Possible Cost Of Another Motor

I'm hoping to take my boat in this coming Friday (April 1, no joke) for repairs. The motor runs good, but there was some kind of snafu with the gear changing mechanism that I want to have seen about. I've been to the marine repair guy's website, but somehow, either I couldn't understand what he was saying to me, or he couldn't understand what I was trying to tell him about the motor.

Anyway, I'm hoping to get it repaired. It's a 1988 Johnson 20 HP tiller type outboard motor. It's pushing a 14 foot flat-bottomed jonboat. Not sophisticated equipment, I know, but right now, it's all I can afford. My question tho, is, what if the guy can't repair my motor? What would a new 20 HP of some kind, doesn't have to be a Johnson, cost? Also, what would a fairly new, used motor cost? I have no idea. So I'm just looking for "ball park" figures.

TIA

Tugaloo

Tugaloo, go to this site http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi and explain exactly what is happening. There are some real good mechs there that might be able to help you.

Tugaloo - Here are the prices of some motors advertised by dealers who place their ads in a magazine called "Heartland Outdoors" that we get here in Illlinois.
03 Johnson 25 (new) ----------------$1995
05 Johnson 25 (new) ----------------$2095
02 Mercury 20 (demo) ---------------$1795
05 Mercury 25 (new) ----------------$2095
89 Johnson 20 (used) -------------- $995
02 Johnson 25 (new) ----------------$1886
Hope this gives you an idea what you may have to pay. Your best bet on a new motor is to get a non-current year where the dealer will still give full factory warranty.

ebay.com...... just remember the old addage "Buyer Beware " I got an Ollllllllld Johnson 7hp for $75 just had to replace the pull start !!

I wouldn't worry. They ain't going to say scrap that motor and get a new one. There are so many OMC mechs out there, someone will be able to fix it. And there are many places to get parts, new and used. It will be worth it to have it fixed also. You can get a lot of repairs for the price of a new one.