Z8 with a 200?

[pop]

Hi guys.

I have a local dealer with a pretty sweet Z8. My only issue is it only has a 200 on it. I check the Nitro site and noticed this boat is still supposed to do mid 60's, but is this rig really going to be underpowered?

Thanks

[Kenneths]

I just bought a 2012 Z-8 with a 200 pro XS on it and I am very satisfied with the performance. I have not bought all of my electronics for it yet so I do not know the GPS speeds but according to the speedometer I have had it at 76mph. I know the speedometer can be off some but even if it would be off 6mph that is still 70mph. Either way it is plenty fast for me and holeshot is great.

[NitroHenry]

I have a 2010 Z8 with the 200 ProXS on it and I would not change anything about my choice to go with the 200. I get a GPS top speed of 69MPH and a great holeshot. Running the Fury 24 prop.

[boneil]

I have a 200 optimax on mine. and it will do 70 with a light load, 1/2 tank gas, livewells empty and just me with 26 p prop. I switched to a 24p fury to improve holeshot which it did, top end speed now at 68. wit livewells full, full tank of gas extra passenger and tournament load it did 60 or 62.

[pop]

thanks guys for the info. time to make some decisions

[GRR884]

Both the ProXS and Optimax are identical engines in the 200HP. The only major difference is the decals. I wasn't aware of this until I spoke with Mercury Marine.

[pop]

Really? I heard that as well recently. Why the different marketing i wonder??

[GRR884]

Merc told me the regular opti is only available in saltwater. They also said this motor didn't need the extra umpfff as it's already rated at 220HP at the prop.

[mpino]

I heard that all pro xs motor have something done to them to give them umphh,
that was the marketing point, it was done to compete with the Yamaha SHO
and Evinrudes,

Don from European said pro xs motors have different reeds, which gives it better hole shot and mid range, top end is only a few mph difference, but he did conf that the 200hp pro xs averages 217-219 at the propshaft


Modified by mpino at 8:45 PM 1/24/2012

[GRR884]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by mpino &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">Don from European said pro xs motors have different reeds, which gives it better hole shot and mid range, top end is only a few mph difference, but he did conf that the 200hp pro xs averages 217-219 at the propshaft &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Modified by mpino at 8:45 PM 1/24/2012</td></tr></table>

Nope, all BUT the 200. Don said they have steel reeds too. It's just a little marketing BS by Mercury. http://www.bbcboards.net/zerothread?id=767217

Mercury told me the internal components and tuning are identical. Absoluetly no performance difference between the Optimax and ProXS.

[mpino]

that is not right, what a marketing scam, I bought the 200 pro xs on he basis of all the hype about the pro xs over other motors.

there should be someone to complain too. Mercury is playin dirty.

[GRR884]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by mpino &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">that is not right, what a marketing scam, I bought the 200 pro xs on he basis of all the hype about the pro xs over other motors.

there should be someone to complain too. Mercury is playin dirty. </td></tr></table>

I asked the guy at Mercury " Why do you label them as ProXS if they're essentially a Optimax"

He replied....

"Because many people won't consider buying them without it saying ProXS on it"

[transamz9]

http://www.mercurymarine.com/c...38,36

[GRR884]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by transamz9 &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote"> http://www.mercurymarine.com/c...38,36 </td></tr></table>

YUP...same.

Talked with Merc again today. Powerheads indentical between them. I just hope they change their website as not to mislead anyone else.

[transamz9]

What gets me is you can't get the 25" LU for the PRO XS.

[Gambler Bob]

The Pro XS is actually cheaper anyways now, about 1000 bucks the last time i checked.

[mpino]

I spoke to a merc dealer here in town, they are auth merc dealer for repairs and warranty and he told me that the pro xs motors are different, about 10% more power than stock optimax. this guy was working the Merc Both during our recent boat show, he said all merc even the 115hp outboards with a pro xs lable on it has a worked ecu, carbon reeds, and a few other things that will make them blow the doors off a stock optimax.

I was ready to bring the motor back to them and get my money back.
I will tell you guys for sure in the spring when I get my boat back in the water,

I had a 2000 200hp Merc 3.0L optimax and now have a 2012 200hp pro xs, and it better be all it is supposed to be or someone is gonna have some explaining to do.

[TRCM]

The stock 200 opti puts out ~ 220 hp at the shaft...and the max it CAN legally put out at the shaft is 110% of it's rating, or 220, so how can the XS put out more than the opti and still be rated a 200 ??

[mpino]

cause it's a pro xs, buddy told me that 200 pro xs is pushing closer to 230
we are gonna have to see.

I am telling you, if I paid 20'grand for a stock Optimax with stickers, I am gonna sue somebody and it ain't gonna be pretty. Marketing or not, you can't make the claims that mercury does with the hole Campaign (which merc are you ??? ) and
think people will just take what ever you put on the shelf. Yamaha came out with their game changer, SHO you think it's just another VMax with stickers, come on guys, Mercury is a multi million dollar company - it would not play that game with the public it is trying to win over. I have to believe that the pro xs is a high perf motor, they wouldn't have spent soo much money into this Campaign and only give you a dressed up product. the bass boat market is very competative and mercury has a big interest in this business.

[GRR884]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by mpino &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">, Mercury is a multi million dollar company - it would not play that game with the public it is trying to win over. I have to believe that the pro xs is a high perf motor, </td></tr></table>

mpino, It's just the 200ProXS that doesn't have carbon fiber reeds, special domed pistons, injectors and so forth. All other other ProXs's are beefed up. Mercury told me the webside is misleading and that needs to be corrected. In this conversation he stated the standard Opti was already pushing over 200HP and their test results showed a max HP rating of 217HP at the prop. If your Merc dealer told you what you said he is wrong. If your motor is a 2000 maybe back then they were beefed up. Take your serial number and IM Don on the Merc forum. He'll tell you what you have in it.

Mark in the post above is spot on

as Don on the Merc forum stated Initially, the "plan" was to include C-Fiber reeds, and a few other items. However, the Standard 200 was already a VERY strong engine... meaning that little or no improvement could be made without falling outside the 10% margin allowed on horsepower.