12-04-2021, 08:42 AM
I have a 2008 4300 Sovran with IPS D6 pods. I’ve had twin v drives on other boats. There is no comparison to handling pods vs. shafts. Pods are much easier for docking and they are more efficient. Maintenance cost is higher. I do my own annual maintenance and it runs about $1650 total for both engines and genset. That is everything from oil to filters, zincs, air filters, fuel filters. Most expensive item is the pod oil, 75w90 synthetic from Volvo. Every 4-5 years you will need to service shaft seals on the pods. Runs about $1500 per pod. I run oil samples of each pod annually, cost is about $25 each. That lets me know if there are any issues brewing before they are major. When I purchased the boat I had a Volvo certified tech check out the engines and pods as well as prior maintenance done and upgrades. Worth the cost to get that done. I would not shy away from pods, and would look for the right boat that meets budget and how you like to boat. Happy to discuss further if you would like.
