Who owns one? How are they on oil and gas? What are the cons? Looking at two boats. One with a Merc 2 stroke Pro XS and one with the Yamaha. The trouble with the Yamaha is I don’t know many mechanics around North Dallas that work on them.

Cons: They are a hunk of [censored] and very sensitive

Pros: Great fuel economy and oil, quiet for a 2 stroke, lots of torque, start first key turn.

I'd go with the Yamaha. This is our first and last Mercury. Have had more problems with it in 350hrs than I did on an Evinrude with over 1000hrs. Air compressor, ignition coils, tilt/trim motor, crank sensor, more than I want to list

To be fair though, when they do run, they RUN. The Optimax is a fast screaming machine. It defiently beat my Evinrude out of the hole. But I'm more concerned about making it back to the dock. Piece has left me stranded 3 times already. I'm about 450hrs now and no problems since 350hrs, but they are enough to make me not want another.
Next boat was gonna have an Evinrude but.... yeah.

Go with the Yamaha.

Just an FYI, Plano Marine (in Lewisville now) can handle any Yamaha motor issues. I use Rockwall Marine as they are a bit closer to me and have a Yamaha master tech on staff.

I have ran my Merc. For 12 years now, it currently has about 500 hours. I have had to replace a coil and a fuel injector, both were about $300. All outboard motors are gonna have issues occasionally. I wouldn’t shy away from the Merc nor would I be afraid of the Yamaha. They are both the biggest players in the outboard world. The main thing on any outboard as I'm sure you know is to do the needed services and to use the good lubricants and fuel.

Seems like quite a few of all motor brands have more issues than the older engines. I had a Mariner 225 EFI I bought with my Champ in 1997. Sold my champ two years ago and that motor probably had more than 1500 hours on it. Original powerhead and lower unit. Bought a 2017 Legend recently with a 225 Proxs thinking it would get much better gas and oil consumption, but doesn't seem that way. I like Mercs and have been driving them without many issues for nearly 25 years. Never owned a Yammy but I'm sure they are good motors.

Depends on which Yamaha you are talking about. 2 or 4 stroke?

I have an 80 250 ProXS and it's approaching 750 hrs. Very dependable. Look at the lake, they're everywhere. The weak points are the motor mounts (actually the bracket), and the compressor. Compressors go about 350 hrs. As far as the motor mount bracket - it helps, and will actually avoid problems if you run your jackplate lower in rough water. Seems pretty simple, but a Ranger runs better with it up. The motors are NOT torque monsters, and holeshot is not that great. Like all 2 stroke, they are top-end motors. The oil consumption is about like the Merc. 150 efi I ran, and not near like the 225 efi. Fuel consumption is very good until you push it, then, it's a 250, and it takes a certain amount of fuel to make 250, no matter what motor it is. All that said, I'd love to have a new 250 V8, but it will have to wait a while.

Not torque monsters....? I'm not sure what other motors you have run, but my 225 Pro XS put my 22ft Majek on plane quicker than my 225 Evinrude/20ft Stratos did. The Optimax is extremely powerful

And honestly I feel like it sucks down more oil than gas. I love the power it makes, but i wouldn't consider it reliable. Again like I said in my above post, I've had more problems with mine in 350hrs than I did with the Evinrude in over 1000.

I have a 2012 250 Pro Xs. Had to change one engine coil and the compressor right at around 400 hours. I'm knocking on 600 hours now and that is the only to issues i've ever had. Oil and gas consumption are not bad at all in my opinion. Great motor!

If you have a tunnel MAjek, those get on plane quickly by design, But you've probably turning a 23" prop, and a top speed of 55. I'm talking about getting a heavy v-hull bass boat on-top turning a 25 - 26" prop and a top speed around 70. For that rig, a SHO or V8 Pro XS will crush any 2 stroke hole shot because of the low-end torque. Agreed, Pro XS' are badass, but it's a top-end motor.

I’ve had 2 Mercs and the previous Merc was purchased used and wasn’t run much at all. That motor gave me several issues. My 2nd Merc was brand new, I broke her in and she’s been a champ going on 2 1/2 years now.

The pro xs was a great motor especially the last few years. I'd have zero issues running one

The Extreme is V hull, not tunnel. Prop is a Turbo OT4 26p 4 blade, 64mph GPS at WOT. Also have a 3 blade 25p I've used but only top about 58.

Either way... A bass boat should get on plane quicker than a Majek... But the Pro XS beat my Evinrude out of the hole and I have video proof if I can find it. If the Majek was a tunnel hull then yes I'd understand why, but the Extreme model is a v hull just like your bass boats. Jimmy Majek literally designed them to be on the bay chasing trout one day, and then on Sam Rayburn the next day up in the creeks for bass.

To me it is a wash. I either put in at Matagorda Harbor or Palacios Bay, but I typically run the length of either East or West Matagorda on most fishing trips. I have had a couple ProXS's and a couple of SHO's (all 225's and 250's). The ProXS gets much better fuel economy, and it has a superior low water pickup/water pump system (not really a factory for a bass boat). But good Mercury brand 2-stroke oil is very expensive. The maintenance cost on the Yamaha is a little higher, but it only has to be done once a year. The Yamaha just runs and there is no worry about purchasing, storing, and filling 2-stroke oil. But if I run from one end of the bay to the other at 5000 rpms, the Yamaha is very thirsty.
I really haven't experienced any failures on either motor.

So far I’m ordering Yamaha prop shafts and electrical stuff daily seems like. Had one come in with hole in the intake today. Kinda odd deal.

ProXS is a great motor. Had guy come in today with an older one and lost his first coil finally. Said he has north of 800. I know several locals with 700 plus on 5 year old motors