1st Time Boat Buyer - Help Needed on Which of These Two to Buy

[libton2003]

Hi Everyone, I'm new to the forum and have been doing a lot of research lately. We are about to buy our first boat and I'm torn between two. I am hoping you all can help me. We are a family of 4 and will probably have 4 to 8 people on it most days in a nearby lake. We probably won't wakeboard with it, at least at first. We will use it mostly for cruising, pulling a tube, and skiing.

Option 1 - 2012 Sea Doo Challenger 210 (the model with 1 supercharged engine and 260 horsepower). This boat is in good shape and is currently at a dealer with a brand new long block just installed. It comes with a 2 year warranty. The jet pump was rebuilt as well. Has a bimini top but no cover. Price is $19K and includes a trailer.

Option 2 - 2008 Yamaha 212x with 400 hours (this has two engines with 330 horsepower). Both engines are original, the current owner has had it since 2011. He said the only thing he has done is oil changes, it even has the same battery in it from when he bought it. He did the oil changes himself. Has a bimini top with a cover as well. Price is $20K and includes a trailer.

Thanks all in advance for your help!

 

[Gunner]

Yamaha..imho

 

[dgfreeze]

Call me crazy, but I’d take the Yamaha as well. I have less trust in a newer long block engine than I do in two older *well maintained* engines. Also, in the rare event of engine failure, a twin will still get you home on the second motor. Good luck either way!

 

[jim r wisco]

How far you willing to travel? Where are you located?

 

[Seadeals]

No substitute for boat size or power. Yamaha has advantages with both. I really like having two engines and I consider recent major engine work as a higher risk than two factory original motors with 400 hours of reliable performance.

 

[libton2003]

Good feedback, keep it coming guys.

I'm located in Raleigh, NC. Both boats are a little over an hour from me. I'm open minded about distance but would like to keep it within a few hours.

Do you guys think the Yamaha will do worse on gas? How does it do relative to other similar sized boats?

 

[Julian]

Between those I'd take the Yamaha mainly because they still make Yamaha's and dealers are still keeping techs up to speed on servicing them (but I'm also a biased Yamaha owner!).

I'm here in Raleigh too....(there are a bunch of us here). Let me know if you need me to come look at a boat....depending on how far it is, I might be able to help you out.

 

[libton2003]

I'm so happy I found this forum. You guys have been so helpful already. My wife just got home and said she likes the layout of the Yamaha better than the sea doo.

As far as being well maintained, the seller said he really only just changed the oil. It still has the same battery from when he bought it in 2011. He said it's been extremely reliable.

Do you guys think $20k is reasonable? NADA is low 20s best I can tell, but it's hard because i don't know all of the options.

Julian - the boat is in mt olive, which is about an hour or so from me. I was thinking of having a boat mechanic out there look at it. Thank you so much for the offer

 

[Julian]

I'm so happy I found this forum. You guys have been so helpful already. My wife just got home and said she likes the layout of the Yamaha better than the sea doo.

As far as being well maintained, the seller said he really only just changed the oil. It still has the same battery from when he bought it in 2011. He said it's been extremely reliable.

Do you guys think $20k is reasonable? NADA is low 20s best I can tell, but it's hard because i don't know all of the options.

These boats don't come with options, so you should use the base NADA pricing. Trailer is included in the base price. Here is the pricing I looked up here:

 

[Matt Phillips]

I'd go with the Yamaha. you'll appreciate more power and superchargers are just more maintenance. If ya do get it, and it doesn't have dual batteries, switch over to at least a group 31 AGM Murine battery and carry a jumper just in case. You'll also want to change the plugs in those engines if he's never changed them....as these engines can be fussy with old plugs.

 

[buckbuck]

I have that same boat with over 600 hours. Your family will love it.

 

[libton2003]

Thanks again everyone for all the feedback. I've done some research and am still unclear - is 400 hours a lot? I read that 500 to 1000 hours is when things start heading south. Any ideas?

 

[buckbuck]

That is only about 35 hours a year. I would say below average use, especially for a southern boat. Buy it before someone else sees it and then get hooked on surfing like many of us have.

 

[captainhook]

Well maintained it will last well beyond 500-1000 hours. Some have over 2000 on this forum. I would go with the Yamaha as well.

 

[Ajax]

Yammi

 

[JetBoatPenguin]

To continue the trend . . . Yamaha in this instance. Agree with getting a mechanic or someone from the forum to give it a once over. There are some maintenance items that go beyond just oil changes that you'll want to consider. Sounds like it would be a great first boat . . . and based in NC as well. Good luck with the purchase.

 

[Beachbummer]

I vote Yamaha too. I'm not fond or turbo and supercharger for long term reliability. And, with two engines you will almost never ever be stranded without power. They say at sea two is one and one is none.

 

[ZGhost]

Yamaha all day long. I had a 2008 212SS and all I had to do is oil changes and lubrications. Solid as hell.

 

[BlkGS]

No substitute for boat size or power. Yamaha has advantages with both. I really like having two engines and I consider reci woulent major engine work as a higher risk than two factory original motors with 400 hours of reliable performance.

I would disagree here. The Seadoos to me felt bigger. The challenger 210 felt the same size as the sx230 i bought. The food have a nice big sun deck, the Yamaha a bigger swim platform. For kids, the swim platform is likely better. For a guy in his 20s, the sundeck would likely have been more opportune for.... Sightseeing.

That said, having had a supercharged seadoo jet ski, I didn't want that headache in a boat. They're powerful, but require extra upkeep I didntvwant. I gave up on the doors when I was looking because the dual 155hp motor boats were so rare, and far more money.

The main feedback I will give is buy the boat a size bigger than you think you need. You'll be stunned how quickly you run out of room on them.

 

[Gym]

Sea Doo boats are no longer in production so getting some parts may be an issue. With regard to the Yamaha. I'd be a little concerned about somebody bragging about only doing oil changes. Spark plugs are an important item to replace. Are they origional to the boat also? I would definately have a mechanic pull the plugs and do a compression check AFTER a water test. Aslo, while on the trailer, check the the steering by going stop to stop and the throttles from full forward to full reverse to make sure the cables aren't stiff. Look at the bottom of the engine compartment for oil leaks. Run your hand under each engine for any oil.