8 replies to this topic

[mattman8972]

Newbie here!  Looking to buy my first jet boat, wanting some advice.  I am going to look at a 97 Seadoo Speedster, the asking price is 4K.  I have never owned a jet boat and I was wanting some advice on what to look for.  I am an industrial maintenance tech, and I work on all of my own vehicles, so I am somewhat mechanically inclined, just a newbie to jet boats.  I have only seen pix of the boat and it looks good (we all know what looks are good for...).  I briefly talked to the owner's wife and she said it ran good, and that they were the second owner.  She also went on to say that one of the engines had been rebuilt about 5-6 years ago.  I have always been intrigued by these boats and have wanted one for a while now.  Thanks all!!!!

[rayman360]

Did you end up getting it?  I absolutely love our 97 Speedster!!!  It's just a tad small and tends to bounce around a good bit, but that's half the fun to me.  Easy to tow, launch and manuver.  Let us know if you purchased it.

[Robmoo]

mattman8972, on Aug 4 2006, 06:14 PM, said:

Newbie here!  Looking to buy my first jet boat, wanting some advice.  I am going to look at a 97 Seadoo Speedster, the asking price is 4K.  I have never owned a jet boat and I was wanting some advice on what to look for.  I am an industrial maintenance tech, and I work on all of my own vehicles, so I am somewhat mechanically inclined, just a newbie to jet boats.  I have only seen pix of the boat and it looks good (we all know what looks are good for...).  I briefly talked to the owner's wife and she said it ran good, and that they were the second owner.  She also went on to say that one of the engines had been rebuilt about 5-6 years ago.  I have always been intrigued by these boats and have wanted one for a while now.  Thanks all!!!!

Doo a compression check on the engines.  Take a good look at the hull for cracks in the gel coat.  You might crawl under the boat with a flashlight and look into the water pumps to see in what shape are the impellers.  If they are banged up it isn't a big deal to work on the drive train.  You'd just have to plan to have the existing impellers repitched or replaced.  Impros does good work.  Got some Scat-traks from them a couple of years ago and they work great.  If the drive shaft carrier hasn't been retrofitted to the 1996 bearing type you can doo the mod while you pull the impellers.  I'd ask them if you all can go for a test drive.  I paid $6,000 for mine 3 years ago.  So depemdimg on your area $4,000 so sounds reasonable.

[Nstsized]

mattman8972, on 04 August 2006 - 06:14 PM, said:

Newbie here!  Looking to buy my first jet boat, wanting some advice.  I am going to look at a 97 Seadoo Speedster, the asking price is 4K.  I have never owned a jet boat and I was wanting some advice on what to look for.  I am an industrial maintenance tech, and I work on all of my own vehicles, so I am somewhat mechanically inclined, just a newbie to jet boats.  I have only seen pix of the boat and it looks good (we all know what looks are good for...).  I briefly talked to the owner's wife and she said it ran good, and that they were the second owner.  She also went on to say that one of the engines had been rebuilt about 5-6 years ago.  I have always been intrigued by these boats and have wanted one for a while now.  Thanks all!!!!

[Nstsized]

Hi, I just bought one yesterday for $2800...its in very good shape and clean with all decals intact. That seems like alot..I'd look around some. It is the end of the season and you could probably find a better deal :

[qkv8]

i just bought mine last monday, 95 speedster for 3k and i tell ya it was a good deal but where the the end of the season is aproaching  you might be able to get it cheaper or talk them down on price... but i love mine and ,and do the research on it,small problems are easy to hide... good luck and keep us informed..

[bryckhaus]

Definitely try to get the price down, I picked my 98 speedster up in very good condition for the year with a trailer, cover, and tube for $2000.  I did go over the pumps in the first winter. And had did the retrofit seals. If it was in saltwater check the caps on the header/ tuned pipe, they corroded away and leak.

[JOECANARY11]

rayman360, on 11 August 2006 - 10:02 AM, said:

Did you end up getting it?  I absolutely love our 97 Speedster!!!  It's just a tad small and tends to bounce around a good bit, but that's half the fun to me.  Easy to tow, launch and manuver.  Let us know if you purchased it.

[JOECANARY11]

Make sure you have it checked out by a good mechanic before you buy and see the condition of all systems, there is a lot that can be wrong that seems simple but cost a lot to fix. If you can buy for 2000.00 or less should be a fair deal if hull is in good condition.  I got a 1997 speedster this summer and spent 2000 dollors on the interior and minor mech fixes and now have a like new boat including new deacals, I got lucky and the motors were like new the boat had been sitting because the owner thought the electric part needed was no longer made, it took me 10 min to find on the internet 2 of these parts so its now fixed and i have a extra part.