Volvo vs Merc

[andrew bradley]

Hello
I am looking at a fishing boat with a Volvo penta motor and drive. What is the word on the streets about Volvos vs Mercs? The motor is a 1998/1999 270 hp fuel injected & FWC. Does anybody know about this motor?
Thank you
Andrew

[RBook]

Andrew,
I'm no expert but I do own a 1999 5.0GL/SX outdrive. The parts are more expensive and harder to find. Believe me I know, I just got my boat back. My outdrive locked up with only 70 hours on it and it took 2 months to get it repaired. I even had to raise HE** to get the parts shipped from Sweden to get it repaired that quick. The price to repair the outdrive was $4500.00!!!! Thank goodness for the extended warranty I purchased. It is supposed to be more user friendly as far as normal service. I'm not sure if the unit is more effecient but my 20 foot bowrider with this 220 horse motor runs 59 MPH with a full take of gas on board. If I had the chance to by it again I wouldn't, I would buy a Merc just for the price and parts issue. I may have just got bad service but parts are more available for a Merc.
Hope you weren't in love with this boat.
Robert.....

[sea buddy]

Both Merc and volvo have chevy build them the same engine. Very minor differences there.
I would go with a Volvo duo-prop over single prop. Go with Merc if you must go with a single prop.
If you want to go over 60 mph, go Merc.
Drive a duo-prop for a half hour and then try whatever else, you will then understand.

[RiverDave]

Why not a Bravo III? Same concept, Volvo's in general are just cheaper to buy (in the beginning anyways) I don't know about repairs etc... Merc has much more support though.
RD

[cot_ton]

rbook,
What kind of boat do u have, that will run 59mph as a bowrider? and what pitch prop r u running. i have a 2001 20 ft Ebbtide it weights 2900lbs, 220 merc outdrive with a vengance stainless prop 21 pitch. about 45 mph it seems is top speed. i just tried a alum. 23 pitch and it didn't change much.
thanks
cot_ton

[cot_ton]

rbook,
What kind of boat do u have, that will run 59mph as a bowrider? and what pitch prop r u running. i have a 2001 20 ft Ebbtide it weights 2900lbs, 220 merc outdrive with a vengance stainless prop 21 pitch. about 45 mph it seems is top speed. i just tried a alum. 23 pitch and it didn't change much.
thanks
cot_ton

[Mike Griffin]

Originally posted by andrew bradley:
Hello
I am looking at a fishing boat with a Volvo penta motor and drive. What is the word on the streets about Volvos vs Mercs? The motor is a 1998/1999 270 hp fuel injected & FWC. Does anybody know about this motor?
Thank you
Andrew, Can't tell you a lot about the motor, but have a Volvo Penta Duo Prop on my latest boat purchase. It's mounted on a 29' Scarab with a 502 with blower for it's feed. The outdrive works great and is one of the best handling systems that I have driven. After about 20 hours of water time I'm thoroughly pleased with the outdrive (it currently has a little over 275 hours on the outdrive with no prior problems). Sea Buddy seems very knowledgable on the system from what I've been able to learn in the past couple of months. Good Luck
Andrew

[Mike Griffin]

Originally posted by sea buddy:
Both Merc and volvo have chevy build them the same engine. Very minor differences there.
I would go with a Volvo duo-prop over single prop. Go with Merc if you must go with a single prop.
If you want to go over 60 mph, go Merc.
Drive a duo-prop for a half hour and then try whatever else, you will then understand.
Sea Buddy, Would appreciate any additional info about the DPX by Volvo Penta, I purchased a boat recently (29' Scarab powered by a 502 with blower. After logging over 20 hours I have cracked the rear prop twice and need info about the E-2 versus the E-3. Now spinning E-2 setup and turning 5400 at about 75, I would like to lower the RPM to about 5000. Can the rear prop only be changed to E-3 to acheive this or is it mandatory to change both to E-3? Any help appreciated.

[Mirage]

I currently own a 98 20.4 Bluewater Mirage stock 5.7 gs volvo with a cobra SX drive 14&3/4 22 SS prop and ran very hard for 250 hours and never a prob with the motor or outdrive. I would say bulletproof. It is my third boat and the performance of the boat is quite exilerating. It is quick out of the hole and pulling hard up to around 55mph GPS. Of course the trim and accelerator is the key there. Topend is 63 on the right ripple and 61 consistant with passengers regardless of gas. It is almost too much for the size and "quality" of boat but as I said it is "exilerating" like a jetski. Accelerate off a small wake and the whole toy is out of the water regarless of speed.
Really no performance parts but a nice motor. PS for under $17k new with the tandem trailer my big boating buddies eyes always open wide as I am pulling away.
Mirage

[RBook]

Cot_ton,
I have a 1999 206LXI Larson with Volvo 220H.P./SX setup. Not sure on exact weight of boat, I think around 2200. I may have mis-spoke on topend. Two days before my outdrive blew I GPSed it at 56 MPH with two people in boat and 3/4 tank of gas, and speedo was right on 56 also. After getting boat back two months later from outdrive rebuild I put new Michigan Wheel Ballistic 21 pitch stainless prop on and was running 59 MPH on speedo with full tank of gas and two people. This is where I got 59MPH that I stated, remember my speedo was right on when it GPSed at 56. I was having problems with the boat porpoising and didn't seem as fast even though speedo said 59 so I put GPS on it a few days later and it said 54MPH while speedo said 59MPH. I went back to original prop and it would not top 51MPH on GPS and 56 on speedo. I was really confused at this point, the speedo is a standard water flow sytle that is not hooked to outdrive at all. I went back to the stainless prop to run for the weekend, I was going to call the dealer on Monday but the boat did not make it that long. The engine ingested water into cylinders 2,4,6 and 8, and locked up, I ended up swimming for a hour to get back to shore due to lake was deserted. I was told by dealer that they don't know what caused my engine failure and I still don't have my boat back, going on three months, don't even think they have ordered any parts!!!! SO, I know one thing, your boat is faster than mine. I don't even remember what my boat looks like. It sucks to make payments for a year and it is in the shop the whole summer, I got to use the boat maybe 5 days the whole summer. Needless to say I don't know what my boat runs anymore.
I let you know next year,
Maybe....
Robert....
"THANK GOODNESS I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!"