Honda Horror Story: Please read and advise.

dogon dory":26zzwv6d said:
But then again... there is the Red Fox...
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And there is indeed :wink: And he says ... Bah Humbug!! Overrated (as is almost everything) I don't know about some saying "they never had a problem with there "Honda products" This household has several Honda product through the years (and still do) and have problems with it all!! (most minor, but it bears reporting)

Not to say that has "turned me away from this manufacturer" I know almost all companies have made some products that fall short, and could have been better engineered.
Our worst Honda experience was from our 90 Accord...

It pooped two transmissions in the first few years of ownership. Now Honda replaced them under warranty (of course) but it left mom stranded in traffic with no warning at all---twice! I have always worried about it going through another, since its warranty has expired. Other "problems have been, minor oil seepage, and one of the components in it's "Programmed Fuel Injection" going south. That’s it, and that's not bad (we think anyway) cuz the car is still as solid as it was when it was new! an excellent product indeed, but not "problem free" by no means :|
The last bad experience has been with the little "5-hp Honda fourstroke kicker" It's recoil design---is a piece of garbage!! it should have never made it to market. Busted two of the (plastic) recoils-gears in only a years time... and I have not gotten over it to date :amgry Other than that, it is noisy, and does not like to stay idling when placed deep in the water on a transom bracket.
Now, not to be "badmouthing" anything here, it's just my experience sort of adds to the original post and reflects some reality! :wink (done in a kind spirit, and I could go on, but I'll stop)

PS: “AK Commercial fisherman” all I can say is – the worse abuse is out in the villages up here. (bush Alaska) Reports I have heard are they prefer Yamaha cuz there easier to work on than the other fourstrokes they have. Think about it…
:| :shock: :o

OUT... :moon
 
Chuck S":390a80ll said:
Nick --
The little swim step on the transom is not only a safety device -- giving anyone falling overboard a way to self-rescue -- but it's also allowed us to swim and tube off the boat conveniently. Twins prevents the swim step.
-- Chuck
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Nick, I certainly will not attempt to sway you in the "twin vs. single" engine issue, although twins are what I prefer and have on my 22'. (There are several threads on this site that discuss the twin vs. single issue, if you wish to research those threads and come up with your own decision). (Different preferences for different folks and for various good reasons). (But for the record for anyone else contemplating "twins" IT IS POSSIBLE to have a swim step on the 22' with twin engines. (For pictures of that set-up you may view the "Sea Shift" photo album, which contains several pix of the swim step next to my twins...notice that the swim step is even possible with the trim tabs). This swim step is not the factory swim step but was "manufactured" by Les at EQ Marine for me.
 
I have a 90 Merc 4 stroke, no swim-step, and use the cavitation plate as my step into the motor well (also have the ladder on the side) on occasion.

I kind of understand the safety issue I suppose, but all it takes is one large fin appearing and people suddenly find a way to get back in the boat, ladder or no ladder. I've seen it happen.
 
Going to run with RedFox on this one... 1) Both my C-Dory's have or had Hondas and did great....but, have bought one used and the other as a "Dealer Demo"... (thanks for braking her in a bit Dusty) and had Honda's on her. Here was my decision process: I plan to travel the intracoastal water ways/river systems of America....the Great Circle or Great Loop some call it. Yep, now Yamaha is in the 4 stroke business...and yep, looking at the "projected" routes... they seem to have a few more dealers spotted about the USA. All motors will need work/maintenance. If I were buying brand new...I would have to ponder over the Yamaha... but...have not had problems out of my 90 Hondas either... 50 honda simply did not have a big enough "pee hole" to spit out shallow water "stuff" we pick up in mud and sand for my pleasure...and warranted a bit more of an eye... the 90 pee's like a cow on a hot rock...and so far with a lot of slow shallow water trolling....ZERO problems. Just my thoughts. Good luck!
Byrdman
 
Here in Kodiak we have a dealer who sells both Honda and Yamaha, and another dealer who sells Johnsons. By my own observation, the overwhelming choice of both commercial fishermen and recreational guys like me is Yamaha. The margin is too big to even try to put a number on. We currently have Johnson 2 strokes on our "non C-Dory" a 90 and an 8 kicker, and we're upgrading to a new 8hp 4 stroke this spring, and it's going to be a Yamaha. We troll for salmon a heck of a lot, and want the quiet and no smoke/smell from a 4 stroke. I hear that both Yamaha and Honda are good engines, but the Yamaha is quieter and needs a bit less maintenance. Food for thought.
Rick
 
Those Johnson 2-stroke 90's (& 88"s) were hard to beat. I ran one commercially and it required nothing but gear oil and spark plug changes and it ran practically everyday hauling divers. On its last trip, it started running on 3 cyls 10 miles from shore where I made a 180 back to home port and by the time I put it on the trailer, it was down to 1 cyl but still running with enough power to load up. 13 years of continuous trouble free (hard) operation before it blew. To me, it was an amazing bulletproof little engine.
 
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