Things You'll Need:
- Credit card or PayPal account
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Step 1
Determine the make and model of outboard motor you need. Don't deviate from specs--use an outboard motor that is approved for the boat you wish to power. Make sure that the horsepower rating and the weight are on spec: not high and not low.
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Step 2
Shop only at merchants with good reputations. Don't be tempted by low ball offers from unknown merchants or individuals. If possible, shop at local merchants. Buying an expensive item from a distant merchant adds to your costs because you--or the merchant, who will build it into the price--must pay for shipping. It also introduces difficulties that common sense would find unacceptable, for example a severely limited ability to evaluate the merchandise being purchased. That is a difficulty especially dangerous when buying a used motor. You could easily end up with a very low-quality or useless motor.
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Step 3
As you find motors that fit your specs and appear to fit your budget, make a list of them. In the list, include basic information: make and model, year of manufacture, merchant name, address, telephone number and price.
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Step 4
Visit each merchant's website to evaluate the motors. Unless the motor comes with a full warranty and from a highly reputable used outboard merchant, you'll want to perform some basic tests of the motor. First, ask to see a video of it running--in the water, of course with the sound on. Make sure the cooling system works by looking for the stream of water issuing from the engine. Listen to the motor. If you don't know what a motor should sound like, spend some time learning that crucial information in the obvious way: by hanging around the docks, listening to healthy motors. Test the throttle. Ask for compression readings from each of the cylinders. Compare these to specs for the engine. They may be a little less than spec. After all, it's a used motor. But they should be too far below spec. And no one cylinder should vary from the other cylinders by more than 15 percent.
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Step 5
After you have visited each merchant's website and evaluated all the motors on your list, compare notes and prices. Bargain with merchants to get the best price.
