etec vs 4 stroke

[bmajvi]

The Etecs looks like great motors. Search the net for Etec owners discussions (try www.etecownersgroup.com/ or www.thehulltruth.com) and you'll find guys that are 110% satisfied, and some that are quite a bit less so. Sounds like you want good dealer support, especially for initial setup (decent local dealer support is not a bad thing no matter what engine make you wind up with), they are a lot more complicated than olden days 2-strokes.

I used to have a Suzuki DF140 on an 18SF, and it was an amazing engine. Never had a hiccup in 200+ hours (thankfully, because there's no dealer here on St. Croix!), absolutely sipped fuel (up to 5 mpg cruise), and quiet as a church mouse. The Verados sound interesting, but complex (turbo longevity remains to be seen), and I think I understand that some of the larger Yamahas have had overheating issues. Again, my advice is invest time in doing homework online and at your local launching ramp, and buy not just for price, but longer term local setup & support. Just my two cents!

PS - Many/most of us are a little too proud to admit we spent $10-30k hard earned dollars on cranky engines, so be prepared for very partisan pronouncements...kind of like Ford vs Chevy stuff when we were teenagers...