I am in the market for a second boat that would be kept at a property out west, will fish a couple of small 200 acreish lakes but PK some as well. Looking at 18 -19ft, 2006 to 12 type boats. A lot of those older ones have 150 VMAX on them. My current big boat and the one before that had Yamaha four strokes, so I am little worried about these carbed VMAXes being hard to crank because it will get used once a month and I dont want to have to fight it too much and dont have a convenient marine engine tech nearby. I have a ethanol free place nearby, and I will only run that gas in it. I wont put a ton of hours on it, so that is why getting a lower hour used boat seems like best fit. A few have 115 Optimaxs, and I assume they are more like a F150, get in and one crank and you are going. When it gets cold, I will be quail hunting so not worried about cranking when its sub 40.

So what the general low down on these VMAX engines? I know they burn a lot of oil, but wanting to make sure the low oil warning mechanism is solid on the VMAX as well as I have never had a two stroke before and has me nervous on that as well

I have a carbed 150 vmax, it is extremely strong and reliable. It is also very thirsty.
If you're not going to be running it when it is really really cold, you shouldn't have any issues. I would however make it a point to run it on muffs every 2-3 weeks to avoid any problems that sitting can cause.

speaking to the oil warning, it works fine, but i always check the oil levels before I take my boat out.

The ox66 vmax's are fuel injected. I'd think most of the vmax motors you find past 99 will be the fuel injected models

The one I am focused on has three carbs is what the seller told me.

Many Yamaha engines in the early 2000s were still carbureted. My dad had a 2005 150 Vmax on his Stratos.

It would always start, but the first start of the day would require choke and fast idle. I can't imagine going back to that after I've gotten used to my fuel injected 4 stroke. That said it was a great engine. It was reliable, fun, fast and loud.

have owned a 97 150 ProV for 20 yrs, finally had to rebuild carbs after 19. best outboard I have ever owned. when starting cold make sure bulb is pumped up, press hot foot halfway down and choke, after that just a bump on the starter and fires right up. have always used ring free and marine stabil. if buying new would have a four stroke