www.iFourWinns.com

I'm stocking up on maintenance items... Sierra makes fuel filters, oil filters, oil, impellars, etc... All that are OE quality to genuing Volvo (if they aren't the one's that make them for Volvo)

Has anyone ever had any experience with Sierra products that would drive me away from going that route? The cost savings adds up when you consider a couple of services per year or so, 2 motors, etc...

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

As a tech, let me just say this,,,you get what you pay for. For example, the last tune up I did, the owner wanted best price. It was a 140 Mercruiser and Sierra had the best price on the parts. The tune up went well and she runs fine. The points, condenser, cap and rotor were ALL made in different countries. That tells me that Sierra Marine outsources everything. I have in the past had Sierra parts break during installation or shortly after. They CAN work as good as VP parts and can have a high failure rate too.

On my boat I only use VP genuine parts. I dont mind paying a little more money for good piece of mind.

John

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07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

I am of the belief that using OEM stuff is worth the price difference.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Like aftermarket car parts I'm sure some is OK and some is junk. I used Sierra bellows last time I had the drive off, originals were 5 years old and still looked fine. We'll see how long they last, they looked like OE but the numbers on them were different so they werent VP reboxed.

Now the sierra impeller I bought was pretty bad looking, it seemed like it was flaking apart in my fingers when I was putting it in the housing. I picked up an OE impeller and kept the sierra for a spare.

Like car parts i prefer OE, replacing the bellows was a last minute thing when I had the drive off and I couldnt find OE anywhere local.

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2006 Vista 248 5.7DP - SOLD
2011 Crownline E6 - SOLD
2007 Sea Ray 260 Sundancer

"Genuine Volvo-Penta Parts" Volvo makes less than 8% of their parts. You would be surprised at where their "OEM" stuff is made.
VP propellers. Volvo makes NONE of them.
VP electronics, relays, switches, etc. Volvo makes NONE of them.
The list goes on and on.....
I have stacks of VP packaging material in the plant here at work. The product that goes into the boxes, as well as the boxes themselves
are all made here in the midwest, and shipped to Volvo DC's in Gent, Sweden and US warehouse.

Same with "GM certified" parts for cars. GM does not make them either. They are just certified to the manufacturers specs.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

I agree with Cap'n. OEM parts could come from anywhere, as the OEM sources from all over the place.

Further evidence:

I just replaced my anodes on my alpha drive, changing from aluminium to magnesium. My dealer, for some strange reason, ordered all individual anodes for me instead of a complete kit. Mercury carries all of the anodes in magnesium, save for the bearing carrier anode. Sierra does make the carrier bearing anode in magnesium so I ordered that one to finish off the install. All of the parts, OE and Sierra, were made in China.

Is the price difference worth it? I dunno.... I guess as long as the aftermarket part meets the OEM spec. Trouble is that you have no way of knowing if that is indeed the case. In the case of the anodes, both the OEM and the Sierra parts could have come out of the same factory using the same metal, just packaged differently for the OEM and the aftermarket.

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2009 H180 w/3.0 Merc
Homebuilt Minimax Hydro
2011 Zodiac Cadet 310

Specifically, I am talking about oil filters, fuel filters, and sierras synthetic oil. I would definitely use oem caps, rotors, impellars, etc.... Unless you go better-than-oem quality.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

My boat was recently serviced (oil changes etc after I threw in the towel...) The boat had aftermarket oil filters on it and my service guy cut one of them open. He said he only uses OEM stuff (yeah, could be made by somebody else anyway, but its at least to OEM requirements) and noted that the filter that was on the boat wasnt the best due to the material inside. Something about either the level of filtering it does etc...

I do know that the impellers were 1 season old (not OEM) and both had damage. Also, the gen impeller was less than a season old, also not OEM and was damaged.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Really. this thread does not have a possibility of getting a definative answer. The filter's, oil etc that came on your boat when new, were approved as OEM by the maunfacturer. Obviously good enough to buy and use the same again. I suspect that with the type vehicles you own, house in the area you live, your boat bought new, and working for Bill, saving a buck or two with aftermarket brands is not an issue. Do you have your Lexus serviced at Clem's corner fillin' station? If you were to buy macoroni and cheese, would you buy Safeway brand or Kraft ?

Ultimately, it's your money, your boat, and your decision.

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One of 4 Previous (Sold) Boats:
2000 Four Winns 268 Vista

Current Boat: 2004 Chaparral 235 ssi cuddy

Firm believer in buying OEM for my boat as well as my cars. And take it from me there is a difference. I have been selling parts for almost 15 years now. Started at local after market auto parts stores, moved into a car dealership selling Chrysler, GM and Subaru parts. Last 7 years have been for Toyota forklifts. OEM always rains suprem when compared to after market IMO. However like today when I got a head gasket in for a Nissan industrial engine (after market ordered) it actually had the OEM Nissan part number stamped on it. So never know what your getting with after market.

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1998 Baja Boss 252 7.4L MPI Bravo 1 (SOLD)
2007 FW H200SS 5.0GXI (Sold)
2004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew 6.0L (tow vehicle)
1991 FW 170 Freedom 4.3L (SOLD)

Just changed to Magnesium anodes too. I had the dealer order the kit from Quicksilver. Box was clearly marked on the outside: Made In china.

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2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow

Good analogies Cap'n.... and all very valid. Between oil, oil filters, and fuel filters - the price difference is roughly 30-40 bucks. Not a big deal at all. Sierra parts are ready available at Fisheries Supply (a major distributor which I'd be surprised if you haven't heard of). They do not stock Volvo maintenance parts. It's either ordering online, or from Winnisquam, or going to a specific Volvo Mechanic/boat yard around here.

Fisheries is the easiest for me - hence the question. As for your other questions... yes, both Lexus' are serviced at the dealer, and we prefer Kraft over the Safeway brand in the case of Macaroni. However, I do buy Safeway brand tonic water which is half the price of the 'name brand' as I mix it in with grey goose vodka. So, I suppose, I am known to be a bit frugal here and there.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

I've used Sierra oil filters, fuel filters and a Sierra starter and they all function just fine. Impellers, I like to stick with OE but honestly I compared Sierra and OMC impellers and could not see a difference. Even my mechanics use their stuff. As far as automotive stuff, I have found aftermarket brake rotors SUPERIOR to OE. Yes that's right, my 98 Jeep had the classic brake rotor shimmy that they all get, and it was cured with Wagner aftermarket rotors, the OE would warp at 11K miles, the Wagners, 2 sets I got 70K miles out of each, before the rust caused me to change em. So sometimes aftermarket is better, but I'm sure there are times when it's not, just the nature of the business...

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

If you are only talking about filters, then I would stick to something that is of higher quality then Sierra. Same goes for oil but again that's just my opinion. Filters and oil are NOT all created equal and there are many sites on the net that have done testing on them comparing the differences. I use allot of Volvo stuff because my local dealer gives me incredible prices, cheaper then the internet. He's been working on Volvo drives for 30 years, and that's pretty much all he works on. He is a pro, probably the best on the east coast. He runs a dealership out of his workshop at his home. He does not sell boats.

As far as impellers, he actually recommends Jabsco over VP if you have any wear inside your pump. And no, he does not even sell Jabsco. He says the VP's are made perfect for a new pump, but the Jabsco's are just a touch larger so he uses them anytime there is wear inside the pump.

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99 Horizon 190 - Volvo 5.7
06 Sea Doo RXP (79 GPS) / 05 Sea Doo GTX Limited (74 GPS)

It's all made in China lol!