Are Mercury Outboards Good & Reliable Enough To Own?

Nobody offers a more dependable, strong, and economic outboard engine portfolio than Mercury: Verado, Pro XS, FourStroke, SeaPro, and Jet.

Mercury outboards are made to last, with renowned performance powered by cutting-edge technology. They are backed by decades of invention and leadership.

Mercury Marine manufactures outboard motors, sterndrives, and inboard engines. The company competes with Yamaha as the world’s top two makers of marine engines.

While they are unquestionably popular, it is reasonable to wonder if Mercury outboards are any good.

How Good Mercury Outboards Are?

Mercury Marine outboards have been one of the world’s best-selling brands for over 80 years. The brand is well-known for their high level of quality, effectiveness, and energy.

They have continually innovated while meeting and surpassing environmental laws. When looking for an outboard motor, go no further than Mercury.

Mercury is now bigger than ever, offering trolling motors, electronics, propellers, and inflatable boats in addition to marine outboard and sterndrive engines.

Throughout it all, the Mercury outboard has been their signature product, and they have consistently led the market in innovation.

How Reliable Are Mercury Outboards?

Mercury continues to dominate in this sector despite having over 80 years of boating and outboard experience. Mercury provides engines ranging from 2.5 to 400 horsepower to suit any boater’s needs. The firm provides both high-performance versions, such as the Pro XS, and more simple ones, such as the traditional 4-stroke.

Mercury outboard motors are of great quality and use little gasoline. These engines truly gained off in the United States about 2001, when they started developing a 225 horsepower four-stroke outboard engine that was just as light as a two-stroke.

Most of their outboards have a three-year guarantee that covers flaws in materials and workmanship. It excludes basic maintenance, natural wear and tear, and repairs made by a non-authorized Mercury specialist.

How Durable Are Mercury Outboards?

Over the last eight decades, Mercury Marine has earned a solid reputation throughout the globe for the dependability and longevity of its outboards and other engines.

Their simplicity of repair and inexpensive maintenance is as legendary as their performance.

Aside from the quality, the type of materials and paint used to keep seawater from corroding engine parts is important.

To reduce corrosion, the corporation employs a lot of stainless steel and alloys with less copper.

Their paint technique begins with an Iridite sealer, then an Electro Deposition primer, and finally a thick, durable powder coating.

Several users and commentators believe that a few models experience sporadic issues.

The OptiMax line of 2-strokes with fuel injection, for example, may experience issues with the injectors and compressor.

Ethanol has been known to erode its gasoline lines, however, this is not exclusive to Mercury.

What About Older Mercury Outboards?

Mercury Marine has created several famous and ground-breaking models throughout the years.

The first was the Mercury Lightning, which debuted in 1947. It brought inexpensive power and quality in a lightweight compact with 10 horsepower.

The Mercury Mark 75, a 60-horsepower outboard motor, was launched in 1956. It was the most powerful and fuel-efficient engine available at the time of its launch.

The 1750 “Black Max” is launched in the maritime sector in 1976. It is the first V6 outboard engine produced, with 175 horsepower and a new fuel economy requirement.

Despite its high horsepower, the business released the 2-stroke OptiMax DFI (direct fuel injection) in 1996, which lowered hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions.

Owners of the Mercury 4-stroke 115 horsepower engine from the 2000s frequently leave excellent evaluations online.

Do They Still Make Parts For Older Models?

Mercury has been manufacturing outboards since 1940. Although the company provides some parts and accessories for their older models, most of their outboards are too old.

You can find most of the parts for your older outboard from the Wholesale Marine website. You can get anodes, control cables, cooling systems, electrical systems, fuel systems, ignition systems, gear cases, drive parts, internal engine parts, oil & filters, specialty tools, propellers, prop hardware, trim systems, and so on.

From Perf Pro-Tech, you can search for replacement parts for your older models of Mercury outboards by using their advanced search by the model system.

Mercury officially offers parts from their store. You can visit this page if you want to know more about older part distribution from Mercury. You can also visit their Dealer Finder page if you want to look for dealers.

What Are Typical Problems With Mercury Outboards?

The OptiMax line of 2-strokes with fuel injection, for example, may experience issues with the injectors and compressor. Ethanol has been known to erode its gasoline lines; however, this is not exclusive to Mercury.

A recall on 1998 3.0 liter outboards over steering arm bolt holes occurred in 2003, affecting 6830 motors.

A big recall on Verado L4 and L6 models occurred in 2008 due to a defect in the power steering fuse; this affected 36,476 vehicles and was not resolved until 2020.

In 1981, 4500 25 horsepower units were impacted by a steering handle malfunction. In 1998, 5975 units were impacted by a malfunctioning flame arrestor.

In 2020, there was a recall of 25 and 30 horsepower versions from 2006 due to faults in the top mounting bolts; 22,167 units were impacted.

A recall involving several V6 and V8 models concerning gas lines occurred in 2020; this affected 10,217 units from various years and is currently listed as open.

How Long Do Mercury Outboards Last Compare To Similar Brands?

Obtaining an average lifespan for any outboard manufacturer is difficult because of variability in how their owners maintain them.

In comparison to their competitors, most Mercury outboards will last a very long period. If your Mercury outboard is properly maintained, you may expect it to last for 2,000 or perhaps 3,000 hours.

After around 1,500 hours, most manufacturers suggest a rebuild. This assists to extend the life of the motor as much as feasible.

However, forums are replete with testimonies from owners who have owned their Mercury outboards for more than 20 years.

Do Mercury Outboards Hold Their Value?

Mercury now manufactures outboard motors ranging in power from 2.5 to 600 horsepower. Their outboards range from 2-stroke to 4-stroke, jet engines, and even propane-powered versions.

Their 4-stroke outboards with 30-60 horsepower are the most popular types. The 60 EFI (Efficient Fuel Injection) is their flagship model, producing over 70 horsepower.

Another popular model is the Mercury Verado 400R, which has an output of 80 horsepower. The Verados are top-of-the-line supercharged Mercury models, and the six-cylinder powerhead engine is widely regarded as one of the greatest outboards available.

The Mercury 4-stroke outboard with 6 horsepower is one of the most popular little outboards on the market. It’s small enough to carry yet strong enough to transport two passengers from a 10-foot boat to an aircraft.

Are Mercury Outboards Still Being Made?

Many Mercury outboard motors are still manufactured in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, near the factory where they have been manufactured since 1926 and where their international headquarters is still situated. They do, however, have production units throughout the world.

They have 4 lines of outboards available in the current market. These are 500-600 HP, 175-400 HP, 65-150 HP, and 2.5-60 HP. The most famous models are SeaPro 500HP, FourStroke 175, Verado 250, 75-150 HP Full Stroke, and Jet 25-40 HP.

You can visit their Outboard page if you want detailed specifications of the available outboards.

Customer Reviews On Mercury Outboards

Mercury is a well-known outboard manufacturer. Customers from various websites have said that they are happy with their outboards.

Although there are very few cases of problems that users have faced in some of their boats, the company has an overall good reputation in the market.

Most reviews of the Mercury outboards are positive. There were a few rare cases I have spotted in which customers have stated some problems with their outboard motors.

A customer had his engine blocked and had less speed and RPM. Another user had said that there was a problem with his hub kit inside the prop. The seam was seen to be coming apart by some users.

Final Thoughts

Thanks to Mercury for providing an outstanding weight/power ratio that is suited for both medium-sized tenders and tiny sailboats.

Mercury Marine has grown during its more than eighty-year history, including amid downturns in the marine sector. Given their record of success and ongoing commitment to innovation, it is certain that they will continue to be one of the best outboard producers for years to come. Their items are always of great quality.

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