Before taking the big step and buying a jet ski, it is important to take into consideration the costs you will have to pay AFTER you purchase one.
There are things you have to pay for every single time you take your jet ski out, and things to pay for every year you have one. What is it actually going to cost to have a jet ski?
One thing you need to keep in mind is that prices at PWC repair shops vary a lot, so I encourage you to go to your trusted local repairman and get the prices from him. Make sure to tell him the exact model of PWC that you have because there are differences between watercraft models as well. This post will give a rough estimate of the cost to have a jet ski.
Visit our Jet Ski Maintenance Page for more great information!
Oil Change
Every 50 hours you ride your jet ski, an oil change needs to be done. At the very least, change the oil once a year. If you go to a PWC repairman, they will charge you anywhere from $200-$500 to change the oil and O-rings.
When you order the parts and do it yourself it will cost up to $175. There are videos all over the internet on how to change your oil out of your PWC. If you do your own oil change you will need an oil extractor. One nice resource on Amazon are oil change kits, and if you look into this idea, just make sure that it is the right kit for your machine.
Battery
Batteries should be changed every 3 to 5 years. If you have to change your battery every year, I would recommend purchasing a solar panel charger that will charge your battery when you are not using it.
They make great batteries for jet skis around $100 on Amazon. If you do want to purchase a solar battery charger, they have a great one on Amazon for $20-$30.
Winterizing
This will be the most expensive maintenance you will have to worry about by far. In the season when you do not use your jet ski, or before it gets cold, you will need to winterize your jet ski. As a rule of thumb, you should always winterize your jet ski if you are not going to use it for 2 months, even if you live in a place that is warm year round.
You do not want the water to freeze inside your engine because it will destroy your entire engine. To keep this from happening you need to take it to an experienced person or do it yourself online step by step. Winterizing can cost around $600-$700 when you take it in a repairman. They have to drain your watercraft and fill it with new gas, gas stabilizer, and filters to ensure the inside stays lubricated.
It can be done by yourself for way cheaper, you just need to buy some supplies and know how to clear out your jet ski. On your own, it costs around $200 for all of the materials.
If you go to your local dealer, they will be able to give you an estimate of how much winterizing will cost. Prices are different in every state, and it also depends on what jet ski you own as well.
Spark Plugs
Just like the oil, the spark plugs need to be changed at least once a year. A 4-stroke does not need new spark plugs as much as a 2-stroke does because the 2-stroke oils plug up the sparks quicker.
A simple thing to do if you do not ride more than 50 hours in a season is to take it in to have the oil and spark plugs changed at the same time.
It is typical for a pack of 4 spark plugs to be around $10, which is the cheapest part of your jet ski you have to worry about replacing.
First Service/Service Costs
The first service is the most important because most manufacturers use a “break-in oil” in the new jet ski that will need to be removed after the engine is broken in (usually within the first 10 hours of riding). Make sure to ask your dealer when the first service is and take it in when they say. The first service will cost more than the services you get after it.
One important thing to remember is that 99% of dealers do not include the first service in the purchase of a jet ski. This is something to keep into consideration when bargaining: don’t forget to get it in writing so it is legitimate. The first service will be a few hundred bucks.
Taking it easy on the water when you just bought a brand new jet ski is a good idea because until you have had the first service done, you will not know the exact shape the jet ski is in.
Sure, it can be annoying to spend a fortune on a jet ski and then have to take it into the shop right after your first time on the water, but this is to ensure that everything is running smoothly and that you can go full throttle on your future trips without worrying about anything breaking down.
Keep in mind a jet ski is just like your car; it will need some service done to it. Unless you are a professional engine expert, you are going to need to take your jet ski in to check on it every once in a while. I would expect to put about $100 a month into this service category.
Repairs
It is vital to consider a warranty when buying a new or used jet ski. There have been many cases where the warranty will take care of components that should not have broken. After paying the deductible, it was taken care of.
This is why a warranty is a smart route to go; you will be covered on things that are not supposed to happen. Let’s be honest, jet ski’s are like cars in the way that something goes wrong every so often.
There may be some small repairs you have to make like ordering new cables, new keys, etc. So be ready to pay about $40 a month for at home repairs.
Insurance
You are an idiot if you do not have insurance on your jet ski. This is usually one of the most expensive machines you are going to purchase your entire life, and just like you want your home to be protected, you should want your jet ski to be protected.
You never know what can happen out on the water; crashing into the dock, knocking into someone else, wrecking against rocks, etc. It is hard to give you a price of what insurance will be every month because there are many factors that makeup insurance prices.
Some of these factors include age, what watercraft you own, how many people can ride on it, what horsepower your model has, where you store it, and many more. Go online and learn more about what kind of price you are looking at.
This may or not be in your ballpark, but you can expect to pay a few hundred dollars a year on your watercraft insurance. This is well worth the cost because you want to have your jet ski in the best shape so it will last you many years.
Accessories
There are going to be more things to purchase besides the watercraft and its maintenance. You are going to need the things on this list to be 100% safe on the water:
- Bungee dock line
- Cooler
- Jet ski rack
- Dry bag/phone case
- Telescoping Paddle
- Jet ski anchor
- Goggles
- Solar charger
- PWC fender/bumper
- Jet ski cover
- Life jackets
- Impeller protector
- Re-boarding ladder
- Whistle/air horn
Total Cost
The first year that you buy your jet ski, you will spend more than the years after that. The year that you buy your jet ski, you should expect to spend around $1,500 outside of the actual jet ski price. Once you have gotten your first service taken care of, and you have all of the accessories you need, you will not need to spend as much.
After the first year of payments like I mentioned above, you will not have to pay as much. If you have a cheaper jet ski like a Sea-Doo Spark or a Yamaha EX, you will probably spend around $900 a year.
However, if you have a more expensive jet ski that has more horsepower and a bigger engine, and gas tank you are going to pay around $1,100
Another thing to keep in mind is that you will save hundreds of dollars by doing your own repairs, so take time to learn how to care for your jet ski so you can get more accessories for your water experiences.
In the end, you need to be ready to spend around $1,000 a year on your jet ski to make sure it stays in tip-top shape!