I just recently bought a bass tracker heritage from Bass Pro and was told some interesting things when doing the walk through. I was told that Mercury recommends doing the first oil change and getting the break in oil out at one time (they didn't tell me the hours) but that they recommend doing it after 20 hours and will cost 300$ along with a diagnostic test. Does anyone know what the recommended time is to get the break in oil out? I have the manual and will read it when it gets closer to that time (Only into the 3rd hour of break in) I just find it odd that they are saying to not go with what Mercury recommends.

1 year or a 100 hrs which ever comes first ....OPTI

Why not read the manual?

As I stated above. I have the manual and will read it but was wondering about bass pro telling me to ignore what Mercury recommends.

I did read the manual where the break in procedure is located at last night but it didn't say anything about the first oil change. I will call them later on in the week to find out for sure.

Bass Pro does this to boost profits and lighten your wallet.

20 hours is pretty standard, then maintenance every 100 hours according to the manual. Go with the manual and blow off Bass Pro. Mercury is the one that's going to want to see service records, not BPS.
Also forget them for your 20 hour oil change. You can do it yourself for around $60 bucks. The manual probably tells you what is needed and there are tons of YouTube videos out there on engine maintenance. The Yamaha manual actually specifies which things an owner can/should do and i bet the Mercury manual is written the same way. The catch is that you actually have to open it and read it.
When you do the lower unit, pull the prop and check for fishing line around the shaft and drain your lower unit into a clear container and look for water at the bottom. If everything looks good, continue on. If your motor has not thrown any error codes, there are no codes stored, so you don't need an engine scan at 20 hours. $80 of the $300 you were quoted is probably for the scan.
$300 is a cheap price for a dealer to change the oil, but for 5 quarts of oil and a filter, it's still a rip-off.
The first time you do it, it will take you an hour.

That is what I was thinking was going on. They mentioned the scan to see if I did the break in right and if I would need to maybe break it in longer or something along those lines. The whole conversation seemed very money focused. I had to ask 3 times to get the price for the oil change and scan before he finally told me. Almost like he was afraid to tell me and just wanted me to bring it in and be charged that so I would have no choice but to pay it.

Mercury does not recommend 20 hr services anymore 100 hrs or 1 year....OPTI

Opti is correct people. Your oil color will tell you more than anything. Check it often. To respond to the 60 dollar oil change, the synthetic oil and an oil filter I always use cost more than 60 dollars

Thank you all for your help!

Jumping this post. I recently passed the 10 hour break in period on my Yamaha 175 SHO. I I don�t want to do anything to void my manufacture warranty or extended warranty. Should this maintenance be done by an authorized shop? Thoughts or experiences from past warranty claims?

If the manual says it's a customer performed service, then do it yourself. Buy your oil from the dealer and keep the receipts. A denial to a warranty claim would have to be related to something you did as a user. It can be determined by the date on your receipts if oil and filter changes were done at the correct interval.
You don't have to use synthetic oil, the dealer isn't going to if he does it.
You Tube is packed with videos on engine maintenance. Other than the cost of tools you may need, the cost is going to be around $60, much better than $300. If you have to buy tools, don't sweat it. You paid for them by doing it yourself.