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Why bother rebuilding your X4 when you can just get a Spark?

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jimmaki

jimmaki

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You be the judge....

X4
[video]http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube%20seadoo%20tail%20stands&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=youtube%20seadoo%20tail%20stands&sc=0-17&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=0AFB1DE8E01B2B4B12410AFB1DE8E01B2B4B1241[/video]

Spark
[video]http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube%20tail%20stands%20seadoo&qs=n&form=QBVR&pq=youtube%20tail%20stands%20seadoo&sc=0-19&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&mid=3A174E7D84E4B65AFE433A174E7D84E4B65AFE43[/video]
 
For me, it's because the spark is just too ugly to own. Of course, that's my personal opinion, but I just can't waste money on something that looks like what Dark Wing Duck would drive. Speaking with my other jet ski friends, I'm not the only one who thinks this. Also, the X4 is still cheaper to buy and rebuild (about 2x cheaper). The parts are cheaper. The plastic spark hulls have been known to crack. A cracked spark hull is trash, while fiberglass can always be repaired.

The downside: the X4 is inherently less reliable, loud, requires 2-stroke oil and is way less efficient. It's a pretty big downside, so much so that I'm looking for a wrecked spark to rip the motor and drivetrain out of and paste into one of my x4's. I do love the smooth, quiet 4tecs :) I might buy the next generation of spark, one that doesn't look like something a kid made out of his Alien edition lego set.
 
I agree and I can see your point about reliability.

Those foam noodles just seem to go on and on forever without much maintenance as long as you don't play whiffle ball with them.

What gets me is how they detune it so much that it won't get out of it's own way, but for more money they'll let it run to potential ... maybe. Who knows, version 2 could be around the corner for even more money for another 50 HP.
 
Actually, you can buy the $5k 60hp one and buy a $400 tune box and unlock it to 109hp. I forgot who makes the box, but that's what I'd do.
 
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Reasons I haven't jumped on the Spark wagon:

1. Not enough power - a 787 X4 will run all over a Spark
2. The entire thing is made of plastic, I seriously question durability (see the steering fiasco)
3. No VTS (which is a MUST) option unless you get iBR, which significantly jacks up your entry price
4. Not enough power, it takes a $3500 turbo kit just to hit 60 mph on these things
5. Not enough power
 
I love the look of the spark and if someone with no mechanical skill asked what to get just to ride with the family my only answer would be spark.

For me as others have said it is the price.

I love 2 strokes and retro stuff and remember when these skis were new. I also have the ability to do all the work myself and know that until they ban them my 2-strokes will run for another 20 years.

And again price. With all the cosmetic stuff and fresh engine with all OEM parts I only have about $200 into my 1996 XP. Bought it and a WaveBlaster 2 on double trailer for $500 and sold the Blaster for $1,700.
 
2strokes = quicker revs I am always gonna be a 2 stroke fan. Love the powerband on em. Hell I even love the smell of the smoky exhaust (bonus for pissing off tree huggers) The smell when you take the seat off the hull. It's all very addictive.
 
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MPower said:
Reasons I haven't jumped on the Spark wagon:

1. Not enough power - a 787 X4 will run all over a Spark
2. The entire thing is made of plastic, I seriously question durability (see the steering fiasco)
3. No VTS (which is a MUST) option unless you get iBR, which significantly jacks up your entry price
4. Not enough power, it takes a $3500 turbo kit just to hit 60 mph on these things
5. Not enough power
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Completely agree with you. I have yet to lose to a Spark with my stock motor XP, even raced the 110hp vtech tuned one and walked him.

mikidymac said:
I love the look of the spark and if someone with no mechanical skill asked what to get just to ride with the family my only answer would be spark.

I love 2 strokes and retro stuff and remember when these skis were new. I also have the ability to do all the work myself and know that until they ban them my 2-strokes will run for another 20 years.
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Definitely. It amazes me when people buy a ~20 year old boat and expect it to be flawless. If you dont want to turn wrenches then buy new!

Plus, I just love the X4 hull. I've ridden many many skis and other than stand ups, the X4 is the best. The spark should be compared to a GSX not X4 IMO
 
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WhiskeyD said:
Completely agree with you. I have yet to lose to a Spark with my stock motor XP, even raced the 110hp vtech tuned one and walked him.



Definitely. It amazes me when people buy a ~20 year old boat and expect it to be flawless. If you dont want to turn wrenches then buy new!
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I agree, it amazes me some people and their abilities. I have friends that don't even know how to use a screwdriver. I feel bad for them but it seems to be more common now and they just can't do it. For them new is the best idea that way they can just take it to the dealer and have them fix it or just put gas in it and have fun.
 
IDoSeaDoo said:
Actually, you can buy the $5k 60hp one and buy a $400 tube box and unlock it to 109hp. I forgot who makes the box, but that's what I'd do.
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Does the $400 tube box include the $500 tuning credit? Since there are no changes to the engine itself those extra horsepower come at a price .... more RPMs, more fuel guzzling fuel maps, advanced timing and higher octane gas or E85. I hear they spin over 8K WOT. Wonder if it voids the warranty....
 
mikidymac said:
I agree, it amazes me some people and their abilities. I have friends that don't even know how to use a screwdriver. I feel bad for them but it seems to be more common now and they just can't do it. For them new is the best idea that way they can just take it to the dealer and have them fix it or just put gas in it and have fun.
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The trouble with "new" and "warranties" and having the dealer fix it is that you have to take it to the dealer, you have to wait at the mercy of the dealer's schedule without a ride, and then when you finally hear it's fixed, you have to go and get it and when you find out it's not fixed right five miles from the ramp, you have to go back to step one and start over again.

At one time I didn't know how to use a screwdriver. I'm still not that good at it. But the learning curve is less painful than paying for new, and jumping through the warranty hoops.
 
mikidymac said:
I love the look of the spark and if someone with no mechanical skill asked what to get just to ride with the family my only answer would be spark.

For me as others have said it is the price.

I love 2 strokes and retro stuff and remember when these skis were new. I also have the ability to do all the work myself and know that until they ban them my 2-strokes will run for another 20 years.

And again price. With all the cosmetic stuff and fresh engine with all OEM parts I only have about $200 into my 1996 XP. Bought it and a WaveBlaster 2 on double trailer for $500 and sold the Blaster for $1,700.
Click to expand...

Did you put any labor or $$ into the Waveblaster in order to get $1,700 for it?
 
WhiskeyD said:
Completely agree with you. I have yet to lose to a Spark with my stock motor XP, even raced the 110hp vtech tuned one and walked him.



Definitely. It amazes me when people buy a ~20 year old boat and expect it to be flawless. If you dont want to turn wrenches then buy new!

Plus, I just love the X4 hull. I've ridden many many skis and other than stand ups, the X4 is the best. The spark should be compared to a GSX not X4 IMO
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I agree! But one nice thing about the Spark hull is the deck isn't glued to it. Undo some fasteners and you can take the whole deck off which is like putting the engine on a bench without removing it.
 
My labor and $100 in carb parts on the Wave Blaster and I rode it for a year too. It was a fun ski but the 45 mph top speed sucked.
 
One issue with the Spark here is all of the lakes have a mandatory inspection to make sure the inner hull is clean and dry for prevention of mussel infestation. I am not sure how they come open but I saw a family turned away by the rangers with brand new sparks because they couldn't get into the ski to visually inspect the inside for water.
 
I misspelled tune box, and yes, I believe (don't quote me) that the 400 does come with one license

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
mikidymac said:
One issue with the Spark here is all of the lakes have a mandatory inspection to make sure the inner hull is clean and dry for prevention of mussel infestation. I am not sure how they come open but I saw a family turned away by the rangers with brand new sparks because they couldn't get into the ski to visually inspect the inside for water.
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I think the rubrail comes off to expose the fasteners (I heard 12 bolts ... I don't think they're rivets). Too bad for the family but good for the rangers for protecting the lake... the dreaded Zebra mussels?

We're on a private lake so no public ramp, but we got an infestation of eel grass two years ago. It's horrible. Interestingly, the most frequent outside visitors launching boats into the lake that boat on other waterways are the Sheriff's marine patrol. <sigh>
 
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IDoSeaDoo said:
I misspelled tune box, and yes, I believe (don't quote me) that the 400 does come with one license

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
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If you mean the V-Tech box, you have to buy the license separately I believe. There's another box where you can flash as many EEPROMS as you want. The box cost $1,600. I'm sure it's just a matter of time before someone comes up with a USB adapter to plug a laptop into the ski and a free download of the tune software off the internet. A lot of ECUs will become doorstops.
 
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So what's the fastest anyone has ever gotten a spark up to? Now that the aftermarket has had it's hands on it for over a year, what's the craziest thing they've ever done to one?
 
IDoSeaDoo said:
So what's the fastest anyone has ever gotten a spark up to? Now that the aftermarket has had it's hands on it for over a year, what's the craziest thing they've ever done to one?
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It ain't pretty my friend. If you want to even sniff 60 mph on a Spark you need a turbo. Most of the speeds you see reported with the 90hp and VTEC 110 tune (110 hp yeah right...) and the basic intake/exhaust mods is 52ish MPH and an occasional guy will say he ran faster than that. One guy ran 68 mph at World Finals but he was running a turbo with like 12 pounds of boost and making 200+ HP.
 
The V-Tech Turbo reportedly dyno'd at 140 HP and is kissing 60mph. Anyone doing 68mph on a plastic hull sitting on 12 pounds of boost at probably over 10k rpm should have a short bucket list.

I think **************'s 14-year-old 110 pound son did 54.2 mph on a stock tuned Spark which is suppose to be a world record for stock (tuned non-turbo).
 
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Probably the hull needs to be reconfigured for speed. This hull is really designed to be family friendly starter ski, not a performance beast. I hope seadoo makes a better one along these lines. I think the ace engine has a lot of promise.

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i personally like the spark. Its not made for top speed.
Its made to whip around, be light, and do 360's. Also its main thing is to be cheap.
Yes i have a 96 gsx that probably goes faster than the spark (barely). But the thing constantly needs fixing. And on top of that lets talk msrp. The msrp on my gsx was over 7k... in 1996...... SO this ski in 2015 19 years later is not only cheaper, more reliable, lighter, more efficient and most of all new, but dollar for dollar you get more for your buck with the spark. Straight up.

Its not made to go over 60. If thats what you want then dont get a entry level ski.
 
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