How good was your deal

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Hi all,
New to the forum. Just picked up a 2000 challenger 2000 from Illinois for $2700. Seller said they could not get it to fire. I checked compression and all were 150-155. Got it home and it turns out all it needed was a high pressure fuel pump. $310 for the pump and it runs like a champ now. $3K for this boat seems to be a killer deal. Now I'm selling the 1995 sugar sand with a Sportjet 120 that I paid $2K for last spring. Nice upgrade for $1000. I'll have to put a stereo in it, but that's a perfect winter project.
 
Andre900 said:
Used 1995/ Speedster/ twin 650 rotax/ 160hp/ Daytona Beach, FL, Oct. 2013

Last week I bought my first jet boat - a '95 Speedster twin for $2000 off CraigsList. It looks to be in pretty good condition; the hull, deck, and seats are in excellent condition. The seller was an older, well off guy; had the Speedster in his garage, and looked like he didn't use it much or cared to keep it; and it looks like it's had three prior owners. The seller wanted $3000. I got him down to $2000 w/o a sea trial. I hope I didn't buy a money pit. The more I research these older jet boats, I'm finding that they seem to need a lot of general maintenance and there's a lot that can go wrong. Anyway, I took it out for the first time the day after I purchased it. Both motors started right up, but for the first minute the boat would only putt along at 15-20 MPH, even at full throttle. After about one minute, the thing took off and maxed out at 58 MPH according to the speedometer. The slow take-off problem seemed to subside after that, but it still doesn't take off as fast as it should.

Oh yea, the seller threw in a brand new bimini, Seadoo boat cover, and the necessary boating supplies, and I'm running on his registration for another year. Still, I think I could have got the seller to drop another $500 of the price.
Click to expand...


Well, after the fourth day out on the Speedster, the port side wear ring broke apart. Not a big job, but I had decided I wanted a newer jet boat, so I put it on Craigs List for $2500 and sold it w/i two days for $2200. I gave the seller a lengthy sea trial running on the starboard side motor, and showed him the wear ring trouble on the port side.

Two weeks after that sale, I bought an '04 Sportster 215hp SCIC off Craigs List for $4000 and have been out on it over a dozen times over the last four weeks. It looks like it had an engine swap, but so far no problems, runs like a champ, and flys!
 
McGann54, looks like a decent buy. Prices seem all over the board. It looks like the ultimate sale price depends on seller's motivation, buyer's eagerness, and geographical location. There a many, many jet skis for sale on the FL Craigs List, but I'm seeing fewer jet boats. I'll be out on my Sportster this weekend - the forecast is sunny & 82 degrees!
 
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Andre900 said:
McGann54, looks like a decent buy. Prices seem all over the board. It looks like the ultimate sale price depends on seller's motivation, buyer's eagerness, and geographical location. There a many, many jet skis for sale on the FL Craigs List, but I'm seeing fewer jet boats. I'll be out on my Sportster this weekend - the forecast is sunny & 82 degrees!
Click to expand...

We just got out of below zero and moving into the teens. I gotta move.
 
1997 Challenger 14.5ft. Bought for $2850. Runs great! A couple tears in the middle rear seat but otherwise really good shape. Can't wait for it to warm up to really test her out!
 
I love that boat! Good price! I've not had such good luck with the 787, so I'm putting a 4tec in mine, but it's such a fun little boat. Going to be my little corvette on the water once I put humpty dumpty back together.
 
1998 Seadoo Speedster for $2900. Bad drive shaft, bad reverse cable, bad hood release, loose port side throttle, bad port side console hatch, broken fuel gauge, broken weedless cable and bad exhaust seals. Everything is fixed now except the weedless and the fuel gauge for a grand total of $3500 and a bunch of elbow grease.
 
Luke42_02 said:
1998 Seadoo Speedster for $2900. Bad drive shaft, bad reverse cable, bad hood release, loose port side throttle, bad port side console hatch, broken fuel gauge, broken weedless cable and bad exhaust seals. Everything is fixed now except the weedless and the fuel gauge for a grand total of $3500 and a bunch of elbow grease.
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Wow, $600 went very far :-D
 
1996 challenger, engine runs great 154psi each hole, hull and body in perfect shape owner mentioned rebuilding the engine in 2012 but a lot of metallic noise from the pump. Paid $2400 for boat and trailer in Quebec. Time to take off the pump and looking for treasure.


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I have a thing for Bikes. Bought an 03 Harley Fatboy off the guy next door for $3500. When my wife came home and saw it in the garage next to the other 5 bikes she flipped. Told me I was not allowed to have any more bikes. (she is probably right) and that I should have gotten her a boat. So I looked around on CL and found an add “Boat, will triad for something fun.” I called the guy and asked if he liked bikes.
I drove 100 miles to see the “boat” it was a 2004 Islandia on the trailer, under a tree with wet leaves and ripped seats and would not start. It looked bad to say the least. Guy told me it had been sitting there for 5 years. I told the guy I needed to get it checked out first. He said ok.
After having a good Mechanic look it over and give me the “skinny” I made the triad.
Overall cost:
Drain and clean all fluids and filters, new battery and small parts $500
Massive wash job Elbow Greece
New Seat Upholstery all around, Top to bottom wax, $2500
5 New tires for the trailer, $525
GPS, Stereo W/ 6 Speakers, VHF radio and 4 foot antenna $700
Overall cost of Boat (with other small Misc. expenses) About $8000
Cost of making the wife happy Priceless.

That was 2 years ago, the boat has been nothing but fun since the first time I put it in the water. Now if I can just find a way to pull the boat with one of the bikes???
 
It sounded like the engine was perfectly good after sitting in the woods for 5 years. :)


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I think for my next boat, I absolutely should drive down to NY , MI or OH for a good deal. :-D


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Bought my clean 96 xp in 2008 for 2500.00 from the original owner and it was in killer shape. He had removed almost all the stock graphics when new and happened to be a mechanic who knew his stuff. Had microtouch rev limiter, FPP spec II, impeller, R&D nozzle, intake grate, hydroturf mats with only one major flaw. It has some large fiberglass damage from someone rear ending him, paid 600 and had that fixed with OEM gel coat by a professional, been rocking it over 6 years and just now tearing into original motor.
 
We bought our '96 Challenger 1800 (twin 787s) last fall for $6k. Both engines were replaced around 2008 (receipts & warranty books included in sale), brand new Bimini top, all upholstery replaced (new marine foam as well)- all original colors but heavier and nicer material but no logos anywhere. Also came with two big towables, a pair of skis, couple ski ropes, color matched fenders (4), anchor, rescue paddles, original owners manual and tool kit, box of spare parts (rave bellows, some spring retainers, driveshaft boot, carbon ring, two carb kits, and a couple specialty tools. Full cover with supports to keep heavy snow or rain from filling it up, original trailer (in fair condition) with a spare tire. Had to mount the front tie-downs for the Bimini as it'd never been used, rebuilt all 4 carbs, drained/ cleaned/ refilled oil tank (they were using quicksilver oil- I prefer the oem mineral oil), replaced the battery and adjusted all the cables. Runs pretty good- have some fine-tuning to do, and I think I need to clean the raves on the port motor- revs fast to about 4k, hangs for a beat or two then shoots to 7k. Absolute blast at WOT on the water. 1/2 fuel, two boys and I had it up around 40-45 gps with a little chop on the water ( not real bad tho, but not glass!). Love the thing. Deal prolly wasn't the best, but I don't think I was cleaned out either. Boat looks amazing, and performs pretty good so far.


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1998 seadoo challenger 1800, $1500 needs carbs cleaned and rebuilt, one driveshaft and lots of misc small stuff.
 
2000 Seadoo challenger twin engine. Paid $1,600 for boat and like new trailer and a bunch of accessories. Brand new battery. Needs one engine,the other runs and has been rebuilt. Will get fixed next week!
 
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