Mercruiser extended warranty, good or bad idea?

[IwannaDonziZX]

Hi, so I went ahead and purchased a 2007 28ZXO, the Mercruiser warranty just expired on 9/5/08 and I have until the end of the month to figure out if I want to shell out up to $4200 for a 5 year Mercruiser extended warranty.

I can also opt to buy a 1,2,3, or 4 year warranty too. Has anyone had exprerience with Mercury 350mag 300HP engines with Bravo One drives? Are these engines work horses that I'm not going to have any problems with? Are they prone to problems and having an extended warranty is a good idea? Is mercruiser good to work with, or do they find any excuse not to pay a claim (like saltwater intrusion)?

If anyone has any insight I'd really appreciate it..

Thanks

[The Hedgehog]

How many hours have you put on it so far?

[Last Tango]

In general, the 350 Mag MPI/Bravo One is a work horse. But stuff CAN happen, and you have TWO of them to deal with. I have only ONE of those packages in my 2006 22ZX. 120 hours since I purchased it 2 1/2 years ago. Running naked without the extended warrenty since the original factory warrenty expired. NO major problems to date. NO minor ones either for that matter. But that is ONE engine in 100,000 plus built by the factory. Could be my rigorous preventive and scheduled maintenance all performed by the dealer, or just dumb luck.
Further, I have a fatalistic attitude. If the engine blows, I am planning to upgrade to a 496HO. So, although I'm being very careful with the engine I have, it would not break my heart to have to repower in a couple years.

[IwannaDonziZX]

engines now have about 40 hours on them, I bought the boat a month ago with only 20 hours on it.. did have a gear lube oil leak that I had fixed...

[glashole]

4200 will buy a lot of engine parts

[The Hedgehog]

4200 will buy a lot of engine parts

Yeah it will and most of the problems seem to shake out in the first 20 hours or so.

[FISHIN SUCKS]

congratulations on your purchase Iwanna and welcome to the board.

We have a 2002 28zx w/twin 350 mag Bravo I's. Shea and Bill are right, 4200 will buy a lot of parts. I will share this with you, I blew a head gasket on my port motor (182 hours) on 4th of July weekend. As my ace engine builder started taking the motor apart, we found that everyone of the head-bolts were loose. We also found that this motor had never been apart! The head bolts are to be torqued to 68 ft/lbs, these were more like 50. The assumption is that Mercruiser's mexicans (motors assembled in mexico) must have built this one on a Friday or a Monday:boggled:. The headbolts were fine on the starboard motor.

My conclusion, for what its worth, is check your head bolts, grease your couplers, gimbles and u-joints regularly, change oil and gear lube regularly, and you should be fine. I normally don't purchase warranty's but depending on where you boat, it may be wise:wink:.

[IwannaDonziZX]

thanks for the replies, I think I'll go ahead and buy maybe a 2 year warranty, just because I don't know the boat / motors yet...

[Pismo]

Insurance as a whole is a bad deal. It will cost you more than you will ever use on average, that's why they sell it. Mercs are pretty good. Skip it.

[zelatore]

I've got to agree with Pismo. Obviously they make money on it on the whole or they wouldn't offer it. And you've got a pretty solid setup, nothing exotic.

On the other hand, if the peace of mind is worth it to you go ahead. Or if you're one of those people who's maybe not so good on preventative maintenance or you run the thing really hard (no offence, but be honest with yourself on this) that swings the pendulum back toward buying it.

Me, I'd probably skip it. I usually do on this sort of thing.