Re: Used Waverunner reputations ?
Rob, I'm not an expert, the only thing I can tell you is, buyer beware. Some PWC's are babied by conscientous owners and others have been tortured by idiots. Try and look at the owners as much as the craft; do they seem intelligent/maintenance minded? The condition of the vessel will reflect the nature of the owner. There is an article in a recent issue of Watercraft World about mechanical problems to look for, but I just bought a pair of 2003 Yammies and the feature that sealed the deal for me was the transferrable warranty which goes a long way in protecting me until 2009. To be sure, I confirmed the warranty with two dealers who tracked it by the vessel numbers.<br />That was more important than any brand or opinion to me; I can tell you that Yamaha seems to be the vessel of choice in rental operations here in Florida, which speaks to their predicted reliability. There is also a lot to be said for going out and riding the different models/makes; you should do this to determine what you like more. For instance, I can tell you from experience there is a lot of difference between a Yamaha 3 seater and say, a Honda 3 seater. Not that one is better than the other; just different. And that's something you need to feel for yourself. For some, speed is everything. To others, stability, reliability and so on. I researched the different brands/models for about a year and the published tests/reviews reveal each craft/brand has both strong points and weak points; it just depends on what you value more as a consumer. The only thing I would strongly suggest is, get a 4 stroke engine. After owning various 2 stroke outboards for the last 15 years, and now owning three 4 stroke marine engines, I will most certainly never buy anything other than a 4 stroke again.
