Seadoo Sportster 4-Tec

[Paul70]

Hi All,

I'm looking at buying a Sportster 4-Tec in the next 1-2 weeks and was wondering what the difference is between a 2003 Seadoo Sportster 4-Tec (155 HP) and a 2004 or 2005 Sportster 4-Tec (155 HP)? Are they basically the same boat?

Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Paul

 

[BMANN06]

Yes same thing other than colour changes. In 06+ you would get a different dash.

 

[Paul70]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

 

[diggin4aliving]

I have a 2004 and have no complaints. Good luck on your purchase and enjoy!!

 

[hrifai]

Hi
I am considering a 2005 Sportster 215, Any experience in salt water ????
The outboard guys are warning me without actual experience

 

[RFoster130]

Hi

The outboard guys are warning me without actual experience

There is a shocker. Prop boat guys slam the jet boats all the time and 99% of them have never been on one. They shut up real quick when they see what i can do with the boat. Actual salt water isnt a problem but the sportster is a small boat for any decent size waves.

 

[cheappc]

Same boats, even my 2011 is the same, you'll be very hard pressed to find a speedster/sportster owner 155, 215, 255 who doesnt like their boat, they are all the same boat, just different horsepower and dash changes (even 2012).

I really like my speedster, very easy to launch/retrieve, so easy it should be illegal, took my boat out 4 ours on sunday, used less than a quarter tank of gas.

I agree with RFoster, I'm not sure about any big waves out in the ocean.. I see them do great in the Florida area of the Atlantic ocean, very calm seas..

 

[hrifai]

Thank you for the advice, I will ride it in the Red Sea (Egypt) not an ocean
Can you please be specific about decent size waves ???
Although I personally prefer a Seadoo but I have an offer to get an LX2000 yamaha which I don't like very much but it is 5 ft longer, will it be safer in waves ??
PS there is a wind mill field near the area I will be cruising most of the time, so it is a windy area.

 

[cheappc]

Well, I guess maybe im a bit biased, If its big waves... Like Ocean waves, I dont think I will do it in my Speedster 150, but I know some guys went from Florida, to the Bahamas in their Speedster! across the ocean! lol
here is a video:
[video=youtube;81AspVC-QF0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81AspVC-QF0[/video]

 

[EARL99016]

I've been thinking of getting a Speedster 150 myself. I've never owed one before but by all that I've read and the videos I've watched it looks like a lot of fun is had each and every time it hits the water.

I guess the 155 sounds like the one with the least amount of problems...right?

Cya

 

[cheappc]

I've been thinking of getting a Speedster 150 myself. I've never owed one before but by all that I've read and the videos I've watched it looks like a lot of fun is had each and every time it hits the water.

I guess the 155 sounds like the one with the least amount of problems...right?

Cya

I liked them all, if I could have gotten the 255 Speedster for a good price, I would have, but at the time I purchased my Speedster, the 255 was $24,999 plus tax and prep... so I didnt want to spend that kind of money, I was thinking it would be easier to sell my speedster in 2 years for $14000..

But anyways, it didnt matter either way, I guess I would have loved the 255, hands down, but it was like more than $8,000 than my boat, and my boat came with a 3 year warranty, this was before brp started giving away 5 year warranties..

So I recommend all of them, and if you could afford the 255, and just do the normal maintenance you shouldnt have a problem. They are great!

 

[Steve_Cay]

I went for the 155hp. Being my first boat, and second hand, I wanted no problems. And the performance seems plenty for leisure familly use. Everything I have read seems to indicate the 155 4-tec is fairly bullet proof, and can do the fluid/spark/filter changes myself which is most of the maintenance. Time will tell if the speed bug will bite my decision.

Want wind burn, and neck snapping ... 255 !

I found the 215's priced close enegh to the 155's ... so not about up front cost. Good performance value if you don't mind the additional SC required maintenance costs sooner or later down the line. And surely better for towing fun than a 155, if that is the purpose.

All 3 4-tecs seem a good choice like stated above, just pick your personal priorities and there is your choice!

Just don't get tempted by those much lowers priced "DI's" or Mercuries, which come with the two stroke drawbacks ... "IMHO".

 

[EARL99016]

I liked them all, if I could have gotten the 255 Speedster for a good price, I would have, but at the time I purchased my Speedster, the 255 was $24,999 plus tax and prep... so I didnt want to spend that kind of money, I was thinking it would be easier to sell my speedster in 2 years for $14000..

But anyways, it didnt matter either way, I guess I would have loved the 255, hands down, but it was like more than $8,000 than my boat, and my boat came with a 3 year warranty, this was before brp started giving away 5 year warranties..

So I recommend all of them, and if you could afford the 255, and just do the normal maintenance you shouldnt have a problem. They are great!

Thank you for the information.:thumbsup:

I like most wouldn't mind the extra acceleration that the SC would add to the boat and it's abilities but question whether or not I want the up-front costs of the SC. I'm pretty good on the maintenance side of things so in reality the only extra cost other than the initial up- cost would be the overhaul maintenance on the SC...oh yeah...the price at the pump.

Does the SC add that much cost at the pump for the "normal" runaround stuff?

Cya

 

[EARL99016]

I went for the 155hp. Being my first boat, and second hand, I wanted no problems. And the performance seems plenty for leisure familly use. Everything I have read seems to indicate the 155 4-tec is fairly bullet proof, and can do the fluid/spark/filter changes myself which is most of the maintenance. Time will tell if the speed bug will bite my decision.

Want wind burn, and neck snapping ... 255 !

I found the 215's priced close enegh to the 155's ... so not about up front cost. Good performance value if you don't mind the additional SC required maintenance costs sooner or later down the line. And surely better for towing fun than a 155, if that is the purpose.

All 3 4-tecs seem a good choice like stated above, just pick your personal priorities and there is your choice!

Just don't get tempted by those much lowers priced "DI's" or Mercuries, which come with the two stroke drawbacks ... "IMHO".

It sounds like I've been going through the same thought processes you went through already...probably most have gone through. I know I don't want a 2 stroke motor and I'm trying to take your advise in not being tempted to even open the link to the "CHEAP" ads.

Cya

 

[Steve_Cay]

LOL, all those "2006 seadoo sportster, mint, 60h, $5,900" ... you think "score" until you notice the speakers missing in the grainy photo, and that cool looking additional front seat!

Took me a while to realize they were making the 2-strokes several years in parallel after releasing the 4-tec!

And coincidentally, those "LE DI" adds usualy also say "engine just rebuilt"

 

[EARL99016]

LOL, all those "2006 seadoo sportster, mint, 60h, $5,900" ... you think "score" until you notice the speakers missing in the grainy photo, and that cool looking additional front seat!

Took me a while to realize they were making the 2-strokes several years in parallel after releasing the 4-tec!

And coincidentally, those "LE DI" adds usualy also say "engine just rebuilt"

LOL, I've seen that type of ad exactly...

On a little different note...I just saw an ad on Craigslist for a 2005 Speedster 200 w/310hp. (no SC) The engines have 250hrs on them and from the pictures it looks extremely sharp...no tower or bimini top...just the boat and trailer for $16600.

Cya

 

[Steve_Cay]

If you are looking also at a Speedster 200:

The one criticism you will hear of the Speedster 150, is that it is on the small side! The person a purchased my boat from, loved it, but was too small for bringing his sons friends along, so he bought a bigger boat after owning the Speedster 150 for a year. As soon as I got out, I also felt it was small. I have the wife and one kid, and my parents wanted to come along. Had to take them on separate outings since it only seats 4, and did not want somebody sitting on the floor. Also feels especially small when you are next to all the bigger boats In my case I absolutely wanted the boat to fit inside my garage (two separate single doors) which the 150 does. The Speedster 200 or Challenger would not fit because of the beam width, and I can't get them in my side yard. So I have no regrets, as I don't want a boat in my driveway all summer.

The Speedster 200 seats 7 which is more interesting for multi-familly, or lots of friends. Think carefully what size you want, if you have the room for it.

The dual 155's is a great choice: Redundancy, the power, and no SC rebuilds. The draw back is you have double the chances for problems, and double the maintenance costs (unless you do it yourself). and 250hrs is alot! Personally I would look for lower hours, and Nada says $15K average, so not a particularly good deal.

 

[EARL99016]

If you are looking also at a Speedster 200:

The one criticism you will hear of the Speedster 150, is that it is on the small side! The person a purchased my boat from, loved it, but was too small for bringing his sons friends along, so he bought a bigger boat after owning the Speedster 150 for a year. As soon as I got out, I also felt it was small. I have the wife and one kid, and my parents wanted to come along. Had to take them on separate outings since it only seats 4, and did not want somebody sitting on the floor. Also feels especially small when you are next to all the bigger boats In my case I absolutely wanted the boat to fit inside my garage (two separate single doors) which the 150 does. The Speedster 200 or Challenger would not fit because of the beam width, and I can't get them in my side yard. So I have no regrets, as I don't want a boat in my driveway all summer.

The Speedster 200 seats 7 which is more interesting for multi-familly, or lots of friends. Think carefully what size you want, if you have the room for it.

The dual 155's is a great choice: Redundancy, the power, and no SC rebuilds. The draw back is you have double the chances for problems, and double the maintenance costs (unless you do it yourself). and 250hrs is alot! Personally I would look for lower hours, and Nada says $15K average, so not a particularly good deal.

I just got off the Nada site myself.

Thanks for the advise though about the extra everything. I'm most likely going with the 150...I just happen to see that 200 for sale and my head started thinking...the garage thing would bite me in the arse though.

Cya

 

[cheappc]

Wow.. great info, I actually never have that problem, I did take my family of 12 at one time.. and everybody didnt mind staying back at the bbq site and 4 of us went boating, and "most of the time" its me my girlfriend, plus a couple, or my 2 kids.. so 99% no problem!

I really like my speedster 155hp, knocking on wood its been an awesome machine I took it out 10 times already, so easy to tow/launch/retrieve, plus the fuel consumption is SICKENING LOW, like I stated before, I was complete amazed it only consumed 1 quarter of a tank in continuous use of 4 hours...... wow... my friends Yamaha is like 200 or 400 dollars a day.. IM LIKE WHAT???

 

[EARL99016]

Wow.. great info, I actually never have that problem, I did take my family of 12 at one time.. and everybody didnt mind staying back at the bbq site and 4 of us went boating, and "most of the time" its me my girlfriend, plus a couple, or my 2 kids.. so 99% no problem!

I really like my speedster 155hp, knocking on wood its been an awesome machine I took it out 10 times already, so easy to tow/launch/retrieve, plus the fuel consumption is SICKENING LOW, like I stated before, I was complete amazed it only consumed 1 quarter of a tank in continuous use of 4 hours...... wow... my friends Yamaha is like 200 or 400 dollars a day.. IM LIKE WHAT???

I'm probably going to go the route you did by getting 155hp Speedster or get a couple Sea-Doo jet skis...my wife keeps hinting about the jet skis possibly being more fun

Cya

 

[MVPeterP]

I'm probably going to go the route you did by getting 155hp Speedster or get a couple Sea-Doo jet skis...my wife keeps hinting about the jet skis possibly being more fun

Cya

so what did you pick up? im lined up to pick up a Sportster 155 Tec-4. curious which route you went and how you enjoyed it.

EDIT: purchased a 2007 Speedster 150, with 38 hours on it. was a family that felt it was too small, traded in. Just towed is 780km back home.....then it snowed. LOL. ABout another month til i get out there minimum....which is fine. i have a Hummingbird 688DI and Hydro Turf to install.