Quick question about a very cheap 96 challenger

[ksgries]

So im looking for a cheaper fixerupper seadoo and i found this 96 challenger (the small 5 seat one) pretty sure it has the mercury engine in it since it only have a spot for 1 jet and thats what they came with for that year right?

anyway its listed for 600..im sure i can get it from him cheaper but there are a few catches

1. Trailer and boat have no titles. I would ofcourse check the vin to make sure it isnt stolen but how hard would it be to get a title/registered in NJ?
2. Could use new vinyl
3. Has an engine but doesnt run

How much would it cost for a new engine and jet(doesnt look like it has one) How much would a full rebuild be?
The guy says he got it from a guy who got it from his uncle whom passed away, he has a receipt but needs a receipt from the estate but the guy wont answer.

Any way around that?

 

[Force9000]

So im looking for a cheaper fixerupper seadoo and i found this 96 challenger (the small 5 seat one) pretty sure it has the mercury engine in it since it only have a spot for 1 jet and thats what they came with for that year right?

anyway its listed for 600..im sure i can get it from him cheaper but there are a few catches

1. Trailer and boat have no titles. I would ofcourse check the vin to make sure it isnt stolen but how hard would it be to get a title/registered in NJ?
2. Could use new vinyl
3. Has an engine but doesnt run

How much would it cost for a new engine and jet(doesnt look like it has one) How much would a full rebuild be?
The guy says he got it from a guy who got it from his uncle whom passed away, he has a receipt but needs a receipt from the estate but the guy wont answer.

Any way around that?

I'm also new to PWCs so take what I day with a grain of salt. The engine rebuild would likely cost somewhere in the neighbourhood of $1000, really depends what it needs. If it's just the top end it would probably be around 250-300 but it's a lot more work if it needs the bottom end done.

Edit: just realized this is a boat not a pwc... Sorry maybe disregard what I said.

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[Tomfrmnh]

I would call the registry in NJ and see what you need to register it. Some states don't require a title to register just previous registration.

As far as the engine goes do a compression check. That will tell you a lot about the condition of the expensive parts. Your looking for around 120 on each cylinder. If it has good compression it may be worth it. If not you can get a reman block from many companies online. There are a few threads on here. Cost you between $1300-1800. That's just for the block. If you need to have a shop do it for you triple that price.

 

[rteichman]

1996 model boat did not have a mercury engine. It's a rotax: http://www.seadoosource.com/boatengineref.html

 

[ksgries]

oh oops, ehh idk if i would want it then only with 110 hp.

And in NJ you need a title on a boat over 12'

 

[racerxxx]

No title in nj, they do it on a registration card. If I remember correctly, they don't title smaller trailers under a certain gvwr. But no title on the boat that I recall, I just transferred a ski a few weeks back off the registration card. Regiment, that was a ski, not a boat.

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[ksgries]

No title in nj, they do it on a registration card. If I remember correctly, they don't title smaller trailers under a certain gvwr. But no title on the boat that I recall, I just transferred a ski a few weeks back off the registration card. Regiment, that was a ski, not a boat.

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hmm really? would it still be hard to get with no notarized bill of sale from the past owner?

 

[racerxxx]

You need a reggie at least in PA coming from Jersey. Bill of sarlt in PA means nothing. If the past owner is around, have them file for a reggie. Make your life easy.

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[Dr Honda]

I'm going to move this to the Rotax 2-stroke section.

But...

I don't live in NJ... but if there's no legit paperwork... it's going to dang near impossible to put it in your name. Every stat is different... but there will be some official paperwork to keep someone from steeling a boat, and re-registering it.

So, if they don't have a title... then the registration card becomes the official document. You will need that, and the last registered owner, to sign it over.



****EDIT******


ok... instead of speculating, and asking questions that are basical "Local Laws"... just look on your state's web site.


http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/Vehicle/Boats.htm


So yes... there's a title somewhere for that boat. And, without it... you can't put it in your name.

.

 

[Isaac-1]

Many states have a way around this, but they don't tend to be easy, I know my state has a process where the previous owner can go before a judge and declare they inherited the boat and get the judge to fill out a form declaring them the owner. In one of my neighboring states the process involves some sort of fee and bonded title search which results in the state issueing a provisional title, it just varies from state to state. Other states are much more strict about such things, making it so it must be sold out of state for someone to manage registering or titling a boat. This in itself is confusing, as title and registration is somewhat different, my state is in the process of switching from being a registration only state to being a title state (as of about 3 or 4 years ago), for now title is optional here and an extra charge, which means buyers of recent model used boats have no way to know if it has a title or not as for now titles are only required on boats that are financed.

Ike

p.s. with all due respect to Dr. Honda I would sugest calling not relying on the information on the web site, in my experience such web sites tend to say things like you must have notarized bill of sale, but in reality there may be some way around it if you jump through hoops, and don't take no as an answer at first.

 

[Dr Honda]

.........p.s. with all due respect to Dr. Honda I would sugest calling not relying on the information on the web site................

That was kind of what I was eluding to.

To the OP... don't ask about local laws on a world wide chat board. Call your DOT/DMV and simply ask. They will give you the real answer.

 

[ksgries]

I ended up telling him to forget about it.

I was hoping someone on here might have been through something similar, i wasn't looking for legal advice lol. I would have called dmv but chances are i would get someone who has no clue and be transferred 20 times.

Anyway ill just save up a few grand and get something over winter when prices go down

 

[Dr Honda]

Sounds like a good plan.

I brought a boat in from OH, and the paperwork was a little questionable... but I had it all together. It wound up taking a year to get the trailer registration straightened out. It really wasn't worth the hassle.

 

[Isaac-1]

I agree I went through something similar on a jet ski trailer about a decade ago, the previous owner had bought the jet ski out of state, did the registration on the for the jet ski, but never registered or changed the title over on the trailer, the short version is I ended up getting stuck with $350 worth of fees, taxes and fines and tfor failing to transfer the trailer in order to get plates on it, which is kind of sad considering the trailer was worth maybe $500 at best. When I was boat shopping a couple of months ago I ran across a several "deals" on boats with lost titles, or sellers "too busy" to file for replacement copies, it got so bad that the first question I would ask even before does it run, is do you have clear title.

 

[XP 787]

I ended up telling him to forget about it.

I was hoping someone on here might have been through something similar, i wasn't looking for legal advice lol. I would have called dmv but chances are i would get someone who has no clue and be transferred 20 times.

Anyway ill just save up a few grand and get something over winter when prices go down

Smart move. If a seller doesn't have a title in their name in their hand I consider it not theirs. Its not worth the aggravation and risk

 

[racerxxx]

If the guy selling it is the LEGIT owner HE could easily obtain proper ownership, whether registration or title.

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