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What is the best way to sell a used outboard engine, in particular a 2003 Suzuki DT225TCXK3 with 43 hours that is very clean--you could eat off it--and starts and runs like a new engine and has new water pump and fuel pump?

1971outrage wrote:What is the best way to sell a used outboard engine...?

I don't know the "best" way. I see three possible ways to sell a used outboard engine:

1. when re-powering, sell the old engine to the dealer from whom you are buying the new engine; this is probably is the easiest way
2. sell the engine to any outboard engine dealer or broker that is interested--assuming you can find such a dealer or broker
3. sell the engine yourself, advertising it with various on-line for-sale listings

In order to know what the selling price should be, you will have to conduct a survey of used outboard engine prices for 19-year-old 225-HP Suzuki engines. That your engine appearance is like-new and it runs well should boost the value. However, the market for 19-year-old two-stroke-power-cycle 225-HP engine is probably not going to be particularly strong at this moment due to the price of marine gasoline fuel.

In 2009 I sold a 1992 Evinrude 225-HP engine, a highly regarded 3-liter V6 90-degree-block engine that a preferred n choice in that horsepower range in that era. At that time the 225-HP engine was 17-years-old, so two-years-newer than the engine you have and want to sell now in 2022. Gasoline prices at that time were not particularly high.

Like you, I was in the process of buying a new engine. The dealer selling me the new engine helped facilitate the sale of my old engine to another customer of his shop. The actual sale was to the other fellow from me, that is, the transaction was not a trade-in and re-sale by the dealer. The dealer facilitated the sale by removing my old engine from my boat and putting it on the new owner's boat. This work was done at the dealership. I believe this was a significant advantage for both me and the buyer, as neither of us had the facilities or time or skill to remove the engine from my boat and install the engine on the buyer's boat.

In my case, the dealer had a strong loose-engine re-power focus for his engine sales, that is, he sold many loose engines, not just new engines on new boats. He also had a very strong presence in the used engine market, as the shop was renown for its service of older engines. The dealer's recommendation of my used engine to a potential buyer was influential on the sale occuring.

Of course, I did not get my asking price. I thought--like all sellers--that the buyer got quite a good deal, considering the excellent condition of my old engine. I was not prepared to have to sit on my old engine for a year or more waiting to get a better price. The sale of the old engine offset the cost of the new engine. I literally endorsed the buyer's check and handed it to my new engine dealer.

Also key to my used engine sale: the buyer already had an identical engine on his boat, but that engine has suffered some catastrophic damage. The repair estimate to fix his engine was just about equal to the final price negotiated for my engine. Instead of investing in repair of his engine, the buyer just bought my engine that was in all-original condition and ran superbly. There was no problem with matching the replacement engine to the boat rigging; it was the same on both engines. This made the purchase much simpler for the buyer.

1971outrage wrote:What is the best way to sell a used outboard engine, in particular a 2003 Suzuki DT225TCXK3 with 43 hours that is very clean--you could eat off it--and starts and runs like a new engine and has new water pump and the fuel pump?

To be honest with you, the Suzuki 2 stroke models are tough to sell since they had bad corrosion problems (if in salt water). That combined with lackluster dealer support - the Suzuki dealer in my area prefers to only work on their 4 stroke models.

While you mentioned the motor is super clean and has very little use, I'd say if you are in the $3300 - $3700 blue book range you should be able to find a buyer since a new motor runs over 20K, but be prepared for less if you don't have strong dealer support in your area.

The two placed I'd list are Craig'sList and Facebook Marketplace. I've found that Facebook Marketplace has pretty much taken over since you can list within outboard groups and hit target markets.

D-

In the case of the 19-year-old Suzuki engine, I suspect that you will probably need to sell all the rigging, wire harnesses, key switches, gauges, warning alarms, and so on, with the engine, unless you happen to find a buyer whose boat is already rigged for a Suzuki engine of that vintage.

Around 2003, Suzuki was about to transition to an entirely four-stroke-power-cycle engine line, the first outboard engine manufacturer to make that transition so completely. Their four-stroke-power-cycle engines have now (in 2022) become very popular and have a much larger market share (in the USA) than Suzuki ever had with their two-stroke-power-cycle outboard engines (in the USA).

To your advantage is the very long wait time for the arrival of new engines ordered from dealerships. Wait times of a year are not uncommon.

Your engine may have considerable value to a Suzuki dealership with customers waiting for new engines if it is in excellent condition and shows well, particularly if all the rigging is included and in similar condition. The dealer may agree to accept your engine "on consignment".

Otherwise the aforementioned two online venues are good possibilities.

I have sold several old outboard motors on the Craigslist website. Aside from dealing with the "dreamers" that call, I have found that there is a strong market for reasonably priced old outboard motors. The key to a quick sale is being able to demonstrate that it works and comes with everything needed to operate as described by Jim. I keep a portable motor stand to hold the motor and a big barrel of water to run the motor in. Some buyers are knowledgeable and some are not. I have never failed to sell any of my motors fairly quickly.

[The outboard engine that I am planning to sell as a used outboard engine] will be in use on my boat until the a new engine arrives in mid-summer 2022. [This use of the engine that I plan to sell will be] proof [the engine] works. [That I am ] even bothering to replace [the engine that has only 43-hours use] is probably crazy.

1971outrage wrote:[The outboard engine that I am planning to sell as a used outboard engine] will be in use on a boat until the a new engines arrives in mid-summer 2022...[That I am ] even bothering to replace [the engine that has only 43-hours use] is probably crazy.

I agree that selling a working engine that has only 43-hours use probably does not make good sense in terms of getting the utility (in an Economic sense of that word) from the engine. There is no reason why an older two-stroke-power-cycle engine of good design and in excellent condition cannot continue to operate and propel a boat in a completely satisfactory manner.

Perhaps you will find when you actually use the boat with the older two-stroke-power-cycle engine that the performance is satisfactory. Even if not completely satisfactory, you will have to weigh the improvement to be obtained with a new engine against the cost of the new engine.

Generally there are many irrational decisions made with regard to ownership and operation of pleasure crafts, so spending $15,000 on a new engine that may not really be necessary is just going to be one more irrational decision by a boater. Don't worry about it, as long as you have the discretionary income to spend on a new engine, just get the new engine and abandon all your thoughts of buying it being "crazy." The term "pleasure" in pleasure craft means that use of the craft is supposed to produce pleasure in the owner. A new engine can certainly induce some pleasure.