Hello, I’m buying a new 220S but find most are equipped with a Volvo Penta DPS V6/280. Is this power adequate for the boat or is the V8/300 the better choice? Thanks, Bob
Bob, My close friend had a 2014 220. He had the Volvo 300. He had no issues pulling skiers, wakeboarders or 2 tubes. It also ran out at about 55 mph. He never had an issue with the engine.
Boating Forums are filled with posts from people wishing they had more power in their boats. No one ever wishes they had less power. There is no inexpensive way to add power to a boat. Always get the most motor you can. You will be happiest in the long run. Shawn
If money was no object I’d be happy to follow that advice. , was just wondering if anyone on the forum has the V6/280 in their 220 and can comment on how it performs.
Bob, because there is so little activity on our forum this time of year it is unlikely you'll get a response. I hope I'm wrong. I've been boating for 50 years and what I said earlier comes from years of experience. Find a way to buy the boat with the bigger motor. You will never be sorry. The V-6 will be OK for times when you are lightly loaded but trust me, there will be times you will wish you had gone with the bigger motor. If you are financing the boat the difference in the payment will be minimal. And when it comes time to sell you will have a more desirable boat that will bring top dollar. Good luck with your decision and welcome to the Forum. At least you are buying a Cobalt....regardless of the engine size! Shawn
Thanks for the advice. Its mainly a budget thing. I've got an opportunity on a new 2016 210 with V6/280 at a great price, but after sitting in a 2018 220S, I'm considering that boat, although it is getting to the top of my budget range for a toy that will see about 12 weekends of use per year. I don't finance toys so after adding 12% tax, a 2018 220S with a V8/300 is starting to get up there. Having said that, I think the dealers are selling HP and when you load a boat up with people, I'm starting to think that torque rather than HP is what you need. And ... all of the engine research I have done seems to be saying that while the V6/280 is much improved over the V8's of 5 years ago, they are producing much less torque than the new 5th gen V8/300. I'm waiting for teh dealer to get back to me on a final price before I make a decision on which new boat I'll buy.
Good luck on your decision Bob. I agree with Shawn on the V6 vs V8 argument. You will never be sorry for spending the extra dollars for the V8. Also, going to a 220 vs a 210 will make a difference in ride, comfort and storage. 1' does make a difference. It all comes down to enjoyment. Its hard to enjoy something when you are always saying "I wish I had.....". You have to be comfortable with what you are spending and how much you will be using the boat.
Thanks Walt. My dealer has said that the new 5th generation Volvo Penta V6/280 is a better performer than the 4th Gen V8/270. I found this review of the 5th generation engines: I know everyone says you can’t have too much power and if I end up ordering a new 220S I’ll put a V8/300 in it, despite my dealer’s assurances that the V6/280 is more than adequate for the boat. If I elect to take the leftover 210, it will be powered by the V6/280. For what it’s worth the dealer says, since 2016 when the 5 th gens came out, guys trading up to new boats have been wary of dropping from a V8 to a V6/280 and he has a lot of discussion with anxious buyers but after the sale he hasn’t had complaints. He says he sold 15 Cobalts last season, of which 8 were 220s and all were equipped with this engine and all were happy. Finally I spoke with a Cobalt dealer in VA who wrote an article a few years back about the differences between Mercruiser and Volvo propulsion and then offered an opinion on appropriate power by boat weight class. He recommended a 5.0 or 5.7L engine for boats weighing 3,500 - 5,000 lbs. when I asked him about this he said that the game had changed since the article was written and that the current V6/280 is a better performer than the V8s of 5 years ago and that is primarily what he puts in the 220s he sells. I was just hoping to find an actual owner of one of these boats equipped with that motor to tell me how it performs in case I end up with the 210. Finally, as far as ride goes, I’m told that while the 220 is a foot longer, the 210 is actually a better rough water performer. While both boats have a 21 degree dead rise, the 210 has a more aggressive bow angle and a bit more freeboard. No question the 220S has more cockpit space, partly coming from the extra boat length, but also because the windshield was moved forward and the bow seat backs are a bit more upright. The boat feels much larger in the main lounge area as a result. I think that is a positive trade off for the way we would use our boat. Thanks.
Bob, I watched the Volvo video with great interest and somewhat a change of opinion. My views in my earlier post come from my years of boating experience. There is no substitute for horsepower/torque in boating. But the video on Volvo power reminded me of my second love....auto racing. Specifically sports car racing. I was reminded how Ford is getting great HP and torque numbers out of their smaller 4 & 6 cylinder engines with their Eco-Boost technology. In fact, when Ford built their new, and very successful Ford GT, they went against expectations and used a twin-turbocharged, 3.5 liter V-6 engine. That car is winning against V-8 and V-12 powered cars. My 1985 Cobalt CM23 only came with one engine option....a 260 Mercruiser/Alpha I drive package. With that boat I never felt the need for more power. I have never run my boats at WOT for periods more than a minute or two. Back then, all of my boating was done along the coast of Southern California. We didn't ski or tube behind this boat. It went to lunch, dinner and for cocktail cruises and made the 26-mile trip to Catalina Island 400+ times. For my needs the power was adequate. But my partner on the boat always wanted more power. And after I exited the partnership in 1998 he went through a succession of engine changes (10 I think) looking for the right combination. The boat currently has the last, and most dependable combination so far, a 383 Stroker motor and an SEI sterndrive. My point in all of this is you need to buy the boat/motor combination that will give you the best performance for your boating style/needs. In past years, boat manufacturers wanted to make boats affordable for everyone and to lower costs they sold a lot of boats with inadequate, and less expensive, engine packages. Many bought those boats, and are still buying them used, only to discover some of them didn't have enough power to get on plane with a full load of fuel and 4 people on board. I'm a long-time member of the Sea Ray Forum and every year there are 5-6 new members that post asking for suggestions to get more power in their boats. They are given the advice they ask for and then don't like the answers. It's expensive and estimates are about $1,000 for every MPH gained. Example: 4.3L to 5.7L engine swap will cost $5-7,000. Speed gain....6-10 MPH. So my advice is always....If you want the most economical way to make a boat go faster....buy a faster boat. In other words, the boat with the biggest motor. Good luck with your decision. Half the fun is looking and after you make that purchase, please stay with us here on this forum and post lots of pictures....we like pictures. Shawn
My dealer and I are about $2,000 apart on a new 220S, so if he meets me half way he will sell me a new boat this week with a V8/300. If not, I’ll just start out boating with a new 2016 210 with the V6/280 power. That boat will cost me $44,000USD and I’ve seen used 200s with 5th gen V6/240HP for sale for more than that, so even if it is low on power, I’m sure I can resell it without too much of a loss. Cobalt says that boat with 280 HP planes in 2.9 seconds vs 2.3 seconds for the V8/300. Of course that is with one passenger.
I don't have much to add to the discussion Bob, but good luck on your purchase either way! Can't wait to see some pics I wonder how long it's going to be before boat manufacturers start substituting smaller turbo motors for big cubes. That's how cars are going, I'd imagine it's just a matter of time before boats end up the same way. I currently drive a BMW with a turbo inline 6, smallest engine I've ever owned in a car, and probably the best too. Would love to see something similar in a boat.
Thanks all. Bought the new 2016 210 with V6/280. It just fit the budget better. The new 220S was going to cost $27,000CAD ($22,000USD) more than the 210 and that, in the end is just too much for a first boat that will see 15 hours of use each summer. I think it will be a great first boat.
Actually, I won’t take delivery of the boat 7ntil mid May although I pay for it in early March. It is Ebony with a citrin (yellow) bootstripe. Standard carpet Makassa rubbed wood on dash, standard sound, Volvo Penta 5th Gen V6/280HP with dual stainless steel props. It also has dual batteries and fender clips. Not my first colour choice but with our exchange rate I could barely find a used 210 Cobalt for what I paid for this leftover 2016 model. I’ll post pictures when I have them.
Thanks. It goes in the water for the first time Wednesday, June 13th. The dealer will be delivering it to the marina I use and giving me a run through as this is my first boat.
