Nissan 3.5 good? Bad ?

[Blind Bobber]

I am lookin for a used outboard motor for my 12 foot Smokercraft car top boat. Neighbor has a short shaft 99 Nissan 3.5 he bought new. Low hours in good shape. He is asking $350. Is this a fair deal? Is Nissan a good motor? Parts? Service? It is alot newer than anthi8ng I have seen in this price range though I would rather have a 6 horse. What do you all think? Will this be substantiallty faster than my Minkota 30?
BLIND BOBBER

[Blind Bobber]

24 viewers and no response? Wow, are they that bad? What's the story? Give it to me straight. I can take it.

BLIND BOBBER

[Fish Mode]

well, i have a 12 foot aluminum boat much like yours. With a 9.9 honda (4 stroke...) it tops out at around 15 mph. your 3.5 wouldn't do much, plus it'll be noisy and dirty. Those nissans are 2-strokes, right? I hate mixing the oil independently, if you don't mind the wait to the fishing spot or care about the mixing and oil. Go for it, otherwise go 4-stokes!

[Salmonator]

I have never owned a nissan, but have heard nothing but good things about them. As for a comparison to the minkota 30, it will blow it away but is probaly still not enough to get you on plane. With a stabilizer fin maybe.

[Blind Bobber]

My 12 SMOKERCRAFT car top is rated for 7 horse max. I had my old departed 7 horse Honda on it. A bit too heavy though fast. Nissan I am lookin at is very light and aprox, twice the horse power as my Min Kota 30. Just not confident about Nissan and aavailability of parts or service should I need either. Anyone else out there have Nissan input ?

Thanks Much

BLIND BOBBER

[gerry]

Sounds like a good price to me. My father-in-law has a 30 horse and loves it. A friend uses a 9.9 kicker on his sled and is also real happy with it. It might not be real fast, but the built in tank(I think ?) would be handy.

[Tinman]

I had a 3.5 Tohatsu as a kicker for several years, and never had any problems. It is a fairly crude, reliable kicker. You will need to carry spare shear pins, and there is no gearshift, but it ran fine. You can get it serviced at the Inflatable Boat Center on Powell.

[Half fast Toyn]

the Nissan is basically a Mecury motor. Im sure the quality and peformance will be fine. I would wonder if 3.5 hp will be enough? I would max out the boat to the recomended hp. Also, as owner of a 9.9 4 stroke and a 9.9 2 stroke ill mention that the power of the 2 stroke is considerably MORE than the 4 stroke.

[MattPark]

I have always been under the impression that Nissan and Tohatsu were the same.

[pm me for relevant information]

[Tinman]

Yes, Nissan and Tohatsu are the same, I failed to mention that in my first post.