Volvo Penta no longer provides warranties on their engines

[petem]

IMO, the best thing about VP engines is that they were sold in large number. Consequently, there will always enough demand for 3rd party suppliers to make components to keep them running. There's also a huge amount of knowledge out there which can be very useful.

 

[julians]

IMO, the best thing about VP engines is that they were sold in large number. Consequently, there will always enough demand for 3rd party suppliers to make components to keep them running. There's also a huge amount of knowledge out there which can be very useful.

agree - sold in large numbers, with a dealer/service agent in (or near) nearly every marina in all the popular locations

 

[roa312]

Anyhow, since you asked, and without pretending to bring to the table anything as accurate as he can, based on a specific technical involvement, here's my 2c.
[...]
All that said, out of curiosity, have you got a VP powered boat?
And if yes, which engine/transmission?
It's not like everything they make is junk, you know...

Thank you for the write-up. Yes, I have VP D6 engines (370hp) from 2009 with outdrives. I don't have a particularly strong opinion about them, except for the outdrives, which are a pain. I would have preferred shaft drives if the boat had been available with that option. In the Nordic region, VP pretty much holds a monopoly, especially in the 30-50 ft range and particularly with the D6 engines. I think the other alternatives like MAN, Caterpillar, Cummins, Yanmar, etc. are often not even offered in new boats here. This means opinions on other options are scarce, while VP mechanics are plentiful, and spare parts are generally easy to obtain (excluding the COVID-related shortages). I generally don't hear too many horror stories, but that may be because boats here probably run significantly less than in the Med and also generally spend 6-7 months of the year on land.

It’s interesting to hear others’ opinions on the quality of their products and any issues, even if they are anecdotal. I appreciate that VolvoPaul's experiences indicate a general trend, and it’s surely something to keep in mind for anyone considering purchasing a new boat (unfortunately not me btw ).

 

[Daydream believer]

Or you take the Snap-on-tools approach which has seen them rise to legendary status within their market.

Overpriced & if you get a screw driver & tap the corner on a steel surface you will see that it distorts showing how soft its tip is.