I know alot of you texan's have this on Skeeters and alot of other boats. Early on they made some oil. How are the brand new ones now? For those that have them, have they been reliable for you? Looking at a brand new boat with a 2021 225 SHO and will plan to keep it for a LONG time and long term reliability is important.

I've got one on my bay boat that is a 2015. Have had ZERO problems with it. Followed break in to the letter and change oil and filters every year. Wouldn't hesitate at all.

If I could find a new 250 I'd probably buy one to repower my bassbaot

Bought my 2014 920/250 SHO in 2017 with a little less than a hundred hours on it. It now has just shy of 500 on it without (knock on wood) anything other than yearly maintenance. I let it warm up a bit when it's cool/cold, literally drive it WFOT the rest of the time, and try to idle in to my spots to let it cool a bit before shutting down. So, 7 years old with 500 hours and never had an issue. Best motah I've ever owned and my first Yamaha that I was really skeptical of leaving Merc for.

I am.on my 4th SHO 250 all.on different boats. The latest one is too new to give an honest review but the previous 3were flawless. Never a second of trouble. Just routine maintenance. Super dependable and love the performance. Not one complaint at all.

Last time I checked my hours was June 2020 and it was somewhere in the middle 300s... I have a 24ft Nautic star XTS with a 250 SHO and its running like it was on day one...

Zero problems with a 2011 (bought new). Change oil and pump every year. Follow break in and warm her up. She'll go.

I have a 2011 250 SHO that I have since it was new. It's been a good motor and it gets used and maintained properly.

I have a 2013 SHO that had about 400 hours last summer.

Lost my lower unit seal from a ton of braided line and ruined my lower unit. Purchased a newer lower unit and next trip to the lake it starting burning oil like crazy.

Took it to a mechanic and he believed the mechanics that serviced the engine when they replaced lower unit, but something other than oil in the oil reservoir. Said the oil looked like no other oil he had ever changed (yet he didn't keep a sample). Put fresh oil and hoped it would resolve my issues but it didn't. Tried several non-invasive methods to clean out the combustion chamber and nothing worked. Then it starting spewing oil under the cowling.

Been in the shop since February 1st. Put a new block and heads on it 3 weeks ago. Then mechanic discovered oil pump was leaking. Took 2 weeks to get a new oil pump and got that installed. Then discovered a broken O-ring that resulted in low oil pressure and slow leak. Changed that out. Got the call yesterday that I can pick it up tomorrow.

Then got the call this morning that one of the brand new heads was cracked. Factory is overnighting a new head, and HOPEFULLY it will be installed tomorrow in time for our club tournament on Saturday and Championship on Sunday.

I think when it is all said and done, I'm gonna wish I woulda just repowered................

My '17 SHO has been flawless.

Dang, sorry to hear all that.

Changed the oil recently on my 2021 250 and oil level was good. Was not making oil.

They never made oil. In breakin period fuel woukd get past the rings and increase volume in oil pan.
If broke in correctly they quit doing this.
Must change oil after about 20 hours during breakin if this is happening.

Got a 2018 250 made oil ever since I got it Yamaha did not warrenty said it was normal and told me to take a flying leap and there oil was designed to run diluted ain’t blowed yet but won’t be surprised if it did!

Momma said if you didn’t have anything nice to say, just be quiet.

I’ll say this about my SHO, we have been through a lot and are still in a relationship.

Frustrating but i could have worst problems. Got to the point where i just laugh when they tell me something else is wrong.