When buying a used boat, how many hours is usually a deal breaker on a motor? I understand that alot of it has to do with how well maintained the motor has been kept. But buying used....you never know the real truth. So what is considered ALOT of hours on a motor?

I know people that have blown motors with a couple hundred hours. I talked to a guide in Venice last year that said they put as many as 4000 hours in 4 years. I would look at a bass boat that has been sitting for years with say 50 hours versus a guide boat that has been taken care of with say 200 hours and take the motor with the 200 hours. I wouldn't even start to worry till it gets in the 600 to 800 range. I do not people most people will ever put that many hours on a motor. I believe a motor that has been taken care of and run hard every now and then to keep it clean, will be ok till close to a 1000 hours

this depends. A 2 stroke may need an overhaul at 1500 hours while a 4 stroke may push as many as 4000 hours.
My 4 stroke Yamaha F150 has about 200 hours and is just barely broke in!

I expect everyone is putting a lot more hours on boats now with the new electronics.

For a fee of about 100, most places will run a diagnostic on the motor detailing how the hours were obtained, which rpm range and check the compression on the cylinders. This is a must when buying pre-owned, if I were selling its the first thing I would do to show buyers what they're getting.

Good info. Thank you all!

I blew an engine with 120 hours on it and sold one in perfect shape with 1200 on it

I would buy an engine that has been used regularly before I bought one that has just sat there

I bought one with close to 250 on it and ran it for a few years before I had problems.
440 on it when I got rid of it.

I wouldn't trust one with a 1000 plus if I planned on fishing heavily, or tournaments in general.

A few hundred would be a good limit.

Most people average less then 50 hrs a year. But TFF members prolly average 250 hrs a year.

No way to tell by the hours whether a motor is good or bad. I am in the equipment business and I see engines in every condition at every amount of hours. Best advice is to run a compression check. look for the overall compression of each cylinder and also make sure there is not a variance of more than a couple PSI between cylinders. Also check the lower unit oil for metal shavings. a little bit will be expected but a lot means there is trouble. A new lower unit costs almost as much as a new powerhead!

I wonder what a new power head cost roughly. ??

depends on the size of the motor

Depends on what you want to spend. If I'm spending 40+ it's gonna need to have less than 200 and some warranty left... preferably an extended one as well.