Looking to buy my first jet boat *Update*

[Wrecked Rooster]

Good morning!

***Leaving the original message below, but I ended up getting lucky and got a 2021 AR210. Literally a stroke of luck I found it and got it at a hell of a deal. Just got it home today 5-8-21***



I’m looking to buy my first jet boat and have definitely decided that I want a Yamaha. With that being said, I planned on waiting to buy a 195s new as soon as my local dealer was able to get one in. I’ve only owned a pontoon boat previously that I bought used.

Long story short, a 2014 Yamaha 212x just came up for sale near me for close to the same price as the new 195s. It also comes with a lot of extras (thrust vectors, 2 wake boards, wake surf board, tubes, life jackets, tow ropes, anchor, bumpers dock tie ups, etc). Question is, is it worth it to buy a 7 year old larger boat with the extras over a brand new smaller boat? The 2014 has 70 hours on it and is $45k.

Still fairly new to the boating world and 100% a newb when it comes to jet boats.

Thanks for any advice/help,

Jake

*Update* - So, I had to go back and search for pre-covid boat prices and it's definitely a sellers market right now. This same 212x in 2018, 2019 and even parts of 2020 went for way less. From $37k-41k. Paying $45k (he's asking $47,500) is out of the question as I think this is a bubble that will eventually burst and I don't want to take on that much negative equity. Thanks for the help and advice regardless.

 

[Dave burke]

70 hours is very little. That’s basically the equivalent of one season‘s use, or even less. I’d try and find out why the hours are so low, might be a really simple answer but I’d want to know if I were you.

Can you test drive it? I’d say this is a must and also a red flag if the owner says no. And if you don’t know jet boats, can you take somebody with you who knows them? Also, tell us where you are and maybe somebody on the Forum can help you check it out.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Wrecked Rooster]

70 hours is very little. That’s basically the equivalent of one season‘s use, or even less. I’d try and find out why the hours are so low, might be a really simple answer but I’d want to know if I were you.

Can you test drive it? I’d say this is a must and also a red flag if the owner says no. And if you don’t know jet boats, can you take somebody with you who knows them? Also, tell us where you are and maybe somebody on the Forum can help you check it out.

Good luck and welcome to the forum.

Thanks for the great advice! I’ll hit him up about the hours. He said we could hook up a hose to it to test it and would be glad to let me take it to a 3rd party for inspection. The boat is in Magnolia, TX. I’m in Oklahoma and plan on making the 7 hour drive this weekend.

 

[slickstick]

Dual engines is huge for me. I haven't spent much time on the older models, the thing I would really miss is the newer technology. Tough call honestly, checkout the older one and see if she sings to you.

 

[slickstick]

What's the asking price for the 2014 212? If you could find and swing a 2017, I'd highly recommend that over the 195S.

 

[Dave burke]

Thanks for the great advice! I’ll hit him up about the hours. He said we could hook up a hose to it to test it and would be glad to let me take it to a 3rd party for inspection. The boat is in Magnolia, TX. I’m in Oklahoma and plan on making the 7 hour drive this weekend.

sounds good. I try to do a water test as well. And maybe reach out to members close to Magnolia and see if they know of somebody who could do a third party inspection.

in case you don’t know, there’s a member map under the members tab and you can zoom in to see the actual members in the Magnolia area.

 

[2kwik4u]

Only reason to hold out for a 195S would be garage space (the 190/195 series fit in a 7' garage opening), or tow vehicle capacity (the 190/195 series can be towed with damn near anything).

The 212X will be just as fast as the 195S, have more watersports capabilities, more interior space, and be a generally better equipped boat. Fuel burn will be largely the same (2-N/A motors vs 1-supercharged motor). 212X doesn't require premium fuel either.

I personally prefer the "non-connext" drive by cable boats, but that is an extremely subjective point.

 

[JBehrens]

The biggest reasons to own a 190 over a 212 is the ease of towing and storage. If both of those things are not a factor to you, the go for the 212. I love my 190, it was an older when I picked it up two years ago but that didn't matter, the older Yamaha's are actually a little easier to work on then the newer Connext equipped boats. Regardless of length, for your first boat I would highly recommend used over new, in this situation you are getting a lot more boat for the money by going 212X.

 

[Wrecked Rooster]

sounds good. I try to do a water test as well. And maybe reach out to members close to Magnolia and see if they know of somebody who could do a third party inspection.

in case you don’t know, there’s a member map under the members tab and you can zoom in to see the actual members in the Magnolia area.

Only reason to hold out for a 195S would be garage space (the 190/195 series fit in a 7' garage opening), or tow vehicle capacity (the 190/195 series can be towed with damn near anything).

The 212X will be just as fast as the 195S, have more watersports capabilities, more interior space, and be a generally better equipped boat. Fuel burn will be largely the same (2-N/A motors vs 1-supercharged motor). 212X doesn't require premium fuel either.

I personally prefer the "non-connext" drive by cable boats, but that is an extremely subjective point.

The biggest reasons to own a 190 over a 212 is the ease of towing and storage. If both of those things are not a factor to you, the go for the 212. I love my 190, it was an older when I picked it up two years ago but that didn't matter, the older Yamaha's are actually a little easier to work on then the newer Connext equipped boats. Regardless of length, for your first boat I would highly recommend used over new, in this situation you are getting a lot more boat for the money by going 212X.

What's the asking price for the 2014 212? If you could find and swing a 2017, I'd highly recommend that over the 195S.

Another quick question. Is the market inflated right now, or are these normal prices that we are seeing? For instance, this 2014 Yamaha 212x is $45k. If that's an inflated price, I don't mind waiting. Looking on boat trader, they are all priced similar. Wasn't sure if it's a market thing right now.

 

[JBehrens]

The market is a little inflated right now, you are getting into the summer months plus overall new boat shortage has caused prices to go up on used boats.

 

[Wrecked Rooster]

The market is a little inflated right now, you are getting into the summer months plus overall new boat shortage has caused prices to go up on used boats.

I drive a Tacoma as well.

 

[Wrecked Rooster]

Updated opening post to reflect my findings on boat prices right now. Looks like I'm better off waiting until the market corrects itself. Will be a boatless summer for us which sucks, but I feel it's the smarter decision financially.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Wrecked Rooster I would still always be keeping an eye out, you never know when something, a good deal, may pop up. Every once in a while it happens.

 

[adrianp89]

45k is too much money for that boat.

 

[Wrecked Rooster]

@Wrecked Rooster I would still always be keeping an eye out, you never know when something, a good deal, may pop up. Every once in a while it happens.

For sure. I'd love to get out on the water this summer and can hopefully find the right deal. My bank goes off NADA values and I'm putting over 20% down. I just don't like the idea of that much negative equity out the gate. NADA quoting $39k and paying $45k for it. I'm very new when it comes to the boating world and I'm learning on the values.

Doing a search for sales of a 212x in 2018-2019, 2015 models were going for $38-40k

 

[HangOutdoors]

Perhaps a new boat is the way the go. A 19' footer. Every now and then they pop up unclaimed or available at a dealership. Get you in, in the mid 30's. Won't have an issue with your bank and you are set to go. Down the road if you want 21' or 25' in a few years or more you will be on a good path. Plus model year changeover should be in about 90 days or just under. If it was me and the 19' would be good for us, I would put a deposit down at a dealer for a 2022, with the understanding that if they do get a 2021 in that you would be interested. A lot of dealers are indicated that they are honoring 2021 prices for 2022. Whether or not that will actually happen, who knows, but it wouldn't hurt to throw $500 - $1000 on a deposit to find out.

Just some of my musings, take them for what they are worth.

EDIT: If you do put a deposit down, keep reaching out to other dealers weekly. As you can see here on this forum, boats do pop up without being sold or the dealer not knowing it is coming in.

 

[Wrecked Rooster]

Perhaps a new boat is the way the go. A 19' footer. Every now and then they pop up unclaimed or available at a dealership. Get you in, in the mid 30's. Won't have an issue with your bank and you are set to go. Down the road if you want 21' or 25' in a few years or more you will be on a good path. Plus model year changeover should be in about 90 days or just under. If it was me and the 19' would be good for us, I would put a deposit down at a dealer for a 2022, with the understanding that if they do get a 2021 in that you would be interested. A lot of dealers are indicated that they are honoring 2021 prices for 2022. Whether or not that will actually happen, who knows, but it wouldn't hurt to throw $500 - $1000 on a deposit to find out.

Just some of my musings, take them for what they are worth.

I agree. I want to keep the price of the boat at $50k or less and would like a wake board tower. That's about it. Yamaha has a few options that will meet that criteria for new models. Was hoping to get "more bang for my buck" buying used, but I picked a bad time to start looking it seems.

 

[adrianp89]

I agree. I want to keep the price of the boat at $50k or less and would like a wake board tower. That's about it. Yamaha has a few options that will meet that criteria for new models. Was hoping to get "more bang for my buck" buying used, but I picked a bad time to start looking it seems.

Def wrong time lol at 45k I’d consider - new AR210

 

[Sean R]

I might be wrong but aren't the 2014 and older 1.8 eng's have the timing chain issue?

 

[Wrecked Rooster]

Def wrong time lol at 45k I’d consider - new AR210

Perhaps a new boat is the way the go. A 19' footer. Every now and then they pop up unclaimed or available at a dealership. Get you in, in the mid 30's. Won't have an issue with your bank and you are set to go. Down the road if you want 21' or 25' in a few years or more you will be on a good path. Plus model year changeover should be in about 90 days or just under. If it was me and the 19' would be good for us, I would put a deposit down at a dealer for a 2022, with the understanding that if they do get a 2021 in that you would be interested. A lot of dealers are indicated that they are honoring 2021 prices for 2022. Whether or not that will actually happen, who knows, but it wouldn't hurt to throw $500 - $1000 on a deposit to find out.

Just some of my musings, take them for what they are worth.

EDIT: If you do put a deposit down, keep reaching out to other dealers weekly. As you can see here on this forum, boats do pop up without being sold or the dealer not knowing it is coming in.

Well, looks like it paid off. I called my local dealer just to check on the availability of an AR195s and he said his regional guy hasn't showed up yet. However, he had a AR210 that arrived today that the buyers backed out on. Looks like I'm getting a brand new AR210! $45,900 out the door.