Web-Advertised Used Outboard Market Dominated By Yamaha

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Author Topic:   Web-Advertised Used Outboard Market Dominated By Yamaha

mabarrow posted 08-22-2006 12:05 PM ET (US)
Why are there so many used Yamaha outboards for sale on the web? I have no experence with them, but I need a used outboard but am afraid to buy one. There seems to be two to three Yamaha motors for sale for one of any other manufacturer. What is the deal? Thanks,
Mike
The Judge posted 08-22-2006 12:29 PM ET (US)
They sold a boatload of Yammies in the 80's and 90's and most still run unlike some of their competitors. Be carefull of pre-1991 shift rod rottage...you have to remove opowerhead to fix. In 1991 they went to a SS rod...DUH?
mabarrow posted 08-22-2006 01:23 PM ET (US)
Thanks, that is good information. In your opinion, it is O.K. to buy one?
Thanks again,
Mike
The Judge posted 08-22-2006 02:21 PM ET (US)
If you know what you are buying it is. I see great deals on E-Bay but know how to do a compression test and what to look for when you pick it up...don't want to get burned like with any used engine.
jimh posted 08-22-2006 11:28 PM ET (US)
I do not have any good theory why used outboard motors which are advertised on-line tend to be Yamaha brand. And I am not really willng to stipulate that your observation is correct. If we proceed on the basis that there are more used Yamaha motors for sale on-line, could you clarify what point you are asking about? Is it the on-line advertisements in particular you want to investigate? Or do you think that of all used motors being offered for sale everywhere, Yamaha is the dominant brand?
In general I would expect the on-line advertisements to mirror the total marketplace. I do not see a particular reason for one brand to be favored over another, although it could be that just one or two very active sellers of Yamaha engines using on-line advertising could create the impression of greater market share for Yamaha.
In the overall used outboard market, I expect that sales will mirror the new engine market share. Yamaha has a substantial market share, probably on the order of 35-percent. In some areas, particularly some saltwater markets, they are very strong and have an even greater market share.
One could also make the inference that perhaps Yamaha motors last longer and thus are more likely to be sold as used motors. Competitor motors of a similar age are worn out and abandoned. Perhaps, but there is no real data presented to support that.
Of course, one could also make the inference that Yamaha motors are more troublesome than other brands, so their owners want to sell them more often and replace them. Again, no data available.
I don't think you can make any kind of valid analysis without better numbers.
As for having a reticence to buy a used Yamaha outboard because you see large numbers of them for sale, I don't think this is necessarily a good conclusion. The general reputation of Yamaha is very good. They did have some recent models which had an unusually high rate of failure (for Yamaha, which usually has--according to conventional wisdom--a very low defect rate in their new product).
What specific model are you looking for?
swist posted 08-25-2006 03:43 PM ET (US)
Judge,
I think the shift shaft went to stainless around 1994/5, not 1991 - it was part of the "Saltwater Series" upgrade. I know because I paid the high price for a replacement on my 1993 model (a 225 hp).
I would say that in general the only thing you need to inspect for *carefully* is corrosion on pre "Saltwater Series" Yamahas. Other than they they were pretty bulletproof.
littleblue posted 08-26-2006 01:20 AM ET (US)
I've owned three 1991 Yamaha outboards. One 50hp and two 70hp (I currently have twins). Love em.

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Author	Topic: Web-Advertised Used Outboard Market Dominated By Yamaha
mabarrow	posted 08-22-2006 12:05 PM ET (US) Why are there so many used Yamaha outboards for sale on the web? I have no experence with them, but I need a used outboard but am afraid to buy one. There seems to be two to three Yamaha motors for sale for one of any other manufacturer. What is the deal? Thanks, Mike
The Judge	posted 08-22-2006 12:29 PM ET (US) They sold a boatload of Yammies in the 80's and 90's and most still run unlike some of their competitors. Be carefull of pre-1991 shift rod rottage...you have to remove opowerhead to fix. In 1991 they went to a SS rod...DUH?
mabarrow	posted 08-22-2006 01:23 PM ET (US) Thanks, that is good information. In your opinion, it is O.K. to buy one? Thanks again, Mike
The Judge	posted 08-22-2006 02:21 PM ET (US) If you know what you are buying it is. I see great deals on E-Bay but know how to do a compression test and what to look for when you pick it up...don't want to get burned like with any used engine.
jimh	posted 08-22-2006 11:28 PM ET (US) I do not have any good theory why used outboard motors which are advertised on-line tend to be Yamaha brand. And I am not really willng to stipulate that your observation is correct. If we proceed on the basis that there are more used Yamaha motors for sale on-line, could you clarify what point you are asking about? Is it the on-line advertisements in particular you want to investigate? Or do you think that of all used motors being offered for sale everywhere, Yamaha is the dominant brand? In general I would expect the on-line advertisements to mirror the total marketplace. I do not see a particular reason for one brand to be favored over another, although it could be that just one or two very active sellers of Yamaha engines using on-line advertising could create the impression of greater market share for Yamaha. In the overall used outboard market, I expect that sales will mirror the new engine market share. Yamaha has a substantial market share, probably on the order of 35-percent. In some areas, particularly some saltwater markets, they are very strong and have an even greater market share. One could also make the inference that perhaps Yamaha motors last longer and thus are more likely to be sold as used motors. Competitor motors of a similar age are worn out and abandoned. Perhaps, but there is no real data presented to support that. Of course, one could also make the inference that Yamaha motors are more troublesome than other brands, so their owners want to sell them more often and replace them. Again, no data available. I don't think you can make any kind of valid analysis without better numbers. As for having a reticence to buy a used Yamaha outboard because you see large numbers of them for sale, I don't think this is necessarily a good conclusion. The general reputation of Yamaha is very good. They did have some recent models which had an unusually high rate of failure (for Yamaha, which usually has--according to conventional wisdom--a very low defect rate in their new product). What specific model are you looking for?
swist	posted 08-25-2006 03:43 PM ET (US) Judge, I think the shift shaft went to stainless around 1994/5, not 1991 - it was part of the "Saltwater Series" upgrade. I know because I paid the high price for a replacement on my 1993 model (a 225 hp). I would say that in general the only thing you need to inspect for carefully is corrosion on pre "Saltwater Series" Yamahas. Other than they they were pretty bulletproof.
littleblue	posted 08-26-2006 01:20 AM ET (US) I've owned three 1991 Yamaha outboards. One 50hp and two 70hp (I currently have twins). Love em.