SD GTX 1996 ADVICE on Purchase????

[Bill Collector]

I've got hold of a GTX. It's a 1996 with no hull damage. 75 hours on the engine. Ski starts and idles fine. New battery, cover, anchor, new fire extinguisher. I got it home and power washed it and cleaned it including running a degreaser and bilge cleaner through the hull. The ski is nice and clean now. Trailer lights are shot. Need life preservers, and to register it. Hasn't been registered since '02<br /><br />Here's my question as I'm an old school Kawi stand up guy.<br /><br />The guy came down from $2900 to $2500 final price for me. Gave me the ski to lake test it today. I don't even own it and I've already done enough work on it to increase it's value. <br /><br />I'm thinking $2500 is right on the money with price for an average ski. It obviously has the wear of a 9 year old ski but 75 hours I felt was pretty good.<br /><br />Advice please!

 

[RotaryRacer]

Re: SD GTX 1996 ADVICE on Purchase????

Sounds like a deal to me. It may be slightly on the high side. Nada list it at $2160 for average retail.<br /><br />Let the lake test be the judge. If it runs and feels as good as the rest of it then buy it.

 

[Bill Collector]

Re: SD GTX 1996 ADVICE on Purchase????

Yeah I saw that and took it with me to the guys house. If you add in the trailer it's close to $2500. <br /><br />Going to test it.....

 

[Jeff Walkowiak]

Re: SD GTX 1996 ADVICE on Purchase????

It is about right with a trailer, I own a 96 gtx and use it on my web site to demo my steering. I love the hull design but hate the 787 engine I have blown so many of those that I have lost count I have been through 3 engines in the last 12 months first thing to do is go to premix. my first engine hatched due to a bad oil pump, the next one hatched due to a leak in the flush fitting spraying water in to the air box .I hatched a couple others due to a rave valve sticking a set of rings and hatching the pistons. I have also replaced the carbon ring seal with the carrier seals and broken a lot of motor mounts bent a drive shaft and blown numerous pumps , if you jump waves with it you will break the hood latch and possibly the hinge and loose the hood, all that said I still like the hull design and have plenty of cash if I want to buy a new ski but I like the fact that I can beat the heck out of it and not worry, If it broke in 2 pieces and sank to the bottom I would not be out a lot of money, that ski should reach 50 mph minimum and 53 on smooth water. It's a little nose heavy due to the fiberglass hood and you will need a splash guard on it or you will be getting a face full of water every time you hit a wave.If you want it to be capable of doing what I do on my web page just add my steering. The time on it is really low, I put hundreds of hours a year on my ski, oh the fuel consumption is pretty heavy. I burn about 70 dollars a weekend, but I can deduct it for tax purpouses so that helps. It is a good ski for pulling skiers and tubes I make a throttle stop for holding exact speed when towing a skier or kneeboarder.

 

[Bill Collector]

Re: SD GTX 1996 ADVICE on Purchase????

Hey Jeff thanks! I appreciate that. I've rebuilt over 10 Kawi 550 and 650 engines so I'm fine with maintaining it. I don't have a clymer book on it yet. Anything I need to do to it? Ski wasn't registered or ridden since 2002. I took it out last night and it ran fine for about a minute and then it bogged. I layed off it for a minute and then jumped on it again and held it pegged for over 5 minutes, basically beating on it to make sure it was OK before I paid the guy, and the ski ran perfect. Good top end and excellent bottom end. I presume there's a block off plate to switch to pre mix? What octane do I run? I pulled 54mph out of it on flat water last night. impressive to me.

 

[Jeff Walkowiak]

Re: SD GTX 1996 ADVICE on Purchase????

mid grade is what I use,, look on the front engine cover and see if the oil pump is still hooked up, there will be a small plate on the front of the cover if it was removed. Remember that with the oil pump removed you will loose some tension on the throttle cable and that can be a problem with the throttle sticking for lack of return tension, I wind the spring on the rear carb one extra turn to compensate for it. There is a way to just remove the drive shaft for the oil pump and then put it back on with the hoses capped off and leave the pump cable from the rear carb hooked to the pump then the tension stays the same and you don't need a block off plate, I always use small vinyl letters from office depo and label the filler flange under the gas cap with the words "pre mix required" the words will only be visible when the cap is removed, that keeps people from wondering what fuel it needs.