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Would you make an offer?

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Diesellpower

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Hi. New to the site. I had to join after reading through so many restoration threads. I have never owned a jet ski, but all of my friends do and i ride fairly often. I need one of my own, and my brothers old XP was one of the funnest machines ive ever been on, so i have been looking for one of those.

I just came across a craigslist ad today:

1996 Sea Doo XP Project - $550

252.jpg


This would make a great winter project, and is worth fixing. I bought it in a set and don't have the time to put into it.

Currently I know it needs an MPEM and starter. The motor can be turned over by hand via the PTO, and it definitely has compression. The seat could use a new cover and overall is could use a good buff and wax. With a little elbow grease this could be a really nice ski again. The hull is solid.

$550 takes it. No trailer, but i do have a single or double available. The engines alone out of these sell for $800+ on ebay!







I consider myself a competent mechanic, but i have never maintained a PWC. My 2 stroke experience is limited to tuning my chainsaw and leaf blower. So im hoping for some help on what to look for and what (if anything) i should offer based on the most common maintenance issues these things have. To avoid ending up divorced and homeless, i need to end up with somthing that functions for $1000 or less, but I can sneak more money into it over time.


Can anyone give me a quick list of what to look for when i stop to check this thing out? Or if you would decline making an offer at all without a compression test?
It seems like a gamble, but i have time on my hands in the winter and i just finished my ATC110, so i could use another project.
 
unless it runs I usually offer around $2-400 for those off the trailer, if not, there is always another one for sale in that price range. I bought 3 of those in 2014 never paid over $350, non running, and kept my fingers crossed that the mpem was good.

the lack of a good mpem is a big deterrant, although they usually can be reasonable, but pretty hard to get a programmed mpem and starter for under $250 ish.

condition, timing , and the sellers impatience are all factors that can cut the price in half.

with a bad starter mpem, and an engine that is far from a sure thing, those are big negatives on the price.

AND always remember that usually there are always another $300 worth of crap that you won't know about until a few days after you get home.
 
I agree with Spim. IMO, since this is your first ski, I would look for a good running ski in the 1200.00 to $1500.00 ski, you should be able to get a good one for this price, especially this time of year, including the trailer. If you buy the ski you are looking at the $1500.00 is going to seem like a bargain.

Lou
 
Well...............I'll be the devil on your shoulder. I would lowball at $300. Take a battery (buy one at advanced auto, and then return it on your ride home), if the MPEM "doesn't" work" he might be trying to hide a bad engine. But you can install a battery and jump the posts on the solenoid. Install a compression tester and jump the posts and see what she gets on each cylinder. Hold the throttle wide open when checking the compression. 150 is ideal 140 or less and you will need a rebuild in the future. The solenoid is in the rear ebox in front of where you're going to put the battery. There is a clip on either side then pull up, there will be resistance due to the seal. It should be clean and dry in there no rust or very little. If you get lower than 140, the price just went lower, like $150 for the ski. I never buy a ski at that $550 price and expect it to run or even turn over, it's a full resto or nothing.


Inspiration (looks like the same shape your's would be in)
http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?56273-96-XP-Resto-Project-Clapped-out



You can see the one tab on the right side of my pic, the two red cables are on the solenoid, just bridge that with needle nos pliers of a large screw driver.


462.jpg
 
I agree with Spim and Lou, I wouldn't go more than 200 for that ski unless there are some aftermarket goodies on it we can't see which is very doubtful.

I see that he has a second ski in similar condition in the background. I bet he robbed the starter and MPEM out of this for that other ski. That makes me wonder what was really wrong with this ski which made him initially choose to use it as a parts ski.

I'm in Ohio as well and that's been on CL for several months. Something better will definitely pop up soon.




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The seller reveals his willingness to downplay issues and alter facts when he boasts that "these engines sell for $800 on Ebay". Maybe completely rebuilt ones but a 20 year old one in unknown condition would be doing good to bring half that. So when he talks about the hull being "solid" well I'd have to see for myself...

I'd go over there and look the hull over top to bottom for boo boos. If it does look good an has not been picked apart then I'd confirm that he has the proper paper work to get it legally registered in your name. From there I'd move to RacerXXX's instructions to try and determine if the engine has some more service to give.

I agree with the other guys that it is not a sweet deal as it stands. Usually the buyer would get a trailer with a dead ski at that price and those are worth 2-3 hundred easily. Since it's been advertised for a while now the guy probably realizes he is not sitting on a no-brainer. He should fall to $350ish and that would be a decent deal for you if the engine, hull, and paperwork are in order.
 
Thanks for the input guys. The more think about it, y'all are right and he bought them as a pair and used the best parts from both machines to build one good one. So this one is just full of the cast off stuff. I will call him this weekend and try to get a time to go inspect it. If the hull is solid and all of the parts are at least there, I might make a lowball offer. I'm not afraid of a major restoration. I already have 2 under my belt. A 79 arc 110 and a 20' boat. Believe, I know how the cost adds up. On the boat, the nickel and dime stuff added up to almost $800. Marine hoses, clamps, hardware and stuff is expensive.

I read your restoration thread racerx. You and me operate pretty much the same except I'm not a stickler for "factory original". I do everything right to the best of my ability, weather it's cooking a grilled cheese or building an industrial cnc machine. Pride and craftsmanship in America is not dead yet!
 
The biggest issue is the wife. Once I cross the $1000 mark on my projects, if I don't have somthing that at least goes "vroom", she starts getting cranky in front of the checkbook.
 
I know it's a drive for you, but please buy this before I do. You can convince your wife that the initial investment is bigger, but you can put $150 in that GTX and sell for $1500+ easily.

I've been mulling this deal over but I'd be murdered by my fiance. Have 8 right now and she's starting to catch on that I'm hoarding them and not flipping as my was earlier excuse to her, lol.

1998 Seadoo SPX & GTX + Trailer - $1800
http://dayton.craigslist.org/boa/5378558199.html

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 
Diesellpower said:
The biggest issue is the wife. Once I cross the $1000 mark on my projects, if I don't have somthing that at least goes "vroom", she starts getting cranky in front of the checkbook.
Click to expand...

my wife kinda put me on a 1000 budget as well, back in 07'. I paid exactly 1000, and then quietly dropped $500 more into it.

All downhill from there.
 
Ankeneyou said:
I know it's a drive for you, but please buy this before I do. You can convince your wife that the initial investment is bigger, but you can put $150 in that GTX and sell for $1500+ easily.

I've been mulling this deal over but I'd be murdered by my fiance. Have 8 right now and she's starting to catch on that I'm hoarding them and not flipping as my was earlier excuse to her, lol.

1998 Seadoo SPX & GTX + Trailer - $1800
http://dayton.craigslist.org/boa/5378558199.html

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Now this could be a solid deal here



95 XP800!!!
Keep the 2 strokes alive!
 
That kinda puts me in a position. If I talk to her about it, I can sell it as "something we can do together" she might go for it. But if she disagrees and I buy them anyways, I'll be in deep shit.

Forgiveness is usually really easy when I just show up out of the blue towing a new toy.
If they would only last till tax returns come in ....... In good running condition in the spring , those could probably sell for 2k each.
 
Definitely a together activity! My fiance really only rides my GTI. She thinks it's stupid that none of the others have Reverse.

I'm going to be in Dayton Sat, so might swing by and check them out. I do have a 2 96 XP project skis if you are interested in something now. One needs a rebuild (105/135) compression but good cosmetically. Other has a good engine (152/153) but sun baked. PM me if interested.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk
 
Yep. She just reboots with some error about "idiot husband with expensive hobbies"

Buying a new pair of boots is one of the only things that will clear this error.

Even if those boots cost more then the ATC 250r I wanted to get.
 
250r is rich blood brother. I want a 350x but those are to steep. Heck, I'll settle for an 86 200x needing a resto.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk
 
Don't ever do a hard boot on a wife. She loses data after restart, she will refuse to function the way you want. Resists all input. Freezes and gives you no choice but to buy her something.
 
racerxxx said:
250r is rich blood brother. I want a 350x but those are to steep. Heck, I'll settle for an 86 200x needing a resto.

Sent from my SGH-T889 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I only buy basket cases or ones in such poor condition that I can get them for a song. They are such simple machines, nothing turns me off of a good deal.
 
The seller parts machines. He has 3-4 96 xp's. I suspect the motor is trashed. He sells on ebay. If the motor was good he would have ripped it out to sell it. Google search the phone number in the ad and you will see his ebay listings. I contacted him on it a while back and he only came down $50. After we couldnt get together on a price I offered to sell him a mpem and a starter and he then told me he had spares. If it was me and I had a spare mpem I would put it in it and check the compression of the motor. Bad mpem, bad motor, equals $100-$200 offer
 
Jetskigoodies said:
The seller parts machines. He has 3-4 96 xp's. I suspect the motor is trashed. He sells on ebay. If the motor was good he would have ripped it out to sell it. Google search the phone number in the ad and you will see his ebay listings. I contacted him on it a while back and he only came down $50. After we couldnt get together on a price I offered to sell him a mpem and a starter and he then told me he had spares. If it was me and I had a spare mpem I would put it in it and check the compression of the motor. Bad mpem, bad motor, equals $100-$200 offer
Click to expand...

Sounds a little sketchy
 
I know this is off topic but did you get any seat time on that bad ass XPL you were building? [MENTION=51350]Jetskigoodies[/MENTION]
 
I went to look at it. Decided against even making an offer. He has a nice shop with shelves full of parts and stuff. A few other seadoos in various states of disassembly. It was obvious that he knows what he is doing and it set off a red flag for me. If all that was wrong with it was a starter and mpem, he would have it fixed in a few hours. My guess was that every part on the thing was the worst of everything that he had from his other boats.

I decided to have some paitience and hope I find one before spring.

I started restoring a JD lawn tractor instead. Will be nice to have one big enough to pull my boat around the yard and run a snowblower, plow or tiller.
 
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