Cummins vs Volvo pods

I don't know the extent of it, both companies are owned by Brunswick Corporation. But just ran a 2018 yacht with 600HP Zues. EVERYTHING on them is branded Mercury and painted Mercury black. I like the Zues over the Volvo in operation. They're a little more precise, the props face aft, and the autopilot is integrated and works better and the fact you can go from shifters to joystick without pressing buttons and wasting a few seconds. Can change all of the fluids from inside the boat. The cummins motors are solid. The lower units were made by Mercury (and electronics) and the transmission from ZF. The Volvo dealers in South Florida are no picnic to deal with either, but I don't think you'd have any issues getting the pods serviced in most places.

Here in south Georgia, the local Cummins shop could not figure out (in 6 months) a sinc problem in the joystic. Every now and then the pods would point in different directions when moving forward.
A gas pump jockey in south fl told the customer it was a known problem, it's the joystick. Owner replaced it him self and problems went away.
I luv my Cummins shop (only one around), but they goofed on that one. The big Cummins/Merc boat yard here didn't have a clue either.
Now that Merc has split from Cummins, I don't see much more support than what I have witnessed.
AND that SmartCrap (no relation) junk, is still having problems.

However, My Volvo shop (Fordham Marine) travels everywhere and no bugs or complaints from my customers.
I'd lean to the ISPs for now.

No. Helpful in most situations yes. The issue with the Yacht Controller is all you have are gears, no throttle. So in normal situations it is fine. But in the really windy or situations with a ton of current, when you need the yacht controller the most, just having gears and no throttle is not enough power to overcome those situations.

Both IPS and ZUES are VERY precise. With the joystick you can move the boat over hardly at all and make very finite movements, or move the boat sideways at 6+ knots. I've had IPS or zues in 30 knot crosswinds and able to easily keep the boat in the exact same spot and have twice as much power to spare.

I have A LOT of time with all of the various propulsion systems. In order of how finite and good they are in close maneuvering situations I would rank them as follows: Zues, IPS, ZF pod, CAT 360, shaft+ bow/stern thruster, jet with joystick (such as hinkley), shafts + bow thruster, shafts no thruster, Arneson with bow thruster, jets with bow thruster, Single inboard with thruster, then twin arneson without thruster, twin jet without thruster, single inboard

Real drivers don't need no stinking thrusters..
Just need a running start. Everybody else will get out of the way.

I have seen that with ZF pods as well. The funny thing was, they were doing the finger pointing with a major boat manufacturer (big vibration issue) and it was a brand new boat. Turns out the Carbon fiber jackshaft was the actual issue and it shredded on me at the coupler as I was running the boat back to Fort Lauderdale from the Miami Boat Show.

I think Mercury now handles everything when it comes to warranty on the Zues. Sad thing is Brunswick owns BOTH Mercury and Cummins.

My personal feeling from what I have observed; Cummins would rather not admit they ever worked with Brunswick.
IMO; I don't blame them..
Ford (gas engine deal long ago) felt the same way.

Define They? Cummins? Merc?
I assume Merc..

Merc is in bed now with another diesel engine supplier. They still have to push the Zues drive.
As we have mentioned here many times, the Z drive (stern, I/O) is a dying product line. Merc inboards have never been a big product to bet on.
If they want to compete with the mid craft power supplier; It's Zuse or their dead.

Cummins could not care less; They have a product to sell without Merc.

I think they are glad it's over (Zuse). Cummins will always be fine in the inboard market. No need for a Zues or any extra drive package.
Now, If they could ever wash their hands of the Smart Crap (no relation) junk.