# Mechanic recommendation? Houston (Tohatsu)



## tdk71 (Nov 4, 2015)

I was at the Houston Fishing show yesterday and ran into a vendor. Kevin's Boat & Motor Repair (713-643-1883). I think they are a Tohatsu dealer. They had a lot of their motor's at the show. I was talking with them about buying a 6 hp motor. They do full service there and will even warranty a used motor. I was concerned about buying a used one that could have been submerged. They said they could fix it up. They could be useful lead for you.


----------



## Stevie (Jun 27, 2017)

I use Vantage Marine in POC. Forrest is a great guy. Don’t know About the Tohatsu dealer / service in Houston.


----------



## richg99 (Nov 28, 2009)

I've been going to the same guy for 20 + years. Even followed him from one dealer t the next one. He worked on my small Tahatsu a year or two ago, too. Never met a more honest and talented outboard mechanic. I drive about 45 minutes to get to him now and would drive further if it was necessary. Who is this "Wunderkind" you ask?

Steve Wright, he works at Bowden Marine off of Atascocita Rd in Humble. That location is only five minutes or so off of Beltway 8, near the intersection of Route 69/59 and the Beltway. 281-441-7773

Ask about your Tahatsu before you drive there since they are mostly Mercury and Evinrude dealers. Also, though, be aware that many of the Mercury engines people are buying today are just re-badged Tohatsus. regards, rich


----------



## EvanHammer (Aug 14, 2015)

Vantage is good but Forrest can be really, really slow.

Mickey's in La Marque is fairly close to Houston and does good work (plus is a Tohatsu dealer).


----------



## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

Thanks, everyone!


----------



## POCtied (Oct 19, 2016)

EvanHammer said:


> Vantage is good but Forrest can be really, really slow.
> 
> Mickey's in La Marque is fairly close to Houston and does good work (plus is a Tohatsu dealer).


Everything in POC is slow! that's why we love it ;-)


----------



## EvanHammer (Aug 14, 2015)

POCtied said:


> Everything in POC is slow! that's why we love it ;-)


We've had a camp there for 42 years and Forrest has sold us quite a few outboards; I still don't like my skiff being unavailable because of slow service.


----------



## POCtied (Oct 19, 2016)

Nobody likes slow service, it wasn't serious


----------



## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

I bought my MFS 50 from Jim at Leader Marine in Freeport. He's a really nice guy, and everything was done when promised. They are right at the base of the causeway to Surfside


----------



## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

Update on this...engine had been working fine then acted up again this weekend.

Kevin's has a 2 week wait to even bring it in.

Going to try Mickey's in La Marque. Let you all know how it goes.


----------



## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

What is it doing?


----------



## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

jmrodandgun said:


> What is it doing?


not working well. starting immediately, but then shutting down and not re-starting. mix of fuel/air is all f'ed up I think (although I am as far from a mechanic as you can get)

dropped it off at mickey's. he thinks that a series of o-rings that might have been eaten by the ethanol. hopefully getting it back this weekend.


----------



## jsnipes (May 1, 2011)

mickey's turned it around in < 1 week. apparently a problem w the o-rings around the injectors. the ethanol eats them away, and then the fuel/air mix gets all f'ed up. apparently this is an issue he's seen a bunch of times. hopefully 1 time fix.


----------



## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

EvanHammer said:


> We've had a camp there for 42 years and Forrest has sold us quite a few outboards; I still don't like my skiff being unavailable because of slow service.


I launched the boat Saturday morning and it wouldn't pee. I got out my trusty piece of .095 weedeater cord and couldn't clear it, so I called Forest. Joey answered and told me to swing it by and he'd look at it. He was able to break it loose with air in about 10 seconds. Then I asked him when I could drop it off for my 20 hr service, and he said if he had a filter he could do it right then. He had one, and I was out of there in less than an hour...on Memorial Day Saturday morning. I was shocked to say the least.


----------



## EvanHammer (Aug 14, 2015)

F


Tx_Whipray said:


> I launched the boat Saturday morning and it wouldn't pee. I got out my trusty piece of .095 weedeater cord and couldn't clear it, so I called Forest. Joey answered and told me to swing it by and he'd look at it. He was able to break it loose with air in about 10 seconds. Then I asked him when I could drop it off for my 20 hr service, and he said if he had a filter he could do it right then. He had one, and I was out of there in less than an hour...on Memorial Day Saturday morning. I was shocked to say the least.


Forrest is good about getting something fixed if you break down and are trying to get back on the water. I've actually met lots of marine mechanics like that - a guy in Port Isabel got me up and running a couple times on trips. He wasn't a Yamaha mechanic but if I went to the parts house and then stayed to turn wrenches with him he would work steady all morning and I never lost more than the day I had trouble.

Where Forrest gets slow is if you drop it off and aren't a priority, then I think you get lost in the shuffle a little.


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Forest replaced a pump impeller and cleared the wood bee nest out on a Tohatsu in less than three hours a few years back. Cool guy. Tohatsu is common theme.


----------



## Tx_Whipray (Sep 4, 2015)

Joey actually told me when I was leaving that Tohatsus go to the front of the line. Whether you bought it from them or not, they want to be your servicing dealer. Forrest might have a different line of thinking there, but that's what Joey told me.


----------

