Ronnie
Jetboaters Fleet Admiral
- Messages
- 8,580
- Reaction score
- 11,543
- Points
- 647
- Location
- SF Bay Area
- Boat Make
- Yamaha
- Year
- 2010
- Boat Model
- Limited S
- Boat Length
- 24
Background:
I had two 2006 FX Cruisers until about three years ago when my 140 hp Cruiser died (bad ecu). At the time I replaced it with a 1996 Waveblaster 2 that my son and I rebuilt together. The Waveblaster has been fun at less than half the weight and with about half the power of my remaining FX 160 it is very quick and turns sharply but as a two stroke with a 10 gallon tank it’s range is very limited compared to FX, a four stroke with an 18 gallon fuel tank. This limits my family’s use of both waverunners to short cruises. My wife and son wanted something bigger with better fuel economy so I started looking for something used (with a $6k purchase budget new and bigger was out of the question considering that a low end Seadoo spark with an MSRP of $5k sells for over $6k after fees and taxes). my son wanted something we could work on together but not do to much wrenching to get on or stay on the water.
I considered a few used Seadoo’s but I couldn’t get over the bad reputation of their early four strokes nor was I willing to overlook my mechanics recommendation to stay away from them. At any given time he has more, sometimes many more, Seadoo pwcs in his shop for repair than he does any other brand. I’m not brand loyal but like that I am familiar with Yamaha waverunners which are generally known to be reliable so the search began. I had narrowed down my choices to a 2010 FZR (180ish hp) with 152 hours for $6k and a 2014 VX (110 hp) with 750 hours (rental unit) for $3k. The seller of the FZR never got back to me and I was scheduled to see the VX today (12/29/17) when i saw an ad for a 2003 fx 140 with 257 hours near me yesterday morning. I checked it out last night, and closed the deal for it after starting it on its trailer and doing a compression check which came back at 165 for each cylinder.
If you are looking for a used pwc and hadn’t looked before be aware that there are a lot junk dealers, dreamers and scammers out there. For example, guys trying to sell disassembled skis as easy to get back on the water, or selling 11 year old skis for the same price they originally sold for as well as the usual I’m in the military / live out of state and will give you a good deal if you pay for shipping or I don’t have title or the keyed lanyard (for some Seadoos) so the low price reflects this and covers the cost and inconvenience of the new owner getting these things (sounds like a stolen ski to me). if a deal seems to good to be true it probably is but I check most of them out anyway because some are real and I’ve benefited from them in the past (e.g. two six year old Kawasaki 750s (with seats not the stand up versions) and a trailer for $2k, or a five year old Seadoo spx in mint condition for $1,500. My general guidelines are to walk away if I can’t test drive it or start it and do a compression check on it while it’s on it’s trailer.
Here are a few pics of my new (to me) waverunner and the trailer that comes with it, th trailer has new but small tires and a new trailer jack, supposedly all the lights work as well. As for the ski, The seat cover and mats are after market, not the colors I would have chosen but things I can live with for now. The bilge pump works (i found this out after I started it in the seller’s garage) and the multi function display works although the screen protector needs to be replaced. The battery is also new. There are no visible holes that should not be there in the hull and the impeller has a few dings on the leading edges but both look good overall especially for a soon to be 15 year old ski. The oil is at the right level and is clean. I may still take it in to the ski clinic to have it checked but given the above I don’t think there is anything wrong with it and there isn’t much I would do to make it my family’s new baby (I’m sticking with the fx160 because the 20 additional hp and cruiser seat make a big difference in performance and comfort).
My current list of to dos is replace the display cover/screen, put a keel gaurd on it, install an on board charger maintainer as well as an agm battery, peel the stock decals (first that are severely damaged/scratched) and possibly replace them all with a new stock set or custom set (if I can remember who I bought them from before and they are still in business). If my family wants to I will get a new seat cover and mats for it as well. Not sure if I can get all this done and refurbish my boat by Memorial Day but I am looking forward to trying and plan to post on the progress of each.
I had two 2006 FX Cruisers until about three years ago when my 140 hp Cruiser died (bad ecu). At the time I replaced it with a 1996 Waveblaster 2 that my son and I rebuilt together. The Waveblaster has been fun at less than half the weight and with about half the power of my remaining FX 160 it is very quick and turns sharply but as a two stroke with a 10 gallon tank it’s range is very limited compared to FX, a four stroke with an 18 gallon fuel tank. This limits my family’s use of both waverunners to short cruises. My wife and son wanted something bigger with better fuel economy so I started looking for something used (with a $6k purchase budget new and bigger was out of the question considering that a low end Seadoo spark with an MSRP of $5k sells for over $6k after fees and taxes). my son wanted something we could work on together but not do to much wrenching to get on or stay on the water.
I considered a few used Seadoo’s but I couldn’t get over the bad reputation of their early four strokes nor was I willing to overlook my mechanics recommendation to stay away from them. At any given time he has more, sometimes many more, Seadoo pwcs in his shop for repair than he does any other brand. I’m not brand loyal but like that I am familiar with Yamaha waverunners which are generally known to be reliable so the search began. I had narrowed down my choices to a 2010 FZR (180ish hp) with 152 hours for $6k and a 2014 VX (110 hp) with 750 hours (rental unit) for $3k. The seller of the FZR never got back to me and I was scheduled to see the VX today (12/29/17) when i saw an ad for a 2003 fx 140 with 257 hours near me yesterday morning. I checked it out last night, and closed the deal for it after starting it on its trailer and doing a compression check which came back at 165 for each cylinder.
If you are looking for a used pwc and hadn’t looked before be aware that there are a lot junk dealers, dreamers and scammers out there. For example, guys trying to sell disassembled skis as easy to get back on the water, or selling 11 year old skis for the same price they originally sold for as well as the usual I’m in the military / live out of state and will give you a good deal if you pay for shipping or I don’t have title or the keyed lanyard (for some Seadoos) so the low price reflects this and covers the cost and inconvenience of the new owner getting these things (sounds like a stolen ski to me). if a deal seems to good to be true it probably is but I check most of them out anyway because some are real and I’ve benefited from them in the past (e.g. two six year old Kawasaki 750s (with seats not the stand up versions) and a trailer for $2k, or a five year old Seadoo spx in mint condition for $1,500. My general guidelines are to walk away if I can’t test drive it or start it and do a compression check on it while it’s on it’s trailer.
Here are a few pics of my new (to me) waverunner and the trailer that comes with it, th trailer has new but small tires and a new trailer jack, supposedly all the lights work as well. As for the ski, The seat cover and mats are after market, not the colors I would have chosen but things I can live with for now. The bilge pump works (i found this out after I started it in the seller’s garage) and the multi function display works although the screen protector needs to be replaced. The battery is also new. There are no visible holes that should not be there in the hull and the impeller has a few dings on the leading edges but both look good overall especially for a soon to be 15 year old ski. The oil is at the right level and is clean. I may still take it in to the ski clinic to have it checked but given the above I don’t think there is anything wrong with it and there isn’t much I would do to make it my family’s new baby (I’m sticking with the fx160 because the 20 additional hp and cruiser seat make a big difference in performance and comfort).
My current list of to dos is replace the display cover/screen, put a keel gaurd on it, install an on board charger maintainer as well as an agm battery, peel the stock decals (first that are severely damaged/scratched) and possibly replace them all with a new stock set or custom set (if I can remember who I bought them from before and they are still in business). If my family wants to I will get a new seat cover and mats for it as well. Not sure if I can get all this done and refurbish my boat by Memorial Day but I am looking forward to trying and plan to post on the progress of each.
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