When is the best time to buy a jet ski?

Sales of new personal watercraft (PWC) have levelled out after a boom during the COVID-19 pandemic in the early 2020s.

Back then, international travel restrictions saw more Australians holiday at home – and boating and jet ski sales surged.

The jet ski industry responded by ordering big for the following years but then sales hit reverse once travel restrictions ended.

That led to an oversupply of jet skis in recent years, which saw aggressive discounting even outside the usually quiet winter period. In some cases, buyers could save up to $5000 off the RRP. Even more if they were a good negotiator.

Today, stock levels have now largely settled back to pre-COVID numbers, and the showroom deals are generally not quite as sharp. 

However, there are still bargains to be found if you know where to look.

The websites for the three major brands all have an “offers” page, which generally gets updated at least once every three months. Sometimes the deals are updated mid-month.

In one instance over the past two years, Sea-Doo extended its range of deals for nine months as it reduced stock to a more manageable level.

The good news is there is now usually always an offer from all three brands – on some or all their model line-ups.

Of late, the savings have ranged from $500 to $3500 depending on the model, or there has been a free accessories deal, or a low-interest rate finance offer.

Before you buy – or even walk into a showroom – be sure to check the “offers” page of the Sea-Doo, Yamaha WaveRunner and Kawasaki Jet Ski websites in Australia. That way you know what deals are available.

While there are now deals mostly all-year-round, the absolute peak season for savings is the latter half of winter. 

The cooler months are quiet on the water pretty much everywhere except Queensland, and dealers are keen to negotiate; often with the support of the manufacturer.

Late July and throughout August is when the runout deals really heat up because it’s near the end of the Australian winter (so all current stock must go) and the big brands unveil next year’s colours in August (at the end of the US summer).

There is one big risk worth noting.

If you hold out for a deal in July or August, your favourite jet ski in your favourite colour may have already sold out. All deals have the disclaimer “while stock lasts” and some deals go quickly.

So, start researching now and be ready to pull the trigger once you’ve found a great deal. Otherwise, you could miss out.