* Need help buying first jet boat *

[tinkoo]

Hello everyone.
Im new to the website and I believe that it is probable the most informative on the web to date.
I am in the process of selling my motorcycle (yamaha R6) which has been my primary source of adrenaline for the last 4 years on and off the track.
I have been looking to buy a boat for the longest time and it seems like a good time noww that summers approaching

Two boats that look good to me are:

1997 SEA DOO CHALLENGER
$7995 USD
-twin 110 HP engines

1999 SEA DOO SPEEDSTER
$5999 USD
-twin engine HP?

I have emailed the sellers for hours on the boats. Is there anything else I should ask other than accidents/damage?

*should the boats age concern me?
*are the prices looking right?
*I see some boats come with Mercury engines, is one better than the other, opinions?
*anything i should be aware of?

I dont know much about jet boats but I am looking for a boat just to rip around in and tube/ski. I like to go fast and get the quick
I am favoring the CHALLENGER because i can seat more people but I dont want to miss out on the fun and agility of the speedster that people talk about.

Everyones input is greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks,
NAthan

 

[seadoosnipe]

Boats....

Well, making a big change here, from the road to the water........You should have loads of fun!....
Either boat is a lot of fun. The 1800 Challenger is roomy and can tote more passengers. But remember, with more passengers come less speed and agility. The Speedster on the other hand, is built for being sporty. It's a bit smaller, but with the same combined total horsepower that the Challenger has, it'll be a lot more responsive, playful and faster than the Challenger. They should both love jumping wakes!........for some reason, the Sea-Doo's love to come out of the water.........there name should be "Fly-Do".....and they both have the same engine configuration, the twin 787cc engines. Which is what I own and love!...This engine is a hoss when it comes to perforumance and is really simple to work on with a couple specialized tools.
As for the price, I would probably take the 1999 Speedster. The 1800 Challenger sounds a little steep on the price side. But I don't have any NADA guide lines to go by, just feels a bit steep.
There is a thread on tips for buying a new ski/boat already posted in the forum. Here's the link.........and good luck!.....http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?t=134

 

[tinkoo]

Thanks Snipe for your response!

I do understand more people, more weight, less fun!
Does the '99 Speedster have the same 220HP motor? If it does that could be fun!
Hmm I'm still leaning toward the challenger, think it might be a little more steady running in the ocean and quite a bit more space to breathe! I'll look into the price guide and see what it should be going for.

DAMN THIS IS A HARD DECISION! I still cant pick one.

Anyone else got any words of advice.....?

 

[challenger18]

i have a 2001 challenger 1800 with the mercury 240hp v6. my buddy has a speedster and it is a blast, but the challenger is a TON of fun and still very agile, plus 6 people are very comfortable in it. also, i dont know if you are going to be pulling tubes or wakeboarders, but his speedster is much more affected by towing. it has the power, but you can really feel it when someone is cutting on a wakeboard. my personal opinion is the Challenger. I would try to talk him down about a grand though. I only paid 10,000 for my 2001 last year and it is mint.

 

[tinkoo]

Yamaha Exciter

Thanks for the insight. Yeah im looking at the 1800 over the speedster.
The one im looking at looks mint:
http://www.boattrader.com/listing/1997-SEA-DOO-CHALLENGER-89103192

The same guy, a dealer also has a 1997 Yamaha Exciter 270HP.
The boat has two new motors, according to the dealer the guy forgot to put the plugs back in and flooded the engine compartment.
What do you guys think about this one. Without bias, I favor SeaDoo myself but give me some input

 

[seadoosnipe]

Flooding!....

The 1800 Challenger he's talking about was only manufactured for a short time as a joint venture with Mercury. It was Mercury's 2nd attempt at a jet drive engine. The engine performs great, but Rotax was able to make a motor with the same horsepower and less weight, with fewer cylinders, so Rotax won out.
Yes, both the boats your looking at have the same horse power engines. And your right, the roomier Challenger would handle better, more stable in open ocean. The Speester would be wanting to jump every wake it saw.
The idea of buying a boat with a flooded engine is one you should stay away from. Although these boats do pretty good on recovering from internal flooding, time is of the essence. So if that engine flooded, you don't know how long it was under and what kind of problems occured from it. I'd stay away from that one.

 

[tinkoo]

Thanks snipe!

This is what i have found at the moment.
1997 Challenger (Arizona boat)
220HP
Wake Designs/Big Air Pylons" wake-tower
bimini top
trailer w/ spare tire
boat cover and a few other small extras (locksfor hitch, fire ext., tool kit, etc)
asking $6500

Is this the one?
Im gonna have the guy do a compression test on it, He is second owner and unsure of the hours on it.

 

[seadoosnipe]

Sounds good!....

Now that one sounds like a good deal!.....I paid 4,500 for mine, and it's just the 14ft, single engine challenger.......So yeah, that sounds like a bargain!...I'd see what the compression is......
anything over 110 is good. The biggest thing is that there isn't a large difference between the two cylinders!.....

 

[tinkoo]

shes gone.....all gone :banghead:

 

[seadoosnipe]

Bummer!....

Bummer, was it a snooze, you lose, kinda thing. Man, don't worry. I waited for over a year before my "right" one came along. Sea-Doo's are nice and hold their value pretty good, but don't just jump on the first deal you see. Take your time, shop around. You'll get it.
Yeah, I know, that doesn't help much.....:grouphug:

 

[Gunsrunner]

G'day, i bought my 1997 Challenger 1800 4 months ago from a dealer for $6500US.
Love the boat, it jumps waves, does 270 turns(nearly 360's), 53mph GPS, and carries 5 people comfy.
I use it for sking, wakeboarding, biscuits, fishing, cruising.
I find it porpuses a little with to much weight on the back seats so am looking to purchase a bladder for under the front seats to ballance the load.
Engines are quite easy to work on.
See if you can get one with a ski pole fitted, better than low mounting point at rear.
Have spent many years on the ocean and this is the most fun i have had!!

 

[seadoosnipe]

Porpoising....

Don't know if it would help you on your engine configuration, but there is an aftermarket hydraulic trim system that bolts up to your pump.
Some of those here with the 2000 Challenger 1800 model, which runs the single engine M2, seem to love it.........
Here's a link if you'd like to give it a look!..........http://www.placediverter.com/index.php?page=mercury

 

[tinkoo]

**********************************

Hey Snipe and everyone else with vast knowledge tell me what you think.

$5000USD
2000 Utopia 185
Optimax motor
bimini top

This was a dealer trade-in 3 years ago and has been outside ever since. It had a fuel delivery propblem that was solved by the dealership.
The interior is crap and will need to be replaced. Dealer said that it will cost approx $1500, does that sound right.
I also said I would like an inspection, he said i will have to pay $150 out of my pocket.

I think an inspection will be worth it because perhaps if something goes wrong it becomes a liability issue.

 

[seadoosnipe]

Mercury....

Well, they didn't make the Utopia in 2000, the first model was in 2001. I don't want to sound negative, but if it's been sitting outside for any period of time and the interior is gone to crap, it's not worth the time and effort to re-work the entire boat.
The other thing, is this boat uses the Mercury M2 motor. I'm not knocking this engine because when it was first used, it was a top of the line engine. But now, 7 years later, your gonna find it hard to get things for it you want. If you have to take into a Mercury shop for repairs, you'll need to legs, one arm and 3 fingers for payment.
Sorry, I don't feel good with this boat. The Utopia is a nice boat, but from the sound of it, this one has been a bit neglected..........

 

[tinkoo]

hmmm you make interesting points.

How much do you think it would cost me to fix the interior if i were to attempts it.

He said that the motor is run frequently and will run no problem.
motor has 40 hours. Of course there will be upkeep as in any motor but are the mercury motors plauged with any problems/flaws?

How would this compare to a twin rotax? I'm sure it is cheaper to maintain the twins but how much more am i looking at with the mercury?

 

[seadoosnipe]

M2..

The M2 Mercury 210 and 250 hp was/is a great motor. The problem isn't that the motor is plaqued with any real problems, it's jus that if you run into a problem, trying to find support for them is all but impossible.
The interior says alot about the maintenance about the motor. If the interior was neglected, then you don't know what kind of service the engine received. Yeah, the guy selling it is gonna tell you anything. I said I'd never do it again and that was to let my joy of what it was I wanted, to overcome the "rational" of what to look for.
Your making an investment, just don't be overjoyed that this may be something you want, look at it with a pessimistic view.
Remember, the M-2 has many sensors and controls that the 4-TEC has. So if the motor set up, just for a short period, there's no telling what type of electrical issues you may run into once it goes into the water.
I'm not being negative about you buying it, I'm just asking you to stay calm and make sure you look things over. Yes, pay the guy to come out and inspect it but no one that the seller recommends. Find your own inpsector. That way, your assured there is no bias.
Recovering the interior can run into 1 to several thousand, depending on how much is got to be down...........

 

[tinkoo]

YesI understand and I assure you that I am trying to keep my impulse and urge to buy at a minimum.

This is a seadoo dealer, would you recommend me still finding another inspector?
It was a apparently a trade in that just sat around?????
And yes I know that they will tell me anything just to make a sale (bastards).

The interior is in the kind of condition it is because it was apparently parked out side for 3 years. Does that make sense? I dont have a boat but I would have thought of leaving it covered at least?
3 years of a motor not being used regularly. What could come to haunt it?
The last question is general knowledge, I have never left any motor standing still for this long, except the one in my treadmill :cheers:

 

[James06]

Tinkoo have you tried craigslist.com, I have seen several great deals on there, including mine, 2003 Seadoo speedster, 6500.00, have to drive 11 hrs. to get it but its a great deal. Good luck!!

 

[TxToby]

:agree: I agree with seadoosnipe "The interior says a lot about the maintenance about the motor. If the interior was neglected, then you don't know what kind of service the engine received."

Imagine going into a five star restaurant and when you went into the bathroom there were leaking toilets, broken mirrors, and cockroaches. The hostess and chef are going to tell you the food is worth the stay and it might be... but you might also get sick.

**There are TONS of deals out there! Take the time to do the research. I too found my 2003 Seadoo XP with 20hrs on CRAIGSLIST *in a town 4hrs away. With a little digging I found that this seller had previously posted the jetski several times starting at $6,000. In desperation he dropped the price three times because he was getting married and had to come up a large deposit. I drove off with the boat for $4,300 dollars. Bad-a$# boat and more importantly>> an AWESOME investment!

TRUST ME I was hot to get my hands on this specific ski but it was so worth the wait!

Keep looking and posting- you'll find a gem' out there "out of nowhere". I just googled "Seadoo challenger for sale" and tons of boats popped up.

http://www.usedboats.com/list-Sea+doo------used-boats-limit-20.htm

*ALSO EBAY: http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=seadoo+challenger&category0=

Took 20 seconds- **Use the internet, dig dig dig

 

[seadoosnipe]

Good Advice!

tinko, sounds like some good sound advice here on this boat. To answer your quesiton on the interior.....yes, leaving it exposed to the sun, day in and day out, will shoot it to hell in a really short period of time.
The good think about the M2, it is set up, that when the motor is pulled out of the water, it gravity drains everything out. Suppose to be nothing left standing.
I think the advice by all, Oh, BTW James, Milton (Whitting Field) was my last duty station before leaving the military. Black Water river.........freakin awesome place!......, oh, where was I......Oh, the advice. I think all that has given the input on this, is showing you that you can wait, and really look, and come up with a great deal.
I came across the Challenger because I was doing a little work on one for a friend (pulling the motor and going in with an SBT). My wife loved the boat, but they were going for upwards of 6k!.........
About 7 months later, I saw one locally in our paper. It was garage kept, the interior was in mint condition and I checked the compression, 140 and 142 on the engine.........he wanted $4500..............It went home with me.
Take your time. The price for that boat is pretty good. But you'll have a lot of work to do. And not knowing what's been done to the motor. You may have some sensors to place right off the bat.
Me, I'd probably let this one go. There are nice ones (far and few) out there to be had. You just have to wait till the time is right for you.
It's all up to you and if you decide on the Utopia, then if there is something wrong.........guess what? You got a whole family of Doo'ers here to help out!

 

[James06]

NO KIDDING Seadoosnipe?? What a small world, Ya Blackwater river is so nice in the summer, there are ton of jet skis but no Seadoo boats, this will be the first in the area in awhile, cannot wait to see the rednecks faces as I zip buy them in their canoes filled with canepoles :reddevil:

Well if you ever make it back over this way we can tear it up together,:cheers: youre just an hour away!!! Take care brother.

Tinkoo Sorry to threadjack, check craigslist everynight, check youre state and surrounding major cities. I passed up about 13 boats and this one just fell into my lap, so quick that I actually had to sell my GSXR, I bluffed the lady with a $6500.00 offer, she was asking $9000.00 and she bit the first bone I threw her, I was like , I had to come up with the money quick, didnt expect that, Good luck, be patient.

 

[Gunsrunner]

In addition to my last post, i also like the idea of having the twin engines. I have travelled home on one motor twice now 1 ski rope in jet pump 2 rave valve let go. if i had only one motor i would have had to been towed in both times. Yes it also means there is twice the maintanance, but these are easly motors to work on.
Be patient there is no reason to buy a boat with problems that you need to fix before you can use it, keep looking you will find one that is perfect.
I took 8 mths to find the right one, and then had to wait 12 weeks for it to arrive, it was all worth it in the end.

 

[seadoosnipe]

Same here....

Yeah, been a while since I been on the "Blackwater" ......but over here in Mobile, I ride "Dogriver" and it's the same........many jet skis, and a few of the old model "454" cu.in berkleys, but no cool looking Sea-Doo's........so, I like the way they all give me that look as my 110 hp motor zips right on by.
Oh, BTW....because I've never really used a forum till this one, I didn't know what hi-jacking a thread meant. Now I do. Seems I'm the biggest "thread jacker" in the forum.......sorry guys!.....oh, and gals!.........:rofl:

 

[James06]

Haha nice.... :stupid:

 

[tinkoo]

HEY ENOUGH WITH THE THREAD JACKING AND GO FIND ME A BOAT.
twinn 110's that will seat 6-7
HOPEFULLY its one on the west coast or close enough. I live in Vancouver, BC CANADA

REWARD: FINE BOTTLE OF BOOZE SHIPPED TO YOUR DOOR!!:cheers: