Need advice: 2005 155 Sportster or 2007 215 Sportster?

[JetPro2Fly]

Hello SeaDoo. This is my first post here.

I've been researching/exploring getting a Sportster. I've found on Craigslist 2 worthy options:

1) 2005 155 Sportster : owner states that it only has around 150hrs on it. The impeller and drive has been maintained, as well as the engine. No Bimini top but the stereo and speakers have been upgraded and he added an extra battery with switch. Trailer needs new lights and probably a little work, and a cover is included.
He has done all the maintenance/upgrades himself and seems sincere and transparent that all of the work/schedule maintenance is up-to-date. Owner says that it has been mainly a fresh water boat, with regular flushing. I like the idea that it's not SC from a maintenance and fuel economy perspective, but don't want to be disappointed down the road and want more power in the near future. Also, I hear the valves on this year tend to fail compared to the newer models. He's currently asking $6900 which seems a bit high.

2) 2007 Sportster 215 SC
Don't know the hours on this, but there's a seadoo center to that will run BUDS on it for around $50. Includes Monster wake tower, upgraded stereo and speakers. Owner maintained also, where he states that he rebuilt the SC about 1.5 years ago with an online kit. Trailer looks good and boat is clean. Includes vests, and a 2person tube. Just concerned about having to maintain the SC and difference in fuel economy. Located 6-7hrs drive away, so not as convenient to pickup and deal with any issues if they arise. Asking $7500

- Looking for any experience and advise with these models from owners on this forum to help in our decision. We're a small family, wife and 9yr old daughter, that lives on a lake where we'll be cruising, tubing, and maybe wake boarding in the future. Primarily, we'll be cruising to close by beaches about 6miles from our neighborhood ramp.

Thanks in advance for your help and advise! Looking forward to joining the SeaDoo club!

Sorry in advance if reposting this under boat section. Still getting my bearings on using this forum. Cheers!

 

[JPass]

It's unfortunate that the supercharged one is so far as my recommendation would be for you to try them both out and see which you prefer. Supercharger maintenance isn't bad and at $435 (if you remove and reinstall yourself) for the rebuild, isn't pricey when it comes to boats.

 

[JetPro2Fly]

Thank you JPass.
Should I be concerned about the hours? Based upon what the owner of the 215 says about how much he used it every summer, he most-likely has put over 450 hours on the engine, with a probable combined total from prior owner to him, around 600+ hours total. Do these motors need to be rebuilt after a certain number of hours?
The 215 also was used in Brackish water. Is this something also to be concerned about, and/or what components would be most effected by the Salt, and what would I look for?

Thank you again for your input!

 

[JPass]

I have a different philosophy on hours when it comes to recreational vehicles. To me, super low hours isn't necessarily a good thing and high hours not really bad (so long as the vehicle was properly maintained)

My whole thing is this: Engines need to be lubricated and run regularly to keep everything "healthy" and in good working order. Seals, bearings and everything tend to do better when bathed in oil regularly. IMO when engines sit, they tend to have better chances of having issues (unless pickled properly) versus those that are run regularly.

Everything is relative, so colder climate boats should have lower hours than a boat where the boating season is longer. A good owner who properly maintains their boat should be able to provide documentation of the maintenance and work done to the boat while in their possession. No documentation = worry.

On these boats, the engine is cooled with antifreeze and the exhaust, oil cooler, and supercharger (if equipped) are cooled the water the boat resides in. So for the boat in question, being run in brackish water, you're concern would be in the items mentioned previously. This is always a good place to negotiate. You could ask for a reduction in asking price to compensate for any maintenance you may need to do once you take ownership (manifold replacement?)

I have no idea how long these motors typically run, but I've heard they're very durable when properly taken care of. We purchased our boat in 2015 with 112 hours on her, we now have 234 and she runs beautifully.
Our previous boat, a '92 Ski Nautique, was purchased with 1200 hours on it, and we sold it 3 seasons later with 1600+ hours on it and the compression check showed 150- 155 between all 8 cylinders, which for a 351 Windsor, was very healthy.

Good luck with your boat search, the more boats you see, the more you learn and the better your perspective on what's out there.

Sorry for the long winded post.