Pros and cons of both? Maintenance, longevity, fuel efficiency, overall cost to own. Motor would go on a 20+ foot boat 1600+lbs. I do fish tourneys, but going 80mph is not a priority. Top speed on this particular boat is 62-64mph. Probably less than 100hr per year put on it. 80% would be on small(er)inland lakes, 20% on Lake Michigan.

 

Longevity is my main concern. I'm currently boat shopping. Leaning towards a Lund 2010 Predator. Would love to get 20+ years from it. I know the Lund will last that long, but which motor? I've been running a 90ELPTO for 9 years and invested nothing but annual maintenance. I hear plenty of stories on other websites about blown powerheads and lower units on the bigger motors. I figure I can get an unbiased opinion here without all the arguing. I have also heard  motors rated at 150 or less are less prone to problems. I don't know if theres any truth to that or if it's because guys aren't running balls out on the smaller motors.

 

So, Tell me what I need to hear.

I have a 250 pro xs on a 20' starcraft stx. 2008 models with about 400 hours. The pro xs's are very economical motors. Check mercurys own website for fuel economy figures. I believe the verado comes in 2nd. Reliability of the pro xs is very good. The secret to longevity is to warm it up to operating temps before taking off. For me that is 120 degrees on my smartcraft gauge. You also want to let it cool down for a minute or two trimmed down before shutting it off.  My previous boat was a 18' lund mr pike with a yamaha 150 4-stroke. The fuel consumption on the bigger boat with 100 more horsepower is equal to the smaller boat. There is a wealth of knowledge on this website regarding both motors. I loved the yammi 4 stroke but I also love the merc pro xs. The verado in the bigger sizes requires a steering pump & a dedicated starter battery as I recall. Both motors reqiure a 1150 cca battery for best performance. The smartcraft guage gives you motor temps, trim level, fuel consumption usage at different rpm so you know what you are using at what speed/prm, fuel used per outing, battery charge, etc. Very useful piece of equipment for all levels of boater experience.  At the time I got my pro xs it was the only 2 stroke engine to meet California emission standards. Very clean running motor. It is noisier than the verado but it does growl nicely. Oil fumes are not an issue. There is a guy on walleye central (T-Mac) who is a retired lund dealer that has a wealth of knowledge regarding your boat & engine choices. If you leave him a message on the boat forum he will respond to your questions. Terry is highly respected for his unbiased advice if you have further questions.