Learn from my mistakes
A local auction was selling a Sea-Doo LRV DI. The listing said it had bad compression, but I knew a shop that could replace the engine for a low price. After I got the new engine installed, I decided to test the jet ski before taking it to the lake (over an hour’s drive away).
I took it to the local river, and twenty seconds into the ride, a rock got sucked into the propeller. Yes, I am an idiot. It took months to get that fixed because the mechanic couldn’t find the special tool required to remove the impeller.
When I finally got the jet ski back from the shop, the safety disconnect lanyard crumbled from sun exposure. I bought a new one from Amazon, but then the jet ski wouldn't start. That's when I found out the safety disconnect is actually a coded key that needs to be programmed to the computer.
So, I drove to a different shop an hour away to program the key. We tried to start the engine with the new key, but it wouldn't crank—it sounded like the starter was shot. The shop then told me they won't work on it anymore because they have no way to source parts for such an old model.
Now I’m stuck with a broken jet ski that I’ve spent a ton of money and time on, and I’ve only actually ridden it for twenty seconds.
Learn from my mistake: it’s cheaper to rent.