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How Much Does A Jet Ski Cost In 2024?

The first step to getting a jet ski is research. You got to find out if this sport is for you or should you move on to something else like 3D printing (it fun!).

After doing some research, you need to determine what you want to buy. Consider your riding style, do you need a machine for speed or something for the whole family?

After all that, or even before that, you start to look at costs. Not just what the watercraft costs, but the maintenance and other items to keep it going.

At least for this post, I want to cover the current 2024 prices. I also want to discuss the market, using my calculator to get an estimated out the door price, and answer some questions you may have. So, let’s dig in!

About The Current Year

In the world of watercraft, things have evolved, and boats, in general, have become pricier. So, in 2024, if you’re eyeing a shiny new jet ski, be prepared to shell out anywhere from $7,000 to a whopping $22,000. The final cost depends on factors like the engine, body, and features you’ve got your heart set on.

Now, let’s do the math. The average cost hovers around $14,400. To put things in perspective, two decades ago, that kind of money could’ve landed you a halfway decent boat. Oh, how times have changed!

The Lowest & The Highest

Curious about the extremes?

Well, the Sea-Doo Spark 60HP sits on the affordable end at $6,999, while the Kawasaki ULTRA 310LX reigns supreme as the priciest model at $21,199.

Use My Calculator For An Estimated Out The Door

But wait, there’s more to consider! Those prices I just mentioned don’t even cover taxes, fees, and a trailer. I get it; it can get pretty confusing real fast.

That’s precisely why I’ve cooked up a pricing calculator that’s based on real-world scenarios, not those useless ones you stumble upon elsewhere on the internet.

Let’s keep it real, folks; the dealership tends to charge in prep, freight, and doc fees, so you might as well use a calculator that’s got all that covered.

Sea-Doo

Sea-DooModelPrice
Sea-DooSpark 2UP 60HP$6,999
Sea-DooSpark 3UP 90HP$8,299
Sea-DooSpark 2UP 90HP Convenience$8,399
Sea-DooSpark 3UP 90HP Convenience$8,999
Sea-DooTrixx 1Up$9,099
Sea-DooTrixx 3UP$9,699
Sea-DooGTI 130$11,499
Sea-DooGTI SE 130$12,299
Sea-DooGTI SE 170$12,899
Sea-DooGTR 230$14,099
Sea-DooWAKE 170$14,099
Sea-DooFISH PRO SCOUT$15,099
Sea-DooGTX 170$15,199
Sea-DooGTX 230$16,199
Sea-DooGTR-X 300$16,999
Sea-DooFISH PRO SPORT$17,399
Sea-DooGTX 300$17,899
Sea-DooWAKE PRO 230$18,399
Sea-DooExplorer Pro 170$18,899
Sea-DooRXP-X 325$19,199
Sea-DooGTX Limited 300$19,699
Sea-DooExplorer Pro 230$19,899
Sea-DooRXT-X 325$19,999
Sea-DooFISH PRO TROPHY$20,499

Yamaha

YamahaModelPrice
YamahaEX$7,799
YamahaEX SPORT$9,099
YamahaEX DELUXE$10,199
YamahaVX-C$10,199
YamahaSUPERJET$10,699
YamahaEX LIMITED$10,799
YamahaJETBLASTER$10,899
YamahaVX DELUXE$12,399
YamahaVX CRUISER$12,799
YamahaVX CRUISER HO$13,599
YamahaVX LIMITED$13,999
YamahaGP HO$14,499
YamahaVX LIMITED HO$15,299
YamahaFX HO$15,699
YamahaGP SVHO$16,799
YamahaFX CRUISER HO$16999
YamahaFX SVHO$19,299
YamahaFX CRUISER SVHO$19,799
YamahaFX LiMITED SVHO$20,399

Kawasaki

KawasakiModelPrice
KawasakiSX-R$11,999
KawasakiSTX 160$11,999
KawasakiSTX 160X$12599
KawasakiSTX 160LX$14,299
KawasakiULTRA 310X$19,199
KawasakiULTRA 310LX-S$20,199
KawasakiULTRA 310LX$21,199

Combined

MakeModelPrice
Sea-DooSpark 2UP 60HP$6,999
YamahaEX$7,799
Sea-DooSpark 3UP 90HP$8,299
Sea-DooSpark 2UP 90HP Convenience$8,399
Sea-DooSpark 3UP 90HP Convenience$8 999
Sea-DooTrixx 1Up$9,099
YamahaEX SPORT$9,099
Sea-DooTrixx 3UP$9,699
YamahaEX DELUXE$10,199
YamahaVX-C$10,199
YamahaSUPERJET$10,699
YamahaEX LIMITED$10,799
YamahaJETBLASTER$10,899
Sea-DooGTI 130$11,499
KawasakiSX-R$11,999
KawasakiSTX 160$11,999
Sea-DooGTI SE 130$12,299
YamahaVX DELUXE$12,399
KawasakiSTX 160X$12,599
YamahaVX CRUISER$12,799
Sea-DooGTI SE 170$12,899
YamahaVX CRUISER HO$13,599
YamahaVX LIMITED$13,999
Sea-DooGTR 230$14 099
Sea-DooWAKE 170$14,099
KawasakiSTX 160LX$14,299
YamahaGP HO$14,499
Sea-DooFISH PRO SCOUT$15,099
Sea-DooGTX 170$15,199
YamahaVX LIMITED HO$15,299
YamahaFX HO$15,699
Sea-DooGTX 230$16,199
YamahaGP SVHO$16,799
Sea-DooGTR-X 300$16,999
YamahaFX CRUISER HO$16,999
Sea-DooFISH PRO SPORT$17,399
Sea-DooGTX 300$17,899
Sea-DooWAKE PRO 230$18,399
Sea-DooExplorer Pro 170$18,899
Sea-DooRXP-X 325$19,199
KawasakiULTRA 310X$19,199
YamahaFX SVHO$19,299
Sea-DooGTX Limited 300$19,699
YamahaFX CRUISER SVHO$19,799
Sea-DooExplorer Pro 230$19,899
Sea-DooRXT-X 325$19,999
KawasakiULTRA 310LX-S$20,199
YamahaFX LIMITED SVHO$20,399
Sea-DooFISH PRO TROPHY$20,499
KawasakiULTRA 310LX$21,199

Where To Find Used PWC Values?

Several watercraft on stands on 3 high rack.

If you’re looking for Used PWC Values or trade-in value, I have a tool for that called “Steven Used PWC Values (SUP Values)“.

I also have a post that goes over other ways to figure out how much you should pay for a used waverunner here.

How Much Are Used Watercraft?

The average used-values ranges from $2,000 to $15,000 depending on the year, shape, and condition. They can go for more or less depending on how new the model is, its condition along with market conditions.

Just watch out for scammers in the used market, they’re on the rise. They’ll rope you into a cheap, too good to be true deal, and run away with your money. I’m getting a lot more emails from people about this, and it seems to be getting worse.

Interesting Pricing Tidbits About Watercraft Over The years

I built a used PWC values tool to calculate values for used models, and in doing so, I have a large database of historic numbers dating back to 1990 to 2024. With this data, I can calculate interesting tidbits through the years.

The Average & Median Costs Over Time

  • Average (1990-2024): $10,019.93
  • Average (Past 5 Years): $12,923.90.
  • Median (1990-2024): $9,399
  • Median (Past 5 Years): $12,449

The average PWC value has increased by approximately $3,095 over the past 10 years.​

In the past 10 years, the cheapest watercraft was the 2015 Sea-Doo Spark 2up 60HP at $4,999.

What Is A Good Time To Buy?

Timing the watercraft market can tricky, especially when doing it during the busiest time of the year.

You’re going to pay more, often over retail in a crazy busy market, if you buy when it’s summer and warm out. The opposite can be true, when it’s cold things do get a bit cheaper.

The best time to buy is when the manufacturer releases new models, as the dealership and the manufacturer want them to get rid of the old inventory. The problem is that many dealers don’t have inventory then when demand is high. If they do, it’s for a model that no one wants.

If you’re eye-balling a certain model, I’m sure others are too, especially if the color is nice, so don’t wait and get it as they won’t restart production runs when the time is up.

How To Haggle New Watercraft

There is a whole art with haggling, and you can do it with many watercraft you want to buy. Unless demand is so good that the dealership or guy selling doesn’t want to.

I’ve seen all the tricks and some of them are quite funny… like asking for the sales manger thinking they can give you a better deal is wasting everyone’s time.

There are things you can do to get a better deal on your next machine that I cover in this guide here.

Will Dealerships Come Back To Reality?

When the world shut down in 2020, and we had a crazy time for a few years, supply changes were affected and items like watercraft were hard to get. With people stuck at home, extra money and nothing to do, PWC sales went crazy.

This caused many dealerships to value watercraft high, lots of fees and other items that customers hate. While it sucked, it was needed because of supply and demand.

That was fine from 2020 to 2023, but even today I’m seeing some dealerships still acting like there are supply chain issues. Many of them got a taste for high-priced watercraft sales and don’t want to let go. This is a good thing and a bad thing.

It’s a free market, and they can sell the unit for whatever, but the competition can also sell it for whatever. Something is going to crumble as the high-priced days are dying. This could lead to many leftover models at the years end with great rebates or warranty offers. As someone who worked through the 2009 recession at a dealership, this part worries me as we saw a lot of dealers go out of business. You don’t want to see this too much as it’s a domino effect, and it only gets worse. So hopefully, dealerships can come back to reality and start pricing machines according to the market. But hey, I’m just some guy on the internet.

You’ll Need A Few Accessories

If you’re in the market for a PWC, there are a few things I suggest you pick up.

Some of the items are required by law, some keep you safe, and many are just very useful. Check out my accessories post here to know more.

Author

Steven

I started working at a power sports dealership in 2007, I worked in parts, service counter, and as a technician before moving to sales in 2013. I created StevenInSales.com in 2014 to answer common watercraft questions I would get from people. Now managing the site full-time, I continue to provide advice and web tools for my readers about watercraft. I've owned several watercraft, with a Sea-Doo Spark as my current main PWC.

Comments

  1. In 2020, with the high demand for jet ski’s, is it reasonable to pay MSRP for a new SeaDoo, or should I be able to negotiate for below MSRP pricing? Also, they are charging $2,000 for “Freight and Setup” and then lowered it down to $1,500 when I questioned it. $1,500 still seems high to me, especially on a GTR 230 that they are quoting at full MSRP. $500 – $750 seems reasonable to me, but not $1,500. Would love your thoughts. Thanks in advance!

    Reply
    • In 2020 all new jet skis and used were going for MSRP plus plus. It’s looking like 2021 is going to be the same. A fair deal would be MSRP plus $1k (if you ask me) but if that dealer has someone willing to pay more it’s a tough position. The dealer could also be playing hardball, have them break down the cost, and email it to you so you can see if the numbers make sense. Things like freight do cost the dealership money, it’s usually about $400-$500. They also have to pay people to put it together and the manufacturer doesn’t help with disposing of the crate so there is a cost in that too. I have a guide that goes over more tips here… https://www.steveninsales.com/new-jet-ski-buyers-guide/

      Reply
  2. Hi thanks for the great info. I’m looking at buying a 2019 Sea Doo GTX 155 and new trailer for $6,000 AUD. It has 425 hours on it as it was used at a rescue jet ski in Sydney. I am part of the rescue service so know the ski well and know it was very well looked after and serviced as per manufacturers requirements. Last service a month ago. They do get a lot of use as they are on the water for 8 hours a day on the weekends all summer. Hoping that if it’s looked after this is a really good buy. Please let me know. Thanks.

    Reply
    • I had to look up the conversion to USD, it’s about $4k USD. That is a lot of hours for 2019 GTX 155 but that is a really cheap price and you know the watercraft and how it runs. Normally I would say no but since you know the history well and that price is really attractive for a 2019 I would go for it. Just know if you go to sell it later you’ll have a hard time due to the hours. That 155HP engine is solid and that body very comfortable. If it was me in your situation I would buy it, that’s not a bad deal.

      Reply

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