millhouse961

So I am a month away from taking the leap on a brand new '08 Advantage Victory 27BR with the 496HO and have just one question unanswered: I am hearing that the annual service prescribed by the manual should run $1k-$1500. How hard is it to do this yourself? I read some instruction online for winterizing and though it sounds tedious, it doesn't seem that difficult. Are there any warranty issues if your perform this service yourself?
Thanks

Knot 4 Me

I have a 2004 260SSi Chaparral with a 496MAG. It came with 6 years of warranty on the motor/drive (2 from Merc, additional 4 from manufacture). There is no issue with warranty on doing annual maintenance yourself as long as a problem does not occur from doing the maintenance improperly or using improper materials (i.e. wrong weight engine oil). I've done all the annual maintenance since day 1 and it is both easy and inexpensive to do. I'm pretty anal about my maintenance and therefore do a little more than required but it is still dirt cheap. Here's a quick rundown of what I do and the corresponding ballpark costs:

Oil changes twice per year (mid-season/winterization) using Mobil 1 15W50 (9 quarts per change) and Wix filters - @$110

Fuel/WaterSeparating filter (winterization) - @$10

Greases (Gimbal Bearing/Driveshaft Spline/Coupler) - @$3

Gear Lube (mid-season/winterization) using Merc High Performance Gear lube (3 quarts per change) - @$60

Pink Antifreeze (2 gallons) - @$6

Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer (winterization) - @$12

There are a few misc items I left off such as 2-stroke oil for "fogging" the motor at winterization and a good water-resistant grease for the prop shaft splines but the list hits the high ticket items. I also had some up front costs associated with doing my own maintenance such as an oil changer, prop wrenches, alignment tool, etc. But for about $200 year I easily cover my own maintenance. Keep in mind you do not necessarily need to do a mid-season oil and gear lube change depending on how many hours you use the boat and the type of water you run in. I do the mid-season changes as they are cheap and give me peace of mind. I pull the outdrive every other season to check alignment and grease the driveshaft splines (u-joints are now sealed) so if you do not have a means to support during the removal/replacement process that is another cost to consider. I built my own drive cart.

Chris Sunkin

No disrespect ...

If you're asking that's usually an indicator that you don't have the experience. It's not something for a guy with basic oil-change skills to attempt.

That Merc has a high price tag and one reason is a nationwide warranty network and very good claims coverage. Jeopardizing that by not having the work done by a qualified professional could jeopardize your coverage. That could be very expensive if you toast a motor.

New boats with warranties are very expensive. You could probably find a beautiful 2-year-old version of whatever you're looking at for half the price- but no warranty. If you want warranties and don't mind paying for them, the decision you make to do DIY maintenance may come back to haunt you.

I would call your dealer and ask him specifically what the PM intervals and costs are for each. Then ask around your local area for an independent. The thing with the dealer- if you have mid-season issues, a good one is going to put you ahead of a guy who bought his boat elsewhere.

TexomaPowerboater

I agree with Chris. I'd wait until your warranty is up to start doing it yourself if you don't already have the experience

I don't think it cost anything to winterize the 496. Doesn't merc say not to fog and just blow out the water? This I would do yourself. Have the dealer show you - it only takes a minute.

MOBILEMERCMAN

Knot 4 me, Thats great you do that yourself. You have not taking into account what an experienced marine technician can save you with his insight and ability to anticipate problems. I agree with what Chris and Texoma have said. Unless you have experience in working on boats the savings are not worth the potential risks. I have over the years been asked to fix big problems for owners that "didn't know". Many times the boat gave warning signs that went unnoticed. End result was in attempt to save a few hundred dollars they spent thousands. Good Luck.

Knot 4 Me

I blow the water out, pull the blue plugs to make sure all the water is out, and then run a couple gallons of pink up through the outdrive just to be safe. You do not fog an MPI motor with fogging oil like you do a carb motor. But it is a good idea to mix up a portable fuel can with a mix of fuel, Sta-Bil and 2-stroke oil to run through the motor before shutting down for the season. Some also just add the 2-stroke oil to the new fuel/water separating filter and run it for a bit to introduce the oil into the motor.

millhouse961

It's not that I don't know what i am doing....I understand it is not the same as changing the oil in your car, i was just trying to get a handle on how much is involved in that service and if it would void a warranty doing it yourself. I used to work in a shop when I was in college, so I know my way around a motor, I'm just not a certified marine mechanic. The Advantage dealer said the service should be around $150-200; is this reasonable? If it's that cheap I wouldn't bother doing it myself, but I'm wondering if they are telling me what I want to hear so I won't worry about it in my buying decision. Thoughts?

Knot 4 Me

I agree with you and Chris. I'm not advocating this person or anyone else do their own maintenance. I just listed out what is entailed if they decide to make that decision on their own. I'm fortunate to come from a mechanical family and background so I'm very comfortable doing what I do. When I purchased the first of my 4 boats 10 years ago, I searched out advice from many sources (manuals, local marine mechanics, internet, etc.) when I began to work and service my own boats. I also benefit from being friends with a certified Merc tech at our local marina. I've leaned on him many times over the years. I've logged 10 years and @ 800hrs. in my four boats doing my own maintenance without issue. Not everyone is comfortable doing this but I am. I also know my limitations and call in the pros as needed.

Chris Sunkin

That sounds like a bargain but not a steal. Mid-season maintenance should be a min. of $200. Like the numbers above, you have some materials costs. The most important thing is who's doing the service. If it's a Merc certified guy, that's good. If it's a 19-year-old kid right out of a 9 month small-engine repair school...

A good tech can save you from a really un-enjoyable on-water experience. And an expensive repair bill.

Maintenance on a boat like the one you're considering is not going to be interval-based but use-based. If you're cruising most of the time, once or twice a season will do. If you're running hard, the more fresh oil and the more fastener-checking you throw at it, the better.

TexomaPowerboater

If its new you should be able to look at the 496 operating manual and the dealer should let you look at it. Just go to the maintenance section and it will have a table of service requirements with a detail of what is recommended based on hour usage.