle, or wide open, very near the rev limiter. I have a funny feeling that the question might be closer to.....is there any engine I should stay away from? as Honda, merc, suzuki and yamaha all seem to make great stuff. My nephew bought an etec 60. Very small and light, but there is no question internal combustion is going on, and the two stroke smell is there. (Seemed nasty to me compared to a four stroke) On a similar boat with a four stroke, (of any brand) it seems to me that the experience is more like an electric motor back there. I actually liked the higher displacement and weight penalty of the suzuki, to have a lower hp/displacement ratio, and perhaps a longer lasting engine. I would place quite a bit of weight on the reputation of the dealer you may be working with over time. If you have a yamaha dealer that is well liked for instance.........it might well be a yamaha, that will be the engine you love.

I bought a brand new Mercury 20 power tilt and trim for a buddy btw, and the local dealer where he lives took three months to resolve a well known oil leak issue. Groused about that amount of money they were being paid by Mercury for the fix to boot. Said he had paying jobs that he had to get to and would try to fit this repair in! Three months?

Steve

[captbone]

75hp is the ugly step children of outboard horsepowers. They are all 90/115hp engines that are detuned for the 75hp number. They tend to be heavier and larger. The 60/70hp range is the top of the grouping of engines below so they are significantly smaller and lighter.

The old wisdom that the engine will last longer because it is not stressed as much does not come into play with engines this small either. A 9.9hp does not last any longer vs a 15hp and the same with the 75hp/90hp.

My advice would be to either get a 60/70hp or step up to the 90hp version. No benefit in the 75hp in my humble opinion.