I want to buy a 2005 seadoo speedster 150 215hp. How good or bad are they?

[peter x2]

Hello everybody, i'm Peter and i'm from Holland Europe, so forgive me my english.
i turn 51 this summer, and i ride jetksi's for 25 years now, but only at a club on a small lake, so after 25 years i want something different because
i have had it with turning circles on that little lake, and i'm getting older and my back is worn so i'm done with jumping and ride like a mad dog,
so time for a change. So i looked on many sites for boats and found alot, but my favorite is still a seadoo. So i'm looking at
a 2005 speedster 150 with a single 215 engine that is good for a top speed of about 45mph, and i can live with that, because fuel cost over 6 dollars
a gallon here in Holland, so 2 engines is not an option for me, and to get 10mph faster isn't worth the double fuel comsumption and maintenance,
so a single engine it wil be.
What i like to know is, is if someone could tell me if there any negative things about this boat,
because i do have a few jetski's, but mostly old fashion 2 stroke from the 90's, so i don't have a clue about this engine or boat, except that it has a charger
that needs new seals and bearings every 100 hours. ( or is that only on the 255hp version?) I saw a video of how that is done, and i'm car mechaninc, so that
is a walk in the park for me, but are there any other weak points these engines and boats have, and i really should look at before buying one?

Thanks,
Peter

 

[Coastiejoe]

The 4-tec engine in general is ROCK SOLID,, They really hold together well.
If there is NOT written evidence of the SC being rebuilt, it needs to be done so NOW. The 05 version has Ceramics washers which fail and then fall into the engine. Only way to clean it out is pull the engine, drop the lower half, lean it all out, and in most cases replace the two oil pumps. It is every 100 hours and 200 hours after the rebuild using the updated shaft (which is basically the shaft used in the 09 and newer stock SC), and or 2 years, whichever comes first.

Also, the boats run an engine that is a year older. So the 05 uses an 04 engine. The 03 to Mid 06 engines (which will be the 04 to mid-07 boats) have sodium filled exhaust valves. In the SC skis these fail more common than any other application. It goes like this as far as most common failure rate. SC skis in Salt water, SC skis in general, rarely fail in the 155 (non-SC) engines regardless of Salt Water or fresh. Boats with SC engines can and have failed, but they are rare also as you can not run at max RPM and beat them up as much as the comfort level of doing so simply will not let you.

 

[peter x2]

Thanks Joe. I can buy one with 250 hours on it, and the seller is a inspector who works at a m.o.t. station, and he maintained it well,
so i need to ask him if he also did the s/c upgrade, and if he kept the bills of al things done to it in the past.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Thanks Joe. I can buy one with 250 hours on it, and the seller is a inspector who works at a m.o.t. station, and he maintained it well,
so i need to ask him if he also did the s/c upgrade, and if he kept the bills of al things done to it in the past.

For sure find out about the SC. That one can cost you both time and money if it fails. The exhaust valves can be upgraded to the solid core, but in the case of a boat, the risks are minimal. It would cost around $450 to do the swap if you wanted to have it done.

 

[peter x2]

i did read about the ceramic washers that need to be changed for steel ones, and saw a "rebuilt the sc" video, and found diy kits al over the internet,
so that won't be such a hard job if needed.

 

[pvamax]

i did read about the ceramic washers that need to be changed for steel ones, and saw a "rebuilt the sc" video, and found diy kits al over the internet,
so that won't be such a hard job if needed.

One thing, 2005 215hp sportster 15' boat should run 55-57mph with 2 average size people on gps. If the one youre looking at only does 45, it has issues.

 

[bcorn]

I recently bought a 2008 Speedster 150 215 hp. It would run 45 to 47 mph. I had the wear ring replaced and the impeller nicks ground out of It. Now it gets 53 mph and shoots out of the water when you hit the throttle. The one I bought only had 30 hrs on it!

 

[peter x2]

One thing, 2005 215hp sportster 15' boat should run 55-57mph with 2 average size people on gps. If the one youre looking at only does 45, it has issues.

I don't know what the top speed is, i just heared of it in some video's.

 

[pvamax]

I don't know what the top speed is, i just heared of it in some video's.

I owned a 2005 and 55-57mph was my top speed on gps.

 

[peter x2]

I recently bought a 2008 Speedster 150 215 hp. It would run 45 to 47 mph. I had the wear ring replaced and the impeller nicks ground out of It. Now it gets 53 mph and shoots out of the water when you hit the throttle. The one I bought only had 30 hrs on it!

i didn't expect that, so that is only more fun then. And i live in Holland, and europe isn't that big when it comes to jetski's and jet boats, so prices are way higher
here for a used boat or ski. The ski i can buy has a waketower and speakers on it, and comes with a trailer, and he want's 10,5k for it.

 

[bcorn]

i didn't expect that, so that is only more fun then. And i live in Holland, and europe isn't that big when it comes to jetski's and jet boats, so prices are way higher
here for a used boat or ski. The ski i can buy has a waketower and speakers on it, and comes with a trailer, and he want's 10,5k for it.

I was very lucky on my purchase. The old owner was going to trade it in on a new boat and I just gave him what the dealer said he would give him. It helped that I knew the guy. I haven't had mine long enough to give you any really good advise on it but I can tell you my family and I have tons of fun on it. Good luck with your purchase and post some pics of it.

 

[peter x2]

I was very lucky on my purchase. The old owner was going to trade it in on a new boat and I just gave him what the dealer said he would give him. It helped that I knew the guy. I haven't had mine long enough to give you any really good advise on it but I can tell you my family and I have tons of fun on it. Good luck with your purchase and post some pics of it.

That's a good looking boat bcorn. Did you pay alot?

Here's a pic of the one i can buy.

you can't see it on this picture, but it does need new seat covers, but i found new ones for about 400/500 dollars, and i don't mind
the time i have to put into, so that's not to bad then.

And a bigger picture from the engine. It looks a bit dirty, so i gues he already worked on it in the past. His wife mailed me and told that he had the engine
inspected, but i do dislike the dirt, because that says something about the owner, and he ain't a perfectionist, because else it would shine like new.
I have a 3D that is 11 yars old now, but when you look inside the hull, you can't see the difference with when it was brandnew, but on the other hand,
i never did ride in salt water, and i know how that looks after 10 years, so i gues that this doesn't look that bad afteral then.

Now what do you think of it?

i also found one that is 2 years younger with 2 engines, but that one is 23000 euro's ( about 24/25000 dollars), so i gues that this one is very cheap
then. (don't forget that boats and jetski's are way more expencive than in the USA)
He want's 11000 for it and not go lower than 10600, but i want more of, because as i see it as it is now, there's at least 1000 euro's in parts that
i need to swap, but i do it myself, so that saves at least another 1000 in man hours.
I need to drive about 400 miles to see it, so i going to hear him out him like a detective first and when he makes the right noises, then i'm going
to ask for big pictures before i'm going to drive that far and back. So it's not sure if i'm going to buy it, and if he want's to drop with the price a little more,
because i can also wait until the summer is over, and lot's of people want to get rid of their boats and ski's.
I do like this one because it has the right colors i like, and a waketower with new speakers and a trailer, so everything i want and need, and in this
combination, they are hard to find here at that price.
Anyway, let's wait what the owner has to say, and then i come back here and keep you all informed.

 

[bcorn]

That's a good looking boat bcorn. Did you pay alot?

Here's a pic of the one i can buy.

you can't see it on this picture, but it does need new seat covers, but i found new ones for about 400/500 dollars, and i don't mind
the time i have to put into, so that's not to bad then.

And a bigger picture from the engine. It looks a bit dirty, so i gues he already worked on it in the past. His wife mailed me and told that he had the engine
inspected, but i do dislike the dirt, because that says something about the owner, and he ain't a perfectionist, because else it would shine like new.
I have a 3D that is 11 yars old now, but when you look inside the hull, you can't see the difference with when it was brandnew, but on the other hand,
i never did ride in salt water, and i know how that looks after 10 years, so i gues that this doesn't look that bad afteral then.

Now what do you think of it?

i also found one that is 2 years younger with 2 engines, but that one is 23000 euro's ( about 24/25000 dollars), so i gues that this one is very cheap
then. (don't forget that boats and jetski's are way more expencive than in the USA)
He want's 11000 for it and not go lower than 10600, but i want more of, because as i see it as it is now, there's at least 1000 euro's in parts that
i need to swap, but i do it myself, so that saves at least another 1000 in man hours.
I need to drive about 400 miles to see it, so i going to hear him out him like a detective first and when he makes the right noises, then i'm going
to ask for big pictures before i'm going to drive that far and back. So it's not sure if i'm going to buy it, and if he want's to drop with the price a little more,
because i can also wait until the summer is over, and lot's of people want to get rid of their boats and ski's.
I do like this one because it has the right colors i like, and a waketower with new speakers and a trailer, so everything i want and need, and in this
combination, they are hard to find here at that price.
Anyway, let's wait what the owner has to say, and then i come back here and keep you all informed.

Looks great! As far as the dirty motor you can clean it up so it looks like new again. But it could show how he was with maintenance.

I live in Canada and the prices are higher here than the USA as well. I was lucky and only paid 8000 Canadian.

From what I hear the 4tec motors are really good and reliable!

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and hope you made the right decision. Like they say you have to pay to play!

It does suck that you have to travel so far because going to look at it and taking it for a spin would be the right choice. I had to travel 250 kms for mine but I took the cash with me so that I didn't have to go back.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[peter x2]

Another question, i also see alot of bayliners with a inline 4 cilinder or V6. How are they compared with seadoo? And by that i mean durability and fuel consumption?

 

[Coastiejoe]

Another question, i also see alot of bayliners with a inline 4 cilinder or V6. How are they compared with seadoo? And by that i mean durability and fuel consumption?

Two TOTALLY different beasts. A jet boat is normally way lighter and can't take as much abuse as it gets bounced around. The engines are all 4-stroke but with the non-jet boats they basically use an automotive engine modified for a marine application.

I owned a 27 foot Sea Ray with twin in-line 292 6-cylinders. I only burnt 11 gallons an hour at 19 knots. If I went to 23 knots it jumped to 20 gallons. Jet boats can be very efficient, it is a mater of finding he sweet spot. Heavier boats are often more durable for the simple fact that they can take more abuse and wave pounding.

Jet boats are normally more fun as you can go faster and whip them around.

This is like comparing a Pinto to a Caddy. They are both cars, but in two totally different categories.

 

[pvamax]

That's a good looking boat bcorn. Did you pay alot?

Here's a pic of the one i can buy.

you can't see it on this picture, but it does need new seat covers, but i found new ones for about 400/500 dollars, and i don't mind
the time i have to put into, so that's not to bad then.

.

Boat looks nice, and the good(kinda?) news is that the boat you're looking to buy is newer than 2005! 2005 and 2006 looked like this...

A quick look around the internet shows the boat you're looking at could be a 2007 or 2008!

 

[bcorn]

Boat looks nice, and the good(kinda?) news is that the boat you're looking to buy is newer than 2005! 2005 and 2006 looked like this...

Mine is a 2008 and kinda looks like that.

 

[pvamax]

Mine is a 2008 and kinda looks like that.

2005 and 2006 215hp 15' boats were the exact same graphics package, the one i posted. There were no color options. Yours does look similar but not the same!

 

[bcorn]

2005 and 2006 215hp 15' boats were the exact same graphics package, the one i posted. There were no color options. Yours does look similar but not the same!

Could be the difference between the speedster and sportster. Yes I can see the graphics are different.

 

[pvamax]

Could be the difference between the speedster and sportster. Yes I can see the graphics are different.

There was no speedster in 2005/2006. It was called the sportster. Same 15' boat.

 

[peter x2]

My fault, it's a 2007. i made him an offer of 9,5k cash, and he has to sleep over it, so tomorrow morning i know. And that would be a good price, because
i haven't seen a same one that cheap here in europe, and cheap doesn't always mean bad.

 

[peter x2]

he took the offer, so now i have to wait for some large pictures, because i want to see some more before i drive 400 miles and back.

 

[bcorn]

he took the offer, so now i have to wait for some large pictures, because i want to see some more before i drive 400 miles and back.

Good for you! Personally I would just drive and look at it myself. Hopefully everything works out for you.

 

[peter x2]

sure i'm going to pick it up myself, but it's better to see some large close up's first, because you can't see anything on small pics from a distance.
when i still like it, i can go and get it, if not, i'll pass. 800 miles are at least 14 hours of driving and then look, check, talk, paperwork wil take
another 2 maybe 3 hours, so it's not a trip around the block.
Btw, are there also challengers from 2000 and on who have single engines?

 

[pvamax]

sure i'm going to pick it up myself, but it's better to see some large close up's first, because you can't see anything on small pics from a distance.
when i still like it, i can go and get it, if not, i'll pass. 800 miles are at least 14 hours of driving and then look, check, talk, paperwork wil take
another 2 maybe 3 hours, so it's not a trip around the block.
Btw, are there also challengers from 2000 and on who have single engines?

2005 and newer, challenger 180/180se is single engine 18' boat that holds a maximum of 8 people.