IPS 500

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Switch

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I'd be interested to know what the typical service costs are for IPS 500. Am I right in thinking that only Volvo approved agents can service the drives?
Could any IPS 500 owners care to share their experience with maintenance costs and general reliability? I'm potentially looking at a 7 year old boat with IPS 500's.
Thank you.
 
I am in the process of buying a boat with IPS 600 D6 & have a quote to service both engines & both drives of £2037.73 inc vat. I understand from my engineer who looks after many such boats that IPS is as good as any other, but MUST be serviced properly. Failure to do so & problems can be costly. My experience in the automotive sector leads me to use main agents on anything I own, independents don't tend to be up to date with software & recalls etc. There are two campaigns outstanding for air flaps to be changed under warranty on the new boat for example.
 
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Switch said:
I'd be interested to know what the typical service costs are for IPS 500. Am I right in thinking that only Volvo approved agents can service the drives?
Could any IPS 500 owners care to share their experience with maintenance costs and general reliability? I'm potentially looking at a 7 year old boat with IPS 500's.
Thank you.
Click to expand...

rubberduck said:
I am in the process of buying a boat with IPS 600 D6 & have a quote to service both engines & both drives of £2037.73 inc vat. I understand from my engineer who looks after many such boats that IPS is as good as any other, but MUST be serviced properly. Fail to do so & problems can be costly.
Click to expand...

I've previously had 2 IPS 600 boats, which in essence is the same as an IPS 500. Costs were slightly higher but I seem to remember having the engines serviced whist in the water but getting the drives done on a separate visit a month or so later when the boat was lifted. I think VP only recommend a couple of oil changed are carried out with he boat in the water as not all the drive oil can be removed by pumping out.

7 year old IPS drives could be fine, but could be a disaster in waiting. I personally wouldn't take the risk with IPS anymore (and I didn't have any issues with mine), just the thought of what can go wrong puts me well off.
 
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Switch said:
I'd be interested to know what the typical service costs are for IPS 500. Am I right in thinking that only Volvo approved agents can service the drives?
Could any IPS 500 owners care to share their experience with maintenance costs and general reliability? I'm potentially looking at a 7 year old boat with IPS 500's.
Thank you.
Click to expand...

Talk to me Terry
 
rubberduck said:
I am in the process of buying a boat with IPS 600 D6 & have a quote to service both engines & both drives of £2037.73 inc vat. I understand from my engineer who looks after many such boats that IPS is as good as any other, but MUST be serviced properly. Failure to do so & problems can be costly. My experience in the automotive sector leads me to use main agents on anything I own, independents don't tend to be up to date with software & recalls etc. There are two campaigns outstanding for air flaps to be changed under warranty on the new boat for example.
Click to expand...

That wouldn't be for a full service , I heard someone in recent months spent a small fortune on an IPS service to have both drives removed to change the seals , I'd get a quote from a dealer stating exactly what you get for your money .
The oil alone to change both drive units is over £500 .
 
Sishoe said:
I've previously had 2 IPS 600 boats, which in essence is the same as an IPS 500. Costs were slightly higher but I seem to remember having the engines serviced whist in the water but getting the drives done on a separate visit a month or so later when the boat was lifted. I think VP only recommend a couple of oil changed are carried out with he boat in the water as not all the drive oil can be removed by pumping out.

7 year old IPS drives could be fine, but could be a disaster in waiting. I personally wouldn't take the risk with IPS anymore (and I didn't have any issues with mine), just the thought of what can go wrong puts me well off.
Click to expand...

You can only suck out a small amount of oil , to do this properly the boat must be out the water, you need to change the anodes anyway, the alloy ones don't last very long and are a must change every 12 months .
 
volvopaul said:
That wouldn't be for a full service , I heard someone in recent months spent a small fortune on an IPS service to have both drives removed to change the seals , I'd get a quote from a dealer stating exactly what you get for your money .
The oil alone to change both drive units is over £500 .
Click to expand...

Got it in writing, but will check. One of the drives is corroded & being replaced by Boats.co.uk before we get her, I was wondering whether it would be worth me paying to replace the other one at the same time, for complete piece of mind, what do you think? Will be getting all belts, hoses, impellers etc. changed anyway, Also cooling systems removed & cleaned along with any other "prone to age" items. On sea trial she did 37.5 knts & all numbers, temp, revs etc were good. IPS handles superbly as well.
I will get shot if it lets us down with Nicky on board ! I have been told no need as the other drive is fine, just 6 years in salt water.
This one will live on the Isle of wight so feel free to come & have a look / quote to look after, we have heard good things about you. Presumably you can access updates etc. unlike many I could name in the car, van, truck industries.
 
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Firefly625 said:
off topic, sorry, but saw an IPS powered boat mooring up the other day, the most notable thing was how violently it was rocking side to side, it was the strangest thing to watch.
Click to expand...
I believe I already mentioned this in the past, but I think it's worth remembering it again (actually, it would be appropriate to oblige VP to advertise this, and warn not only their clients, but also any other boaters):
On IPS powered boats, if the helmsman isn't VERY careful with the joystick, it's possible to make the boat list enough to hit the walkaround rails with a boat moored nearby, even if properly fendered.
I've seen that happening, not once but twice, and with different boats.
Thanks God, in neither case any crew member had his/her hands on the rails when that happened... :ambivalence:
 
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MapisM said:
I believe I already mentioned this in the past, but I think it's worth remembering it again (actually, it would be appropriate to oblige VP to advertise this, and warn not only their clients, but also any other boaters):
On IPS powered boats, if the helmsman isn't VERY careful with the joystick, it's possible to make the boat list enough to hit the walkaround rails with a boat moored nearby, even if properly fendered.
I've seen that happening, not once but twice, and with different boats.
Thanks God, in neither case any crew member had his/her hands on the rails when that happened... :ambivalence:
Click to expand...

Yep both of my IPS boats tended to rock a little bit when using the joystick, but I think reports of boats violently rocking from side to side are more likely due to the helmsman using the full travel of the stick when trying to manoeuvre. I found if just slight touches or twists of the stick generally had the desired effect and didn’t cause the violent rocking motion people have reported (even in the light weight cardboard Bavaria flybridge I had). I never found a time where I needed to use the high power setting, and tbh a 3rd setting with even lower power would have been useful as a default.
 
rubberduck said:
Got it in writing, but will check. One of the drives is corroded & being replaced by Boats.co.uk before we get her, I was wondering whether it would be worth me paying to replace the other one at the same time, for complete piece of mind, what do you think? Will be getting all belts, hoses, impellers etc. changed anyway, Also cooling systems removed & cleaned along with any other "prone to age" items. On sea trial she did 37.5 knts & all numbers, temp, revs etc were good. IPS handles superbly as well.
I will get shot if it lets us down with Nicky on board ! I have been told no need as the other drive is fine, just 6 years in salt water.
This one will live on the Isle of wight so feel free to come & have a look / quote to look after, we have heard good things about you. Presumably you can access updates etc. unlike many I could name in the car, van, truck industries.
Click to expand...

2k ish is right for a basic annual main dealer service but is just oil, filters, and anodes (engines and drives). Removing drives and replacing seals etc is a far less frequent requirement, 5 years plus or something like that.
The alloy transom anodes are hopeless and don’t even last a year, yet the cast iron ones in the exhausts don’t seem to wear much at all.
 
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