When considering your first personal watercraft purchase, it is tempting to start off with a lower budget option. Window shopping in the classified ads reveals hundreds of used jetskis, many at highly attractive prices. If you’re on a limited budget (and who isn’t?), buying a used craft seems the obvious way to purchase more for less, but you are taking on greater risk as well as the savings. Here are some reasons why buying new is the better choice in the long term.

Can you trust a dealer?

When buying from a dealer, you at least know that they have some knowledge. On the other hand, the used jetski with very few hours on it may be coming from a private seller who knows next to nothing – after all, they haven't used it much. And if they’ve not been interested enough to use it, have they maintained it properly? With a dealer, you also have somewhere to go if there’s a problem, plus access to a lot of advice on operating and maintaining the craft.

Can you afford to buy new jet ski?

This is the big one, of course. We're all limited by budget, so you need to consider your intended use to narrow down your choices. If you want to go fishing, your need a more recent, safer model than if staying close to an estuary or the beach. You may also find that a small budget limits the range to many models by manufacturers that have ceased production, like Polaris. Your resale value will be plummeting. Meanwhile, Honda sell in Australia through their motorcycle dealerships, which may give you a problem with finding parts when you need them. Keeping an old jet ski running can be more expensive than paying for a new one with finance.

Why 4-stroke is preferable to 2-stroke

If your budget sends you towards used 2-stroke craft, then consider taking out finance for a newer 4-stroke model. 2-stroke models are smaller and less stable, and therefore less safe, plus they cause more pollution. Parts are harder to find, making service shops less keen to work with them, which is unfortunate because they’re more likely to have major problems due to their age. You also have the cost of 2-stroke oil.

Are imports a good idea?

An increasing number of jetskis are being imported from China. These have a Suzuki car engine and a variety of brand names. While the low purchase cost may be attractive, the manufacturing standards are poor and they depreciate quickly. Poor engineering will see you landed with some very tricky repair and maintenance jobs too.

Our advice is to take the stress out of buying by increasing your budget. Finance from 1800Approved can enable you to visit a reputable dealer, helping you to find the best purchase rates and options in the region. We can help you with a list of first rate dealers, too.

1800Approved works with over 45 independent lenders – a major advantage in finding the best deals, lowest interest rates and a greater chance of being approved for a loan than with most banks or direct financial institutions.

Call us today on 1800 277 768 or simply use the Quick Quote to find out why we have the best Jetski Finance Australia wide!