Evaluating a used PWC. What should I look for?
 

Hi all,

I'm considering a used PWC and going to take a look at some options. When visually evaluating a PWC, what should I look for (i.e. - kick the tires)?

Thanks

If you are seriously considering purchasing, bring it to a shop and let them do a professional job for around $100.00.

https://traveltips.usatoday.com/look...ski-21822.html

Low hours, check the bottom and make sure it hasn't been run aground, and get a maintenance record. If you're a first time PWC owner I would stay away from super charged models.

I bought a new ski after a LOT of research last spring. Were I buying a used one, there would be specifics I would look for depending on brand. For example, Sea-Doo uses a carbon seal that, depending on the owner's treatment, could prematurely wear.

I would also learn what features and motors are available, so I'd know what I'm looking for. Reverse/brake and audio systems are pretty cool while older SC machines need the superchargers rebuilt at ~100 hours whereas newer ones are 200 or maintenance free.

Ultimately, the suggestion to have a shop give it a look-see is a good one.

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Stay with 4 stroke model
No supercharger, not worth the maintenance
Low hours, preferably around 100 hours
No apparent cosmetic damage
Service records are nice, but may not exist
Research your model, set a price range and stay within it

Stick with a Yamaha. The IBR modules on many popular Sea Doo models fail frequently and they cost upwards of a 1K.

Maybe for strict reliability—maybe—but Sea-Doo has better designs and ride quality. The ST3 hull and direct access storage on my GTX are game-changers.

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Hey Think. I don't remember you doing a lot of jet ski research. Did you ever mention that on the Forum? :rolleye2:

Hahahaha! Do I have to remind you every time that I'm the reason for your forum membership?!

In hindsight—since I can't recall if I ever mentioned it—I'm so glad I did all the research because my machine is PERFECT for me!

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Good one! :D

HA,ha. Yes, think definitely has to be the expert on which jet ski to buy!

For $6.99, Amazon has a paperback book: 'Getting Started, the Jet Ski Guide' by Jeff Moyer-2017, and you can look at some of the inside pages for free, on-line.

There's probably other guide books available if you look around the internet.

I would go to craigslist-NH and enter the words "jet ski" in the search, and find some nearby jet ski sellers that look ok .... worth a look ..... and go look at it on a trial basis ..... as a tire kicker ..... not a serious buyer.

Then, go to a dealer like HK or daSilva and get some free literature, and prices for new/used.

Then, go see Matt's Sled Shed in Holderness and ask about getting a jet ski test inspected.

Then, go back to looking at craigslist for a private seller, jet ski.

There's always another jet ski deal out there, and private sellers usually get stuck with an un-sell-able machine for cash, and really want to sell it.

Tell yourself you will take at least two months of looking, before you make the decision to buy one, because once you buy it you own it, and you are stuck with it.

It might be worth having it loked at by a mechanic. Otherwise try to inspect the impeller and wear ring for damage or wear.
I bought a 20 year old seadoo a few years ago in late fall. It started and ran great but I wasn't able to take it on a test drive. When I got it on the water the following spring, I discovered it had no power. After some research I suspected the wear ring. Sure enough the impeller had a few dings in it and I could just about stick my finger through the gap between the impeller and wear ring. The ring also had a few gouges in it. After watching a couple of YouTube videos I replaced it myself along with filing down the edges on the impeller. Replacing was a bit tricky but easy. Cost was about $60.
Runs like new.

That makes two of us. Perfect for me too and I think we basically have the same machine.

New for this year on these Sea Doo models is if you suck up anything into the intake, you can reverse the flow in an effort to push it back out. I think that's a cool feature though I'm not sure it would have helped the one time I sucked up a stick that jammed itself quite deep into the impeller. I had to get under it and yank/chip it out with some makeshift tools. It wasn't easy to do and I was lucky I could get the lift up just barely enough to work under the ski without drowning.

That option looks cool, but, from what I've read, it adds a ton of complexity to the driveline. We'll have to see how reliable it is these next few years. I think we may end up buying a second machine at some point to tour with the whole family.

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Townie, have you moved forward at all?

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compression test and impellar.

I sold both of my Jet Skis last July for more money than I payed for them because new ones were hard to find.
I sold one to my next door neighbor so I still get to take it for a spin every once and a while. :)

What's a good deal?
 

Something that will run for the 8 weeks a year you want to use it. Beware anything that has sat for several years. For carbureted jetskis sitting around is the kiss of death. Some of the carburetors are very difficult to access, you definitely don't want to be cleaning carbs repeatedly. The Polaris triples are particularly bad with a rack for the carburetors that comes out in one piece. It's not fun getting your forearms greased up on a 95 degree July day bent over a jetski for 2 hours fighting with it. I would say that the triples are more prone to cylinder failure than 2 cylinder models. Old gas needs to be completely purged, stabil in new gas just in case it sits longer than expected before the next use. If the fuel has sat in the bowl for too long it's too late, it will have jelled/separated. Make sure it hasn't been submerged, starters in particular. It is possible you might have to take the engine out to change a starter. Check the CDI boxes, a great place for tons of corrosion and wires falling apart. Even if it hasn't been submerged it's a great place for condensation because of the heat and cold extremes day and night. Compression test always good it might start and run on land and be down a cylinder ready for total failure in the next 30 minutes. The best reason to buy new is that you absolutely know that for at least one summer it will run every time you want to use it. Most of the jetskis on trailers in people's back yards are there several summers because the last time they tried to use it they gave up and parked it.

A lot of good points have been mentioned here, but when you buy anything used, one of the things I look at if you are going to an individuals home to check out an item, (in this case a PWC), is to just look at the surroundings of the home. Is it neat, and in order? Is it clean? Is it well maintained? Is everything in it's place? Is there "pride of ownership"? Look at his vehicles in the yard/driveway, are they clean, neat and in order?? Does he take pride in their appearance? If the answer is "yes" to (most of, if not all) these questions, then you could probably feel good about buying something used from this individual. Now, you want to ask questions about maintenance, and different models, etc, to feel out the individuals knowledge of what he is selling. Has he owned it since new, what has he done to it for maintenance, is it all stock, any custom modifications, why is he selling, can I take it for a test ride, (if possible), can I do a compression test, can I have a mechanic look at it, (even if you don't mean it, just get his response to these questions). Take into consideration his appearance, personal hygiene, eye contact, his response to numerous "annoying" questions, etc,etc,etc and you can use it all to determine if this individual has character and integrity. That's your ultimate question!! Good luck in your search.