need some opinions

[fowlmouth]

I have the opportunity to get a 2002-03 evinrude ficht 225, freshly rebuilt. A friend has it, he is a marine mechanic and trading him my 1997 225 johnny-rude I really wouldn't have much into the upgrade at all. I know my fuel economy will be much better and my top end should improve alot. I have heard alot of neg. comments about the ficht. Are they really that bad?

[BryanP]

Yes! Especially that year!

Keep your '97.  That thing is just about bulletproof.

[Eric]

The Ficht motors are generally all freshly rebuilt.  Or in a junkyard.  That era had most all Ficths constantly being rebuilt (because they constantly blew up).  Hence why he is willing to trade you a much older motor for a direct injection motor.  He is a mechanic and he wants to get rid of that thing, and sees your dependable motor as an option.  No deal.

[thedude]

i'd buy a FORCE before i bought a FICHT

[Mike S.]

I'd find a new friend, one who isn't so willing to do "favors".

[djkimmel]

Tough crowd. So how do you guys really feel about Ficht...?

I've never had one.

[fear no fish]

O.K. I'll be the different one here. I had one and never had a bit of trouble with it until the day I sank my boat on Lake St. Clair, but that is a whole other story. On the other hand my buddy had one and it blew up 3 times and the last time was when evinrude went to Bombardia, or how ever you spell it, and they wouldn't cover the warrenty. Needless to say he now has a Merc. Me too!
Tom

[Hooksetter]

I've had 2 Ficht motors, both 175 HP. One was a 1998 0n a 1998 Stratos 201. I had it for 8 years with absolutely no problems. Wonderland installed a couple of factory updates, one in 2000 and one in 2002, I believe, at no cost to me. That motor always performed flawlessly.

I have a 2000 Ficht 175 on my Basscat. I have owned it since spring 2008 and it has performed flawlessly as well. Absolutely no problems at all.

I have always heard of others having all kinds of problems with Ficht motors, I just thought I must have got the only 2 good ones built!

My only issue was I always thought the hole shot on the Strat was not what it should have been, but I chalked that up to the weight vs. hp thingy. The 201 was a big boat for 175 HP.

The Basscat has a great hole shot and about 15-18 mph better top end than the Strat with the same motor. The Strat had a much better ride though. I do have a Boger prop on this motor, maybe that helps?

Willie

[djkimmel]

O.K. I'll be the different one here. I had one and never had a bit of trouble with it until the day I sank my boat on Lake St. Clair, but that is a whole other story. On the other hand my buddy had one and it blew up 3 times and the last time was when evinrude went to Bombardia, or how ever you spell it, and they wouldn't cover the warrenty. Needless to say he now has a Merc. Me too!
Tom

If your boat is still there... can I get the waypoint from you!?! Thanks

[independentMike]

O.K. I'll be the different one here. I had one and never had a bit of trouble with it until the day I sank my boat on Lake St. Clair, but that is a whole other story. On the other hand my buddy had one and it blew up 3 times and the last time was when evinrude went to Bombardia, or how ever you spell it, and they wouldn't cover the warrenty. Needless to say he now has a Merc. Me too!
Tom

If your boat is still there... can I get the waypoint from you!?! Thanks

Just what I was thinking 

[djkimmel]

I asked first and I'm almost as old as fear no fish!!

[fear no fish]

I salvaged the boat the same day. Blew up the big motor the next day. Got it all fixed, ran it for 3 more years and eventually traded it for my current boat. After it sank, a sensor kept going off and it wouldn't let the motor go over 1500 rpm's which made it impossible to get on pad. That eventually happened in a tournament on lake charlevoix and it was goodbye ficht. Sorry no waypoint for the sunken ship!

[djkimmel]

Bummer...