Regarding Cigarette (or any performance boats) engine sizes and reliability....
 

Which engines seem to be the most reliable? As I look at boats for sale, I notice a lot have new engines or have had major services in recent past. It makes me wonder what engines tend to be the most reliable. I think I notice a trend that 500 size engines are replaced more than 700s. It also makes me wonder if increasing engine sizes means more or less maintenance. For me, reliability is probably more important than performance. If anyone with experience on the topic would care to elaborate, I'd welcome the education.

Best to all,

e

Yep, generally bigger engines require more maintenance. Higher HP generally creates a shorter rebuild time. Supercharged motors are generally more maintenance and shorter rebuild times than one without a supercharger.

And if you tear your stuff up by pretending to be Ben Kramer in an open rough water race then expect the entire boat to have seriously high maintenance no matter the power.

Generally, I've noticed the 500 EFI mercury racing motors were holding together better than the 525's. The stock 496's 502/454 mags are generally considered very reliable with rebuild times running up to 1,500 hours, but they are probably starting to lose some power at around 1,100 hours

When it comes to boats, the words "offshore" combined with "Performance" does not have any relation to "maintenance free boating" nor "economical".

If you are looking for the best of everything, you are limiting HP (HP= High demand on engine internals as the hp/CID goes up). That said 200 hours + for a bigger HP engine for a top end service is a lot of boating when you start the clock interval at "0".

Just to keep the conversation clear, I believe Texoma's comment "Higher HP generally creates a shorter rebuild time" means intervals between overhaul and NOT the physical time it take to rebuild.(Shops charge by the hour or 1/4 hour)

I should mention, Im looking at 2008 and newer boats

TexomaPowerboater thank you so much for your input!

Yes I know there will be severe maintenance demands on any offshore engine. I just want to make sire I am shopping for boat/engine combos that are more on the reliable side of things. I wont be happy with an engine/drivetrain package that is overly high maintenance. As I am getting older, my patience for such things is wearing thinner and thinner. Its not jus the $, it all the phone calls, arrangements, etc etc that come with every "transaction" I think you can understand my rationale.

IMO I would buy a mercury black engine in your situation. The tend to require less maintenance.

I just sold my 2002 that had a 8.1 (496) that was just about turn key. Only had one iac go bad in 9 years that I owned it. Had 535 hours on it. Still ran strong.

Are you looking at the 39 or 42 ? personally Id call some of the shops that rebuild the engines and drives for an approximate cost and intervals, a 700 SCI will be less expensive to rebuild than the QC4 1100, when you get into engine/drive packages that can be 150K it can get expensive.

" BOAT " ................ . BRING OUT ANOTHER THOUSAND !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. More often than not ....................... that's just to start.

In terms of the 500 EFI's vs the 525EFI's I would say they are a wash with the exception of the valve train on the 525. The larger cam profile in the 525 does need a little more attention than the 500. When it comes to the bottom end the 525 is a much upgraded piece. The 525 EFI is for sure one of Merc Racing finest "stock" offerings ever. The 500 EFI was a real solid offering as well. He!! the 700's are real solid as well. Merc Racing does a real decent job, I had a pair of 525 SC's with Chillers and smaller pulleys years back and in some eight years did nothing but oil, filters, and a lot of gas.

I'll defer to RaggedEdge. I'm not an engine guru nor do I have experience with blue motors.

Agree that poster should stick to mercury black or outboards. I prefer the outboards for low maintenance boating.

I only want inboards. That’s what I’ve lusted after since before episode 1 of Miami Vice. I just need to do it. I’ve ridden on a couple and was in heaven. I’m expecting 5K-10K per year average maintenance. Some years will be much less, some will be much more.

I am looking for a 38’-42’. I’m pretty settled on a cigarette. I think if I get anything else, I’ll always be unsatisfied.

The best advice I can give you is pick the size engines you think you want and call a few engine builders to give you rough estimates on top end work and so forth. This will help guide you to knowing what things will cost down the road.

A 38TS with 500EFI’s and at least SCX uppers would be a good platform to start with

Since they didn't make 500 efi's in 2008 you are looking at 525's as the best choice, second would be 700's but lot more expensive to purchase

Check the headers

Call PBC and get the 38 w Zul motors and SCXs. problem solved.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...46c51c178.jpeg
then come have some Fun

If you're doing it right, it's more like "break out another ten thousand", in multiples.

Whomever decided that boat was spelled with a single "T" never had twins that would go over 60mph

Agreed. Had a Cig Cafe Racer for a couple of years, to scratch that itch. Got tired of being bent over a barrel to have work done on I/Os, or bending myself into a pretzel to get into the bilge for things like sea pump maintenance. Sold it and bought a 28 Manta with twin 250 Outboards, runs just as fast and I can stand on the swim platform/engine bracket to do most repairs or maintenance. My back and wallet thanks me.

I'd still consider another I/O boat but it would have to be a single, or staggered twins($$$) to avoid some of the issues with big twins in an 8' beam.

If it's an itch you need to scratch then by all means do it -- otherwise you'll always wonder. It's one of those things that you have to experience firsthand (the good and the bad).

If you’re buying a used performance go fast I’d recommend one that has recently been rebuilt by a reputable engine builder. You can call the shop that did the work and generally they can tell you what you need to know about boat as they just worked on it as well as an expected annual budget for maintenance/rebuild cycles etc. Definitely get a blue motor minimum, sound alone is worth the admission. As the others have all mentioned performance boating is expensive but worth it! So in conclusion the most reliable will be the one with the freshest rebuilds by a reputable engine builder.

That's just because your Cig was sloooooooow.:evilb: I do agree, stag is the way to go on I/O's.

To the OP and others, I will have to say after all the issues my friends have with OB's that to get reliable the best thing is to buy new. And I don't mean from a aftermarket builder. From a true factory that qualifies the vendors and vendor parts.

Yep, it was slow. Even with 1300HP it barely broke 70mph. Disappointing, but if an old-school Cig is what you want, that's what you get.

If you want to go fast in a big Cig, that means Twin Step Top Gun, and that is easily twice the cost of a straight bottom Top Gun, or maybe 3x the cost of a Cafe.

OB's aren't necessarily perfectly reliable, no man-made machine would be expected to be.
It's just a whole lot easier to do a lot of the work yourself in your driveway, including unbolting a powerhead and dropping it off at a shop, if a rebuild is what's needed. No gantry crane, no removing sun pads / hatches, no outdrive removal / reinstallation / alignment nonsense, no bellows to worry about either.
It's like working on a Chevy 350 in a van versus the same exact motor in a pickup -- the motor is simple but access is the issue, turning routine tasks into knuckle-busters.

Generally
 

The less HP you have the more reliability you `ll have.

That's it in a nut shell..reliable power has come a long way.

20-25 years ago if a Merc 1000 fired once the warranty was basically up

I think everyone has touched on most of it, but there are numerous factors involved also.

1. Is the boat/ engine/out drives fresh or salt water?

2. What type of maintenance /care/protection did the previous owner take? I've seen newer stuff that looks like ****, and older that looks brand new.

3. And how was the boat operated? Daily driver? Sunday sailor that does an occasional WOT pass? Poker run boat that does WOT everywhere?

To ask what are the most reliable is all relative to these 3 factors. 1. is obvious to answer. 2. a general inspection can answer (but a few hundred bucks and a good boat detailing can mask some of it) 3. an engine scan can be very beneficial to determine how the engine or engines were used.

Best bet is to find a boat that was well cared for and continue to maintain it well. .

To sum up...it depends.

:drink: