Third party service parts suppliers

[FalconSteve]

Hi all,

Following my bad news regarding my busted turbo charger, my budget has been dented for this year, I have therefore decided to use non volvo service parts; oil, anodes, filters etc.

Can the forum recommend budget suppliers who have decent customer service?

Many thanks,

Steve

 

[volvopaul]

Steve , have a look at some previous posts about third party suppliers, I gave some input on fuel filters compared against genuine parts.

Exactly how much do you intend to save? After all the ad31 isn't an expensive engine to maintain.

 

[FalconSteve]

Hi Paul, last year I spent near on £500 on the parts from rk marine, including anodes and oil for the legs.

 

[PirateMark]

I have used non genium parts and oil for petrol v6 petrol engine since owning a boat, i dont do OEm stuff unless i have no choice, the Engine oil from RK will be the same spec as the stuff you buy from an auto store with the same spec. Im trying to get an alternator for my V/P 434 v6 rk want £350 ringing around the same alternator i can get for £200, or a USA Delco inport from Repower marine in falmouth is £125 deliverd to my door.

petrol and oil filter i use sirra marine or if i can mann filters.

 

[FalconSteve]

Hi mark,

I have used volvo parts for the last 2 years since owning the boat, mainly to give future buyers a top class service log, but I am facing a large refurb bill for my turbo, I can't justify the extra cost this year.

Given the age of the engines (23 years) and the sparse service history prior to my ownership, I think third party consumables will be just fine.

I do worry a bit about the quality of after market products, especially the fuel filters, I might stick with volvo fuel filters to get the smallest micron possible.

 

[sailorman]

Hi mark,

I have used volvo parts for the last 2 years since owning the boat, mainly to give future buyers a top class service log, but I am facing a large refurb bill for my turbo, I can't justify the extra cost this year.

Given the age of the engines (23 years) and the sparse service history prior to my ownership, I think third party consumables will be just fine.

I do worry a bit about the quality of after market products, especially the fuel filters, I might stick with volvo fuel filters to get the smallest micron possible.

Ask yourself, "Do Volvo make fuel & oil Filters or oil for that matter"

 

[aquapower]

Ask yourself, "Do Volvo make fuel & oil Filters or oil for that matter"

Ask yourself, what parts would you rather have used if there's a failure that wrecked an engine, it seems owners are happy to save a few quid and risk damage to an expensive engine by using non approved parts.

When I worked in brokerage, the hardest boats to sell were the ones with non genuine parts fitted as buyers used to say its been looked after on the cheap

 

[volvopaul]

Ask yourself, "Do Volvo make fuel & oil Filters or oil for that matter"

No they don't make them.

They employ companies to make them to there spec that's time tested to there spec and quality.

 

[FalconSteve]

I wouldn't compromise safety at sea through mechanical failure, this is something that I thought about when deciding to investigate cheaper service suppliers. It is true that the specs of oe parts are rigorously set and tested, but it is also true that the manufactured parts are then subject to the 'Volvo approved tax'.

I am interested in hearing about any breakdown situations caused by third party service parts, do any of the forum members have a tale to tell?

Finally I should add that the 'servicing on the cheap' stigma is a very valid point. I have discovered some corners had been cut on my boat in the years prior to my acquisition, these were all down to not doing things that needed doing to save a few quid, rather than using third party parts. The service history on my boat is patchy to say the least, I have very few receipts for annual service parts, so I have no idea about how well she was cared for. I made an assessment on the condition of the core components at the time of purchase and went in with my eyes open regarding work that definitely needed to be done and other work that would likely need to be done. My boat is quite a low value boat compared to many on here, I'm not sure I would have the same attitude about a 250k boat as I have about my 25k boat.

I think a comprehensive service service history since 2012 is more valuable for resale than the parts list at this stage of my boats life.

 

[PirateMark]

I disagree with the whole OEM thing, my sealine 230 called DaySpring was brought with issues everywhere from engine, to wiring, stuff fitted wrong, people like to scare munger other into using OEM parts, I will agree a new engine will have to use OEM consumable for the warrantee to be valid, on an engine like mine 1994 it does not matter. I recently brought an exhaust riser bolt from VP cost £7 which I fittied as the order also contained the 290 trim pump filter that you can not buy as a non oem.
I took that bolt to my local supplier and asked them to tell me why they think the bolt is so dam expensive for a standard steel bolt, they could not tell the difference and said for £4 they could supply a top spec SSteel one.
Engine oil has a spec just match the spec of oil with the engine manual requirement, my vp 434 has SL spec oil, if I wanted to I could go and get a better spec again like SP or similar, do not waste you money on VP oil.

Oil and fuel filters will all vary to what micron the internal mesh element will be unless you cut one open, you will have idea what they have built it to if you ask VP as I have done they will be unable to tell you for an old engine. The non oem filters will be built to a spec and sold fit for purpose, I will never use the VP ones but will buy a brand I have used and can trust from experience. All my engine and trim legs use the correct spec to the manual, engine oil I normally use shell for engine and texico for trim leg oil, the spec if matched will be identical in quality but will be half the price if sourced online.
If you really want to save money go and buy a drum of oil to that spec and change it more often.

Same goes for the pump impeller I have brought better quality impellers from Italy and jabsco than I have VP. VP do not make impellers they buy them in and box them in there own branding.

New engine yes use OEM parts, after the warrantee don't bother unless you can not purchase that part as a non OEM item

 

[Nick_H]

Ask yourself, what parts would you rather have used if there's a failure that wrecked an engine, it seems owners are happy to save a few quid and risk damage to an expensive engine by using non approved parts.

When I worked in brokerage, the hardest boats to sell were the ones with non genuine parts fitted as buyers used to say its been looked after on the cheap

It's an interesting dilemna this, saving on service cost vs. maintaining re-sale value.

I've long held the opinion that we over-service our boats. If we were doing it rationally we'd split the service items into two categories - those that degrade, or are consumed, simply by the passage of a year in time, and those that only degrade or are consumed when the engines are running.

Take air filters as an example, which cost almost £300 to replace on my boat. If you went to buy new air filters for the boat, and the dealer gave you brand new filters with a manufacturing date 12 months earlier, would you refuse to accept them on the basis that their useful life was over? Of course not, but we seem to accept that if they sit in an engine room for 12 months then they automatically need changing, regardless of how many hours the boat has done. Likewise all the other filters, which in total are more than half the cost of my service items each year. They are all designed to do hundreds of hours, yet we change them after 50-100 hours because the 12 months is up.

I ask myself each year, should I just change the oil, anodes and impellers this year, but always decide on a full service so that the next buyer of my boat doesn't think i've skimped on maintenance.

 

[gjgm]

It's an interesting dilemna this, saving on service cost vs. maintaining re-sale value.

I've long held the opinion that we over-service our boats. If we were doing it rationally we'd split the service items into two categories - those that degrade, or are consumed, simply by the passage of a year in time, and those that only degrade or are consumed when the engines are running.

Take air filters as an example, which cost almost £300 to replace on my boat. If you went to buy new air filters for the boat, and the dealer gave you brand new filters with a manufacturing date 12 months earlier, would you refuse to accept them on the basis that their useful life was over? Of course not, but we seem to accept that if they sit in an engine room for 12 months then they automatically need changing, regardless of how many hours the boat has done. Likewise all the other filters, which in total are more than half the cost of my service items each year. They are all designed to do hundreds of hours, yet we change them after 50-100 hours because the 12 months is up.

I ask myself each year, should I just change the oil, anodes and impellers this year, but always decide on a full service so that the next buyer of my boat doesn't think i've skimped on maintenance.

I agree, Nick. Given how many hours I do a year, I also wonder why I seem to be replacing all those parts every twelve months, and there is certainly an element of why scrimp £150 and potentially lose £xK on the boat sale. Whether someone is going to fret about an air filter, I dont know, but I wouldnt like to be off a rocky headland in some overfalls and be hoping that the belts hold out as I didnt bother to replace them over the last years.
Still, overserviced.. yes.

 

[EugeneR]

It's not just in warranty where using original parts make a difference. A few years ago, I spent around £12 extra to get original bellows for our 285's outdrive. When one failed because of a manufacturing issue, letting water into the drive, the distributor agreed to replace most of the 7-8 year old drive. In fact, after adding a few £100 I got a completely new drive - saving me the potential pains of a 8+ year old drive!

That said, for primary filters, oil and the like, I'd consider cheaper parts as well - as long as they have the same specification.

 

[Nick_H]

It's not just in warranty where using original parts make a difference. A few years ago, I spent around £12 extra to get original bellows for our 285's outdrive. When one failed because of a manufacturing issue, letting water into the drive, the distributor agreed to replace most of the 7-8 year old drive. In fact, after adding a few £100 I got a completely new drive - saving me the potential pains of a 8+ year old drive!

If the bellow was faulty, then I think the supplier would have a legal obligation to put right the resulting damage to the outdrive, regardless of who made the part, so arguably you only got what you were legally entitled to. It may be that you would have had a bigger argument with another manufacturers parts though, and in general terms it's often worth paying more to reduce hassle.

 

[superheat6k]

... but it is also true that the manufactured parts are then subject to the 'Volvo approved tax'. ...

Then of course you have to add HAT - 'Hamble Added Tax' !

For a Volvo Penta Gearbox Oil cooler try a rate of 1,600% compared with the sensible cost of a better made EJ Bowman equivalent.

But shock horror it is not an OEM part !

 

[oldgit]

Ask yourself, what parts would you rather have used if there's a failure that wrecked an engine, it seems owners are happy to save a few quid and risk damage to an expensive engine by using non approved parts.

When I worked in brokerage, the hardest boats to sell were the ones with non genuine parts fitted as buyers used to say its been looked after on the cheap

Sorry, but this may be factor in high value boats but for most of us the sheer cost of anything with VP stamped on it is a disincentive to do a job . A new shiney set of VP filters in a filthy bilge speaks volumes.
Much prefer a boat that has been maintained every year with oil/filters and stuff from a local motor factor over something only serviced infrequently when the owner can afford it due to high costs of OE bits.
Touch wood in 40 odd years of fettling boats, have never had anything fail because it did not have a V and a P printed on it in blue.
Many folks feel more comfortable with the manufacturers recommended spare parts and thats fine. Its their money.

 

[PCUK]

More money than sense!

 

[PirateMark]

It's not just in warranty where using original parts make a difference. A few years ago, I spent around £12 extra to get original bellows for our 285's outdrive. When one failed because of a manufacturing issue, letting water into the drive, the distributor agreed to replace most of the 7-8 year old drive. In fact, after adding a few £100 I got a completely new drive - saving me the potential pains of a 8+ year old drive!

That said, for primary filters, oil and the like, I'd consider cheaper parts as well - as long as they have the same specification.

I asked this question a while ago, if a VP parts breaks that I recently I fitted what/is there a warrantee, they told me I would have to bring the part back for inspection, but if it not fitted by an approved VP engineer there is no warrantee as the issue could of been caused by some one not know that they are doing. I have Vp filter on my new boat when it's time for a change I will cut the vp one in 2 pieces and buy a 2 cheap ones and cut one up then we will see the difference between filters

 

[Spi D]

Back to original question:

...I spent around £12 extra to get original bellows for our 285's outdrive. When one failed because of a manufacturing issue, letting water into the drive, the distributor agreed to replace most of the 7-8 year old drive...

No statements about 3rd party related faults, but EugeneR reports one caused by an OEM part.

It might be an aspect to consider, that almost all marine engines are built on initially non marine-engines. Specs and requirements are often inherited from the original manufacturer and apart from obviously marinized parts, such specs must be valid.

After 5 decades of boating, my value based selection of parts have brought me OEM and 3rd party parts with no issues at all. Sometimes OEM parts are same price or even less expensive, but price alone does not define value.

You need to decide what makes value to you personally and that even goes for non boaty things.

 

[Portofino]

I asked this question a while ago, if a VP parts breaks that I recently I fitted what/is there a warrantee, they told me I would have to bring the part back for inspection, but if it not fitted by an approved VP engineer there is no warrantee as the issue could of been caused by some one not know that they are doing. I have Vp filter on my new boat when it's time for a change I will cut the vp one in 2 pieces and buy a 2 cheap ones and cut one up then we will see the difference between filters

I,ve seen that done and displayed at Merc garage .
They dissected air,oil filters -you would be surprised of internal difference -surface area and of size of holes .
They also dissected other stuff - starter motors and alternators -look the same on the outside -but inside big differences .
You know the lounge area where you wait with the coffee + big screen etc .The display board was there .
"take a seat Sir while I,ll bring your car round" ( when you go and collect it after service )
They appear the same externally -that's the prob -especially filters
So I would use genuine parts @ service esp consumables and oil unless you absolutely sure
the after Mkt stuff is just a different package ??
Hope this helps