Super Jet How do people come come across skis to fix up and sell for profit?

[Buckwild12]

I have put a lot of money out while building my current ski, but I want to add more power for next year. My fiancee' says I need to ride out another year before spending a bunch more money on the ski. I think if I can buy a few fix'er uppers after the season and get em up and running over the winter and sell them in the spring when demand goes up, I might be able to use the found money to get me a bigger motor. I just dont seem to find much on Craig's list. Where do you guys that part out and fix up skis find your units?

 

[Matt_E]

Craigslist is my number 1 source.
After that, the local paper plus just driving around and seeing what people have for sale.

About a month ago, I picked up an 04 FXHO with glass damage for $1,300. I have a bit more work left on it, but I should be able to sell it for 3.5k or more and I may already have a buyer.
There's another one on CL that I'm eyeballing - an 02 ZXI 1100 with some electrical problem. Guy wants $1,500. Only way I'd pick it up would be for $1k or less. It's been for sale for 3 weeks now. I think I'll wait a bit longer to wear him down.

 

[Buckwild12]

I see it as a way to get better at wrenching and improving my off water skills and baybe getting some DASA power for my freak for next year, ill keep an eye out. I guess its a right time right place type of thing.

 

[Matt_E]

It's probably easier to fix other people's couches for money. I've been doing that for four years now during my summers. That's how I bought my motor and my hull.
But you have to deal with customers, which can be a pain in the azz. I'm going to try to switch to flipping skis instead. More money, less customers, better schedule.

 

[Idok]

like matt said......as far as craigslist goes...feast for famine....sometimes it takes me a year to find a ski worthwhile parting out or flipping...Really dont even like working on anything other than yamahas as thats what I have parts accessible for...



I dont work on skis for strangers..tooooo much hassle seen to many friends go through customer BS

 

[Matt_E]

That's right. I got burned once. I don't work on standups at all. It's either poor kids with 440's who can't afford my rate, or people with nice skis who a) know how to work on them already or b) are my friends and I'll fix them for free.
Sit downs only, all makes and models except for 2-stroke DI's. Parts are paid up front and the ski is locked in my garage until it's paid for. I do ok for the most part, but flipping would be better.
I have an aversion to parting things out, though. You have 25 buyers instead of just one. You have to pull stuff apart and inspect. You have to wait months before it's all sold. You have to box & ship stuff. You have to get rid of leftover undesirables, worst of all hulls.

 

[DK-Freestyle]

We usually buy a bunch of super jets off Craigslist during the winter then they're cheap, fix them up, make them look fresh, and mark them up big time during the summer when everyone is looking for skis.

 

[Idok]

yeah..true....when I part I do the big stuff....

my last clunkers I picked up were a VXR pro, crashed...and a 650 SJ with a blown motor...couldnt have worked out any better.......also came with a like new wakebard, AC stand and some fishing equpment...and 2 trailers ..all for 200 bucks...


that night I pulled the motor out of the VX, called up a local jr. rider and flipped it all for 750 install the motor yourself...so, pocketed a quick 550..kept the other schwag and made the kids take the hull to the dump........this ski is now once again in my backyard as 18 y/o kids lose interest in jetskiing!



then there was the 93 squarenose bought for 450.....traded for an 08 SJ motor which was parted for close to 3500...that was my best deal to date

 

[Matt_E]

Standups don't come up for sale very often in my locale, but sitdowns do. Hardly ever for a good deal, though.
I should start putting WTB ads on CL for broken skis once it gets colder and people need money for snow toys, rent, or other chit.

Texted the guy with the ZXI this morning and offered $1k. He wants $1,300 minimum. Meh, I'll wait a bit more.....he'll never sell a non-running ski for that much.

The FXHO was a perfect buy for me. Everything is in great shape, motor runs, everything is clean. Well, except for the busted hull above, below, and at the bond line. Extensive glass work. I put less than $150 in it for materials though. The local rental shop wants to buy it once I'm done, which is great: I won't have to put too much effort into matching paint and graphics. He never gives a damn what his skis look like as long as they run and make him money.

 

[Matt_E]

Working on other people's skis is a crap shoot: sometimes it's short & easy (always a carb rebuild, lol), sometimes it's long & easy (SBT engine swap), and sometimes it's hard (electrical issues, Rotax engines not running right*, etc)
You learn a lot by doing this. One thing I learned: Charging more weeds out the d-bags. I think next year I'll start charging $55-$60/hr to get only the desperate and affluent as customers. It'll still bring in money, but I can concentrate on the fix'n'flip.


*Not that Rotax engines are difficult to diagnose or hard to work on, but they are a bit different from your typical reed engine. It's a learning curve.

 

[Buckwild12]

My Dad works in bulk trash removal, so I can get rid of hulls no issue. My biggest problem is I am still learning when it comes to wrenching, so I'm not sure how quick I can turn stuff around for customers on timelines. I am great at customer service which is what I do for a living at the moment. I need to try and find a way to turn something I really actually enjoy doing into either some $ or more fun.

 

[509freerider]

Craigslist notifier on my Droid X has been a time saver for me. I just program key words and locations within about a 300 mile radius from me. Its great every time someone posts an add I get it immediatly, had one ski in my truck less than ten minutes after it posted. I started flipping skis this spring and it has been a great money maker as long as you can buy at a good price.

 

[Buckwild12]

you only work on 2 stroke though? I dont know enough about 4 strokes to get into that I don't think. I'd just really hate to get in over my head on one of the first customers and get a bad name. That is our Auto Shop's policy, charge a good bit and treat our customers great, offer complimentary everything from snacks to coffee. In return we have the best natured, most affluent customers around. Although I live in a part of the country that the economic hardships really havent effected very bad, at least no where near as bad as other portions of the country. I dont even need to call our customers for the most part and tell them what wrong, they tell us to just fix it and let me know when its done.

 

[Matt_E]

you only work on 2 stroke though? I dont know enough about 4 strokes to get into that I don't think. I'd just really hate to get in over my head on one of the first customers and get a bad name. That is our Auto Shop's policy, charge a good bit and treat our customers great, offer complimentary everything from snacks to coffee. and we have the best most affluent customers around. Although I live in a part of the country that the economic hardships really havent effected very bad, at least no where near as bad as other portions of the country. I dont even need to call our customers for the most part and tell them what wrong, they tell us to just fix it and let me know when its done.

No, I work on 4-strokes as well. However, I have yet to do any engine work on one. I just don't do 2-stroke direct injection engines because they're a nightmare for a shade tree mechanic.
Seadoo electrics can be rough, too - sometimes only a dealer with the BRP software can do certain stuff.

I almost forgot: I still have on 720 XP sitting in my backyard that I took as a trade for some engine work on a couple other XP's. I probably won't have time to work on it until this winter. When it's done, it should probably fetch $1,500 minimum though. Or the wife may want to keep it.

 

[The Penguin]

Standups don't come up for sale very often in my locale, but sitdowns do. Hardly ever for a good deal, though.
I should start putting WTB ads on CL for broken skis once it gets colder and people need money for snow toys, rent, or other chit.

Texted the guy with the ZXI this morning and offered $1k. He wants $1,300 minimum. Meh, I'll wait a bit more.....he'll never sell a non-running ski for that much.

The FXHO was a perfect buy for me. Everything is in great shape, motor runs, everything is clean. Well, except for the busted hull above, below, and at the bond line. Extensive glass work. I put less than $150 in it for materials though. The local rental shop wants to buy it once I'm done, which is great: I won't have to put too much effort into matching paint and graphics. He never gives a damn what his skis look like as long as they run and make him money.

I'm going to find the ad and offer the guy $1750.

:lmao:

 

[Matt_E]

Do it, he needs more disappointment.

 

[Big Kahuna]

I'm going to find the ad and offer the guy $1750.

:lmao:

Kinda like you winning all those raffles. You must have paid over double in raffle tickets than the value you actually won, but damn, you use to win alot!

 

[WFO Speedracer]

Kinda like you winning all those raffles. You must have paid over double in raffle tickets than the value you actually won, but damn, you use to win alot!

A friend of mine put me on two skis this week, a Seadoo SPI and a Seadoo RXDI , they were in the tornado here and a carport fell on them, $200.00 for the SPI and $650.00 for the RXDI , the SPI had the steering stem and lanyard switch broken off, I fixed it today and it goes out the door in a few minutes for $500.00 with no trailer. The RXDI goes out the door later today for an undisclosed sum of money, most of the parts to fix the units here I already had in stock.

On the way home from picking up the SPI today , I spotted two more a GP800 and a WRlll, $400.00 for the WRlll and $600.00 for the GP800,both are on decent trailers I will be making a trip back up later this week to pick up at least the GP800 as I have a GPR800 here that needs an engine.

RXDI is sold
SPI IS SOLD

 

[The Penguin]

Kinda like you winning all those raffles. You must have paid over double in raffle tickets than the value you actually won, but damn, you use to win alot!

I was incredibly lucky - and yes, I did come out ahead.

 

[Cliff]

It's probably easier to fix other people's couches for money. I've been doing that for four years now during my summers. That's how I bought my motor and my hull.
But you have to deal with customers, which can be a pain in the azz. I'm going to try to switch to flipping skis instead. More money, less customers, better schedule.

if they leave a part at a time, they dont come back to see you tore up