Mercury Verado, what have you heard about these motors?

[BassyiusMaximus]

I've an order for a current/2007 Verado 250 to power the boat. Has anyone had any experience or been on a boat with one of these engines?

I was going to get an OptiMax but came to the conclusion that quiet and smoothness were very high on my list of things I now like in an outboard. Any opinions on the Verado?

[MakoMike]

The only thing I've heard about them is that they are gas hogs.

[Sluggoslinger]

I took one for a test ride last year and it was pretty sweet how they had the fly by wire and LCD display. Seemed to have good power but I just don't like merc. That is a very complicated motor so i just wonder if anything goes wrong down the road how much $$ it will cost after the warrenty. I went honda and love it!

[Little Round]

I beleive down in Fl they have had some problems with them.

[Mr. Sandman]

Had the pleasure of running a pair of them this summer for several extented trips. IMO they are no question the slickest OB engines out there. The controls are outstanding, no one has anything like them. The LCD monitor system puts all the info you want to know about the engines on a nice clear display that does not take a manual to figure out.
The engines burn about the same as a yami as from what I can see. I think the suzuki 300's have the best fuel econ . I have seen some powerboat reports that make the suzuki the clear winner in econ. But the verados are not a hog by any means. They do burn a little more fuel per hour but it is not like a 2 stroke. I took a 27' whaler with twin 200's and ran 160 miles and burned about 80 gals and cruised over 30. BTW the engine monitoring is so sweet you can dial in on the sweet spot very easily.
The steering is better then any mech system as well. Fly by wire it is like a video game, you have doubts about it until you use it...then you love it. The engines electronically sync automatically to within a couple rpm...another nice feature.

The costs have some down a little now that they are not "new" and the engine runs so quiet at idle you barely notice it is on. Better then my 225 yami 4st.
One other thing that is VERY noticeable....when you put this into gear there is no clunk, thud or noise whatsoever...the boat just goes foreward. It is incredably smooth, smoother they any engine I have seen ever. It is almost like it is a fluid drive it is so smooth. I read up on it and they actually shut the engine off for a split second while the gears engage then restart it ...it happens so quick and so smooth that you never notice it missing a beat but the result is that it goes into gear like there are no gears.
IMO this is one nice package. I love them an I never liked mercs. I still don't care for the 2 strokes and the whine they make. But the verado is a nice package. It is expensive, heavy and big but if you have the stern to put them on I think you will like it.

I would like to test drive the new suzuki 300 because I think they built this to compete with the verado...but the zuki is a few grand more then the verado and I don't know if they did as well with all the features...but they nailed the economy end of it that is for sure.

[BassyiusMaximus]

Thanks, this is the kind of reply I've been looking for.

I was going to get an OptiMax 225 with the DTS as the DTS is $1,500 extra for the fly by wire but I want it because it is just such a sweet setup from all that I've heard and read about.

I know that the Verado is heavy, about 650lbs compared to the 225/250 OptiMax @ 500 but as my boat is rated at 350hp and for twins, the extra 150lbs should be no issue.

I like the quietness as I have heard that they are just whisper quiet at idle and at cruising/4000 all one can hear is wind and water, after all I'll have a full transom as well as a bracket 2 1/2 feet out, I won't even know I'm running I'll bet.

I'm psyched for May. I'll be sure to be posting pics and my own reviews then.

[Mr. Sandman]

No motor is what I would call "quiet" at 4000 rpm but this in line with most new 4 strokes, the only way I can descripe it is a lower pitch roar as copared with 2 strokes. You can def. hold a conversation without rasing your voice. At idle is is nearly inaudable if there is any background noise at all. Anyway, I was very impressed with them. They took OB's to the next level. The owner had one minor issue upon delivery but it was promptly resolved. One thing is don't even THINK of working on this yourself...just bring it to "the man". It is basically a sealed black controlled by fancy electronics that can not be worked on unles you are a dealer.

["uffah!!"]

I know a guy at the marina who has a boat just like mine, and has a 225 hp Verado on it, and it burns three (3) time the amount of fuel that I burn with a 150 hp Johnson 2 stroke. I'm talking about a trip from Greenwich Bay to Newport and back!!

[blaruffa]

The owner of the boat yard has them on his new boat he got at the end of the season. The mechanics were showing them to me. Very quiet and the information controls were sweet. Looks like a nice set up. I had Merc on my last boat (1996 150 EFI) great motor. IMO

[MrHunters]

Originally Posted by BassyiusMaximus

I've an order for a current/2007 Verado 250 to power the boat. Has anyone had any experience or been on a boat with one of these engines?

I was going to get an OptiMax but came to the conclusion that quiet and smoothness were very high on my list of things I now like in an outboard. Any opinions on the Verado?

didnt you repower last year?

[Jim D]

This was my first season running a 27 contender w/ twin 275's and all i can say is i'm impressed. I personally never had any problems but there were a few problems when they first came up but they seem to have solved them. They are extremely quiet and have a ton of power.

[BassyiusMaximus]

I did repower with a 150hp OptiMax just this past May but that was on an 1987 22' C/C. A brand new boat needs a brand new motor and that is why I'm interested in the Verado and is what I've pretty much made my mind up on for power since I have a choice of engines, Mercury, E-Tec or Suzuki.

I never thought I'd go with a 4-stroke but as I get older and just begin liking peace and quiet, except for a good sound system for tunes on the water, the quiet and smoothness get really attractive and they had better be because the Verado is almost $4,000 more than the comparable hp Opti.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Bassyius.. I got to ask man.
What do you do for work?
It sounds like you have every toy known to man (no busting, just curious!)

[BassyiusMaximus]

I'm glad you ask since I like to share. I work in a college in Boston.

I'll let you know the scoop on Bassyius Maximus. For some years, I had no licence, it was revoked for getting too many moving violations and I'll tell ya, nothing makes one save money better than not being able to drive. No car payment, no maintenance, no gas, no insurance, no excise tax, hell, I couldn't spend money if I wanted to so I banked it all. This also meant no girls, no dates, and lots of time with the hands, hell, I was tugging them out in the shower so much I thought my kid was going to come out of the drain! Then I worked 3 jobs, landscaped by day, weekends working at a psychiatric hospital and even washed dishes some nights at the local restaurant even though I had been a cook for like 10 years, I just didn't want the pressure of cooking anymore and just wanted a brainless job for more money , then I went to school nights for my Masters Degree.

The toys, at least the streetbike was used, paid cash, the dirtbike, used, paid cash, paid 1/2 my truck cash, floated the note on the other half to build my credit then bought my REV in Dec. 2003 for cash. The toys were cheap, $4,000 for the bike, $2,500 for the CR500R, Sled was $6,500. I figure I had nothing but a mountain bike for so long that once I got my Graduate Degree I was finally able to get the things I always wanted, I had to wait but finally they are in my garage. I went halves with my Dad on the new Opti last spring and now I'm going to make payments on a new boat because I've been living a very frugal lifestyle for some time now. I don't spend any money on things I consider foolish like cable TV. I don't buy DVD's or CD's or even books or magazines. That is what the library and bookstores are for, reading is free! I don't go to the movies, those overpaid actors along with everyone in the movie/entertainment industry including sporting events, don't need a single penny of my hard earned money so they can live their incredible lifestyle. Nor do I drink/go to the bars/clubs anymore, the college days are over and I survived and was there and did it all, it was a great time but I"m now done with it all. I don't buy new clothes or sneakers or shoes, the ones I have work and will work for a long time. I maintain all my stuff, bought the manuals and do everything I can and actually like it, a tinkerer I am, like most of us. My girl and I spend about $100 a week for food and make breakfast, lunch, and dinner just about every meal and eat out only once in a while nowadays, she is on my New Years Resolution "Aggressive savings campaign.", yeah, so I bought a boat, great way to save money, right? I read everything I can on how to save money and someone on another site said to read "Rich Dad Poor Dad" so I went to the bookstore, pulled up some floor and read it in the store, all kinds of good advice were in that book, but there is a ton online if one is willing to follow it.

I thought about what the mortgage would be like an a $1.5 million dollar house, but just to come up with the 10-20% down and payments of around $25,000 a MONTH, Holee Be-Jeezus!, I'm nowhere near that flush. I guess if I didn't have the toys, as I have no wife or kids, what else would I be spending my money on?

I am missing the JetSki, the ultralight plane/glider and the convertible 06/07 Corvette and a go-fast boat/multi V8 supercharged engine after all, I'd settle for a new Tundra though, supercharged if they offer it, nice.

[Rip Runner]

The Verado only uses more fuel than other 4 Strokes and DFI motors over 4,500 RPM. If you like to run hard all the time you're better off with the Opti 250XS, if not the Verado is a great package and on par fuel wise with all competitors at 4500 or less RPM. The economy on the 07 models is actually supposed to be better as well. They are also coming out with 325HP soon.

In terms of reliability they have had some minor issues, but every motor from every manufacturer has some with issues. Overall they have exceeded all expectations especially since they are super charged and people just didn't think it would work in a marine application.

I had a cell phone conversation at close to 55MPH on a 38 Fountain with trip 275's. The engines are the quietest in the industry.

[BassyiusMaximus]

I have heard the fuel consumption issue as well with the Verado and what oftentimes skews the numbers is the higher rpm that the engine is capable of, WOT rpm is 6000-6400 and that at higher rpm the fuel consumption is higher as it would with any other engine.

I like to run my motors at 4000 rpm for the vast majority of the running I do. I like them to last and have time to spare when I'm out there and want to make the rides last so I'm sure my mpg would be in the ballpark anyway and better than the old carbed 2-smokers anyway. My current Opti is incredible and if the Verado can even come close to the efficiency of that engine, even though it is a totally different beast, I'll be happy.

[striperondafly]

I lick I mean like Verados All kidding aside - my friend runs both the Fountain with Verados and the Contender w/ Etecs as a full time Charter Cappy - he prefers the Etecs over the Verados. Nice motors and boats for Canyon runs!!!

[fishermanjim]

very expensive i bet