Mercury Verado, what have you heard about these motors?

[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.