Im wanting to get away from the factory plastice raw water pump but Im inerested to hear opinions on which is better, Bronze, or stainless. The stainless is far better appealing to the eye, but the bonze is a little cheaper. Opinions? Which will last the longest and require the least maintenance?

Which engine?

HP500's carbed

One piece brass after I had a plastic one crack last year...

Just remember the plastic is also the sacrificial lamb if you ingest a lot of sand. And yes, sand will tear up a stainless or brass housing. I usually can go 3-4yrs without changing a plastic housing and the impeller every other. At $45/kit that's not to bad. After cracking one myself I always have another on hand.
There is a good thread that went over this.

I agree..I use the plastic ones 36.00 per kit. I change it every 2 years, I used to use the bronze pump..that had issues with wear plates and the stainless pump is an eye catcher BUT where my pump sits you wouldn't see it. For the price of the stainless pump I could buy 15 plastic kits.

At the price you buy them for ,I don't even look at the housings anymore...Just replace it ...done .When the newer merc bronze pumps came out, i thought now this is cool. Look at all the grooving problems they are having. Replaceable plastic ain't bad IMO

Also depends on where you use your boat. The Missouri River is quite silty water. With the plastic style I use to change annually on my 27'er, now the 38'er is in deeper water when we sandbar and I get 2yrs.

The guys around here with the new style bronze/brass pump are wishing they could convert back to the plastic style, as the bronze/brass housings wear just as fast and cost 6x more to replace.

Good info. I ate one up last year and it was a nightmare to change due to location. Seems as if there is no real advantage to them other than the plastic is cheaper.

I have heard issues with the brass housing and went with stainless just due to the fact that it's much harder. I'm on the third season on my stainless and it still looks new, the plastic housings were so worn after one season I felt that by the end of the season that failure was eminent.