Buying your first jetski
What brand should I be looking at?
In New Zealand there are only TWO brands which have support available Nationwide (although this may still mean a few hours drive): Yamaha and SeaDoo.
Kawasaki are well supported in Otago, but elsewhere is very limited (at time of publishing).
No other brands are supported in NZ.
How many hours on a jetski is too many?
The modern four stroke motors are capable of hundreds of hours and it's very rare to do enough hours to wear out the motor. Engine issues are usually from operator error or occasionally, factory faults.
The average jetski owner will typically get around 10 - 20 hours of use per year, and it is only really serious fishermen or tow-in surfers who get closer to 50-100 hours per year. At 250+ hours we would expect to start checking for wear and tear items in the driveline, and external body parts.
Beware of a jetski which has done very few hours - this lack of use can cause far more trouble than regular use.
Two Stroke or Four Stroke?
The era of the 2-stroke is mainly from the beginning (1970s) to early 2000's with the exception of the pole ski's. So the 2-stroke ski's are now too old to be reliable and will need ongoing tinkering to keep them running. It is extremely rare to find someone local who has the knowledge and willingness to work on these 2 stroke models. We would not recommend buying a 2 stroke unless you have quite a bit of mechanical knowledge yourself. Beware some parts are obsolete and the rest can be very expensive.
Some of the early 4 strokes are over 15 years old now, and have started falling into the "too old" bracket for reliability. Many reputable watercraft agents will not book in services on jetski's over 10 years old. Check with your local agent prior to purchasing.
Do I buy from a dealer or privately?
The advantage of purchasing through a shop is an easy place to return to if you have an issue and you should get some basic operation guidance which can save a lot of heartache.
Buying privately is very common and there are a few basic tips:
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Marketplace is full of scammers wanting to take a deposit (and disappearing with it). Trade Me is a bit safer if your seller is address verified with plenty of good feedback history. Get your conversation into email form as soon as possible, especially talking about price, service history and condition - this is the best record if anything goes wrong immediately after purchase.
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It is your responsibility to have a pre-purchase inspection performed prior to buying to help avoid any major issues. If you are un-sure of operation, download an owners hand book and make sure you know how to operate the craft correctly, especially for maintenance and flushing.
My budget is not very big, I want to get a 2007 jetski and try fishing, will this be okay?
People who are new to jetski's are overwhelmed by the range of models and styles and it is a common sight for people to buy an older ski to "have a go". General reliability diminishes rapidly with age and it is not responsible to travel a huge distance off shore without another jetski or group on a jetski over 15 years old.
My budget is $5000, what would you recommend?
It might be best to take a look at your total budget. It is difficult to find a good, reliable jetski for this amount and it can be expensive to keep an old jetski running. Another serious option is to investigate using some of your budget for deposit and financing a bit extra - it can mean the difference of getting into a later model 4 stroke for around $10,000.
Depending on the overall market, you will need to avoid buying in October-to-December when the highest demand raises prices.
What are the maintenance costs?
The best general rule of thumb is; a service is every 50 hours OR once a year. Allow $500 - $900 per year.
Also factor in the annual running costs, which can easily be $2000 per year - not including fuel.
Other repairs: (batteries, trailer wheel bearings, wear rings etc) $100 - $500
Insurance: $600 - 1200
Trailer rego & WOF: varies between $75 - $100
I'm can't decide between new and used..
Most new models have 1 - 4 year warranties which is great if you happen to strike a bad model or one that needs a recall. It's not unheard of to have your new jetski at the workshop getting warranty repairs more often than it is on the water.. not cool!
Ask the dealer what has changed on the latest model, refinements are good, completely new designs can be the ones that cause headaches. It's more of a concern with new electrics, fancy moving gadgets, extra buttons, new hull materials, and the occasional new motor designs.
Get your warranty clarified in writing so you know the exclusions and conditions, especially the extended warranties.
I want to buy a new jet ski - what is the best one to buy?
There are 20+ different models to choose from between the top 2 brands and each one serves a slightly different purpose. Begin by answering these questions, then talk to a couple of different dealers for their recommendations.
- What is your MAIN use, eg: fishing, family use, tow-in surfing, touring, racing, water skiing?
- What is your budget?
- Who is your nearest PWC service agent?
- Are you content with good fuel consumption or usually have to have the fastest? Remember, once you've gone supercharged, you won't go back.
For more information on buying a used jetski, download our Buyers Guide
