Maintenance Verado vs. optimax

[Footdoc55]

I hope this topic has not been beat to death. I was all set to order an optimax and the dealer tells me he has a verado on a boat in stock that I like. I realize it is a few more bucks and the holeshot will be slower but apparently, it is more quiet. I guess I am not that concerned about the noise of the opti so maybe I should just order the opti and save some dough for the electronics. So, please, pros/cons of these two engines would be appreciated.

[Kdawg1966]

There's only one motor out there that I think might be quieter than my 04 Johnson 140 was, and that's the Verado. If you don't care about engine noise, I wouldn't even spend the extra dough on a Verado. But, if you're like me, it's money well spent. I'm still not used to the "noise" of my '10 Yammi 150. Everyone told me it was soooo quiet - evidently none of them owned a Johnson prior. Good luck on your decision.

[Fitzy]

I've owned both a 175 verado and the 300 Verado (and a 115 yammi). They are nice and quiet....quiet enough where you can hold a conversation with the passenger without yelling at full speed. A large convenience is the that you don't have to worry about injector oil while on the water. Two of my fishing buddies run the optimax....and the alarms and whistles have sounded when injector oil is too low...and puts you into safe mode to limp back to the trailer. Haven't heard of too many guys replacing the topend of any fourstroke either (Hello Vmax's). You don't have to fog cylinders with the four strokes and require minimal maintenance at freeze-up (leg oil). I won't go back to a two stroke........

[Matt V]

Originally Posted by Footdoc55

I hope this topic has not been beat to death. I was all set to order an optimax and the dealer tells me he has a verado on a boat in stock that I like. I realize it is a few more bucks and the holeshot will be slower but apparently, it is more quiet. I guess I am not that concerned about the noise of the opti so maybe I should just order the opti and save some dough for the electronics. So, please, pros/cons of these two engines would be appreciated.

I have a 175 Verado and absolutely love it. With the Verado, you get the digital shifting and throttle plus smart craft gauges standard, which is really nice. Not sure what HP you are looking at, but in 2008 when I bought mine, I pulled the spec sheet's for the 150 Opti and 150 Verado off of Merc's website. On an 1800 Fisherman, the Verado was quicker on plane, quicker 0 - 30, faster at top end and more fuel efficient than the Opti. As far as maintenance, with the Verado, you have to change the oil and filter and lower unit lube once a year. It take's me about an hour to do this on my Verado and Pro-kicker. There is also a 100 hour check for the Verado that you have to take it to the dealer for, that cost around $100. They will give you a print out of your RPM range that you ran your motor in. As far as winterizing, I run my boat into December and get it back out in March, so all I do is run Stabil through both motor's and change the lower unit lube.

[teamlund]

I have a 175 vrod on a 1800 Prov and it will rip your teeth out when you put the hammer down.

A vrod is not your normal 4 stk... It is supercharged is an amazing boating experience (not to sound like a comercial LOL)

Once you go Vrod it seems like all the other outboard were made in the stone age. I also fond maintenace very easy. I am not a mechanic by any means and this engine is easy to maintain and winterize especially when you have guys like the WC crew to help you out along the way.

[Footdoc55]

Thanks for all the good information. I just might spring for the Verado. My son asked me what I want to do with this engine. He has a 250 opti ProXs on his ranger. I told him I wanted to fish and he said one of the advantages to the Verado would be to ratchet it down for trolling with the smart craft gauges. So, I really appreciate everyone's info. I bought my last lund 16 years ago and tend to take care of things and hold on to them. So, if I get the Verado, I would plan to take care of it and hold on to it.

[T Mac]

No two stroke oil to buy.
The hole shot is great.
You'll love it!

[teamlund]

Originally Posted by Footdoc55

Thanks for all the good information. I just might spring for the Verado. My son asked me what I want to do with this engine. He has a 250 opti ProXs on his ranger. I told him I wanted to fish and he said one of the advantages to the Verado would be to ratchet it down for trolling with the smart craft gauges. So, I really appreciate everyone's info. I bought my last lund 16 years ago and tend to take care of things and hold on to them. So, if I get the Verado, I would plan to take care of it and hold on to it.

The smart craft is a great feature but if you troll you are still going to want a kicker. I can only slow my boat down to about 2.1mph (no drift sock)w the smart craft / verado combo. It did save a day of salmon fishing for me last year. I drove 1.5 hrs to lake michigan, ran to the spot and could not keep the kicker running...I was able to use the SC to slow me down so I was still able to have a great outing even though my kicker failed me. But there isnt any way you will be pulling spinners with a verado unless you like drift socks and I dont really think you should be loggin all those hours on your main engine......

[Burr]

Odd as it may seem, the big Vrods troll down slower than the mid-range Verado. My 275 trolls down to 1.6 on flat water. I don't use the big motor for flat water. When the wind kicks up, trolling with the big motor is a dream compared to trying to maintain control with the kicker.

Everyone always talks about using the smart craft gauges to troll down, lower your speed. I use it rarely, when I do it's used to turn UP the idle in precise, small increments.

I like my Verado, a lot. Just short of 500 hours on mine, only work done was replacing the water pump impeller at 300 hours as scheduled.

[teamlund]

Originally Posted by Burr

Odd as it may seem, the big Vrods troll down slower than the mid-range Verado. My 275 trolls down to 1.6 on flat water. I don't use the big motor for flat water. When the wind kicks up, trolling with the big motor is a dream compared to trying to maintain control with the kicker.

Everyone always talks about using the smart craft gauges to troll down, lower your speed. I use it rarely, when I do it's used to turn UP the idle in precise, small increments.

I like my Verado, a lot. Just short of 500 hours on mine, only work done was replacing the water pump impeller at 300 hours as scheduled.

Same here... I have just over 200 hrs on mine and I have changed 2 fuel filters and the water pump which is part of the schedueled maint....I cant imagine having a diff engine on my boat. When I fish tourneys I can hear optis, hpdis, ect over my boat even though they are idleing 50 yds away and my engine is 7 ft away from me.