Buying a used Ski Nautique

Hello I am new to the forum. I am looking to purchase a used Ski Nautique in the Spring. I'm budgeting around 15K. I'm thinking if I find one for 12K it's going to need some work so I figure I need 2K in reserve for this.   Can anyone give me any advice on particular years to avoid or engine types to watch out for?   Years I'm thinking of would be between 1990-1999.

Thanks in advance for any advice anyone can give...

Yes, 1993 up for no wood. In your price range you can probably find a GT-40 powered boat, it's the injected version that came after the Pro-tec. No problem if you find a carbed 351 either, still great engine with plenty of power.

Look at the brochures over those years to get an idea of hull shape changes. Are you mostly a slalom skier, or also wakeboard? Looking only at closed bow Ski Nautique, or also larger open bow Sports?

Why do you want to wait for spring? You'll find your best deal if you start looking now and buy sometime before November, fall pricing is lower. Also, it would give you the winter to get anything fixed you might want to take care of.

Stay away from a 95 Gt-40 unless its a good deal. That was the first year and it has an odd fuel pump set up with no FCC canister that is expensive to replace. FCC came along to prevent vapor lock. If you find something that is carbed don't be afraid of that at all either.

63 is on the money with buy in fall and fix over the winter. If you work on it all winter you will be super jacked up to get it in the water ASAP when spring comes.

Bret, You will have owned them all in a few more years if you keep up at this rate ;).

phatsat67 wrote: Bret, You will have owned them all in a few more years if you keep up at this rate ;).

I guess I'm just trying to catch up to Tim and Mars!

Wow thanks everyone for the information.

Yes, I believe that price is too high. I think you can get into a late '90's for that price range. The '93-'96 boats are getting closer to the $10,000 level now, maybe a really nice one a bit higher than that.

There you go, a '97 for about the same price as that '94, looks sweet in the pictures, GT-40, Perfect Pass, steering cable already replaced.

A shame we can't hook you up with the parting out '95 in Orlando...

Just spoke to Kevin (Luckey McElroy) and sounds like most everything from his '95 is spoken for and everything is going to good homes to members here on the forum so that makes me real happy. (I'll let the prospective buyers indulge everyone when they see fit)

On a sidenote, that '97 posted here looks like a really nice deal!