Merc vs Volvo Penta

[TruckerTim]

Looking at 1990’s to 2005 Aft cabins in the 40’+ range. Very familiar w/ Merc I/O’s but have only heard negatives about the Volvo I/O’s. Looking for feedback on pros/ cons of both in a direct drive setup. Thx

[bud37]

Welcome to the forum......you wont find any I/O's in aft cabins in the 40' range, or any range for that matter.....all inboards, did you just mean inboards ?

[TruckerTim]

I meant I have experience with Merc I/O’s. Looking for pros and cons of the Volvo vs the Merc inboards. Thanks for the clarity!

[Midnightsun]

Since we are talking inboards there is no drive to look at so bottom line we are talking engines. Both manufacturers base their engines off of big block American iron. They both perform equally well and I would not hesitate to chose either one. The only plus I can see on any side is Merc parts are easier to come by and a little cheaper.

[tomschauer]

I agree with Hans. The difference is in the marinization of the engines (manifolds, heat exchangers etc) and the fuel / computer systems. Every thing else is GM. (mercury did start to build there own engines in 2017 I believe) I have had Volvo's and Mercs, I never owned a crusader that I can recall. Both were solid. Merc parts are usually cheaper and easier to get as mentioned.

[pepmyster]

Agreed, Now I have VP's, always had Mercs, see no real difference, VP's are a little easier to work on.

[Cooler]

Hans & Tom are spot on. They are expert level resources. I will never say anything negative about Volvo. Had Volvo's for 20 years and never, ever had a problem. One time, I had a u joint on an I/O wear out after 600 hours. Otherwise, just gas, oil, and general maintenance. Side note: Volvo couplers are considered best in class for strength, performance, and durability. Both mechanics I work with swear by them. The 7.4L gas are really thirsty, even at low RPM's. A friend of mine had a Cruisers 36 MY with 7.4's and he would whine once in a while. He went to diesels after 2 seasons. er

[Viper]

Welcome aboard Tim.

Pros and cons to both builds but all in all both are good products. As mentioned, Merc has better dealer saturation so parts are easier to get as there's likely to be a Merc dealer close by. If there's a Volvo dealer around, parts are usually only a day's delivery away, at least up here it is. The warehouse in Canada is in BC and parts will arrive in Ontario overnight if ordered by noon. Merc or Volvo, some parts won't be stocked at the dealership....can't possibly carry everything for every model. Preventive maintenance is key!

[pepmyster]

Yes , being preventive is a very strong key. Not many boaters spend time in the engine bay looking around and verifing if all is okay.

[Midnightsun]

Both you and I actually spend too much time down there. Next thing you know we will be cleaning the engine nooks and crannies with Qtips.