Transferring your engine warranty when you sell your boat

Remaining factory coverage is one of the few things that reliably adds value to a used boat. It is also one of the easiest things to lose, because every manufacturer attaches a deadline to the transfer and those deadlines start running on the date of sale, not the date somebody gets around to the paperwork.

If you are selling, or buying privately, read the section for your engine brand first.

Yamaha

Yamaha allows transfer from the original purchaser to a subsequent purchaser, but the process has two required steps. The motor has to be inspected by an authorized Yamaha outboard dealer, and that dealer has to submit a change of registration to Yamaha within ten days of the transfer.

Y.E.S. contracts are also transferable, and the transfer likewise requires a registration change and inspection performed by a Yamaha dealer.

Mercury

Mercury separates the two.

The Mercury limited warranty transfers to a subsequent purchaser for the remainder of the unused portion. There is no charge for the registration transfer. It cannot be transferred on products used in commercial applications. To do it, the bill of sale or purchase agreement goes to Mercury's warranty registration department along with the new owner's name, address and the engine serial number.

Mercury Product Protection is the stricter one. Gold and Platinum contracts are transferable to a subsequent recreational-use purchaser within 30 business days from the date of sale. The transfer requires a completed transfer form, a copy of the bill of sale showing the engine serial number and date of sale, and a transfer fee per Mercury's schedule.

There is also an eligibility condition worth knowing before you buy. Engines not purchased directly from another pleasure-use owner or from an authorized Mercury or MotorGuide dealer are ineligible for coverage. Mercury further reserves the right to refuse transfers on product bought as repossessed, at auction, from a salvage yard, from a liquidator, from an insurance company or from unauthorized dealers.

Volvo Penta

Volvo Penta's Gas Factory Protection program is transferable to subsequent owners during its term. The catch is documentation. The original customer is responsible for keeping records of all maintenance performed, and for transferring those documents to the next owner so the new owner can benefit from the coverage.

If You Are Selling

Pull your service records together before you list the boat. Know your remaining coverage and be able to show it. On a Volvo Penta, know your hours, because the buyer's coverage is capped by the same 480-hour ceiling yours was.

If You Are Buying

Ask for the service history before you negotiate, not after. Have the engine inspected by an authorized dealer for that brand, which you will need for a Yamaha transfer anyway. And start the paperwork the day you close, because on a Mercury Product Protection contract you have 30 business days and on a Yamaha you have ten.

Manufacturer Sources

1. Mercury limited warranty and Product Protection transfer.  Mercury Marine 
2. Yamaha four-stroke outboard warranty policy, transfer of warranty.  Yamaha Outboards 
3. Volvo Penta North America Gas Factory Protection.  Volvo Penta 

Coverage terms, exclusions and service intervals vary by model, model year and how the boat is used, and manufacturers revise them. This article is a general guide, not a statement of your coverage. Confirm the details for your engine against your own documentation and serial number, or call our service department and we will pull them for you. Information current as of the date shown.