Folks,

I have an optimax on order .. before I ordered I did some quick
research which showed bad problems in the first 1-2 years with these
things blowing up.

Havent found too much later and assumed they are proven and work well
by now.

Whats the real story? Can one buy an Optimax and have no worries (at
least not more than other motors)?

Or is this a desaster waiting to happen.

We are talking about a 200 optimax sportjet.

Thanks for your advice ... I am getting a little nervous...


Matt

Matt Lang wrote:

Folks,

I have an optimax on order .. before I ordered I did some quick
research which showed bad problems in the first 1-2 years with these
things blowing up.

Havent found too much later and assumed they are proven and work well
by now.

Whats the real story? Can one buy an Optimax and have no worries (at
least not more than other motors)?

Or is this a desaster waiting to happen.

We are talking about a 200 optimax sportjet.

Thanks for your advice ... I am getting a little nervous...


Matt


I owned a 1998 Merc Opti 135 and used it through the 2002 season, many
hours, with no problems. The guy who bought my old rig last season
hasn't had any problems with it since.


--
A vote for Nader is a vote for Bush;
A vote for Bush is a vote for Apocalypse.

I have a opti max 135hp yr 2000 and I love it, one turn of the key
starts every time. You being a new (to be owner) does not know opti's
have back systems
like my fuel / water separator..... and my oil backup on the engine,
incase the main oil system should stop or fail.
and the main reason, it goes like hell !!!!!!!!!!

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Matt Lang wrote:

Folks,

I have an optimax on order .. before I ordered I did some quick
research which showed bad problems in the first 1-2 years with these
things blowing up.

Havent found too much later and assumed they are proven and work well
by now.

Whats the real story? Can one buy an Optimax and have no worries (at
least not more than other motors)?

Or is this a desaster waiting to happen.

We are talking about a 200 optimax sportjet.

Thanks for your advice ... I am getting a little nervous...


Matt


I owned a 1998 Merc Opti 135 and used it through the 2002 season, many
hours, with no problems. The guy who bought my old rig last season
hasn't had any problems with it since.


--
A vote for Nader is a vote for Bush;
A vote for Bush is a vote for Apocalypse.

On 26 Jul 2004 16:41:57 -0700, (Matt Lang) wrote:

Folks,

I have an optimax on order .. before I ordered I did some quick
research which showed bad problems in the first 1-2 years with these
things blowing up.

Havent found too much later and assumed they are proven and work well
by now.

Whats the real story? Can one buy an Optimax and have no worries (at
least not more than other motors)?

Or is this a desaster waiting to happen.

We are talking about a 200 optimax sportjet.

Thanks for your advice ... I am getting a little nervous...

There's blowed up and then there's Kablooey blowed up. Haven't seen
any Kablooey blowed up, but I have seen injector fault, lost ignition
and timing blowed up (which is a computer problem). Those are early
model Optimax though as I remember it.

There are a lot of bass fishing tournament guys around here with
Optimax engines and I haven't heard anything bad about them.

And I see a lot of them out in Narragansett Bay, so they can't be that
bad.

Just remember, anybody can bad mouth anything at anytime. Just look
around the local marina, lakes, etc and see what outboards they are
running - that should give you an idea.

Of course, I would have bought a FICHT instead, but hey..... :)
(inside joke).

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
-----------
"Angling may be said to be so
like the mathematics that it
can never be fully learnt..."

Izaak Walton "The Compleat Angler", 1653

Matt Lang wrote:
Folks,

I have an optimax on order .. before I ordered I did some quick
research which showed bad problems in the first 1-2 years with these
things blowing up.

Havent found too much later and assumed they are proven and work well
by now.

Whats the real story? Can one buy an Optimax and have no worries (at
least not more than other motors)?

Or is this a desaster waiting to happen.

We are talking about a 200 optimax sportjet.

Thanks for your advice ... I am getting a little nervous...


Matt


If you can get out of it you should Matt.

Merc are in the process of going all 4 stroke in the OBs so you will
have a boat & boat resale value with the "old" 2 stroke technology.

Merc Opti is not as reliable as it should be (not as bad as Ficht, no
joke in or otherwise:-)) & this also impacts on your resale. Remember
when you try to sell or trade the very same people who encourage it now
will be the ones to tell you why they can't give you much for it.


K

Thanks Joseph, Harry!

Yes I heard nothing bad about the 135. They seem to be very robust.

What about the bigger ones? I will be getting the 2.5l 200 HP. After
all there seems to have been a time when they even stopped shipping
them?

Are they good to go these days?

Matt

"Joseph Stachyra" wrote in message ...
I have a opti max 135hp yr 2000 and I love it, one turn of the key
starts every time. You being a new (to be owner) does not know opti's
have back systems
like my fuel / water separator..... and my oil backup on the engine,
incase the main oil system should stop or fail.
and the main reason, it goes like hell !!!!!!!!!!

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Matt Lang wrote:

Folks,

I have an optimax on order .. before I ordered I did some quick
research which showed bad problems in the first 1-2 years with these
things blowing up.

Havent found too much later and assumed they are proven and work well
by now.

Whats the real story? Can one buy an Optimax and have no worries (at
least not more than other motors)?

Or is this a desaster waiting to happen.

We are talking about a 200 optimax sportjet.

Thanks for your advice ... I am getting a little nervous...


Matt


I owned a 1998 Merc Opti 135 and used it through the 2002 season, many
hours, with no problems. The guy who bought my old rig last season
hasn't had any problems with it since.


--
A vote for Nader is a vote for Bush;
A vote for Bush is a vote for Apocalypse.

"K. Smith" wrote in message ...
Matt Lang wrote:
Folks,

I have an optimax on order .. before I ordered I did some quick
research which showed bad problems in the first 1-2 years with these
things blowing up.

Havent found too much later and assumed they are proven and work well
by now.

Whats the real story? Can one buy an Optimax and have no worries (at
least not more than other motors)?

Or is this a desaster waiting to happen.

We are talking about a 200 optimax sportjet.

Thanks for your advice ... I am getting a little nervous...


Matt


If you can get out of it you should Matt.

Merc are in the process of going all 4 stroke in the OBs so you will
have a boat & boat resale value with the "old" 2 stroke technology.

Merc Opti is not as reliable as it should be (not as bad as Ficht, no
joke in or otherwise:-)) & this also impacts on your resale. Remember
when you try to sell or trade the very same people who encourage it now
will be the ones to tell you why they can't give you much for it.


Definately the 4 stroke is the way to go. However the problem is that
the sportjet only comes in 2 stroke You have the choice between
Carb, EFI and DFI. Carb and EI are bad fuel eaters .... Thats why i
want the opti to have decent fuel economy...


Matt

My 135 optipuke blew up after 3 months.

(Florida Keyz) wrote in message ...
My 135 optipuke blew up after 3 months.


What year was it manufactured? I hear the first years had an
autodestruct feature but later years are holding up well ...


Matt

well, it was new to me , I bought it still new in the crate, however, it was a
few years old.