How Much Does a Boat Motor Cost

When plan­ning a boat trip, the cost of the boat motor is an impor­tant fac­tor to con­sid­er. Boat motors vary in price depend­ing on the type and size, and oth­er fea­tures. In this arti­cle, we will dis­cuss the dif­fer­ent types of boat motors and their asso­ci­at­ed costs.

How Much Does a Boat Motor Cost

The cost of a boat motor can vary great­ly depend­ing on the type, size and pow­er of the motor. Gen­er­al­ly speak­ing, a new out­board motor can range from $1,000 to over $30,000. The cost of a used motor can vary depend­ing on its age and con­di­tion, but can typ­i­cal­ly range from $500 to $10,000.

The cost of a boat motor will depend on a vari­ety of fac­tors, includ­ing:

• Type of motor: Out­board, inboard, or out­board-inboard (stern dri­ve)
• Horse­pow­er: High­er horse­pow­er motors tend to cost more
• Brand: Dif­fer­ent brands will have dif­fer­ent prices
• New or used: Used motors can be found at a low­er cost

The cost of boat motors can vary sig­nif­i­cant­ly depend­ing on var­i­ous fac­tors such as the type of motor, its size, brand, fea­tures, and whether it’s new or used. Here is a gen­er­al overview of the cost range for dif­fer­ent types of boat motors:

1. Out­board Motors:

   • Small out­board motors (under 10 horse­pow­er): $800 to $3,000
   • Mid-range out­board motors (10 to 50 horse­pow­er): $3,000 to $10,000
   • High-per­for­mance out­board motors (over 50 horse­pow­er): $10,000 to $50,000 or more

2. Inboard Motors:

   • Small inboard motors: $2,000 to $10,000
   • Mid-range inboard motors: $10,000 to $30,000
   • High-per­for­mance inboard motors: $30,000 to $100,000 or more

3. Stern Dri­ve Motors:

   • Entry-lev­el stern dri­ve motors: $5,000 to $15,000
   • Mid-range stern dri­ve motors: $15,000 to $30,000
   • High-per­for­mance stern dri­ve motors: $30,000 to $100,000 or more

4. Jet Dri­ve Motors:

   • Small jet dri­ve motors: $2,000 to $8,000
   • Mid-range jet dri­ve motors: $8,000 to $15,000
   • High-per­for­mance jet dri­ve motors: $15,000 to $30,000 or more

It’s impor­tant to note that these prices are approx­i­mate and can vary based on fac­tors such as motor size, brand, addi­tion­al fea­tures, and mar­ket con­di­tions. Addi­tion­al­ly, instal­la­tion, acces­sories, and main­te­nance costs should be con­sid­ered as well. It’s rec­om­mend­ed to research and com­pare prices from dif­fer­ent man­u­fac­tur­ers and deal­ers to find the best option with­in your bud­get.

In addi­tion to the cost of the motor itself, there are addi­tion­al costs to be aware of when pur­chas­ing a boat motor. These include instal­la­tion costs, fuel costs, oil and main­te­nance costs as well as any oth­er nec­es­sary acces­sories such as pro­pellers, steer­ing sys­tems, and gauges. You may need to con­sid­er the cost of insur­ance and reg­is­tra­tion for the motor, as well as any applic­a­ble tax­es and fees.

How much does it cost to replace a boat motor?

It depends on the type of motor and the size of your boat. Gen­er­al­ly, the cost to replace a boat motor can range any­where from a few hun­dred dol­lars to thou­sands of dol­lars. You should con­sult with a cer­ti­fied tech­ni­cian to get an accu­rate esti­mate of the cost to replace a boat motor.

The cost of labor to install the boat motor will also need to be tak­en into account when replac­ing a boat motor. Depend­ing on the com­plex­i­ty of the instal­la­tion process, labor costs can range from a few hun­dred dol­lars to sev­er­al hun­dred dol­lars. If you decide to pur­chase a new boat motor, you may also need to pur­chase addi­tion­al parts such as fuel lines, wiring, pumps, and oth­er com­po­nents. All of these costs should be tak­en into con­sid­er­a­tion when deter­min­ing the total cost to replace a boat motor.

What are the prices for outboard boat motors?

Types of Boat Motors and Their Prices

Boat motors can be divid­ed into two main cat­e­gories: Inboard Motors and Outboard Motors. Inboard Motors are motors that are fixed with­in the hull of the boat, gen­er­al­ly con­nect­ed to a propeller shaft that runs beneath the boat.

Outboard Motors are exter­nal motors that are mount­ed on the back of the boat and are attached by a swivel brack­et and con­nect­ed to a propeller. Both types of motors are pow­ered by gaso­line, diesel, or elec­tric pow­er.

Outboard Motors

Out­board motors are the most pop­u­lar type of boat motor. They are mount­ed on the out­side of the boat and are pow­ered by gas or diesel. Out­board motors can vary in size and pow­er, rang­ing from 2‑horsepower to 300-horse­pow­er.

Gas Outboard Motors

Gas out­board motors are the most com­mon type of out­board motor. They typ­i­cal­ly range in price from $1,000 to $10,000, depend­ing on the size and pow­er.

Diesel Outboard Motors

Diesel out­board motors are much more expen­sive than gas out­board motors, rang­ing from $10,000 to $20,000. Diesel out­board motors are more fuel-effi­cient than gas out­board motors and are typ­i­cal­ly used in larg­er boats.

Inboard Motors

Inboard motors are mount­ed inside the boat and are pow­ered by gas or diesel. They are typ­i­cal­ly more pow­er­ful than out­board motors and are usu­al­ly used in larg­er boats.

Gas Inboard Motors

Gas inboard motors typ­i­cal­ly range in price from $5,000 to $20,000, depend­ing on the size and pow­er.

Diesel Inboard Motors

Diesel inboard motors are much more expen­sive than gas inboard motors, rang­ing from $20,000 to $50,000. Diesel inboard motors are more fuel-effi­cient than gas inboard motors and are typ­i­cal­ly used in larg­er boats.

Personal Watercraft (PWC) Motors

Per­son­al water­craft (PWC) motors are typ­i­cal­ly used in small­er boats, such as jet skis and oth­er per­son­al water­craft. They are usu­al­ly pow­ered by gas and typ­i­cal­ly range in price from $1,000 to $5,000.

Additional Costs When Buying Boat Motor

The addi­tion­al costs of buy­ing a boat motor can include things like fuel and oil, pre­ven­tive main­te­nance, and any nec­es­sary repairs or replace­ments.

When buy­ing a boat motor, it’s impor­tant to con­sid­er addi­tion­al costs that may be asso­ci­at­ed with the pur­chase. Here are some com­mon addi­tion­al costs to keep in mind:

• Instal­la­tion: Unless you have the skills and knowl­edge to install the motor your­self, you may need to pay for pro­fes­sion­al instal­la­tion ser­vices. The cost will depend on the com­plex­i­ty of the instal­la­tion and can range from a few hun­dred to a few thou­sand dol­lars.
• Acces­sories and Upgrades: Depend­ing on your spe­cif­ic needs and pref­er­ences, you may need to pur­chase addi­tion­al acces­sories or upgrades for your boat motor. This could include items such as pro­pellers, con­trol cables, fuel tanks, gauges, and more. The costs for these can vary wide­ly depend­ing on the spe­cif­ic acces­sories and brands you choose.
• Main­te­nance and Repairs: Own­ing a boat motor comes with ongo­ing main­te­nance and poten­tial repair costs. Reg­u­lar main­te­nance tasks such as oil changes, fil­ter replace­ments, and tune-ups should be fac­tored into your bud­get. Addi­tion­al­ly, unex­pect­ed repairs can arise, and it’s impor­tant to be pre­pared for those expens­es as well.
• Fuel: Oper­at­ing a boat motor requires fuel, and the cost of fuel can vary depend­ing on your loca­tion and the type of motor you have. Con­sid­er the fuel effi­cien­cy of the motor and esti­mate the ongo­ing fuel costs you can expect based on your boat­ing habits.
• Stor­age and Win­ter­i­za­tion: If you plan to store your boat and motor dur­ing the off-sea­son or in a mari­na, there may be stor­age fees involved. Addi­tion­al­ly, you’ll need to con­sid­er the cost of win­ter­iz­ing the motor to pro­tect it from freez­ing tem­per­a­tures if you live in a region with harsh win­ters.

It’s essen­tial to con­sid­er these addi­tion­al costs when bud­get­ing for a boat motor to ensure you have a real­is­tic under­stand­ing of the total invest­ment required. 

Depend­ing on the type of motor, you may also need to buy parts such as propellers, spark plugs, and fil­ters. You may need to pur­chase any spe­cial tools required for main­te­nance or repairs. You may also need to con­sid­er the cost of insur­ance, stor­age, and dock­ing.

Fuel Costs

The cost of fuel will vary depend­ing on the type of motor, the size of the boat, and the length of the trip. Fuel costs can range from a few dol­lars for a short trip to hun­dreds of dol­lars for a longer trip.

Maintenance Costs

Reg­u­lar main­te­nance is nec­es­sary to ensure the prop­er func­tion­ing of a boat motor. Main­te­nance costs can vary depend­ing on the type of motor and the fre­quen­cy of main­te­nance. Gen­er­al­ly, main­te­nance costs range from a few hun­dred dol­lars to a few thou­sand dol­lars per year.

Insurance Costs

Insur­ance is an impor­tant con­sid­er­a­tion for boat own­ers. Insur­ance costs can vary depend­ing on the type of boat and the cov­er­age desired. Gen­er­al­ly, insur­ance costs range from a few hun­dred dol­lars to a few thou­sand dol­lars per year.

Factors to Consider

When con­sid­er­ing any kind of deci­sion, it is impor­tant to con­sid­er all the fac­tors that may be rel­e­vant to the sit­u­a­tion. This includes look­ing at short-term and long-term effects, finan­cial impli­ca­tions, poten­tial risks, poten­tial ben­e­fits, and any oth­er rel­e­vant infor­ma­tion.

It is also impor­tant to con­sid­er the opin­ions of oth­ers who may have knowl­edge or exper­tise in the mat­ter, as well as the opin­ions of those who may be affect­ed by the deci­sion. It is impor­tant to weigh all the fac­tors before mak­ing a deci­sion in order to ensure that the best pos­si­ble out­come is achieved.

Type of Motor

The type of motor you choose will have a big impact on the over­all cost of the boat motor. Out­board motors are typ­i­cal­ly less expen­sive than inboard motors, and gas motors are typ­i­cal­ly less expen­sive than diesel motors.

Size and Power

The size and pow­er of the motor will also have an impact on the over­all cost. Larg­er and more pow­er­ful motors will typ­i­cal­ly be more expen­sive than small­er and less pow­er­ful motors.

Additional Costs

In addi­tion to the cost of the boat motor, there are oth­er costs asso­ci­at­ed with own­ing a boat, such as fuel, main­te­nance, and insur­ance costs. These costs should also be tak­en into con­sid­er­a­tion when bud­get­ing for a boat motor.

Tips for Saving Money on a Boat Motor

Saving mon­ey on a boat motor is pos­si­ble with a few sim­ple steps. Shop around for the best deal when pur­chas­ing a boat motor. Com­pare prices from dif­fer­ent retail­ers, and look for sales and dis­counts. Main­tain the motor prop­er­ly by reg­u­lar­ly chang­ing the oil and inspect­ing the motor for any dam­age. This is an impor­tant step in ensur­ing the boat motor is run­ning effi­cient­ly and not wast­ing fuel or ener­gy.

• Research and Com­pare Prices: Take the time to research dif­fer­ent brands, mod­els, and retail­ers to com­pare prices. Look for sales, dis­counts, and pro­mo­tions that may be avail­able. Con­sid­er both new and used options to see which offers the best val­ue for your bud­get.
• Con­sid­er a Small­er Motor: Assess your boat­ing needs and con­sid­er if a small­er motor will suf­fice. Small­er motors are gen­er­al­ly more afford­able com­pared to larg­er, high­er-horse­pow­er mod­els. Deter­mine the appro­pri­ate horse­pow­er for your boat based on its size, weight, and intend­ed use.
• Explore Used Options: Pur­chas­ing a used boat motor can often be a more cost-effec­tive choice. Ensure you thor­ough­ly inspect the motor, prefer­ably with a qual­i­fied mechan­ic, to ensure it is in good work­ing con­di­tion. Check online clas­si­fieds, local boat­ing forums, and deal­er­ships for used motor options.
• Take Advan­tage of Off-Sea­son Deals: Boat motors, like many oth­er prod­ucts, may have sea­son­al pric­ing fluc­tu­a­tions. Con­sid­er pur­chas­ing dur­ing the off-sea­son when prices may be low­er. Deal­ers may offer dis­counts or incen­tives to move inven­to­ry dur­ing slow­er months.
• Nego­ti­ate and Bar­gain: Don’t be afraid to nego­ti­ate the price with the sell­er, espe­cial­ly if you’re buy­ing from a pri­vate sell­er or small­er deal­er­ship. Be pre­pared to walk away if the price does­n’t align with your bud­get, as there may be oth­er oppor­tu­ni­ties avail­able.
• Con­sid­er Financ­ing Options: If you’re unable to pay for the motor upfront, explore financ­ing options that offer favor­able terms and inter­est rates. Com­pare rates from dif­fer­ent lenders to secure the best deal.
• Main­tain and Care for Your Motor: Prop­er main­te­nance and care can extend the lifes­pan of your boat motor and pre­vent cost­ly repairs. Fol­low the man­u­fac­tur­er’s guide­lines for main­te­nance, per­form reg­u­lar inspec­tions, and address any issues prompt­ly. By keep­ing your motor in good con­di­tion, you can avoid unex­pect­ed expens­es down the line.

Keep an eye out for any ways to reduce fuel con­sump­tion, such as using the right fuel or mak­ing sure the propeller is in good con­di­tion. Work with an expe­ri­enced mechan­ic to make sure the motor is prop­er­ly tuned and you can be con­fi­dent it is run­ning at its best. Tak­ing these steps can help you save mon­ey on a boat motor.

Buy Used

Buy­ing a used boat motor can be a great way to save mon­ey. Used boat motors are typ­i­cal­ly much less expen­sive than new ones, and still pro­vide the same qual­i­ty and per­for­mance.

Shop Around

Shop­ping around for the best prices can be a great way to save mon­ey on a boat motor. Prices can vary sig­nif­i­cant­ly between dif­fer­ent retail­ers, so it is impor­tant to com­pare prices and look for the best deals.

Do Your Research

Doing your research and learn­ing as much as pos­si­ble about boat motors before buy­ing can help you make an informed deci­sion and avoid buy­ing a motor that is not suit­ed to your needs.

FAQs

Conclusion

The cost of a boat motor can vary depend­ing on the type, size and pow­er, and oth­er fac­tors. Out­board motors are typ­i­cal­ly the most afford­able option, while inboard motors are typ­i­cal­ly more expen­sive. There are oth­er costs to con­sid­er, such as fuel, main­te­nance, and insur­ance costs. When bud­get­ing for a boat motor, it is impor­tant to con­sid­er all of these fac­tors.