I currently have a 5hp Mercury 4 stroke I bought new from Bass Pro 3 years ago. Motor works fine and is clean but I'm wanting to get a 10 or 15hp. So the plan is to buy a used motor and sell my newer 5hp. Theres a few listings on craiglist that look alright. What should I look out for when buying a used motor? One specific listing is a 15hp Evinrude, 2 stroke I think for $725. Just a bit nervous about buying a used motor as I don't have too much cash to waste on a motor. Also realistically how many years would I get out of an old Evinrude or Johnson from around the 90s in decent condition? Also all freshwater stuff. 

 

Thanks,

Ryan

If you take care of a 2 stroke it could last forever. I've got a late 60's Evinrude that runs like a champ. As far as what to look for, just because a motor runs on muffs, doesn't mean it will perform properly under a load. Your best bet is an on the water test putting the motor under a load. I was interested in a motor many years ago. I talked to the guy and he agreed to split the cost of having my mechanic look at it. The motor had a bad cylinder. I was out $60 instead of $600.