My Research and Experience for a Suzuki vs Yamaha showdown

[Javy]

Hello all,

I am doing research in buying a motor and thought this might help others. Here are some reason's I am considering the Suzuki over the Yamaha and others. If you see an error please let me know.

First I am looking at purchasing a 218 DLV Elite 08 with a 150hp 4 Stroke Suzuki. I am mainly looking for reliability and proven technology, so in my book Yamaha and Suzuki are first in this class. So I did some research for a comparison of these two motors and this is what I came up with.

Performance: Suzuki. Larger displacement, lower gear ratio for bigger prop and better acceleration, and lighter weight all go to Suzuki. I have a friend that has a 30ft Donozi twin 250 Verados. I have another friend with a 24ft Prowler with twin 115 Yamis. Comparing the two performance wise, taking into account their differences, the Verado performance wins hands down. They are much more responsive to the throttle and quieter. I found a 05 article today that compared Suzuki to the Verados and gave the edge to the Suzuki overall. The Verados won out over Honda, Yamaha, and Etecs in this review. I will post the article later ( 009 posted below).

Price: Suzuki. The dealers for Carolina skiff that I have contacted have better deals for Suzuki than Yamaha.

Reliability: Slightly Yamaha. It just seems that because Yamaha dealers have been more prevalent in the US than Suzuki, they have proliferated more. So therefore, more commercial fisherman have been able to service and buy them. I feel this is an excellent method of measuring reliability because they do this for a living. In Europe, I read on a board somewhere that Suzuki has been used widely with much praise. What I do know is Japanese engineering is superb, and from what I have read Suzuki owners are just as happy as Yamaha owners.

Serviceability: Area dependent but should be high on anyones list. In my area there are now just as many Suzuki dealers as Yamaha. A little while back this was not the case.

Warranty: Same, maybe Suzuki. I called Chatlee up in NC and the sales rep told me that the Suzuki warranty was better because it was top to bottom coverage for 3 years were as Yamaha is 1 year top to bottom then drops to limited coverage for the remaining 2 years. I have not looked into this throughly yet. They both offer an extra 3 years of coverage for a total of 6 years.

Maintenance:Suzuki has an extra flushing port in the front for easier flushing Yamaha only has one on the side. Regular service like valve adjustments are supposed to be cheaper for Suzuki because they are designed to have easy access to the adjustments. No belt adjustment necessary for Suzuki because of chain. I have not checked the service schedule but will do so later.

Technology Differences: The main difference I know of are:
Suzuki has an offset motor so more of the weight is at the transom so it supposedly rides better.
Yamaha has a belt which need to be adjust where Suzuki has a self adjusting chain.
Higher amps to electronics for Suzuki.
More oil in the Suzuki, which I say the more lubricant the better. But this will add cost to oil changes.
Suzuki is supposed to be a quieter motor (I can elaborate on this if someone wants to know).

Reference material:
Spec sheets:
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard/products/subcatspecs/63/specs.aspx
http://www.suzukimarine.com/sr_08/df175-150/features/

Boat Test I used with 150s:
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard/products/perfbull.aspx?ls=outboard (Pathfinder 2200 F150)
http://www.suzukimarine.com/sr_08/df175-150/boat_tests/

Motor Comparison:
http://www.suzukimarine.com/sr_08/df175-150/advantages/

Other stuff:
Outboard comparison in 2005 from Powerboat-Report.com, which of course Suzuki is offering for free
( 009 http://marine.suzuki.ca/Data/Media/ShootOutPowerboatReportsDF250.pdf)
--Couldn't find the Honda, Verado, Etec comparison free again but you can subscribe to powerboat-report.com and get it.
Bunch of forums which I do not feel like listing at the moment

Hope this helps someone.

Update 2009
Hello all again. So I am finally taking the plunge. I reverted to similar feelings that I did went I originally posted this. My friends boat with the twin yammis is still running strong, no problems what so ever. I was leaning towards yammis but I went around to dealers and saw that Suzuki won the JD powers customer service awards and no real problems to report from dealers that service the motors, I went with a Suzuki. I actually went to a local shop that service Suzuki, told him that I was buy a CS 218 with Suzuki on it from somewhere else and wanted him to service it. He said, "Sure we will be glad to service your boat, but honestly we will never see you, we hardly ever see those motors in for non-regular maintenance." Nice to hear from a dealer that really had nothing to gain from saying that.

Everything in the post above seems to still hold true. So good luck when making the desicion on buying your motor. I will post my thoughts on the motor once I have ran it for a bit.

Tight Lines

[Harry]

Thats good stuff, Thanks for the post !! thumbsup

[lakebiker]

Javy, you read too much. ;D ;D

[Javy]

Lakebiker,

Yeah I am a researcher so it is in my nature. Sorry for the long post ::)

Harry,

Thanks. I think this is a good starting point for those asking the same question.

Regards,

Javy

[lakebiker]

Lakebiker,

Yeah I am a researcher so it is in my nature. Sorry for the long post ::)

Harry,

Thanks. I think this is a good starting point for those asking the same question.

Regards,

Javy


Hey man, I was just poking at ya. It was good info. Read and post on. We all need all the help and info we can get. LB ;D ;D

[Javy]

Lakebiker,

Yeah I am a researcher so it is in my nature. Sorry for the long post ::)

Harry,

Thanks. I think this is a good starting point for those asking the same question.

Regards,

Javy


Hey man, I was just poking at ya. It was good info. Read and post on. We all need all the help and info we can get. LB ;D ;D


I know, I know poke away ;D

Tight lines,

Javy

[shaggy3131]

Javy,

I like the way you study and think. Thank you for validating my choice of a Suzuki. I had my heart set on a Yamaha (more prevalent in coastal NC) but all of your arguments and conclusions convinced me the Suzuki was as good a choice as the Yamaha. I have not been disappointed. Price point was my ultimate decider.

Thanks for your research.

Aubrey

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I had the same thoughts between yamaha and suzuki.I had every other brand before but the suzuki, according to your research i hit a bulls eye.Thank you. 012

[Javy]

Aubrey,
I am glad this helped. Did you buy one then, or are you planning to buy one? Let me know how you like it as I hope to be getting one soon.

Nothing Else Matters,
I was the same way, hard-core Yamaha. I own an 84 2-stroke 70hp Johnson which is simple, easy to work on and still smokin ;D. My friend had me looking at Etecs, which look good, but Yamaha's are just proven technology and time will tell with Etecs. Then I started looking and calling and many people were telling me about Suzuki. And now I am sold.

[Javy]

I had the same thoughts between yamaha and suzuki.I had every other brand before but the suzuki, according to your research i hit a bulls eye.Thank you. 012


So do/did you own a comparable motor, what are your thoughts on your current Suzuki, and what is the Hp and year?

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

I had almost every company of outboards except suzuki.I have not put my boat in the water yet, so i can't give you any info on that.I have the DF175 2008 year.

[Capt. Mick]

I've had 4 Johnson/Evinrudes(liked the Ocean Runner) 3 Yamis (loved the F150 4stroke) and now a 115Suzuki 4 stroke.

The Suzuki is a lot quieter than my f150 Yamaha. The Suzuki really seems to have more power. The Yamaha 4stroke was by far the most reliable motor I have ever owned and definately the easiest to flush. Haven't had the Suzuki out but for 6 hours, so can't attest to the reliability. The Johnson/Evinrudes I have owned, have never seen a repair shop they didn't like.

Best friend had his 225 E. Tec less than a year and sold it on Craigslist. He replaced it with a Yamaha. That motor was damn hard to start, crazy but it reminded me of cranking the old '80 Merc my dad had.

[shaggy3131]

In Oct., 07, I took delivery of a DLV 238 with the Suzuki 140. I have not been disappointed and believe the Suzuki is on par with Yamaha and Honda. Others might argue that point.

[lakebiker]

I still think the data is flawed, slanted and unbelievable. This coming from a YAMAHA MAN. Oh, and a couple of Merc's too.
;D ;D ;D ;D 005 005

[al_e._gator]

Best friend had his 225 E. Tec less than a year and sold it on Craigslist. He replaced it with a Yamaha. That motor was damn hard to start, crazy but it reminded me of cranking the old '80 Merc my dad had.


If the dealer couldn't get that E-tec to start first time, every time on 1/4 turn they need to send their mechanic back to school and start talking to the BRP techline. Not saying it was the better engine, just that it had a problem the BRP would have made sure got fixed right. BRP has been known to replace complete dressed powerheads to get customers back on the water fast. Then they take the old powerhead and strip it down to find out the cause and engineer a preventative measure.

[ANTMAN]

Javy, I was looking into an E-Tec and went with the DF115 Suzuki because of the life expectancy of the motor.... 2 strokes don't last as many hours as 4 strokes(based on my research). That narrowed the choice between Yamaha and Suzuki.....and the Zuk was cheaper and was just as solid.
Put the boat on the water 4/07' and 300+ hours later I couldn't be happier thumbsup

Tony

[boogieblues50]

Hey javy
Your like Me...Your worry Yourself to death which is the best...lol...In the past few years all four strokes have improved so much I think You would be happy with anyone of them.I have a 115 yamaha 4 stroke on my 198DVL and Iam verry happy with it .I think I would be just as happy with a Suzzuki or Honda.The Honda's cost more and I dont think You get that much more if anything for the extra price.I have several friends in Fla.,one a guide,that bought into the ETECH deal one is happy two are not. One sold his and bought a Yamaha 150 4 stroke.I think the Etech will be alright once Bombadier figures them out..I would find a dealer thats close to You that You trust and has a good service dept and go with what their best at working with..BoogieBlues

[Wes]

One of the guys at Jimmy's Marine told me the Suzuki shoule be run at idle for 15 minutes, before opening up, that to prevent wear and tear it must be at optimal operating temperature. According to him, this is not true for the Yamaha or Honda.

[Dave]

Wes, not disputin' what the guy told ya but if Suzuki's needed to be run 15 minutes at idle before opening up, they wouldn't sell many Suzuki's. The Suzuki DF 90/115/140 Owner's Manual states to "Warm up the engine for about 5 minutes". I think that would be a good idea for any 4 stroke O/B - warm up the oil some before opening up the throttle. Just wanted to clarify what Suzuki says about the warm up procedures. ;D

I've owned a number of o/b's over the years, ((2) Johnsons, (2) Merc's, (1) Force, and (2) Suzuki's) and for me, the only ones that I've had any mechanical issues with have been used motors, except the Force 125hp that I bought new. The Force motor was under warranty, thankfully, and ran well after that.

Dave

[Redfish]

Not to step on anyone, but I don't see what the big deal is with a warmup period. Most of us put our boats in, crank em up at the dock, and then idle out of the canal or whatever. I guess there may be some folks who put in at a lake and could conceivably drop it in and go.

[NOTHING ELSE MATTERS]

Or some other people use them as tenders on their yaght and throw them in the water and hammer the throtle.;D;D *ROTFLMAO**ROTFLMAO* *016*

[Redfish]

Not to step on anyone, but I don't see what the big deal is with a warmup period. Most of us put our boats in, crank em up at the dock, and then idle out of the canal or whatever. I guess there may be some folks who put in at a lake and could conceivably drop it in and go.

[Javy]

I should get my boat next Saturday and wanted to hear from those who bought Suzuki's. I have a 150 Suzuki pushing my 218 dlv, cant wait :D

[ma williams]

I could have gone with any 4 stroke company for my 21DLV but after finding this site and talking with all you or reading post I went with the suzuki.Dont think I could have made a better pick.

[go fish]

Both companies are good. However, I have heard horror stories from Suzuki owners about the warranty claims, especially in the extended warranty phase and shortage of replacement parts. I have been running Yamahas since 1984, and really like the engines, except the HPDI. Currently, I have a pair of 2006 F250 with over 1800 hours on them and going strong. I just retired a 1996 F50 and still sold it for over $2K and had buyers lined up to purchase it. I don't think you can go wrong with almost any four stroke. I know that I will not buy another 2 stoke again. Even my Waverunners are 4 strokes! Good luck with your purchase, but the dealer can really make the biggest difference. Price can be a deciding factor, but when you are dropping $20K or so, $400-500 difference in the price for the engine is nothing.

I have a friend in the boat brokering business. He has told me that Yamaha powered boats are the first/easiest to sell. He thinks that there are more Yamahas out there and people preceive that they are better engines and they want one. He said he has never lost a sale because of a Yamaha.

[tghinson]

This is some good info. I love to read all this info. *Cheers*

[seacrets]

Personal preference. Buddy just lost his second powerhead on one of his 250 Suzuki's. Ninety percent of our guides in our town run Yamaha, as I do. I have 8 buddies with 258 DLV's 7 with Yamaha and one w/ Suzuki. Our local Yamaha dealer is outstanding. Couldn't tell who the local Suzuki dealer is though. It's the dealer network that I like. One thing for sure, I'll never own another 2 stroke.

[DocStressor]

Regular service like valve adjustments are supposed to be cheaper for Suzuki because they are designed to have easy access to the adjustments.

Valve adjustment on a Suzuki is a PITA. They use a slug and bucket overhead cam design. You need to measure the clearance and then order a new slug of the correct size to correct for wear.

[redfished]

I wouldn't be scared of either motors. I have a Yamaha on my current boat because of all the Yamaha dealers in the area. If I need any work done, I have a afew choices. Also, I've had good luck out of every Yamaha motor I've had. I know I'm one of the few that still like 2 strokes. I had a Honda on my last boat, and I really didn't like the 4 stroke because of oil changes, valve adjustment, and belt to deal with, and then 90 more pounds hanging off the transom.

[dontcatchmany]

I have 2003 Yamaha F115 (1400 hours) and a 2008 DF175 Suzuki (400 hours).

In 1400 hours I have had only a charging problem with the Yamaha (warranty covered). I did have a fuel problem that was not cheap to fix.....however I think it was ethanol related over several years of use.

I have just turned 400 hours on the Suzuki in 14 months of operation. It has run like a charm. I had one problem with a fuel line leaking and that appears to be a problem with several Suzukis from my research. Easily fixed, but scary if you have single engine and running 40 miles off shore.

At this point I would purchase either engine again. I have had Mercurys and Johnsons in years past and will never get involved with either again. The Yamaha and Suzuki keep me on the water and not in the shop.

As far as warm up on the Suzuki, I normally start the engine and it runs three or so minutes (probably no more) before I have to give it some gas to back it off the trailer. I have not noticed any ill effects of a minimal warm up. I do let it run longer when the weather is colder.....that is probably more from me being old and cold ....LOL!

From my experience I do not think you will go wrong with either engine.

Oh, I know there is a difference in size, but I have had friends who have been on both boats make comments as to how quiet the Suzuki is.

[watercat]

This may be a dumb question but here goes. I have seen outboards listed as counter motors, does this mean that they run counterclockwise so that you can pair it with a regular motor and counter the push of say 2 regular motors. I saw this on Ed's Marine web site and they cost more so that sort of eliminates the prospect of them being display (counter) motors. Does anyone know?

[Harry]

My understanding is so it has clean water for the prop to bite into and not digging into the wash of the other motors prop.

[Javy]

Hello all,

Thought it would be helpful to provide an update.

The motor has been great. Would def reccomend a Suzi.

I did have one issue which was covered under warranty: http://www.carolinaskiffowner.com/showthread.php?15281-Fuel-Leaking-from-Evap-hose

In my experience it does seem like certain dealers have a harder time with Suzuki than others when it comes to doing warranty work. In my particular case I believe it had to do with the track record of that dealer bc my current dealer has several awards from Suzuki and its been smooth sailing.

Would love to get a small sample of how others have been doing.

Tight lines!!

[mr.jhlove]

just 1 month shy of 3 years, and would buy again!