I've been considering picking up an RT188 and getting back into fishing after about a 10 year hiatus. I'm planning to wait for a 2016 model as I'd like to keep saving and pay cash if possible and I heard the Ranger boat show or something is next month, so we'll see.

My question is about the outboard motor choices since you can equip with several. Maybe I haven't done enough research but the Evinrude 115DGL was seemingly a good choice and I came across some favorable reviews. I know every brand has their problems here and there but when I reached out to a dealer they told me they wouldn't order with an Evinrude.

I kept pushing and they relented and said they could one-off order it but that they would never stock one that way. Said they are a Yamaha/Mercury/Suzuki dealer and Evinrude "isn't what it used to be".

So, what are your thoughts here? I'm sure they have their reasons whatever it may be (troubles with product or better incentives to sell others, who knows), but I can't tell, so I'd like a second opinion so to speak. Ranger seems fond of the Evinrude outboards. Should I be concerned?

Thanks in advance!

Personally, I still prefer the Evinrude, it's a darn good motor.  However, if that dealership does not sell them, and have to special order it, that tells me they know little to nothing about servicing them either.  Todays outboards are far too complicated for any dealership that does not send their techs to factory training to properly maintain them or work on enough of them the stay up on them.  I don't care who's outboard it is, they do sometimes break, and if you don't have a dealership that is well educated on them, they usually don't get repaired properly and spend tons of time in the shop.   

 

I'm afraid if that's the only dealer you have near you, you had better hope you get one of the good ones, because if you happen to get one of those 5-10% that break, which all makes have those, you might end up wishing you had never seen an Evinrude.

The new Mercury 115 is supposed to be a bit of a beast and the Suzuki 115 ss is a great motor. Now you've got the Yamaha 115 SHO as well you're in a great position to choose 3 great 4 stroke motors that your dealer can service. I wouldn't even be thinking about the Evinrude. I'm sure it's a fine motor, but the other three are probably even better and your dealer can service them.

Since Merc has the lion's share of the market most techs can diagnose and service them. That is the way I'd go.

Order whatever motor you want. It's good to have a dealer close in case something does go wrong. I know everyone so far has said get whatever the dealer has, but if you have an Evinrude dealer somewhere close, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. You wouldn't have to go back to where you bought it to get work done on it. 

Have that boat with an Evinrude 115 for my money wouldn't dress it any other way. Absolutely NO problems ,dream to winterize pushes that raft with no issues whatsoever. Quiet and good on gas.

Thanks guys -- will definitely have to consider the dealer attitude towards the outboard brand and how well it can be serviced. Unfortunate that this has to impact the decision.

 

@Minnow: Glad to hear it's working well on your RT188!

 

I did some further research on the (newer 2014+) Mercury 115 4-strokes and the reviews are pretty favorable there too. I'm in South Texas so no need to winterize in the first place luckily, but lower maintenance hassle is still a big perk.

 

The Evinrude looks the best too...especially on the Charcoal RT188 color scheme I was mostly set on...d**n.

Well, not sure just how far south, while it never froze, it's stayed pretty dang cold in Brownsville. 

The matt black Suzuki 115ss would look good with the charcoal......

Mercury.

 

Stay away from Evinrude.