Minn Kota trolling motors are known for their durability and quietness, but if you buy a used motor that is damaged it can cost you a bit of cash to repair it.
Things to ask when buying a used trolling motor:
1) Has the unit ever been in for service? If so, find out what it was in for & when….knowing this may help you with repairs later if you decide to purchase it.
2) What is the serial number of the unit? This will tell you exactly when the motor was produced. The way Minn Kota works their serial numbers is like this:
For early motors (there’s still lots out there that are running):

‘A’ Series was early to mid 1970s

‘B’ Series was mid to late 1970s

‘C’ Series was late 1970s to early 1980s

‘D’ and ‘E’ Series was early 1980s

‘W’ Series was 1983 to 1985
“M” Series by serial number:
1000-200000 was 1985-1986
260000-520000 was 1986-1987
520000-784000 was 1987-1988
784000-1049000 was 1988-1989
1049000-1514855 was 1989-1990
1314856-1578000 was 1990-1991
1578001 and on was 1991-1992
From 1993 and on:
MK000000A 1993
MKJE 1994
MKJF 1995
MKJG 1996
and so on until 2000 which is MKAA, MKAB is 2001. The first 4 letters designate the product (Minn Kota in this case) and the second 2 are the year.
The last numbers are the actual serial numbers.
3) Ask the seller to remove the prop and let you know if there is or was any weeds or worse, line wound around the armature shaft (shaft that the prop spins with). If there was weeds or line, that may mean the unit has leaked water into it. This means you will need to take it all apart and reseal the motor with a new seal kit, brushes and brush springs….possibly an armature if the motor was run long enough while full of water.
4) Ask if the motor has full range of sppeds, be it a fully variable foot pedal control, or a 3 speed forward style. If the speeds are a bit ‘jumpy’ in one spot, it can mean the electronics are on their way out.

Any questions I would be more than happy to answer them! If you need schematics or parts, please try our website www.mikesreelrepair.com