Price Check

[kenfyoozed]

2002 XPL. Unknown hours. Worx sponsons. Cracked and chipped paint overall. Some hull damage. Faded and tired seat cover. Leaking water separator with outside bottom dripping something that looked like motor oil. Fuel leak at most connections. Battery dead. Owner was jumping it off with a car when I arrived. Hasn’t been in the water in almost a year. Salt crystals the size of rock salt visibly noted on most engine areas. All head bolts/screws so rusty parts of it were coming loose. Oil pump delete running some basic 2 stoke oil premix. Nice trailer. This was a decent to nice ski but it has not been taken care of. What would you offer? Seller was asking 2500. I offered 1700 because I really wanted it. Seller came back with 1800. I felt 1700 was more than generous so I walked away. Did I do the right thing?

 

[emspjay]

Yes! Run far and fast from any ski in that shape.

 

[racerxxx]

Yes, by your description it sounds like a parts ski. $250. Remember it's how it looks under the hood and how well it runs and no matter how nice the trailer is, that's not what you're riding in the water. The outside cosmetics and be handled kinda easy, but if it has all those symptoms and you haven't gotten to the water.......you'll never make it back to the dock. I would have left without making an offer.

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

You did the right thing, IMO.

 

[GGuillot]

2002 XPL. Unknown hours. Worx sponsons. Cracked and chipped paint overall. Some hull damage. Faded and tired seat cover. Leaking water separator with outside bottom dripping something that looked like motor oil. Fuel leak at most connections. Battery dead. Owner was jumping it off with a car when I arrived. Hasn’t been in the water in almost a year. Salt crystals the size of rock salt visibly noted on most engine areas. All head bolts/screws so rusty parts of it were coming loose. Oil pump delete running some basic 2 stoke oil premix. Nice trailer. This was a decent to nice ski but it has not been taken care of. What would you offer? Seller was asking 2500. I offered 1700 because I really wanted it. Seller came back with 1800. I felt 1700 was more than generous so I walked away. Did I do the right thing?

Hell yeah, you did the right thing, way too high, condition is everything, The Worx sponsons might have been the only bright spot. Cosmetics can be expensive getting a seat cover, mats, graphics, etc and performing hull work and repair can be very time consuming. Engine was likely a ticking time bomb. It probably needs new lines, carb rebuild and a bunch of other stuff.

I would have offered $700 to $800 max if it ran and only if the trailer was better than nice. My standard of a nice ski is high though, I would probably have been looking at it thinking complete strip down and build up. From what you described I would have factored another $1500 to spend later to get it up to snuff.

 

[GGuillot]

BTW, since you're in AL, let me know if you find something in Columbus, GA or Phenix City, AL area you want me to go look at.

 

[kenfyoozed]

It did fire up and it ran but owner would only do it briefly but this makes me feel better about walking away. Sucks because I had my mind set it was mine!

I am thinking of a road trip tomorrow to check a few out in GA.

 

[GGuillot]

It did fire up and it ran but owner would only do it briefly but this makes me feel better about walking away. Sucks because I had my mind set it was mine!

I am thinking of a road trip tomorrow to check a few out in GA.

Bought both of mine in GA, I registered in AL where I live on the other side of Columbus. The 97' GTX came from Butler, GA and the 96' GSX was at Flowery Branch (NE ATL) near Lake Lanier.

If you find one on your path tomorrow near me let me know if you want a second set of eyes on it, I don't mind.

 

[mikidymac]

Agreed. Sounds like an absolute turd and money pit.

 

[AKnarrowback]

It's easy enough to walk away from a nightmare like that. After you hand the money over then all those problems become yours.

I don't live in a salt water environment, but I have seen videos of how terrible the inside of DOO motors look that have not been flushed after running in salt. Clogged passages, snapped bolts, a whole slew of extra work to fight with if you have to do work on them.