200 HP EVENRUDE 1999 FICHT

[Phil]

WOULD YOU THINK BY NOW, IF I WAS TO PURCHASE A BOAT WITH A 200HP 1999 FICHT THE ISSUES SGOULD BE OVER WITH BY NOW ON THE ENGINE !! I KNOW FICHT HAD BIG ISSUE IN 1999 !

[SHAFT]

I was going to looked at a Stratos with a 99 175 FICHT , but before I did I talked to Brant at Ultimate Marine in Santa Rosa and he told me to stay away from them It sounds like they had many issues and still do but the main one with me was that once the go they are not worth rebuilding .

[bassindon69]

Do you feel lucky?
My 2000 90 Ficht has been rebuilt upper and lower. Now the starter is acting up. Now I guess it is time for the little things to go out.
Sure I may use it a lot but thats what I bought it for LOL!
I wish I would have waited till the E-tech came out. But I had no clue of what was going to happen. To many of my friends had bad motors in those years. One friend had his rebuilt 3 times. I am sure some got lucky with theres.

Don.

[bassindon69]

Right Shaft. I think a lot of us got the shaft LOL!!! These motors should last much longer then they did. Mine started having problems right after the warranty was gone. I still owe more then the boat is worth. I may be looking for another motor soon. I would like a 115. Not sure what kind yet. But I think I will have to pay my Ranger Javelin off first LOL!!! Again I got the shaft on payments (high intrest) by the time I pay it off I could have had a Ranger . But at the time it was all I could get. I wanted a bass boat that bad. I almost wish I still had my little Starcraft bass boat at this point. It was only 5 grand. I could have bought a few motors by now LOL!


Don.

[Phil]

SI IN ESSENCE YOU ARE ALL SAYING ! THE OLDER EVENRUDE INTRUDER, OR EVEN THE OLD MERC XRI WOULD BE A BETTER BET OR THE OLDER MERC EFI !!

[K-DOGG]

Hi Jigs! I had the same questions about the 200 Evinrude Ficht engine I was thinking about purchasing two months ago. I did my home work. I read up on what was causing the problems with that engine that year(2000), there were three reacall on the 2000 model. I made sure that the recall work was done on the engine before I purchased it. I took the boat to Pete at Antioch Marine who is a certified Evinrude/Johnson engine repair shop. He checked out the engine and gave it a clean bill of health. I purchased the boat and I have not had one problem. With proper recall work and regular maintainance, the engine should be OK. But, as with anything, there are lemons out there! Just take every precaution and do your homework. Good Luck!

[tommypV2]

All engines pop. Only a die-hard optimist believes differently.

I have an 99 ficht - rebuilt once under warranty, one other recall done. one injector did go out a few years ago. Since then, it's been rock reliable (knock on wood). But I've also learned my lesson and don't run it harder than I need to. Whether it's a Merc, Yammie etc. doesn't matter as much as how the engine was run and taken care of (my opinion).

I mostly only fun fish and run it WOT less than 4 hours a year max (club tourneys). I don't necessarily baby it, but i also don't put it through the wringer. I think how the boat was run, and how it was maintained matters way more than a brand.

[aNNieNsaLTIE]

call up cooch he is a evinrude guy. his evinrude is a race horse. it is very fast and sounds darn well fast. i herd if you get a good rude it will always be but if it starts bad it's all bad!

saLTIE-

[Phil]

here's the deal........1999 518DVX with 1999 200 Evenrude Ficht.

$ 15,000

no trolling motor
no electronics
loose lids
carpet coming up
(1) torn seat

the ficht bother me ??

[GW]

Hey Phil,

My 99 519 had loose/soft lids. I called Ranger and was told there were some issues with the fiberglass /foam or whatever in in those lids for that year.
Bottom line, Ranger sent new lids free of charge! Of course I then had to re-carpet my boat...ha ha
Anyway they took care of me and I was not even the original owner! ( I am the second owner). Thats great customer service.

Good Luck

Gary

[Phil]

THATS WHAT THIS GUY TOLD ME ABOUT THIS 518....ALL LIDS WERE LOOSE ?? HUM ?

[Alan]

I bought a ranger with a 99 225 ficht 5 years ago. The motor concerned me at the time, but the recall stuff was done and a clean bill of health was given. It has run strong and flawlessly and I put 70 - 80 hrs a year on it. But 15000 sounds a bit high for a 99 518 with the issues you listed. I had my 99 519 sold last week for 17,500 with 2 troling motors new bench seat nice electronics, like new carpet and fully loaded and tite lids. But changed my mind and decided to wait 1 more year for a new boat. If you want a used ranger contact Bob Myskey he was selling his 2000 519 for 16,9000 I beleive I havn't seen it but heard it was in good shape.
Good Luck, Alan

[MN]

Well i bought one,200hp brand new in November of 1999 and have not had one problem with it.I have heard these story's but i love mine.My cousin had a 1999 150hp and they recalled it and replaced the whole topend under warrenty.

Sure wish my wife would let me upgrade to an E-TEC though.Yea right Mike like that will ever happen.

[lionkiller]

It's the same motor today as it was in '99. My snook guide in Sebastian, FL. still has one sitting in his garage, from when he had to remove it from his transom due to it being a P.O.S.

He had warranty problems with Bombardier, the French airplane maker that owns Evinrude as well....

I'm also looking for a used boat, but I won't be buying anything powered by a ficht.....I think 'ficht is French for 'intercoursed'....

[BShafer]

I run a 2000 225 and I'm happy with it, the one thing that everyone needs to remmeber is that there are two types of 2 strokes. Those that run and those that don't and by the way I know of people that had problems with the optimax when they first came out also.