older merc EFI or Optimax?

garyd · Post by **garyd** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 5:49 pm

Hello All,
I am considering purchasing a used bass boat in the very near future. I'm Looking at one with a 99 Merc EFI 200hp, or one with an early 2000s optimax. Can anyone tell me the pitfalls of any of these motors? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

Kelly Ripa · Post by **Kelly Ripa** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 6:55 pm

I bought a 96 champion with a 2001 opti 200 5 years ago here on western bass. I struck a deal and meet the guy in King City and saw the boat for the first time. I had all the numbers from the motor and the hours and compression was why I bought it. I tuned it up on year two and had a 200 dollar sensor go south but otherwise it's been smooth sailing. In Socal or for over all resale the optimax will always win out I would think. Call a boat dealer and get their opinion.

toddmc · Post by **toddmc** » Fri Feb 28, 2014 10:14 pm

Kelly Ripa wrote:I bought a 96 champion with a 2001 opti 200 5 years ago here on western bass. I struck a deal and meet the guy in King City and saw the boat for the first time. I had all the numbers from the motor and the hours and compression was why I bought it. I tuned it up on year two and had a 200 dollar sensor go south but otherwise it's been smooth sailing. In Socal or for over all resale the optimax will always win out I would think. Call a boat dealer and get their opinion.

Did the boat you bought originally have an EFI that went to the junkyard? My old 1997 Champion 191 had a 1997 EFI and it had nothing but problems. Thousands of dollars in repairs and still no fix. There seems to be nothing but complaints about the EFI motors on all boat sites. I also took it in the shorts when I traded it in. I would avoid a Mercury EFI at all costs. My 2008 Champion 188 with a 200hp Optimax has been solid.

clearlakeoutdoors · Post by **clearlakeoutdoors** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 4:30 am

there was a class action suit on merc optis 2000-2002 .injectors were failing but a lot of those motors have been fixed

jsc11700 · Post by **jsc11700** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 7:40 am

I have 96 nitro with a 96 efi that I bought the year I graduated high school (12 years ago). I have put hours and hours on that motor and it's been in the shop once for a sensor. I considered buying a new boat this year with a 2011 optimax but decided against it since my motor still runs so strong. I would say it's not necessarily whether or not to buy and opti or efi but find one that has been properly maintained. Mercury makes a great motor and they run for years if properly maintained.

Kelly Ripa · Post by **Kelly Ripa** » Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:59 pm

I would imagine the original motor on the boat from Bob's Marine was an EFI....Properly maintained is always a good thing..

dwise · Post by **dwise** » Sun Mar 02, 2014 9:15 am

garyd wrote:Hello All,
I am considering purchasing a used bass boat in the very near future. I'm Looking at one with a 99 Merc EFI 200hp, or one with an early 2000s optimax. Can anyone tell me the pitfalls of any of these motors? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

I don't know where you are located, but if you're in So. California, and plan to fish Diamond Valley Lake, then you will need a direct injection motor that is California compliant. I don't believe the EFI is compliant for Diamond Valley, but the Optimax should be. I would have a professional check out the Optimax to be sure.

One thing I did before buying my used boat was to call Rick Grover at Angler's Marine. I gave him the make, year, and model number of the engine, and he confirmed it was Diamond Valley legal. I did not want to limit myself on where I could or could not fish, and wanted to make sure if any other lakes decided to go the way of Diamond Valley, that I would be able to fish there.

toddmc · Post by **toddmc** » Mon Mar 03, 2014 1:38 pm

jsc11700 wrote:I have 96 nitro with a 96 efi that I bought the year I graduated high school (12 years ago). I have put hours and hours on that motor and it's been in the shop once for a sensor. I considered buying a new boat this year with a 2011 optimax but decided against it since my motor still runs so strong. I would say it's not necessarily whether or not to buy and opti or efi but find one that has been properly maintained. Mercury makes a great motor and they run for years if properly maintained.

You are lucky and I would keep that motor also. My 200 EFI motor was perfectly maintained, but nothing but problems. Look online and you will see nightmare after nightmare.