Shop rant Seadoo reliability

[wfo speedracer]

I am going to go off script for a minute here , I keep hearing how Seadoos are not reliable and everyone keeps preaching Yamaha reliability. I don't know where these guys are getting their info at.

Every damn POS yamaha that comes in here needs a motor job, either an oil line has hopped off, a power valve has dropped or a rod has gone through the crankcases. I rebuild Yamaha engines at a rate of 10 Yamahas to every one seadoo .

Usually when a Seadoo comes in for repair it needs a carb job and fuel lines, a wear ring in the jet pump, small oil lines replaced or a starter, occasionally there is the weird electrical issue thrown in, usually a bad connection somewhere, a bad voltage regulator or bad Dess post, very rarely do I rebuild Seadoo engines.

Yamaha reliability my a$$ !

 

[Matt Braley]

Hey I'm with you. I buy these things by the bushel, "dust them off" and resell them. If engine replacement was required it just wouldn't be worth it.

 

[mikidymac]

I think it comes down to maintenance and the owners. So with the Yamaha they are lower compression and less power per cc and they run the crap tcw oil so any fool goes to Walmart and gets a gallon of outboard oil. Plus like Toyota people assume they are Japanese and will last forever.
With the Seadoo's they are just as reliable if you run the correct oil in my opinion. Every one I have worked on with API oil has kept on trucking. Every one that had TCW oil has had scuffed pistons. I think it is the idiot owners more than the skis.
Same for Kawasaki Japanese and cheap oil.
I too have seen more Kawasaki and Yamaha skis with rods through the cases than Seadoo's.

I will say their sealed bearing pumps, no wear rings and one piece driveshaft with carrier bearings and rubber couplers do seem to require less maintenance than Seadoo's.

 

[hfgreg]

Sea-Doo Superchargers have to be rebuilt, the Yamaha supercharger have problems of their own. Especially if you start to modify. Expect to change out the supercharger shaft.

 

[WhipSplash]

It's a good thing I came across this thread. I've had enough of hearing how Yamaha is far more superior than Seadoo when it comes to reliability. I agree with mikidymac, it would all come down to the maintenance. If the owner isn't willing to shell out time for his/her seacraft then they may expect to have problems of their own. :facepalm:

 

[Rabid]

I was wondering about the Yamaha ski's. I see a lot of them on the lake. How are they on prices for parts?

 

[rcookr1]

I love Seadoo style and power and I owned many seadoos, but if I had to recommend a jetski to a person that has no extra cash I would say buy a Yamaha. Yamaha has Seadoo beat hands down when it comes to reliability. Just look at places the rent jetskis what do they rent.

 

[mikidymac]

I love Seadoo style and power and I owned many seadoos, but if I had to recommend a jetski to a person that has no extra cash I would say buy a Yamaha. Yamaha has Seadoo beat hands down when it comes to reliability. Just look at places the rent jetskis what do they rent.

You are absolutely correct. I bleed Seadoo Yellow but if someone asked me what to buy for the average Joe I would say Yamaha too. I talked to a dealer that has been in the industry since the 90's and even he said the only reason he sells seadoo skis is because BRP makes him if he wants the Can-Am line. He hates their reliability compared to Yamaha.