Whay to look for in a used jet ski

[emmitt]

I am looking to buy a used jet ski for the kids. I am interested in a 3 seater but I don't want to be the fastest ski on the lake. Would enjoy going around the lake looking at the scenery. Other than a short test run what should I look for to make sure it hasn't had the life run out of it? Is there any particular manufactures or models to stay clear of? Any advise is greatly appreciated. - Thanks.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Whay to look for in a used jet ski

I have owned a few PWCS and bought all used. There are definately a few things to look for that may help you prevent a lot of problems based on your needs:

1 - Stay away from any super-charged models.

2 - Over the years, the power on these things have REALLY increased. In the mid 90's, 85 hp was a lot. Today, 135 hp is conservative, 250 is a lot. 135 is plenty. Most models in this range will go well over 50 mph. Really, how fast do you need to go?

3 - You get what you pay for, but frankly, I think $3500 to $6000 can get you a great used model.

4 - Most have hour meters. They are a good guide. Maint. records are important.

5 - They come in both 4 stroke and 2 stroke models. The newer ones will all be 4 stroke, but you will pay a lot more. Personally, I would stick with a 4 stroke. I own a 2 stroke myself....there are advantages to a 2 stroke, but I think reliability is better with a 4.

6 - VERY important.....have a compression and leak-down test performed when you are ready to buy one. If it is a bit low, it may just need rings. But doing this test will tell a lot about the motor.

7 - Do a water test. Check to see how responsive it is.

8 - Avoid one that has been modified......just my opinion.

9 - I have a 2002 Yamaha 1200 SUV that has never been stored in the water or left outside with under a 100 hours on it. It looks brand new. The same model that sat outdoors every summer and all year long will look like hell. How they are stored and used makes a huge difference. Look for signes of fiberglass repairs.

10 -After the water test, make sure no water is sitting in the engine compartment. Could mean seals are bad and need replacement.

11 - One of the major repairs on a ski is replacing the prop and housing. Can be quite expensive as in $800 or so. If you shine a brite light up the intake grate, and then look in through the jet from the back, you should barely be able to see any light between the prop blade and the housing. The prop should not have chips. Worn props will cavitate and result in a loss of power.

12 - When you water test it, see how fast it will go. Find out from other owners how fast it should go and you should be able to hit that speed or close to it. If the compression is good and the prop is good, it should hit proper speed. If not, they it has a potential issue.

Hope this helps.

 

[emmitt]

Re: Whay to look for in a used jet ski

Thanks for the info, it is very helpful. I would apprciate some more guidance. I found a 2006 Yamaha VX110 Sport 110hp, 3 seater with 500 hrs on it. I am concerned with the amount of hours it has. I will be sure to take the suggestions given above but before I take the time to check it out what should be done or will need to be done on an engine with 500 hrs even if it was well taken care of. The price is $3100 which seems reasonable to me except for the amount of hours. From the picture it looks to be in good condition. Any guidance would be appreciated.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Whay to look for in a used jet ski

"emmitt", It would be nice to have a professional check out the engine, pump and wear ring. That 1.0 liter 4-stroke engine has been the #1 engine in rental skis for years w/ an excellent reputation. 2000-2500 hrs should be doable w/ basic maint. and care. Good luck !!!

 

[Ernest T]

Re: Whay to look for in a used jet ski

Thanks for the info, it is very helpful. I would apprciate some more guidance. I found a 2006 Yamaha VX110 Sport 110hp, 3 seater with 500 hrs on it. I am concerned with the amount of hours it has. I will be sure to take the suggestions given above but before I take the time to check it out what should be done or will need to be done on an engine with 500 hrs even if it was well taken care of. The price is $3100 which seems reasonable to me except for the amount of hours. From the picture it looks to be in good condition. Any guidance would be appreciated.

The VX is a very reliable ski, but I'd suspect you are looking at a former rental ski if it has that many hours. Former rentals can be good buys, but keep in mind that they have typically been used and abused. I'd definitely do a compression check before you buy. The engine will last 1000s of hours, but sometimes the valves begin to go at around the 500 hour mark on that model. Compression on a real good engine will be close to 200 psi. On a ski with that many hours, I'd be happy with numbers over 185 psi and not more than a 14 psi difference between cylinders. Follow WaterDr's advice on checking out the ski, and be sure to look for water in the bilge after the ride. The older VX models had a tendency to develop a leak around the joint pipe after several hundred hours. It is not a hard fix, but labor intensive. On the test ride you want to make sure that the engine hits around 8000 rpms and close to 53 mph at WOT. That will tell you that the engine and pump are in good shape.

The VX is a very popular model, and sounds like it would fit your requirements pretty well. Its not super fast, but gets great fuel mileage (best in the industry), and is easy to maintain. If you are willing to spend a little more you can probably find one with less than 100 hours fairly easily. I'd recommend the Deluxe or Cruiser model (the Sport does not have reverse).

Good Luck!

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Whay to look for in a used jet ski

Frankly, 500 hours n that motor is NOTHING if it all checks out. I know rental places that put 2000 hours on these in one year.....the motors will last.

BUT, why get one with 500 hours, when you can get one that has under a 100. I have a 2002 with 100 hours on it. Depending on where you live, there are a lot of used skis with low miles. Frankly, the only valid reason for not buying ths one is that some day you will want to sell it and the potential buyers will be asking the same questions.

If the price is right, though, and the compression is good, you might have a winner.

500 hours on a 4 stroke might be like 100k miles on a modern car. Today, modern cars will go for 200, 300k miles on them and never, ever, have an engine issue.

reminds me.....I neeed to get mine out and check the compression. I do it every year. It's a two stroke and i get funny numbers sometimes. If I check it cold, and at the start of ther season it can be low....around 100 or 110. If I check after I ran it for the day, 130. All cylinders are the same. And, it always starts right up. If you start looking at a two stroke, compression test is a must. One sign of low compression is tough starts.

I have two strikes against me, carborated and two stroke. A fuel injected four stroke is so much nicer. I can easily see that in my 2012 Yam outboard. With a two stroke, it is not a question of "if" but "when". With a 4 stroke, it is more like "likely never" will you have a problem.