Advice on Used Boat - First Time Buyer

[Gap22]

What 2022 quality issues are you referring to? Just curious because I have a 2022 AR 190 and have not encountered any.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Greatly appreciate all the feedback from everyone. Typical “too good to be true” scenario, so I’m glad she declined my offer and we walked away.

I’m sure this has been asked many times, but what are good sources to look for used SX190’s? I’ve read enough about 2022 quality issues to not want a brand new one, plus boat/power sports dealers are making every dime they can right now, after pricing one out last fall. Ideally, I’d like to find a gently used 2019 or 2020 that someone decided wasn’t the boat for them or want something bigger… hopefully before they smash it into a dock a few times.

I’ve been pretty active monitoring Facebook marketplace for about a year or so, and some groups focused on Yamaha jet boats and boats for sale in Michigan. Boattrader seems like a rip off on pricing, at least what I’ve seen listed. Craigslist in my area is not a good resource.

Finally, I know it’s a seller’s market, but are posts like this are very common? Do people really spend ~30k without a test? Or do sellers post stuff like that to prevent tire kickers?
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I wouldn't buy a boat used without a water test if I couldn't help it. Not going to get stuck with something. Unless I knew them. Let me know what you are looking for, I am in Southeastern Lower Michigan, I come across Yamaha's here and there usually that are either for sale or are about to go up for sale. If I hear of one I could let you know.

 

[TimeOnTheWater07]

I wouldn't buy a boat used without a water test if I couldn't help it. Not going to get stuck with something. Unless I knew them. Let me know what you are looking for, I am in Southeastern Lower Michigan, I come across Yamaha's here and there usually that are either for sale or are about to go up for sale. If I hear of one I could let you know.

Thank you very much! I'm looking for a late model SX190 and I'm also in SE MI.

 

[TimeOnTheWater07]

What 2022 quality issues are you referring to? Just curious because I have a 2022 AR 190 and have not encountered any.

Glad to hear your 2022 AR is not having issues, and congrats on the boat.
I'm sure what I've read on here, some other forums, and the FB groups is the loud minority of new boat owners complaining, not that I necessarily blame them. I've read about "thin fiberglass", cracks, etc and general quality control issues. Some of it might be dealer-related and failing to actually prep a boat.
I like the idea of new and not inheriting problems, but in my area, there's really only one or 2 dealers that sell Yamaha boats and based on the experience I had with my waverunner repair at one of those dealers, I had little interest in paying them full price + full fees.

 

[Gap22]

Gotcha

 

[MajorBummer210]

Nope the F outta there. Bondo below the water line?!?! What did they hit and what else got damaged that isn’t visible.

 

[MajorBummer210]

The newer SX190 is slow with more than a few adults. It’s a couples boat or for a small family. Hull too big. Motor too small.

 

[Rangerusa1111]

Rule 1 with used boats and new boats. Water Test - examine and look at ALL Functioning and Non Functioning systems. That fiberglass attempted repair concerns me. Something is below that gob of epoxy. Also whenever anyone selling something to me holds out for a higher offer, I lower my offer if they come back to me. They are not playing me as a fool. Time is money and they held the cards to long to expect me to offer the same. In sum, IMO there are plenty of boats hitting the market and I am starting to see a good amount of new Yamaha's hit the dealers. I would order new asap and avoid any issues that could come with a used boat.

 

[Jim_in_Delaware]

@paulmys, are you looking at just SX190's?

I believe the AR190 is a more popular boat and thus there are more for sale at any one time.

Jim

 

[swatski]

Glad to hear your 2022 AR is not having issues, and congrats on the boat.
I'm sure what I've read on here, some other forums, and the FB groups is the loud minority of new boat owners complaining, not that I necessarily blame them. I've read about "thin fiberglass", cracks, etc and general quality control issues. Some of it might be dealer-related and failing to actually prep a boat.
I like the idea of new and not inheriting problems, but in my area, there's really only one or 2 dealers that sell Yamaha boats and based on the experience I had with my waverunner repair at one of those dealers, I had little interest in paying them full price + full fees.

Let me provide a dissenting opinion here.

Starting with the listing price, it is not way off by any means. In fact, with 2012-2013s (first year production of 190 hull) are fetching 25k... this is not a bad deal at 28k, if you can get it.

It's a crazy market and with purchasing power of $ in free fall it is not looking to stop of reverse, and certainly not this boating season. If you wait it out and buy in the late Fall, you might have more room to bargain, but not right now. Credit is still cheap, boats are on backorders, there are no parts, and we are hitting the early start of the boating season in the north in earnest right about now.

Water test is important with these boats, and I would be hesitant to skip it, not a good idea. If you have never rode one, you may decide these boats are not for you even after a very "successful" water test, they are different in handling and feel and sound than a lot of traditional boats. Most likely it will be fine and you will like it, but I wouldn't skip sea trial. Top speed and acceleration will tell you a lot about the systems and their condition.

As far as the damage, this is (most likely NOT bondo), it looks like Marine Tex (I'm willing to take a bet!). The thing is, MarineTex is epoxy and it cures VERY hard, so it is very difficult to sand, while the surrounding gelcoat is relatively weak, it is a common mistake in these kinds of repair. I sincerely doubt there is any structural damage, from what I had seen in these Yamaha FRP hulls they show spider cracking very easily on impact, such as hitting with an anchor or hitting the dock, and it is obvious, almost like cracking egg shell. Someone who did THAT JOB could not possibly hide any underlying structural damage! lol. Not a chance.
THis could be fixed to "like in never happened" condition by a professional shop with matching gel coat (relatively doable in a new boat with no fading etc.) probably for about $1k or so. Or it could be done as DIY job to correct the results - a few hours of work, and maybe couple hundred bucks in materials if that.

I would insist on sea trial, and buy the boat. It looks (almost) pristine in the few pics, the hull damage is most likely not a big deal and already patched good enough to leave it as a postseason repair.

My 0.02

 

[swatski]

If that's the boat in the ad, they say no sea trial.
Would they let it start on the hose? (make sure you know the sequence - it's DIFFERENT than o/b) cooling water can hydrolock the engine.
If the pump looks good, no damage to the tunnel and impeller/stators (you can see that through the intake grates and through the venturi nozzle in the back), these are simple boats. I would probably take a chance and buy it, if you like it otherwise.

If you do buy it, I would immediately change the tires to radial if you tow a lot.

 

[BlkGS]

Greatly appreciate all the feedback from everyone. Typical “too good to be true” scenario, so I’m glad she declined my offer and we walked away.

I’m sure this has been asked many times, but what are good sources to look for used SX190’s? I’ve read enough about 2022 quality issues to not want a brand new one, plus boat/power sports dealers are making every dime they can right now, after pricing one out last fall. Ideally, I’d like to find a gently used 2019 or 2020 that someone decided wasn’t the boat for them or want something bigger… hopefully before they smash it into a dock a few times.

I’ve been pretty active monitoring Facebook marketplace for about a year or so, and some groups focused on Yamaha jet boats and boats for sale in Michigan. Boattrader seems like a rip off on pricing, at least what I’ve seen listed. Craigslist in my area is not a good resource.

Finally, I know it’s a seller’s market, but are posts like this are very common? Do people really spend ~30k without a test? Or do sellers post stuff like that to prevent tire kickers?
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Honestly, it's more common than you'd think.

When I bought mine years ago, we did a water test where the boat dealer drove it (it was on a consignment lot so it made sense). Frankly, there's NO WAY I would let some jackoff drive my boat on a test drive unless I had some good evidence they weren't an idiot that would wreck my boat and walk away.

In a sellers market like right now, you don't have to even worry about it because if you don't buy it, someone else will. So why waste time with potential tire kickers or people who might damage your boat?

And yeah, people spend WAY more than 30k sight unseen nowdays. People buy houses for over half a mil with no walk through and waived inspection nowdays down here. People are putting down 30k non refundable deposits for the right to try to buy a house. In this sort of a market, it can be pretty terrifying to be a buyer, but you kinda gotta suck it up and do it, or you miss out.

One thing I will add, you seem to be looking mainly at newer and smaller boats. Expand your search to older and larger ones. These boats are overall very robust, I'd rather an older and larger boat that was kept up well than a newer one that is smaller but newer.

 

[Farny]

Greatly appreciate all the feedback from everyone. Typical “too good to be true” scenario, so I’m glad she declined my offer and we walked away.

I’m sure this has been asked many times, but what are good sources to look for used SX190’s? I’ve read enough about 2022 quality issues to not want a brand new one, plus boat/power sports dealers are making every dime they can right now, after pricing one out last fall. Ideally, I’d like to find a gently used 2019 or 2020 that someone decided wasn’t the boat for them or want something bigger… hopefully before they smash it into a dock a few times.

I’ve been pretty active monitoring Facebook marketplace for about a year or so, and some groups focused on Yamaha jet boats and boats for sale in Michigan. Boattrader seems like a rip off on pricing, at least what I’ve seen listed. Craigslist in my area is not a good resource.

Finally, I know it’s a seller’s market, but are posts like this are very common? Do people really spend ~30k without a test? Or do sellers post stuff like that to prevent tire kickers?
View attachment 174926View attachment 174927

Looks like a pretty good buy. I would offer them a deposit and do a boat test to show your serious. The seller may be avoiding “joy riders wasting their time”

 

[MajorBummer210]

Buy this one:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2019-yamaha-ar195-with-warranty-till-2024-in-destin-fl-39-000.35588/

 

[swatski]

Buy this one:

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2019-yamaha-ar195-with-warranty-till-2024-in-destin-fl-39-000.35588/

Hard to tell if you are serious...
Fresh water boat with under 20hrs on the clock vs a two owner in salt with obvious cosmetic and rust issues. Yeah, I know, flushed after every use...
Just look carefully at the two trailers.

 

[MajorBummer210]

Hard to tell if you are serious...
Fresh water boat with under 20hrs on the clock vs a two owner in salt with obvious cosmetic and rust issues. Yeah, I know, flushed after every use...
Just look carefully at the two trailers.

I’m not worried about a $2K trailer when buying a $40K boat.

Id rather buy a 3 year old boat with 200 hours than a 6 year old boat with 20 hours. An object in motion stays in motion. The boat looks pretty well taken care of.

Of course due diligence is needed….you take the slow 190 with 20 hours and bondo on the hull….That’ll work GREAT.

 

[adrianp89]

Hard to tell if you are serious...
Fresh water boat with under 20hrs on the clock vs a two owner in salt with obvious cosmetic and rust issues. Yeah, I know, flushed after every use...
Just look carefully at the two trailers.

I am confused by this post. That AR is in great shape.

 

[swatski]

I am confused by this post. That AR is in great shape.

you are probably right.
maybe I just read too much into his old posts with non-working connext, uncertain hours and maintenance records off the first owner, scratched up, dirty hull, and rusted trailer and pump hardware. My bad. I'm sure the screen is replaced, the hours are correct and the boat has no corrosion, it's just the trailer and the pump that has a tiny bit of rust. must be totally normal in a 3 yo boat in FL.

I guess my only valid point was to the OP here and his prospected boat which seems (almost) pristine, the fix in the hull's ugly but most likely not problematic, and not fix w/bondo, so that is just silly. It's like a new boat with a dent that can be made disappeared, it's gel coat.

 

[adrianp89]

you are probably right.
maybe I just read too much into his old posts with non-working connext, uncertain hours and maintenance records off the first owner, scratched up, dirty hull, and rusted trailer and pump hardware. My bad. I'm sure the screen is replaced, the hours are correct and the boat has no corrosion, it's just the trailer and the pump that has a tiny bit of rust. must be totally normal in a 3 yo boat in FL.

I guess my only valid point was to the OP here and his prospected boat which seems (almost) pristine, the fix in the hull's ugly but most likely not problematic, and not fix w/bondo, so that is just silly. It's like a new boat with a dent that can be made disappeared, it's gel coat.

I didn't go in depth of his old posts. But yes there is no way to avoid rust on a trailer in Florida. My leaf springs are rusted on my year old 252SE and rinsed them with salt away after almost every dunk into water. Hell my winch rusted out in a year and it saw a hell of lot more salt away than salt water. One rusted bolt on a pump wouldn't bother me. As long as the boat stayed dry no issues. I didn't see any rust in the engine bay. At 120 hours I fully expect a few dock rash. I will take dock rash over major fiberglass damage under the waterline. To each their own.

 

[swatski]

I didn't go in depth of his old posts. But yes there is no way to avoid rust on a trailer in Florida. My leaf springs are rusted on my year old 252SE and rinsed them with salt away after almost every dunk into water. Hell my winch rusted out in a year and it saw a hell of lot more salt away than salt water. One rusted bolt on a pump wouldn't bother me. As long as the boat stayed dry no issues. I didn't see any rust in the engine bay. At 120 hours I fully expect a few dock rash. I will take dock rash over major fiberglass damage under the waterline. To each their own.

I hear you.
That's not how I roll though. God gave us CRC-656, and other anti-corrosives and lubricants galore, so we can spray those liberally on our boats and trailer components, there is no way you should have anything rusting in your boat in year 1-2-3.

The damage in the OP's boat prospect would worry me 1,000 times less than unknown hours, busted connext, or a possibility the inside of the 1.8 SVHO cooling passages looks like the rusted outside components.

And yes, to each their own.