The outboard works fine. No mechanical issues. That’s the good part.
The bad part: getting answers from Wave was harder than it should have been.
I emailed support@waveoutboardriders.com three times before getting a reply. First email went unanswered for four days. Second email got a one-line response: ‘Will check and get back to you.’ Third email finally got me a tracking number.
When I called, I got voicemail twice. They did call back within a few hours, but I shouldn’t have to chase people down after spending $6,500.
Tom seemed knowledgeable when I finally talked to him. But the communication process needs work.
Three stars for the outboard itself. Two stars for customer service. I’m averaging to two stars because the buying experience matters.
Fix your email response time.
I want to be fair here. The outboard itself is fine. It arrived in good condition and runs well.
*But the shipping took almost three weeks. I was told 7-10 business days. It took 18 days from order to delivery. The carrier lost the pallet at their terminal in Dallas for a week. When I called Wave, they said ‘nothing we can do, it’s with the carrier.’*
I understand things happen. But I had to take time off work twice because the delivery window changed. The customer service person (Lisa) was polite but couldn’t give me any real answers.
The outboard is good. The shipping experience was frustrating.
Would I buy from them again? Maybe, but only if I wasn’t in a hurry. And I’d probably ask if they have a different carrier option.
Three weeks is too long.
I’ve owned boats for 30 years. I know what a good outboard sounds like, and I know when a seller is hiding something.
Maria Sanchez is the real deal. She sent me the EMM diagnostic report before I even asked for it — hours (512), fault codes (none), overheat history (clean). She also sent me a video of the engine running on muffs.
*The outboard arrived in Maine in 6 days. The crate was over-engineered — heavy-duty pallet, four ratchet straps, corner guards. Not a scratch.*
The only minor issue: the trim gauge wasn’t working. I called Maria. She walked me through the diagnostics over the phone. Turned out to be a loose wire at the gauge. Fixed it myself in 10 minutes.
Would I buy from Wave Outboard Riders again? I already did. I bought a kicker motor from them two months later.
These people are mechanics first. That matters.
This was my first time buying a used outboard online. I was nervous because you hear horror stories about shipping damage and hidden problems.
Tom spent 20 minutes on the phone with me helping me decide between the 90 and 115 HP based on my boat (17′ Key West). He didn’t try to upsell me — he actually talked me down to the 90 HP because he said the 115 would be overkill.
The outboard arrived on a pallet in a custom wooden crate. The compression test results were in the box — 178, 179, 180, 177 PSI. Tom had written a handwritten note saying ‘This one is a runner.’
Bolt it on. Started first turn of the key. I’ve put 40 hours on it since March. Not a single issue.
If you’re nervous about buying used outboards online, call Tom. He’ll tell you the truth.
