First time buyer SeaDoo Challenger, advice please

[No1uNo]

Hi everyone,

It's been a long time since I've posted here. Anyway, I'm considering buying an older (1995-2000) Seadoo Challenger as they look like a ton of fun and mostly will fit within my budget and driveway constraints. I also really like the 5 seater configuration of the older Challengers as opposed to the 4 seater config of the Speedsters and Sportsters. Recently I've been looking at the listing that I'll link to below and have been chatting with the owner. I really like the boat but I think he's asking a bit too much for it and I also have some concerns I'd like to run by you experts for input.

First, the boat doesn't have an hour meter and the owner has no idea how many hours the engines have on them other than to say that it hasn't been used much within the past couple of years. He also doesn't know (or hasn't offered to tell) if the engines have been rebuilt recently. I asked about the condition of the wear rings and he doesn't know what wear rings are. I described to him late last night where they are and how to check them and haven't heard back yet.

With these things in mind, I offered him $5,000 and he won't take it, saying I'd have to come up. Typically I see used boats like this from 1995-1997 go for around the $4,500 range but those often have single engines and usually they have been recently rebuilt or even completely replaced. This one is a 2000 with twin Rotax engines. From the pics it looks pretty clean but who knows what the real life item will be like. I really like this boat but am concerned that I might buy it and find out both engines are in need of a major rebuild. I could possibly offer him more (in the $5500 range) but I'm not sure if the boat is worth it considering the possible maintenance expenses it might need in the very near future. Are my concerns here genuine or should I not worry about it so much?

The guy lives about 2 hours from me so it's a bit of a trip to get there and would end up being a very full day to coordinate a time when I could go out, take it to a shop for inspection and get them to tell me the hours on the engines (if he'd even let me do that) and/or take it for a water test. I've done a bit of research into these things but am a complete novice. Any advice from your collective experience would be most appreciated.

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1278951794&requestSource=b

 

[SkidooSeado]

Hey I just bought a 2003 Sportster for $3,500 also CDN dollars but having said that I stole it. It runs great but right after I bought it I took it into a Seadoo guy to check it. He checked compression (mine was 130-130), he pulled off Rave valves and looked at piston and cylinders that were again perfect, drive (mine was almost new) hull for structural damage, changed jet oil and gave it a clean bill of health. Also when he had it hooked up to the computer he said it only had 130 hours.

If you get it for around $5k and its good thats the right price.. It looks clean on Kiiji

 

[Lumps]

Yes that seems ok if it's clean and everything works well. I wouldn't pay that much without a test drive. Also make sure the trailer is ok


5500 in my mind would be the high end of the range but some boats are just the good. You don't want to pay a premium price for a fixerupper

 

[No1uNo]

A 2003 for only $3,500??? Wow, you really did steal that. In fact, I think I can hear the sirens coming after you from all the way over here in Edmonton.

He won't take $5k. I haven't tried offering him anything else yet as I'm not sure how high it would be worth it to go. I was thinking of making an offer of $5,500. In your view (or anyone else reading this), do you think that would be too high? I would hope I luck out and get a clean bill of health like you did but there's always the risk of the unknown so I'm trying to weigh the balance between a fair price and risk acceptance. The owner did message me back this morning and said performance-wise it runs at a top speed of about 53mph which was a slight improvement from when he changed the plugs. He also said he "looked at the impellers and they look fine".

 

[SkidooSeado]

LOL ya I was watching for coppers all the way home! I also had to drive almost 4 hours each way to get mine and beg to see it first but it was worth it. As far as top speed of 53 I say ok? Maybe but thats not the best part of the jet boats for me!
As well its not just impeller but drive shafts and ring. Compression also tells a lot especially when you have 2 engines I didn't want a twin as twice as much to break!!

 

[No1uNo]

Yeah, I prefer a single engine as well but these boats are a little hard to come by around here and the ones that do go up for sale and aren't overpriced sell very very quickly. Most of the ones that I do see are only 4 seaters and I definitely want the 5 which is more of a priority for me than the single engine.

 

[Lumps]

I think 53 is a good speed. My 98 challenger did 50 with 2 passengers and a full tank of gas. That was with new rings. I never really drive it that fast. I definitely never said I wish it were faster


with out seeing the boat it's hard to say if you should pay 5500. There are a lot of factors like how bad do you want a boat now? Or how much is 5500 to you? These boats are a huge money hole 5500 is a great deal if that is all you ever pay for it. It's a ton if you spend all your time getting it fixed

It sounds reasonable from what is on the surface. Give it a good going over a d don't gloss over things that need to be fixed. At any rate they are good points to assist you in your negotiations

 

[No1uNo]

One thing that worries me about getting into any boat or watercraft of any kind is that it will be a non-stop money hole constantly leaving me stranded in the middle of the lake. I grew up on the lake, my parents had a 16ft 1980's Glastron with an 85 Merc and it was rock solid. The thing never broke down and I don't remember my dad having to put much into repairs at all. Of course, my parents also purchased their boat brand new and sold it when it was around the age of the boats that I'm looking at buying. That could be why ;-).

Anyway, I expanded my search area (and also found another local listing I'd previously missed) and found what I think are two better deals than the one I'd posted above. Any advice on either of these?

1) This is my first pick as I think my wife will much prefer this seating config (forward facing passenger seat with a windbreaker) and I also kind of like the idea of a single V6 Merc over twin rotax: http://www.kijiji.ca/v-powerboat-mo...bo/1280816484?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

2) This one looks really clean and is a bit newer (and has a better colour scheme): http://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1279524150&requestSource=b

 

[SkidooSeado]

#2 all the way from what I see and its around the corner from your house!

 

[XP 787]

#1 all day. I have 99 Speedster same hull different engine. Handles great and is bigger. Seems like the seller actually wants the buyer to watertest meaning they have nothing to hide.

 

[mobilefleet]

yeah- no purchase without water test. Too much money to lose. Twin engines do have a few advantages: if you are working on one and forget how something goes back on ("where does that bolt go, or, how is that hose routed and where does it go?") just look at the other engine. If you ever have engine trouble on the lake, with a single you're stranded. At least with the twin in most cases you can limp on one motor back to the boat ramp. And oh- twice the power with 2 engines. In any case, remember what BOAT stands for- Bring Out Another Thousand

 

[Lumps]

some people (me included) have found it hard to get the mercury engines serviced. they are not seadoo and the mercury people wont touch them because they are jet boats. anyway the mercury engine is superior in many ways. but the cost is way higher to replace it if it fails. on the other hand you pay for each piece twice for the seadoo style. two jet drives two props etc....

I like the redundancy if one fails out on the water. I like that they are easy to work on and readily available to replace. anyway it really is personal preference. mercury still makes most parts. I don't know what I would pick if I had to choose again and I have owned both flavours

 

[No1uNo]

#1 is pending now with a different buyer who got to the seller before me. #2 hasn't as of yet responded to my queries. Maybe they're out camping and off the grid for a bit. The whole "bring out another thousand" thing kinda freaks me out a bit but I also really want to be out on the water. I guess it comes with a price but I'm hoping that turns out to be at least a bit of an exaggeration.

 

[Lumps]

get use to surfing the forums. if you need to go to a mechanic every time something goes wrong it can really add up. I haven't done anything engine related personally. but they little things here and there are always going wrong. especially if you are talking older boats. I personally think its worth it regardless of the cost but that's because I was raised with boats. I just cant think what it would be like as a landlubber

 

[No1uNo]

Thanks for that advice. I was raised with boats as well but my parents sold their boat after us kids left home and other things in my life have always taken priority over a boat. I've been "boatless" now for over 20 years and have been itching to get back out there for most of that time. My wife wasn't raised with boats so she doesn't understand. I told her she will after the first summer with a boat. I hope I'm right.

 

[Lumps]

You are making a great case for getting a boat. It's been a long time since I read the wind and the willows but I think it's "there is simply nothing more worth dining then messing about in boats"