Jet ski bargains abound at the 2019 Sydney boat show
Winter is the season to pick up a bargain on a runout model jet ski, with savings in excess of $4000 once you include the discounts off the RRP – plus the special finance offersIt’s that time of year again when sharp deals begin to appear on jet skis as personal watercraft manufacturers clear stock ahead of the reveal – and arrival – of 2020 models in the coming months.
However, the 2019 Sydney International Boat Show will see even sharper prices after a slow summer and weakening sales in the lead-up to this year’s Federal election left all three jet ski brands – Sea-Doo, Yamaha and Kawasaki – overstocked.
Each of the three jet ski brands are on the same floor at this year’s show, making it easy to compare prices and models directly. Yamaha and Sea-Doo stands are opposite each other. Kawasaki is around the corner from them both.
Sea-Doo
Market leader Sea-Doo is offering discounts ranging from $500 to $3000, and up to three years warranty on selected models.
Discounts are greater on 2018 models versus 2019 models and in most cases only the colour combinations are different.
The cheapest jet ski at the show is the 2018 model-year Sea-Doo Spark 60hp two-seater.
Normally $8041 on the water (including $342 for NSW watercraft registration) it has been trimmed by $1000 to just $7041 ride-away (excluding trailer) and comes with a three-year warranty instead of Sea-Doo’s standard two years coverage.
The 2019 model year Sea-Doo Spark 60hp two-seater is only $500 off, or $7541 on the water.
Discounts are slim on the hugely popular – and new for 2019 – Sea-Doo Fish Pro, which is now back in stock after becoming a sellout success earlier this year.
Nevertheless, Sea-Doo has sweetened the deal for the Sydney Boat Show on the Fish Pro, with $1000 off plus a three-year warranty to bring the price to $19,141 on the water (excluding trailer).
The middle-of-the-range Sea-Doo GTI 90 has discounts of $1500 on 2019 stock and $2000 on 2018 stock – to $11,741 and $11,241 on the water excluding trailer, respectively – plus three-year warranty.
The Sea-Doo GTI 130 has discounts of $1500 on 2019 stock and $2000 on 2018 stock – to $13,241 and $12,741 on the water excluding trailer, respectively – plus three-year warranty.
The Sea-Doo GTR 230 has $2000 off 2019 stock and $2500 off 2018 stock to bring the prices down to $16,641 and $16,141 on the water excluding trailer – plus three-year warranty.
Discounts on the Wake Pro 230 are slimmer: $1000 off 2019 stock and $1500 off 2018 stock to bring prices down to $17,641 and $17,141 on the water excluding trailer – plus three-year warranty.
Sea-Doo’s flagship RXT-X300 is powered by a supercharged 1630cc Rotax engine and, with a claimed 0 to 100kmh time of 3.6 seconds with launch control, one of the fastest jet skis on the market.
The RXT-X300 has been trimmed by $1500 on 2019 stock and $2000 on 2018 stock to $24,441 and $23,941 on the water, excluding trailer, in Sea-Doo Yellow. Add $400 if you want an RXT-X300 in black and red.
The biggest Sea-Doo discount of $3000 is reserved for 2018 model year examples of the RXP-X300 – to $20,241 on the water (excluding trailer) while 2019 model year examples have $2500 off, to $20,741 on the water.
However, unlike other Sea-Doo models on special, the RXT-X300 and the RXP-X300 still only come with the standard two-year warranty. Rivals Yamaha and Kawasaki have offered three-year warranties across all their models for several years.
Yamaha
Yamaha, meanwhile, is having a red-hot go by slashing $2000 off its top-of-the range supercharged 2019 FX SVHO series and combining that price with a 7.99 per cent finance offer and 20 per cent off a Yamaha Insurance premium.
The Yamaha FX SVHO is trimmed from $24,641 to $22,641 on the water (including $342 NSW watercraft registration but excluding a trailer) while the FX SVHO Cruiser is down from $25,641 to $23,641 on the water (excluding trailer).
The non-supercharged FX HO gets $1750 off full price (from $20,341 to $18,591 on the water, excluding trailer) plus a 7.99 per cent finance offer and 20 per cent off a Yamaha Insurance premium.
Yamaha’s high performance 2019 model year GP1800R watercraft also gets $2000 off (to $20,341 on the water, excluding trailer) plus a low 2.99 per cent finance offer and 20 per cent off a Yamaha Insurance premium.
Want a mega deal? There is a handful of 2018 model year GP1800s in stock at $3000 off, to an incredibly low $19,341 on the water (excluding trailer).
Yamaha still has to clear some examples of the now superseded 2018 model year FX SVHO Limited – the supercharged flagship from the previous generation FX series – with $3000 off its full RRP of $25,241 to just $22,241 on the water (including $342 watercraft registration but excluding trailer) and is available with a super-low 1.0 per cent finance offer. However, stocks are limited and the deal ends when supply runs out.
The cheapest models in the Yamaha range, the EX and EX Sport, both get $500 off to $8341 and $10,141 on the water respectively.
However, the Yamaha EX has a 7.99 per cent finance offer while the EX Sport has a low 2.99 per cent finance deal. Both also gain 20 per cent off a Yamaha Insurance premium.
The budget performance Yamaha EX-R also gets $500 off – to $12,141 on the water (excluding trailer), a 7.99 per cent finance offer, and 20 per cent off a Yamaha Insurance premium.
Kawasaki
Meanwhile, Kawasaki has sharp pricing on its flagship Ultra 310 LX, slashing the RRP by $2000, to $23,248 on the water (excluding trailer).
Although the Kawasaki Ultra hull has been around since 2007, it has proven to be reliable, has the most storage in its class (210 litres) and the largest fuel tank in the industry (78 litres).
The Ultra gained a new top deck in 2015 which coincided with yet another power bump, after launching with 250hp in 2007, increasing to 260hp in 2009, then 300hp in 2011.
Kawasaki claims the supercharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine – now with 310hp – is the most powerful personal watercraft in the world.
Only the Sea-Doo RXT-X300 with 300hp comes close. Yamaha does not disclose the power output of its engines, but the 1.8-litre supercharged four-cylinder has the largest cubic capacity in its class.
If you’re after a stand-up jet ski, Kawasaki is the last one left standing after Yamaha dropped its stand-up model last year.
The Kawasaki SX-R stand-up (which switched from two-stroke to four-stroke power in 2017) is available for $14,698 on the water (excluding trailer) once a $1000 discount has been taken into account. There is stock available of the 2018 model (white and black) and the 2019 model (green and black).
Kawasaki is also offering 3.99 per cent finance across its entire jet ski range during the 2019 Sydney Boat Show. Kawasaki Insurance is available, underwritten by a third party NMInsurance.
Top 10 tips for first-time jet ski buyers
- Check if the advertised price is for the jet ski only or if it includes the $342 NSW registration fee for watercraft. Also check if the price includes a trailer plus the registration of the trailer (see next point).
- Single trailers vary in cost depending on quality and size but are generally between $1500 and $2000 registered and ready to go. Ask if the trailer is locally-made or imported. Compare the quality of the rollers or skids, jockey wheel, winch, winch strap and hook, leaf springs, tyres and bearings.
- Ask about the jet ski’s service intervals and what the likely costs will be for routine maintenance for the first three years. Most jet skis require a service at either 50 or 100 hours (it varies among brands and models) or 12 months, whichever comes first.
- Check if there is an insurance offer bundled into the Sydney Boat Show deal, and also check its inclusions and exclusions. Some jet ski insurance claims come with a $5000 excess.
- Check if there is a finance offer bundled into the Sydney Boat Show deal, and whether that offer is funded by the jet ski company or an individual dealer. Ask how much the loan establishment fee costs; it can vary from $300 to $800 and in some cases is negotiable.
- The Sydney boat show stands are mostly staffed by salespeople from individual dealerships. Check if the person selling you a jet ski is your nearest dealer. You can of course buy your watercraft from whoever you prefer, and take it to your preferred dealer for servicing — but it’s worth asking the question. It’s also worth looking up a few jet ski social media pages, too, to compare the reputations of various dealers.
- If you do end up doing a deal and buying a new jet ski, it’s worth taking notes on how to prepare it before and after taking it out on the water for the first time. The instructions are easy to forget, especially if your first ride is months away and this is your first time owning a jet ski.
- In most cases, the model-year changeover is simply a case of new stickers and colour options, but in some cases an all-new model could be around the corner. Ask if the model you are buying is due simply for a colour update or if it’s about to be replaced by a new deck and hull. This year, for example, some brands are still trying to clear superseded 2018 models as well as new-generation 2019 models that are in runout, so be sure to shop around.
- Compare the warranties of all three brands. Yamaha and Kawasaki have offered three-year coverage for some time. Sea-Doo’s standard warranty is two years but it often increases its coverage to three years during special promotional periods.
- Be sure to visit all three stands at the show — Sea-Doo, Yamaha and Kawasaki — before signing on the dotted line. Ask how long each jet ski has been around and how far away a new model is due. Most watercraft have a five to six-year model cycle before a complete changeover. Each representative will say their brand is the best and the others are not as good, so be patient and ask plenty of questions. Aside from the watercraft itself, it’s worth keeping in mind where you will get the jet ski serviced, so judge for yourself whether the dealer selling you the ski will also support you down the track with good service and any potential warranty claims.
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