[locdb]

First off, I'd like to introduce myself since I'm new to posting here. My name's Don, I'm 29, from the Niagara Falls area of New York, and I'm looking to buy my first PWC.
So, I've done a bunch of research and I am REALLY stuck! The current Yamaha promotion of getting either an extra 2 year (making it a 3 year) warranty or choosing $450 in Yamaha accessories ends at my dealership this Saturday at 4pm! So, I have to make a quick decision if I want to take advantage of that promotion.
The contenders...
1st contender... a 2010 Yamaha VX Cruiser.
$8,999 + tax + trailer
I'd take the $450 in free accessories over the extended warranty because I feel if something goes wrong, it'll go wrong within the 1st year of ownership, so I'd get a free cover for it, 2 life jackets, an anchor, tow rope, a retractable paddle, 2 fenders (bouys), and 2 dock lines. Free is good!
It has 15 gallons of cargo space (seems low to me, my buddy has a '03 Sea Doo GTX di with over 52 gallons of space!)
It's only 110hp, so the fuel economy is good = cheaper trips out!

2nd contender... a 2009 leftover Sea Doo GTX 155
$9,499 + tax + trailer (dealer claimed it was a $1,200 savings)
I believe it came with an extended 4 year warranty? 1 free basic life jacket.
It has 34 gallons of storage (19 gallons more than the VX, which is more than double the storage space, but still has way less than my buddy's '03 GTX, and I find this odd! Must be because of the size of the new engines?)
It's 155hp, so peppier/sportier, but not as good on fuel economy. Probably not a huge difference though?

Both sported comfortable seating!
Yamaha seems to be the best with reliability, but Sea Doo also seems to be a trusted brand name, however I hear it's named bashed more than Yamaha, actually I've never heard anyone bad mouth Yamaha.
I know the Sea Doo has a closed loop vs Yamaha's open loop cooling system, but I will be on fresh water, not salt, so I don't think it'll matter much.
I do like how the Sea Doo's reverse level is on the left.
Wish I had money for a '10 model of the GTX because the new brake lever is pretty neat and I think it even comes with a cruise control now.
I also really dig the FX HO (the non-supercharged one) in the Yamaha lineup, but where I'm at right now, $-wise, is as far as my budget will allow. If I could spring the extra money, I'd lean towards a newer Sea Doo, probably the new GTX, because of the features it has and it would also be the cheaper choice.

If I go for the Yamaha, I'd have to jump on it quickly to get the current promotion, which seems good, but I don't know if I would "out grow" the VX model quickly or not. I'm 29, buying my first pwc, and I've only ever ridden my buddy's '03 Sea Doo GTX, which I enjoyed a lot. I believe his is 130hp and a 2-stroke, so it was peppy - to me anyways.
I'd prefer to buy new since the used selection in my area only consists of REALLY (10+ year) old skis. I've been watching Craigslist and other sites for about a month with nothing eye catching has popped up, so new it will be, but which one... PLEASE help me decide!

 

[Outlaw]

Seadoo is your best choice

Hi I saw your posting about which jet ski to buy, Sea Doo or Yamaha. I ride only Sea Doos, mainly because of who owns them, Bombardier. I rode Ski Doo snowmobiles for 20 years up your way. They where always the best and usually the fastest. Did you know their motors are built in Austria? Kinda like comparing a Porsche to a Lexis ,Lol. Their assembly plant is just across the border in Canada. I currently own a 2009 RXT is, a 2008 GTX LIMITED 215 HP and a 2006 RXT with a RIVA Stage 3 kit which runs close to 80 mph. My other skis are bone stock and both will do 70 MPH. Another important thing to consider is the quality of your local brand dealers. They are so important when the chips are down. How knowledgeable they are and willingness to go above and beyond normal service, after all this the guy who will be honoring your warranty and working on your ski. In my humble opinion Sea Doo is the only ski worth buying. By the way the reason the new GTX has less storage is because of the new stepped hull and deck design. If you get the one with brakes(which is only available from Sea Doo) be careful when braking because Yamahas can't stop.:laugh:

 

[Snake]

New Sea Doo S3 Hull is tippy

Whatever you get, I would be cautious about the new Sea Doo models that have the new S3 stepped hull. It sits higher in the water and is less stable. 3 of us were on my new 2010 Sea Doo Wake Pro 215, and the first time I made a slow turn, it flipped right over (upside down). Fortunately, having read the manual ahead of time I knew how to flip it back over right away and thus avoid engine damage, but the manual says if it is upside down even 5 minutes, you have a problem and you must take it straight to the dealer without even trying to start it.

Not a good start to be sure, so I thought I would warn you.

 

[Ernest T]

Most critical factor IMO is, which one do you think rides the best. I was really surprised at how much difference there can be between skis with similar sizes and HP ratings. A lot of dealers in my area have skis set up for demo rides right now, so it’s not hard to find one to try. You wouldn't buy a car without having ever driven it would you?......same for a boat or ski. You could end up with something that has some quirk like the other poster mentioned like flipping over with 3 passengers that may really drive you crazy.

I've never ridden the Seadoo, so I don't have any firsthand experience on the ride. The earlier model VXs gave you a fairly stable ride, but you got wet in rough water. Unlike the FX the VX tends to go over the wake rather than through it, so more bouncy. The VX will pull a skier or wake boarder, without a problem, but will be a little more unstable pulling something heavy like a tube or with 3 riders. NOTE: The 2010 VX has been redesigned to give a more stable ride, and my comments above are for the earlier models, since I have not tried the new one yet. I'm GUESSING that the Seadoo will be a more stable ride just because it is longer and heavier, especially towing or with multiple passengers. The Seadoo would probably be a better choice for a family machine if you are planning on taking the wife and kids along.

Before I bought a ski, I did ask around at a number of dealerships, and at one place that both sells used and rents Kawasaki, Yamaha, Honda, and Seadoo skis (here is the web site: Lake Norman Jet Ski Sales, Rentals, Service, Parts and Pontoon Rentals). The mechanics all agreed that the Yamaha was the most reliable easier to maintain machine, and these guys work on all of the different brands. I'm not saying the Seadoo is going to break every time you take it out, and in fact, you probably won't have a problem with it.......they would have been out of business long ago if they were that bad. However, if you want to maintain it yourself, etc., the Yamaha will be easier. Look for the ski that 90% of the ski rental places use as their #1 ski and you will find a Yamaha VX, because these things can take some abuse.

I think both skis are pretty fuel efficient, but I think the Seadoo needs premium versus regular for the Yamaha………may not be a factor, but something to consider…….I can’t get premium at my marina.

NOTE: Yamaha really made some significant design improvements to the 2010 VX. They pulled the center of gravity back to give more leg room, and better reach to the handle bars, plus what they say is a much more stable ride in rough water. They also changed the mirror location, put in a different ride plate and intake grate, sponsons, etc, so this is a different machine than the earlier model VXs. They also have managed to improve the fuel economy even more (they say 10%) on the 2010 VX over earlier models. I suspect that the ride of the 2010 VX will be improved over earlier models (and the earlier models were great riding machines).

 

[locdb]

Thanks for the input so far guys! I REALLY wish I could take them for test rides, but none of the dealerships have that option. Only one, a Sea-Doo dealership is located at a Marina. They let you take out used ones, but not new, and they don't have any used ones in stock. So, the only model I've rode so far has been my buddy's '03 GTX di, which I enjoyed.
I checked into it and the GTX 155 takes regular gas and the same goes for the VX.
I guess I'm leaning more towards the VX today. I'm also thinking that maybe I should slow down and not let the current promotions (Yamaha's free $450 in Yamaha gear vs Sea-Doo's 4 year limited warranty) force me to make a hasty decision. I need to do more research on them and hopefully a better promotion will occur after this one ends in 2 days. Heck, maybe a nice, barely used, one will pop up on Craigslist or my local classifieds. Any older model recommendations to keep an eye out for as far as reliablity is concerned? I was told to stay away from Polaris and 199X Sea-Doos.

 

[Ernest T]

Yea, you shouldn't rush into a deal. The manufacturers tend to offer extended warranty deals or some other promotion every so often. Plus you can definitely find better deals on used skis. Just like cars, skis lose 15-20% of their value as soon as you tow them off the lot. The best time to buy a jet ski is in the off season (Oct-Apr) whether you are buying new or used. Take your time, do your research, and keep your eyes open for a good deal.

 

[locdb]

*update*

I'm now looking at, and loving, the 2010 Yamaha FX Cruiser HO. I'm liking how it has all the features that I'm wanting, although more storage would be nice, it gets good fuel economy (not as bad as the SHO would be!) and still is peppy with a decent high speed. The $12,399 pricetag is a huge turn off though, since I'd need to buy all of my accessories and a trailer still. I'm hoping Yamaha has a good promotion sometime soon! ..or someone puts a '09, '08, or '07 up for sale locally.

 

[locdb]

I bought a 2009 Yamaha FX Cruiser HO. Posted a thread on the Yamaha Jetski section.

 

[Snake]

1st time buyer

Good for you! Let us know how tippy it is, OK?

 

[locdb]

Good for you! Let us know how tippy it is, OK?

Will do, but not sure if I'd be a good judge of "tippiness" since I've only ever rode one other pwc, a 2004 Sea-Doo GTX. I hope that I don't somehow tip it, that wouldn't be good!

 

[Ernest T]

Will do, but not sure if I'd be a good judge of "tippiness" since I've only ever rode one other pwc, a 2004 Sea-Doo GTX. I hope that I don't somehow tip it, that wouldn't be good!

You will have to work to turn over the FX. I've been thrown off mine a couple of times in big swells when I had a passenger, but even then the ski did not turn over.

 

[RXT-X 260 king]

Snake is your sea-doo really that tippy???

Because its not the s3 hull that makes it tippy, i have an rxt-x 260, with the s3 hull, and its not tippy at all.

 

[Snake]

Tippy Sea Doo

Snake is your sea-doo really that tippy???

Because its not the s3 hull that makes it tippy, i have an rxt-x 260, with the s3 hull, and its not tippy at all.

My current theory is that he problem is the higher Center of gravity, due at least in part to the 22% lighter stepped S3 Hull. You can see it easily if you put the new S3 hull beside an older Sea Doo without one.

As well, I had 3 people on it when I tipped over, and someone suggested that perhaps my passengers leaned into the turn, which added to the fact that it was a slow turn made while decelerating. Why don't you try it and see? The manual says you will be OK, as long as you flip it back over within 5 minutes.:action-smiley-083:

 

[LKNBOUND]

I just bought my FX cruiser HO on Friday (and love it). My wife was very nervous about tipping it over as we are both new at this (also, she is not crazy about being in the water (on it is ok)). Anyway, I tried to tip it over (in motion) to tests its limits. I was surprised to see that the manual recommends turning it over once to get the feel of how to right it.

I couldn't turn it over whilst riding and I'm very new at this and not too bright. My wife was satisfied with this demonstration that we're not too tippy.