I had a couple Yamaha's prior to getting a new puma last year. The deciding factor for me was the warranty, and I wanted a 300. No regrets, but I'd throw a Yamaha on the back of my boat in a second with no hesitation.

All of them pop. all have problems. Still don't think there is a huge difference between them so I'd look and see where and who the closest service center was for each brand.

I'm well over 700hrs on my SHO and it has been trouble free. I do my maintenance regularly.

I would think they are about equal. Both are going to break eventually.

I've had 2- 250 SHOs and 2-250 Merc 4 strokes. They are both great engines, I can't tell much difference.

I am biased. I have had several Merc's and several Yammy's. Always something going wrong with Merc's. Been trouble free the last 13 years since I started running yamaha's. I'm sure someone else can say the opposite. Some of the differences that may sway you is in how they operate. It is my understanding that if a new Mercury has a gage that quits working or bad connection under the dash that the motor will not run. Also on mercury if a small part on the motor goes bad alot of times they don't sell just that part, you have to buy the next larger assy. There is more but it would come off as I am a Merc hater.....I AM.

I'm not sure how far you are from the Lake Fork area but I believe Sartin Marine now services Suzuki engines. From what I understand those engines are bullet proof.

I have had them all.

Yamaha is the better choice. I just repowered last year. I could have bought a Mercury ProXS and saved around $4000. I still chose the SHO.

But you got it on a Skeeter so its all SHO and no go

Sux having a slow skeeter !
I repowered mine with a 300R! Best dang thing I’ve ever done to it! Couldnt be happier!

How fast is that 300R on it? I have a 300hp rated Skeeter sitting in the driveway.

I’ll take my flashed Nizpro231 over y’all’s 300 horse over weight slugs.
Mine does get a little squirrelly though. It ain’t for the Cadillac cruisers.

There's a black and gold flake Caymas sitting in a driveway in town I see everyday. 250 Yamahammer sitting on the back. Looks funny like a square peg in a round hole. I'm sure it flies.

I've heard all kinds of crazy issues from every motor out there... I'm a mercury guy personally but if I had to choose a 4 stroke I'd probably go SHO...
(Kinda hurts to type that out)

they are both good, can get a bad one of either, I will always get a Merc, but that is only because OMC went out of business... but go with the best overall deal you can get - what dealer will give yo the best deal knowing your shopping for the best price... I always give the Texas dealers first shot at my business - current boat came from Texas... I also call dealers between here and the Atlantic Ocean too... I have bought several new boats from Virginia and North Carolina as well - I've saved up to $10,000 on a deal between what they gave me for my trade and the new boat, that's worth driving to the east coast... sure your gunna hear stories about not getting service because you didn't buy it local, but I've never had any issues - warranty money is still warranty money... I never keep a boat past the engine warranty anyway... and I can do all my own repair work by dealing directly with the manufacture for whatever the item... thankfully my normal maintenance using OEM parts and oil's, with good preventative maintenance and adherence to warm it up or blow it up has paid off over the past 30 years... good luck in your search !

I'd go Mercury... 40+ years of boating and they've never let me down... And the extra warranty would provide a little peace of mind... Dan