Advise needed

[Kingmc]

i am considering getting my first Jetboat. I have always owned and operated center console outboard powered fishing boats. I have gotten out of fishing and now spend time on the river with the kids. I have a friend getting rid of his 2013 242 limited S. It needs some cosmetic work and he just had both engines redone. Used primarily in saltwater and He did not flush the motors after use. Motors redone by a reputable dealer. Trailer could use some work as well and the upholstery could stand to be redone. He wants $25,000. Is this a good deal or should I keep looking? Any help is appreciated!

 

[mraz72]

Can you get any pics of the interior?

I bought new because I was concerned about breaking down on the water, so I wanted a warranty and piece of mind. That sounds like a really good price (how many hours) but if the motors are in question, you might want to keep looking. I believe I heard the motors are 12k - 15k each.

When you say motors were redone, what does that mean?

 

[Coheeba]

If the guy didn't flush his motors I would worry about what else he didn't do or did that he wasn't knowledgeable enough to know not to do.

 

[Kingmc]

Can you get any pics of the interior?

I bought new because I was concerned about breaking down on the water, so I wanted a warranty and piece of mind. That sounds like a really good price (how many hours) but if the motors are in question, you might want to keep looking. I believe I heard the motors are 12k - 15k each.

When you say motors were redone, what does that mean?

What I understand is they broke down the engines, cleaned what needed to be, replaced all seals etc.. basically rebuilt to new. I would prefer to buy new but I don’t like debt on a toy if I can help it and $60k+ would require a long term loan. That being said I don’t want to get into a bad situation where I am throwing $$ into a pit just to get a good deal.

 

[Ilmmct]

Kind of with @Coheeba on this. These motors are bulletproof. It takes some serious abuse to require these engines to be “redone” after only 5 seasons of saltwater boating. NADA is over $35k, but buyer beware if the engine issue is indicative of prior ownership abuse.

 

[Kingmc]

If the guy didn't flush his motors I would worry about what else he didn't do or did that he wasn't knowledgeable enough to know not to do.

I hear ya. That has been my concern with every pre-owned boat I have owned.

 

[Jgorm]

A 5yo salt water boat that didn't get flushed is a problem! Is want to see what the machine shop did to the engine before every considering it.

 

[Kingmc]

A 5yo salt water boat that didn't get flushed is a problem! Is want to see what the machine shop did to the engine before every considering it.

I am going to see if I can talk with the dealer to see what exactly was done

 

[Coheeba]

Go over the entire boat with a fine tooth comb. Inside and out looking for major corrosion; wires, bolts etc. That should give you another indicator of care or not.

 

[AZ Native]

If it helps, I paid $37k for a fresh water 2013 242LS 2 months ago with 90 hours. The nice ones in the west are going for $40-42k. Mine needed external sanding/buffing from sun damage, a new OEM cover (which the seller had new in the box) and I replaced the Hydro Turf with Sea Deck, but the interior is pristine. All other things being equal, you can put a lot of money into a $25k boat and still come out ahead. I assume it has a trailer. You need to calculate how much it will cost to get it the way you want it. You’ll get a lot of help here if you want to do the work yourself.

 

[Kingmc]

If it helps, I paid $37k for a fresh water 2013 242LS 2 months ago with 90 hours. The nice ones in the west are going for $40-42k. Mine needed external sanding/buffing from sun damage, a new OEM cover (which the seller had new in the box) and I replaced the Hydro Turf with Sea Deck, but the interior is pristine. All other things being equal, you can put a lot of money into a $25k boat and still come out ahead. I assume it has a trailer. You need to calculate how much it will cost to get it the way you want it. You’ll get a lot of help here if you want to do the work yourself.

Thanks! I am headed to the shop today to find out what exactly was done to the engines. I will hopefully be able to make a more informed decision after that.

 

[Kingmc]

I talked to the tech that did the overhaul. They spent 2 weeks cleaning out the engines. Took them apart and cleaned out the salt and deposits from all areas that needed. Replaced all seals etc... he was confident that they had done all that needed to be done and that the engines were in sound operating condition. attached are a few pics of the boat. An area that may be a concern, may not be is the gel coat cracks below the tower arm.

 

[Kingmc]

I talked to the tech that did the overhaul. They spent 2 weeks cleaning out the engines. Took them apart and cleaned out the salt and deposits from all areas that needed. Replaced all seals etc... he was confident that they had done all that needed to be done and that the engines were in sound operating condition. attached are a few pics of the boat. An area that may be a concern, may not be is the gel coat cracks below the tower arm.

Also,
The boat ended up in the shop originally because it was sounding the overheat alarm. The thermostats were replaced and when that did not solve the issue they began a deeper diagnosis. This led them to find the deposits and perform the "overhaul"

 

[Julian]

If you are considering buying it, I'd take it out on a good LONG run on the water (like an hour min. of non-stop use) just to ensure no further alarms are being thrown. How long has it been used since the rebuild? Consider hooking it up to YDS to read the engine diagnostics. Get a compression check.

 

[Ronnie]

Those cracks under the tower mounting point look like they were caused by something hitting the boat from that side, not stress fractures from the tower. If it were me, I would take it to a dealer or pwc shop to have them hook it up to a computer and run a report on the hours, average rpm, errors thrown since it’s been in service, etc. I would also consider spending the money to have a marine survey done and a Julian said take it for a long test ride.

As for the trailer, consider pulling the end caps out of the rails to see how bad the rust, if any is.also fold the tongue and ch ca for rust there as well. Finally, manually engage/disengaged the surge brake just to be sure it is not rusted shut.

 

[boudin]

@Kingmc Not sure I would purchase a 2013 that already needed an overhaul due to salt corrosion. Likely other issues as well--the pumps look corroded and you are looking at busting off bolts, especially the ride plate. I would try to find a freshwater boat myself.

@Michael Rasmussen The SBT 2-yr warranty motors are $3500 +shipping (maybe add $200). I doubt that is more than 2 days of labor for both motors, given they are right next to each other. So you are looking at ($3700*2) + (16 @$125/hr) labor = $9400. There are likely some shop supplies, and other misc. parts (broken motor mounts, pump rebuild, refurb impeller, etc. ) that could add to that for sure.

https://www.shopsbt.com/jetski/yamaha-engine-premium-1-8-l-na-fx-ho-vxr-2009-2013.html

Keep in mind that if the shop is a dealer, they are making an additional $500 motor (dealer price is cheaper).

-Greg

 

[Zonie]

Pass. Like most of us, I really enjoy working on my boat and keeping it maintained. That boat looks pretty rough.

 

[Ronnie]

As I recall when you deal with sbt you have to leave a large core deposit which is refunded when you send in motor that you are replacing. Also if a major component is broken or cracked you need to pay them to fix it and if they can’t fix it you need to supply a replacement part yourself. Not sure how the warranty works if you do all the work yourself as opposed to having shop do it but If I’m thinking about replacing the motors in my new too me used boat I would probably just pass and look for a boat that doesn’t need as much TLC.

As for the pics, the corrosion on the pumps/steering nozzles can be cleaned of quickly and relatively easily. The tops of the rear seats are in bad shape, I don’t think you can bring them back to life they need to be replaced and cushions are expensive. The latch that secures the helm door has broken off, the replacement is only $25 or so but it looks like the owner went with a zip tie instead. I’m not one to judge but that is not how I would treat my $60k boat. I also see the carpet over the ski locker is missing if it’s just off to the side somewhere no issues but if it is lost and you want it back you have to buy the complete carpet set for $700ish about the same as a seadek kit, Which can be a big deal especially if the cost is in addition to the purchase price along with other boat related costs.

 

[Zonie]

My experience with SBT was for impellers only and was very good.

Not sure how they are with bigger stuff.

 

[boudin]

As I recall when you deal with sbt you have to leave a large core deposit which is refunded when you send in motor that you are replacing. Also if a major component is broken or cracked you need to pay them to fix it and if they can’t fix it you need to supply a replacement part yourself. Not sure how the warranty works if you do all the work yourself as opposed to having shop do it but If I’m thinking about replacing the motors in my new too me used boat I would probably just pass and look for a boat that doesn’t need as much TLC.

As for the pics, the corrosion on the pumps/steering nozzles can be cleaned of quickly and relatively easily...

SBT requires a rebuildable motor core. If your current motor is running, no parts should be necessary. Where you run into trouble is if, for instance, your motor throws a rod and puts a hole in the side of the case. You would need to supply a new case with your core return, or pay SBT additional money. This is usually not a problem as MR1s are plentiful and cheap now. The 1-yr/2-yr warranty is 'no fault', meaning if anything goes wrong, so long as you don't try to disassemble the engine yourself, it will be replaced under warranty. You could sink the boat in salt water for 6 mos, pull it up, and send the motors back in under warranty and they will be replaced--extreme example, I know.

Shop labor to pull/ship the motor back of course not included in the warranty--that is your responsibility. The motors are long blocks, meaning you will be swapping intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, stator housing, sensors, PTO couplers, etc. from your old motor to the new motor.

I agree the pump corrosion could be cleaned, but beware there will be plenty of seized bolts on that pump. It will require heat and patience, and don't be surprised if you break bolts and then have to deal with that. I really encourage all of those that run salt water to flush their engines, and hose down the entire pump area with fresh water after each use.

-Greg