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Would like to purchase a used Seadoo, but need some help

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marker227

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I originally wanted to buy a Seadoo Jet boat, but it looks like I'll have to spend 3k+ to get it.. So, I was hoping that someone could help me out with looking into a PWC.

I see MANY different kinds on craigslist and ebay, but have no idea which ones are good/bad.

I guess I should first tell you my price range. Please tell me if I can spend under 2k for a used one or a a pair of seadoos with trailer?

http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/boa/1581687757.html

This is what I mean... The price looks temping for 2, but have no idea if they are good models or not.
 
keep looking

That is a good price, IF the other was running, so who knows what your getting.

Personally, i 'd go for this.. http://jerseyshore.craigslist.org/boa/1561105657.html , probably sold considering the date, but that ski, by far, for the money is WELL worth it. I'm trying to dump my GS, for one of these. That ski, Its a 3-seater, 110hp, so, you can cruise the wife/g.f., go solo doing 50mph+, and/or if you got munchkins, can pull them on a tube, with no problems.
 
So, are there certain models I should be looking for? I'm most likely only going to go solo or with one other friend. I highly doubt I'll pull anything. I just want decent speed and maneuverability.

GTX only?
 
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Any 2-seater ski, with 2-people will feel/be unstable. Thats why i was showing you the GTX, if you mainly/always go solo, i'd look into the XP
 
How fast are the XP's?

It all depends on what year your looking at, the xp had a variety of different hull styles/engines. I love my 95 xp, even though it is one of the older, slower model engine years, still fast none the less, and boy can that hull out handle almost anything ive come across. Xps are usually good for 50 mph or more, but without a year or engine to base on, who knows! All i know is mine sure is realllly tippy with 2 people.
 
It all depends on what year your looking at, the xp had a variety of different hull styles/engines. I love my 95 xp, even though it is one of the older, slower model engine years, still fast none the less, and boy can that hull out handle almost anything ive come across. Xps are usually good for 50 mph or more, but without a year or engine to base on, who knows! All i know is mine sure is realllly tippy with 2 people.


I'm not sure what I want.... Or what year, model. I just know I want to hop waves and I don't even know if I need 50+ MPH speeds for that....

All I know is I'll be using it in salt water most likely and in a channel.


Can you suggest how many hours I should be looking for on an engine? Is 100+ hours too high?

Typically when you buy a car 100k miles on it is really high... So I'm not sure how many hours on a seadoo engine is a lot.
 
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Gtx...

I got the 1997 GTX, along with the 97 model Challenger. To me, I got the best of both worlds. On my dream-o-meter for the GTX, it has a peak speed in my info center of 60 mph. That happened when I bought it. It previously had 56 on it.

Last year, at the Seadooforum get together, I was out hoping waves and got caught inbetween a pair of waves coming at me from different directions. I got thrown over the right hand side, landed on the sponson, then bounced into the water. So, the GTX is just as fun to ride as the XP.

The XP is quick, like a sport bike. But, the GTX is more stable and still has the speed. The GTX, you can stop and shoot the bull. The XP requires a bit of balance at a dead still.

Then, one of the biggest things to consider is, "do you want a ski that has reverse on it?". There are several model skis that do not have reverse or neutral on them. The 97 XP is one of them. It has the VTS, but no reverse.

Your budget? It's a bit low. It's going to be hard to find anything thats in good shape for that money. I paid 4K for my 97 boat and $2,200 for my GTX.

Craigslist or ebay..... Buyer beware ... I would not recommend you even think about ebay or craigslist for your ski. Unless you are a mechanic and know what you are looking for, then you have a greater than 75% chance your going to get screwed. It's in my experience and opinion that people look to use these sources as places to dump their headaches.

Be very careful. Look in your local want ads. Even if you can't buy a Seadoo, don't get screwed buying something from Craigslist.........:cheers:
 
If a GTX isn't much more money I think I'd rather have that one than the XP. 80% of the time I think I wouldn't have a 2nd rider, but it's nice to know the GTX can at least handle one more person.

I have no idea which year I want as well.... I haven't been on a seadoo in a long time (I'm only 20 :D). Is there a better year than another? Is anything older than 1996 too old?

I don't care about reverse at all. I'm going to be driving it down to the ocean or lakes in my area. So, I don't think I need it?



I got the 1997 GTX, along with the 97 model Challenger. To me, I got the best of both worlds. On my dream-o-meter for the GTX, it has a peak speed in my info center of 60 mph. That happened when I bought it. It previously had 56 on it.

Last year, at the Seadooforum get together, I was out hoping waves and got caught inbetween a pair of waves coming at me from different directions. I got thrown over the right hand side, landed on the sponson, then bounced into the water. So, the GTX is just as fun to ride as the XP.

The XP is quick, like a sport bike. But, the GTX is more stable and still has the speed. The GTX, you can stop and shoot the bull. The XP requires a bit of balance at a dead still.

Then, one of the biggest things to consider is, "do you want a ski that has reverse on it?". There are several model skis that do not have reverse or neutral on them. The 97 XP is one of them. It has the VTS, but no reverse.

Your budget? It's a bit low. It's going to be hard to find anything thats in good shape for that money. I paid 4K for my 97 boat and $2,200 for my GTX.

Craigslist or ebay..... Buyer beware ... I would not recommend you even think about ebay or craigslist for your ski. Unless you are a mechanic and know what you are looking for, then you have a greater than 75% chance your going to get screwed. It's in my experience and opinion that people look to use these sources as places to dump their headaches.

Be very careful. Look in your local want ads. Even if you can't buy a Seadoo, don't get screwed buying something from Craigslist.........:cheers:
 
If a GTX isn't much more money I think I'd rather have that one than the XP. 80% of the time I think I wouldn't have a 2nd rider, but it's nice to know the GTX can at least handle one more person.

I have no idea which year I want as well.... I haven't been on a seadoo in a long time (I'm only 20 :D). Is there a better year than another? Is anything older than 1996 too old?

I don't care about reverse at all. I'm going to be driving it down to the ocean or lakes in my area. So, I don't think I need it?


hey, im 20 too bro, :cheers:

i did alot of research before i bought, but id be careful of ebay, or craigslist, or any of those sites, ive seen alot of horror stories where they come looking like that, but end up having the intake filled with sand, including the sleeves, thus compromising the engine.

Theres no particular seadoo model to avoid unless you get up into the DI models, which i believe started in 2001, and even then, if ones in good shape, it should give you fairly reliable service, if its a beater, run away.

Your young like me, and though i find it a huge pain in the ass to get my girlfriend on the back of my Xp without a good balancing act, ( it becomes second nature ) id say go for an Xp bro. You said youd be riding alone 80 percent of the time, which is unreal on an Xp, like snipe said above, its like a sport bike. Dont get me wrong i love the GTX, and just about bought one, its really stable with 2 people, and fast as well, but in the end i wanted that sportier feel. You also said reverse doesnt matter, which it didnt to me, and of course, the xp doesnt have reverse. None the less, Defs go for a carbed model, because there fairly easy to work on, and they range from the first seadoo in 89 all the way up into the 2000's i believe, giving you a broad choice of crafts. No craft is too old ( dont take that to seriously ) if it was well maintained, and the hour count is low, look hard. Defs look for low hours, under 100 id reccomend, but again, see what snipe says.
i know i didnt help much but its my 2 cents, hope it helps u a bit, just go look at your options with the cash you have in your area, then narrow it down.

Cam
 
ps. theres the whole other story if you'll be towing people on tubes etc, what kind of car your towing with. The xp is light light, especially in the earlier years like mine, the gtx is slightly heavier, and also legal to tow, the xp isnt legal to tow, because theres no room for a second person to spot/hold on facing rearwards.

so when snipe said the xp was like a sportbike, he was exactly right, you cant really tow people ( legally.. hehe ) and its very tippy with 2 people, like a crotch rocket. Its like comparing a cbr 600, to one of those big road cruiser bikes you see with the old men on with the speakers and the trailer going cross country. One is way more practical than the other, but when your young, who needs practical, ahaha.

cheers bro, i wrote you a novel here ha!
 
I have no idea which year I want as well.... I haven't been on a seadoo in a long time (I'm only 20 :D). Is there a better year than another? Is anything older than 1996 too old?

?

In 98, you'll find the maroon GTX, which has the 951cc/130hp motor. 96 and 97 had the 787/110hp motor. In 95 and older, you'll definetly see the difference in style amongst the GTX and its performance. Think in 98, Seadoo made the GTX in both, 951 and 787, difference being color. Being 20, it'll be a chick magnet, homey...:hurray:
 
I'm pretty much going to go for the GTX now...

I have a Dodge Dakota to tow it with.

What's the speed on the GTX 98?



Thanks guys
 
Gtx...

In 98, you'll find the maroon GTX, which has the 951cc/130hp motor. 96 and 97 had the 787/110hp motor. In 95 and older, you'll definetly see the difference in style amongst the GTX and its performance. Think in 98, Seadoo made the GTX in both, 951 and 787, difference being color. Being 20, it'll be a chick magnet, homey...:hurray:

The other reason I like my GTX is stability when I stop to swim. I live on the water so on the weekends, it's out at the dock. I can grab the girls and go out to the river, drop anchor and let them go swimming.

When your ready to get back on, you just climb up the back and go. I can actually stand on the side and it not tip. I have to lean over the seat just a tad for the counter balance. But, really stable.

A member dropped off his XP for me to do some work on. I got it running yesterday and want to take it to the river to see how well it runs. I got a good bit of work to do on it, with the most time consuming, changing the fuel lines and going through the carbs.

I've rode the older model XP's but not this hull type. It's a 97 model like the GTX, so it'll give me a great comparison when I ride.

I did notice on the back of this XP, he has the swing up boarding bar. So, you must be able to board from the rear fairly easy. I'll let you know when I take it out. But, I already know if I had to do it all over again, it would still be the GTX..........:cheers:
 
I'm in NJ. Where would you go to get your Seadoo serviced? Is it expensive?

I don't want to get into this boating hobby if I don't realize how expensive it might be.
 
Forum...?

I'm in NJ. Where would you go to get your Seadoo serviced? Is it expensive?

I don't want to get into this boating hobby if I don't realize how expensive it might be.


Not to be a smarty pants but, your in the forum. If you haven't noticed, that's what we do here is fix boats/skis. Why? Because it's highway robbery to take them to a dealership. Not just the Seadoo but any boat. These guys know they have you over a barrel. The going labor rate for the marine engine work is anywhere from $75-$100 bucks an hour.

If you have to rely on a service mechanic and have a really low budget for the ski/boat, it might not be the best idea for you to get into.

Dont' get me wrong, I'd love to see you out here, having fun but I'm also a realist. I'm not going to lie or lead you in to believe that you can pay a couple grand for a boat/ski and ride it for several years. A boat is often said to be a big hole in the ground where we just toss our money into the bottomless pit. This is probably a true saying. I'm sure, everyone on this site would agree with that statement.

I hope I didn't offend you, that was not my intention. But, I do want you to understand that boats aren't cheap to maintain. But, being a member of our forum can save you thousands over the course of a few years.......:cheers:
 
No, thats perfectly okay!

I was hoping I could spend a few grand and ride it a few times a month in the summer for a couple of years. If there will be routine EXPENSIVE maintenance I should wait till I get a better source of income ;).

The worse idea would be to buy the ski and then have a repair I can't afford and then I'll be bummed...
 
Ski's...

It's really all in what you know how to or are willing to do.

Take me for instance, I work on my own ski and boat. My expense is limited to changing out my pump oil, stabil in the gas tank, clearing all water lines, greasing my PTO hub, pulling all my plugs and putting in a dab of die electric grease and a few other things that might have popped up. Then, greasing my axle bearings on the trailer.

Then, look at a couple years back, my wearing ring went out. When I went to replace it, I decided it would be best to go ahead and replace the pump bearings.

All this, if taken and done at a shop would probably be a bit over a thousand dollars. That's the low end.

Someone not familar with the ski/boats that would require them to take it in to a shop, would spend about $300 bucks in the off season for winterizing.

Then, if you buy an older model, for a cheap price, there is bound to be wear on the pump and motor so you don't know what or when something is going to break. Especially if you get it off craigslist or ebay. I usually see these places as the dumping ground for someone to get rid of their headaches.

If you got a good deal and you knew it was running good, you might be able to take it out and have some fun. But, when it got to a point that it was going to cost and you didn't have the funds to keep it going, you could drain all the oil from the rotary and oil tank (don't worry about the injection pump), drain the fuel and fog the cylinders and set it up somewhere. As long as you keep the moisture out or if you can store it in climate control, these things will old over for a couple years.......

But, in the end, water toys are usually a bit expensive to keep going.....:cheers:
 
Hard to read into the info provided but:
rebuilt @ 45 hrs - does not say how many hours are on it now
no trailer
rebuilt engine but i see gray fuel lines - don't think they are all return lines

enjoy
bobby
 
So, I understand I should buy the GTX What is a GTX Di? Should I be interested in that?

What about the type of motor that comes with it? I see some 110 HP and 185 HP Rotex. Any preference?
 
Does anyone have AIM or msn? I wanna talk Seadoo a little bit. I don't know what the difference between a GTX and a GTX RFI is... I don't know the subtle differences with the abbreviations of DI, RFI, etc.

I'd like to get one this summer, but want a little more help on getting information about Seadoos before I purchase one.

I'm only guessing that if I got an earlier model which would be 2 stroke, it would eventually annoy me. So, I think 2002 and up would be what I want. Unless it's way over $2k.

How far can a Seadoo go on a tank of gas? I wasn't too sure...
 
Sigh... I can't edit my posts.



I think I said in the beginning I'm looking for a 3 seater, and most importantly speed and maneuverability.

Reverse isn't a big deal to me.. I don't see why it would be.

I'd like to spend no more then around $2500.

Does anyone think I could get an 02 model for around that price? The only reason why I want an 02 is that it's 4 stroke.

I'm reading that the GTX speed is average around 50-55 MPH. I haven't been on a Ski in a long time. Is that a sufficient amount of speed?
 
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