1996 XP Questions??

[johnnyr600]

Hello-

I have been lurking in the shadows for about a week or two researching the 1996 Seadoo XP model. So far, it appears everyone loves this model and the 787 engine appears to be pretty reliable.
I'm somewhat new to jet skis but have ridden other friends/family's ski's and can't wait to get back on one. Hence y i have made it to this website.
I have found 2 1996 XP models for sale recently and wanted to make sure i have my ducks in a row before taking a look at them. Based on my research so far i have found that the fuel tank was recalled, the stock fuel lines need to be replaced, the VTS has always been a pain, the carbs need to be cleaned or possibly rebuilt and some peoples gauges stopped working. Other then the above the ski is very fun to ride.
What other questions should i ask before taking a look at the skis? I have already questioned how many hrs are on them and his mechanic thinks it's below 100hrs but he is unsure.
How many hrs do most XP owners have currently??
Thanks
john

 

[timmyboy76]

hey johnny...if interested in purchasing, I wouldnt "ASK" what the compression is, instead, bring your own gauge and find out, this will at least ballpark idea how well/long motor has left. Also, take them for a spin in water, and the "vts", you can just unplug it, also, ask/to see, the bottle/container of oil they used, dont wanna mix oils up....:cheers:

 

[slvr bulit]

I would ask to take it for a ride. Then take off seat and look for water in the hull. I didnt and ended up spending another $500.00 on a set of cylinders and pistons. Ask if it was driven in fresh or salt water just look at its general shape and you should be all right.

 

[johnnyr600]

Thanxs guys.. The owner is not 2 technical but has a mechanic do all the maint on the skis. Seems like they are in good condition and only been ridden in freshwater lakes. I'm going to go take them for a spin tomorrow and see how it goes.
I will keep everyone posted.
Thanks
John

 

[slvr bulit]

Fresh water and mechanic working on them is a plus. Sounds like you might have found a good one

 

[johnnyr600]

Just a quick update.
I picked up both jet skis this weekend after taking them for a spin on the lake. The one i was riding seemed to be bogging out around 1/2 throttle but after about 10 mins of riding it cleared up. The skis were sitting for about 3 months so i contribute that to bad gas??. The engines looked pretty clean but one of the skis Rave valves was leaking. I popped the cover off and the orange seal was bent underneath the valve. I was able to pop the spring off and re-seat the seal correctly. I will monitor these closely.
The previous owner was using 2 stroke oil from NAPA so i plan on changing the oil over to Sea Doo brand.
The skis also had about 20 stickers on each one which made them look pretty crappy IMO so they came off first thing once i got home..
I put the skis i the river on Sunday and had a blast..After the first tank of gas was ran through an some fresh gas was put in, i did notice an improvement in overall engine performance..I probably should have drained the gas prior to running them..

Overall I'm very happy with my purchases and look forward to contributing to this excellent forum.

Thanks..

 

[slvr bulit]

Congrats on your purchase. Have fun!