OMC engines? avoid them or not?

inmykingdom · Newbie Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 6 City: Ghent, Belgium

Two years somebody told us not to buy a boat with an OMC engine.
OMC was out of business, difficult to get parts, etc...
Can somebody confirm this? We are looking for a secondhand boat, so I would like to know if we should even be looking at boats with an OMC engine or not.

liquidforce12 · Outlaw Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 179 City: Columbia

we used to have a 92 sunbird with a omc we didnt have that many problems and we did find parts they were evinrude parts i think but i would go for it

liquidforce12 · Outlaw Joined: 26 Jun 2004 Posts: 179 City: Columbia

we used to have a 92 sunbird with a omc we didnt have that many problems and we did find parts they were evinrude parts i think but i would go for it

grapic · Outlaw Joined: 01 Jul 2003 Posts: 192

Volvo-Penta purchased OMC I/O division. Still producing in Lexington, TN. I had a 1987 OMC Cobra. There was a design flaw in the drive subject to recall that a previous owner ignored. When it failed on me the recall was no longer valid and I had to scrap-out a boat that I paid $4000 for. The replacement outdrive was going to cost $2700.

joe navy · Criminal Joined: 18 Apr 2005 Posts: 90 City: Camden, N.C.

An OMC is like any power train, it really depends on how it has been maintained, I have a 4.3L OMC cobra and have over 900 hours on it with only routine maintenance performed and the replacement of manifolds/risers.
I hope this helps and I wish you luck.
Joe