MotorGuide is inferior to MinnKota in almost every way in every price range.

I have two bass rigs with one of each. MinnKota is the only to go. Try them out and you will see fast which one is best. Look over the foot pedal and that will show you the difference. I'm not a MinnKota guy are anything like that I just know which is the better unit. I use both very often and the Minn is better and that's a fact. I don't care which one is best but I know which one is better. They came with the boats. Remember you use the tm for hours and hours so don't make a mistake and be struck with a bad choice that will not go away anytime soon. The MG is ok and will get you there.

I agree with the posts above. Last year was my first year with a 80 Fortrex and I absolutely love it. I had an 82 MG Tour edition and it did have great power but I had the cables snap at least 3 times and I can't even count the number of times the cables fell off the wheel. The Fortrex turns smoother and seems to be a lot quieter and not to mention the lift assist is awesome. Not a tough choice here...go Minn Kota

bassfishin....I feel your pain brother!!!! That cable is the worst design EVER in the history of EVER. Then that little plastic wheel?!?!! Ugghhhh what garbage.
I'd have been better off putting a coffee straw into the water and propelling my boat with that.

Minn Kota lost my business due to their crappy customer service. I will only run Motorguide. The only draw back to MG is the mount can be a little noisy. I asked my local service center which one they liked better and they said they had twice as many MK in for repair. That was all I needed to hear. Ive only had one MG ever got to the shop and that was 5 years ago. My last MK was in the shop 5 times in one year.

They had twice as many MK in the shop because 75% or more of people run MK now. Not really a fair comparison.

Please keep in mind that about 80% of this is just "read and heard" and some of this is just my opinion! The other 20% I've witnessed firsthand.

Also, there's an incredible thread on BassBoatCentral.Com about MotorGuide vs. Minn Kota, and to me it looks like for every one guy that loves MotorGuide, there are 6-7 guys that say they love their Minn Kota. I've never seen such a lop-sided, clear winner (Minn Kota) in a thread like that before.

For me, Minn Kota all the way.

MotorGuide never had a chance with me (especially after they did away with the Tour Edition) because I've used Minn Kota my whole life. I've read, heard, and seen firsthand at how MotorGuide's are only built to last a few years or even less. They lack a lot of quality and when things break, their customer service is sub-par at best. I've seen that the foot pedal for the Tour Edition's were the best on the market. However, they still had their problems. And MotorGuide did away with the metal foot pedal for the new Xi5. I would never buy an Xi5 after reading all of the problems that they have. A lot of problems with parts being cheap and the motor itself not working to it's full power no matter what you do. I read on another forum that one guy has gone through 2 different Xi5's in less than a year. Now, given all that's been said, MotorGuide has been around for a long time and people wouldn't still be buying them if they weren't good enough. I'd be willing to bet good money that there is more good than bad out there.

Now for Minn Kota (I have a Fortrex). I've personally never had a single problem with their trolling motors. Seriously, not one! The mount for the Fortrex is supposedly the best mount on the market and years ahead of it's time. The Fortrex is lighter than the Tour Editon (I'm not sure about the Xi5) and is built with much more quality. Minn Kota has great customer service as well. MotorGuide's are not very smooth when on high, whereas Minn Kota's are, and they don't jolt to one side. They have a nice, gradual, powerful turn. Minn Kota trolling motors are built to last and durable. I've beat mine to hell and back and it still runs like new. Another plus about Minn Kota are their props. Their props are impossible to beat when in thick grass whereas MotorGuide has a lot of trouble in grass.

Please remember that most of these things about MotorGuide that I've said are just what I've heard and read. But also keep in mind that I've witnessed firsthand at how MotorGuide's are not quality-built trolling motors. I may be a little biased towards Minn Kota because I've only ever used them and I've had zero problems with them. I really can't come up with a negative for the Minn Kota Fortrex. I've also owned the Power Drive V2 and the Maxxum, with zero problems on those as well.

If I were you, I'd do as much research as you can and find the best deal for you. As I said earlier, MotorGuide would not be in business if people didn't buy enough of them. So don't automatically rule them out.

I hope this helps you make an easier decision!

Tight lines and good luck with your search!

EXACTLY what I was thinking. Lol. I bet percentage wise vs amount in use, the MK is serviced far less.

As for MK service? I use them a lot....always very helpful and when buying replacement pieces or parts, shipping is very fast. I break it on sat and Sunday. Order parts on Monday. Fix it on Thursday. Break it on Saturday. Rinse repeat. It's almost always my fault. I trim the motor out of the water and go like a savage on my TM. Rocks, weeds, clay, it's all fair game for my MinnKota blender.

WOW, very good information. Thank you fellows, I really do appreciate the info.

Had a MG on the boat when my dad first bought it. Bent the shaft and it was too much to replace it and he didn't really like it anyway. Neither did I. The steering was weird and it just didn't ever seem smooth. I was deployed when he replaced it with the MinnKota Maxxum that is on it now. About 10-12 years old I think? Still running strong. I thought the motor had seized on it because it sat so long without being used. When I acquired the boat I put fresh batteries in it and it is still running strong. Knock on wood we've never had to have it fixed. I've flexed the shaft to the point the mount flexed and nothing broke and went haywire. Next boat will have a Fortrex on it no doubt about it.

I guess u did not get the updated wheels several years ago.

The new x5 has plastic wheels....

Here is some homework for y'all. Count how many pros are running Motorguides with Yamaha sho outboards (not many). Also count how many guys are running min kotas with Mercury motors. These guys pay more than just 1k for a trolling motor.

Funny you guys are talking about the wheels. My tour edition 82 (my first motorguide) just had this happen and end a day on the water. I had no cell reception and couldn't google it to figure it out. Got where I had reception and found the wheel and shoulder bolt on the deck. Can't for the life of me figure out what the threads go into and the bolt is just long enough fo fit flush with the wheel. No threads extend out.

I've googled till I'm blue in the face and can't find a video anywhere of how to put it back together. I have found that you can buy upgraded stainless wheels. I will end up taking it to Boris and having him change the wheels and put it back together.

With my lack of patience, if it happens again I'm liable to unbolt it from the boat and leave it in a dumpster at the ramp!

Shhh... Don't let my near 16 year old MG Tour 36v hear you. It's still going strong, and I want to get a few more years out of it.