Some of the U.S. Coast Guard boats down here in Baltimore have 300's on them with over 3,000 hours. Other than normal maintenance nothing has been done to them.

What was that old saying? If it's not running its rusting...or similar. I would prefer the set with 350 hours over five (recent) years time instead of low hour motors like 350 hours over fifteen years.

Don't those 300's run 1,000 hours if well maintained? If so the 350 hours on yours is sounding like a positive.

We've got a '09 250 Pro XS with a shade over 800 hours. Runs like a champ and clean as a whistle. I'd say you're good.

This is how I think. My boat only breaks when it gets mad for not having fun.

Thank you for the feedback so far.

Was told that the hours on the engines would reduce the sale price of the boat by at least 10 K on a 100K purchase

I say bs on the 10k. Sold my 496 fountain 2 years ago for 35k. 800 hours. Clean one owner, but still 800.

I think if you look hard. Mercury probably did endurance life test on that motor.

I know a Tow Boat US boat that has 7000 hrs on the 496 with nothing other than routine maint. I just clocked 400 on my 496 and she is still purring.

No way. That is not a lot of hours. You'll also be amazed at how much the idling time adds up. When I scanned my 525 I had 386 hours, 161 of them below 749 rpm (idle) and only 14 hours above 4,000 rpm. I really thought I'd been running it harder.

Impressive...I had heard of 2500 before.