Newbie looking to buy Seadoos... any advice would be helpful

ederemer · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

Hello! I am completely new to owning a Seadoo/Jetski. I used to rent
them 6 or 7 years ago for weekends but haven't done it since. After
visiting Lake Tahoe for a weekend and renting one for an hour I fell in
love again. I'm looking to buy a pair of Seadoos for my family (or
perhaps Jetskis? Any advice on that? I used to rent only Seadoos, so
I don't have any experience with other manufacturers). I am not sure
what questions to ask sellers. I am unfamiliar with the level of
maintenance involved in keeping them in tip top shape. Also, is there
any particular year/make/model that I should avoid because of poor
design or many mechanical failures? What maintenance should I make
sure the seller has performed in the past to ensure that they are in
good shape?

I will probably be buying off of eBay so that will make a first hand
physical inspection almost impossible. Unless they are within driving
distance of Los Angeles or San Jose, CA. Thanks guys I really
appreciate any informaiton/advice/guidance you can give me!

Elliot

Archived from group: rec>sport>jetski

bruce · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 1

I have made the mistake of buying in a hurry, and in the peak summer
months. first look at your dealerships to get a feel for what you like.
Good thing with the dealers is that they compression test'em and
maintain them when they come in, but..... there is the whole price
thing. You have to also be able to look at the machine and inspect
every twist and turn. Also be very aware of the seller, why is he
selling it, let him bring it up. You really want to steer away from
some else's problems. I bought a seadoo because they seemed to have the
"name brand" and the most years in manufacturing. The one and most
important thing is just don't buy the first one you see!!!!

simpleton · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 83

Elliot, I'd really look at a new machine if I were you.

wrote in message @i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
> Hello! I am completely new to owning a Seadoo/Jetski. I used to rent
> them 6 or 7 years ago for weekends but haven't done it since. After
> visiting Lake Tahoe for a weekend and renting one for an hour I fell in
> love again. I'm looking to buy a pair of Seadoos for my family (or
> perhaps Jetskis? Any advice on that? I used to rent only Seadoos, so
> I don't have any experience with other manufacturers). I am not sure
> what questions to ask sellers. I am unfamiliar with the level of
> maintenance involved in keeping them in tip top shape. Also, is there
> any particular year/make/model that I should avoid because of poor
> design or many mechanical failures? What maintenance should I make
> sure the seller has performed in the past to ensure that they are in
> good shape?
>
> I will probably be buying off of eBay so that will make a first hand
> physical inspection almost impossible. Unless they are within driving
> distance of Los Angeles or San Jose, CA. Thanks guys I really
> appreciate any informaiton/advice/guidance you can give me!
>
> Elliot
>

Larry_A_Starr · Joined: 18 Aug 2007 Posts: 3

ederemer@gmail.com wrote:
> Hello! I am completely new to owning a Seadoo/Jetski. I used to rent
> them 6 or 7 years ago for weekends but haven't done it since. After
> visiting Lake Tahoe for a weekend and renting one for an hour I fell in
> love again. I'm looking to buy a pair of Seadoos for my family (or
> perhaps Jetskis? Any advice on that? I used to rent only Seadoos, so
> I don't have any experience with other manufacturers). I am not sure
> what questions to ask sellers. I am unfamiliar with the level of
> maintenance involved in keeping them in tip top shape. Also, is there
> any particular year/make/model that I should avoid because of poor
> design or many mechanical failures? What maintenance should I make
> sure the seller has performed in the past to ensure that they are in
> good shape?
>
> I will probably be buying off of eBay so that will make a first hand
> physical inspection almost impossible. Unless they are within driving
> distance of Los Angeles or San Jose, CA. Thanks guys I really
> appreciate any informaiton/advice/guidance you can give me!
>
> Elliot

Hello Elliot,
I own serveral jet ski's. I have bought all of them used with mixed
results. I would check out craigs list, www.craigslist.org. I have
found that it is better for finding skis in my area. First you need to
decide if you want a four stroke or a two stroke ski. The two strokes
are not allowed on lake tohoe, and tend to need more frequent
maintenace. However the two strokes are lighter and a smaller moter can
put out more power. Also two stroke moters are easier to work on. If
you do not plan to do your own repairs, I would recomend getting a ski
that has low hours on it. There are a lot of great skis that have very
low hours on them. Also Most of the newer skis have hour meters that
track the number of hours they are used.
You also need to figure out how much power you want. Most the rental
ski's tend to have 135 h.p. This is enough for most people. However if
you crave speed, or plan on pulling a skier, you may want more. the new
sea doo's have 215 h.p. Not that if you buy a ski with that is turbo
charged, or superchanged you can expect it to break down more, and be
more costly to repair. Power does not come cheap, the more power a ski
has the more you can expect to pay. You can find aproximate ski values
at www.nada.com. I would not buy a ski that you can not see in person.
The condition of the ski can tell you alot about how well it was
maintained.

Hope this helps,
Larry