I test drove a Sea Ray 180BR I/O today. The person selling it had
trouble starting it. He said that this is a common problem with Sea
Rays and that the company had sent out a letter telling owners how to
start the engine. Is he trying to pull a fast one on me?

Sea Ray didn't build the engine, but if there's a particular technique that
should be used to start it more reliably, Sea Ray may well have sent out a
bulletin.

Odds are, you'll find the very same engine in any number of competing brands.

Was the person trying to start the Sea Ray maybe really trying to sell you
something else? Did it advance his interests to make the Sea Ray look less than
reliable or diificult to use?