First boat- when/how to buy - 2000 Malibu VLX
 

Hi guys I'm new here, I posted a thread about 2 weeks ago about purchasing my first boat. (Best boat under 15k) most of the guys said hold out for a v drive and I think I'm leaning in that direction. I do a little surfing, skiing, and mainly wakeboarding. Starter and intermediate riders.

What I'm mainly debating is whether to buy a boat here pretty soon vs waiting till early summer. If I purchased one now Id have to borrow most of the cost from a lender vs in early summer id have a better down payment.

Are there any boats left in May or June?

How much more will they be?

So far the best rates I've found are at penfed credit union at 6.15% and that up to 7 years. Now I know that varies for income and credit score and so forth, I think I could get that or come close. So therefore the debate.

To the boat
2000 Malibu Wakesetter VLX 21 ft. $15k obo
"The motor has right around 250 (indmar 350 fi) hours and has no issues. I have about 5,000 in the stereo on it it has 4 kicker kmt60's on the tower that can blow you away perfect for the rider behind the boat! It also has 4 kicker internal speakers and has kicker 12 and 10 inch subs. this is all powered by 2 batteries designated to the wet sounds syn4 and 2 kenwood amps. so you never have to worry about the stereo getting you stuck on the water. the boat has some little flaws small nicks in the gell coat and some of the seats have tears nothing that affects performance or can really even be noticed on the water. Has perfect pass but the servo line is broken. ballast 800 in the back and 650 up front. And overal probably a 7 on a scale of 10. "

Basically is it worth it to find a cheaper v drive and put a little work into it and will I be able to sell it for more? What do these boats go for? Nada says low retail is $17k but doesn't ask for hours.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! Thanks. (Sorry to write so much) I will post pics in a bit.

I think that's a good deal depending on he actual condition.. Have any pics? I call BS on $5k stereo though lol. Also, yes I think you are smart for going with a V-drive

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...6930d292a0.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...888a6060d9.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...1ba5ae7b06.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...66a67c1077.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...e6793c42c6.jpghttp://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/15...70d4e30dee.jpg

Are those viewable?

That's a deal for that boat. The issues it has are pretty minor. I'd jump on it it's practically spring. Plus posting it here isn't gonna help to fix that gel and seat would be under 1500. And you could flip it for over 22000 in 2 months. The pp servo can be replaced too probably could find one on eBay for 300 that's easy diy

If you don't get it let me know I'll go get it.

Also in the future be vague about good deal boats. I can go find that boat easily with you posting all that info. Someone will steal it out from under you.

Heres the link, dont hesitate! https://austin.craigslist.org/boa/4893229977.html

Thank you for the info boarder, I was trying to vague, but I guess I wasn't vague enough. I will move forward on the deal.

I personally would hold out. I think you can find a boat in better condition for 15,000.00. Even if you fixed all the minor flaws that boat is not worth 22,000.00.

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bod/4908665960.html

A bit out of your price range but it may be worth the extra 2,500.00.

That boat is too worth 22k i dont know where you come from but Vdrives in good shape of that year are still selling for easily over 20k. it would sell in a few minutes in may area priced at 22k .. 20-25k vdrives of the OG 3 dont come around very often.

show me a boat in better condition for him with lower hours and close to his neck of the woods. I dont think you'll find it ... that boat has a nick in the gel from hitting a dock on the nose... and the drivers seat is a little F'd up ... there is the other nick in the vinyl is common on boats of that age.

Chance. all you have to do is get on searchtempest and you can find that boat. but since you posted the actual words he used. i just copy and paste into a google search and there it is.

In the future to be vague just include some condition issues. and ask what people think its worth ... dont even include price.

I'll play devils advocate; that boats a pos. If you can't finance a 80k loan with a $750 a month pyt you can't afford this sport.

^^^ I hope this is a joke ... if not wow!

Wow, I own a 100k boat and I wish I bought a15- 20k boat. I think the boat looks nice and I am sure you guys will have lots of fun on it. The price of the boat has nothing to do with how much fun you will have.
Nobody needs a boat payment of $850/mo I am sure this guy is just another jerk that wake surfs and gives the whole wakeboard and wakesurf communtiy a bad name.
Just go out and have fun and some adventures with your family.

Go buy it....NOW. Perfect pass, V-drive, and a tower, for $15k? If it runs well, snag it. When I was looking, I waited on a few and had them disappear from out from under me. I'd go get it.

Great deal in my opinion. As long as you have some money to spend to fix the minor issues definitely jump on it.

Here is a comparable in the midwest at 21k... sure, its at a dealer but it would still be close to 20k private party. The boat in the original post is a great deal, even if he pays a professional to do a couple grand of gel coat work.

http://www.winboatsweb.com/winboats/...etter-VLX.html

As everyone has said above I'd get on that one fairly quick if it runs right. There are some guys who will be a little shady and throw a new hour meter on it so be sure it runs right and get a compression test done if possible. I looked for several months before I gave up on trying to find something in that low f a price range and had to up our budget. I'd say that's a really good deal. In Indiana it would be gone already.

I would agree getting a vdrive under 15k is a tough thing to do especially with low hours! The servo motor would not be a big deal if it is actually a perfect pass the company product. They some of the best customer service I have ever experienced. They will send a packet or be on the phone with you step by step on swapping it out. My first boat, Mastercraft X5, I installed perfect pass star gazer and I am by no means a mechanic. You can hedge your bets on buying now by taking the boat to a inboard dealership for a pre inspection. I think the shops here in the twin cities charge 300-500 for a full tear down inspection.

If he paid 5k for that stereo system then he got ripped off. Still a good deal if the boat is in sound mechanical condition. Jump on it before it's gone. In my market I think it would go for 18k in peak season.

i guess in that condition that boat would go for 18k but put a little work into it and i would think its over 20k easy

Hey Jerkeoff, it's clearly a joke, get over yourself

What all would you guys do before buying the boat? I've been around boats for years but am no means a mechanic. Obviously test drive it but what else? Thank you guys for the input, I am moving forward on the deal but won't be surprised if it gets bought before I can make it down there.

Do a compression test. Look/feel for any abnormal vibrations during test drive. Steering should be easy enough you can spin the wheel with 1 finger. Test EVERYTHING. Blower, bilge pump, dash gauges, ballast pumps if any, stereo, trailer lights, trailer bunks, pay attention to oil and temp gauges during operation, esp at high RPMs, make sure all nav lights are working, if possible have it weighted out however you prefer and see how well it gets out of the hole, and after driving around for a while check bilge area to make sure there isn't a lot of water in there. I would physically check oil and tranny fluid levels. Keep in mind on those Indmar engines they often recommend oil instead of typical transmission fluid so it may not be pink. If those levels aren't good then previous owner might not have taken very good care of it.

Also ask these questions on the Malibu forum before you buy. Those guys will be more knowledgeable for things to specifically look for on this particular year model.

Was this the boat in Odessa? Check for salt damage

Sweet thank you dv,

We got about 4 inches of snow in Oklahoma today so that will slow me down. The seller said he has two Guys coming to look at it tomorrow so I bet it sells.

Wow you are classy, did you call someone a jerk off. Let me guess you where a bully in high school.

Chance I am in OKC also. If you want a second opinion on a local boat or need a hand let me know.
Also the Malibucrew site is an amazing help.

That would be awesome Daniel. I'll message you if that's cool.

Just let me know if I can help.

Let me guess, you got bullied then grew up and could afford a 100k boat that gives this sport a bad name? Probably eat steak and drink fine wine too. Bet you drive a nice tow vehicle too? Richers

Nope not at all.don't drink wine or was never bullied)I grew up on a farm. We didn't have a lot of money so just focused on working hard so I could do fun stuff like wakeboarding, downhill mountian biking,skiing etc. life is a blast.
Having a nice boat didn't make the sport more fun, having people that I can teach the sport to is probably the most rewarding thing for me. My favourite day on the lake is when I bought a sunbird outboard boat and we put a tower on it. My wife and a couple of friends bought some boards and started jumping the wake. I have never seen so many hard falls in my life. Could be the fact that our speed would vary from 18 to 28 mph. Anyway I was just trying to let the guy know that it is a sweet boat and that a new boat is a nice luxury but doesn't mean that you will have more fun. People(especially Jack) places and things will never make you happy.

Glad to hear you were kidding shock.

What do yall think about the 2000 centurion v drive?

If it has that side exhaust I personally wouldn't want it. Centurion supposed to have a killer surf wave though.

I'd jump on that boat ASAP. Even if you don't like the boat you'll be able to flip it in the summer for 20K plus. Winter boats are always the cheapest, plus he says OBO in the post so you might try and start at 12K and land around 13.5 which would be sick. I do call bull**** on that 5k stereo system though.

Well, whatever a "nice boat" is... some boats are nicer then others and some boats makes the sport more fun. But I agree, a Wakeboard Boat is better then no boat.

I bought my wake setter in Phoenix, it was left uncovered in the sun, carpets were Sand filled and dried, interior in good shape just mill dew stained and sun faded. Mechanically solid, a few wiring issues I had to chase down. I spent 400 bucks on carpet and a glue, a couple weeks of my time and the carpet was new. I paid to have upholstery redone and the boats as good new to us. I still want new boat though. But I'd jump on that boat, a few dollars and some time it'll be good as new and you could flip it when you're ready to upgrade

Awesome thank you for the input jack! Do you remember how much the seats were?

How much do you guys think it would cost to do the seat repairs and gel coat?

I had the entire thing done, hatch covers, sides, all of it. I was supposed to pay 2800 but he screwed a few things up so I paid him 2200 and later decided I didn't want him touching it again so I didn't pay the rest or let him make it right. Most shops were right around 3k to do the entire boat. Not sure what it's going to cost me to have it fixed or if I even will, you gotta be staring at it to find the mistakes but one is glaringly obvious, but it doesn't look that bad either. So I have a $2200 interior that would have gladly paid in full if it was perfect. My front nose has some damage like that one, just not as bad, my wife slammed in the dock & blamed the throttle, I blame the 5 beers she had.....

I am happy with the wake, we fill just our center ballast for boarding & I think its big, put the wedge down & its poppy as hell. Surfing I run more weight then most are comfortable running to get a great wave. I have no idea what gel coat repair costs, but I will find out this spring when I take mine in to fix the nose. You can't go wrong with that boat as your starter unless it has mechanical problems. Look for corrosion on the tranny, engine, all areas down there. Have a compression test done, a leak down test is better if you can.

When it's time to do your interrior in the okc area Boatmans is the one I would go to. Not cheap and normally a wait to get a spot. But there is a reason for both. I had mine redone by a guy in Choctaw and would not recommend him. He did some shoddy work and wouldn't fix it.

We sold our 2001 VLX last July for $24k. Had 850ish hours and had a few minor gel issues. We bought it three years earlier for $21k and put $3k into new interior. $15k for that few of hours if its all mechanically sound, is a good deal. For me, I like to tinker, so it being my first boat I learned a ton and everything is very mechanically straight forward on those older Malibus.

^one over budget by 40k and one closed bow direct drive.... Lol

Wilsons has one,
http://www.wilsonwatersports.com/pre...sp?veh=4148572
I think it may be a consignment.

So whatever happened with the Malibu you started the thread about? Did it sell or did you get to look at it?

November, December, and January is probably the best time. Worst time to buy is in spring and summer. Demand spikes. I had a mastercraft listed from October-February at $49k, got a few calls, during that time frame, but nothing too serious. I then took it off the market, put 50 more hours on it, re-listed it in June, and sold it in July for asking price @ $56K. I had 3 people wanting to come buy it at once in July, and sold it to the first guy that drove over 800 miles away came to look at.

Buy now.

I was PMing him the other day i think he was just trying to find a time to go down and look at it. I sent him a 99 MC Xstar around his price point in OKC

The guy never got back with me so I assume he sold it.

Is there a certain amount of hours that you shouldn't buy if a boat has? Like too many? I've seen some with 1,000 plus is that bad?

I just sold my 2000 vlx last year. I am posting this to give you an idea of what mine had compared to the one youre looking at and what i got for it. It was in extremely good shape on the interior (not a singe tear) and exterior (not a single ding) and had 280 hrs. I put full wetsounds towers ($2500), updated 2008 graphics, built in ballast in rear and midship, upgraded prop, upgraded fiberglass swim deck, and other various updates/upgrades. Sold for $23,500 after about 2 1/2 months on the market. I purchased the boat for $12,500 and was able to use it for 6 years and flip it. Granted I put quite a bit of money back into it, I was lucky to have purchased it for what I did in the shape that it was in. I am not saying that you can or cannot do the same thing that I did, but just wanted to pass along the info. Someone saying that you can turn around and sell that boat for $20+ without putting a lot of money into it is crazy. Mine was already in great shape on the inside and out and I got it for $2,500 less than their asking price, and all i put back into it was for "non-necessity" items. That boat is going to take some cash to get it to the $20+ range. Id lowball them and see if they bite. My seller did.

Thank you ac. Sounds like you had an awesome boat! The boat sold for $13,500. And I didn't have time to go down there and get it. I'm still searching for a good priced v drive.

Sucks that you didnt get it, but be patient. There are deals to be had. I waited almost 2 years before I found my little gem sitting in some tall grass. This time of the year is tough for buyers because everyone is getting the itch. Sellers market in the spring, buyers market in the fall/winter. Keep looking and dont buy quick/regret later.

Just wanted to share. I did a search in your area and found a 2006 Supra for $10k. Personally, it has one of my favorite interior layouts, with the playpen. IIRC, those also have a massive belly underneath the area between the bow and drivers area and the flip up seat backs in between them. I would actually prefer that over the Wakesetter you were looking at, easily.

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/bod/4946956463.html

Wow that thing looks awesome. What's the normal price on something like that?

The Supra is a scam it's posted all over the west coast plus the boat is usually priced over 27500

I figured it was.

More than that. It is the smaller version at only 21 feet. I wonder what the hours and rest of the condition is on it to warrant that price.
Just for reference, a Moomba XLV (the big one, 23 ft) 2 years newer in good condition with good hours goes for over $30k.
It's good to check out if it's legit. Hopefully it's not a scam, because that price is a steal for it.
There might be something up with it like high high hours or some damage to the gel/interior or something to warrant the low price. But if it's a legit boat, those would be worth fixing.

Wonder what else was wrong with Malibu...250 hours at 15k seemed like a great deal but the buyer got it down to 13.5, wonder what wasn't stated up front

Well, this one is a little above budget, but they are nice and do also throw a good surf wake. Once 2 of my buddies went out on one of their 1997 Tige Pre2100 and forgot the fat sacks. So they surfed it with no ballast. It wasn't the best wake, but I think that says a lot about the wake the hull can generate.

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/boa/4899207247.html
$18,500

There's also a 1999 Xstar for $16,900 in the area.
https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/boa/4911936869.html

As said, that Supra is either a scam or has some serious issue with it. These look legit though.

That Xstar has been on the market for a while. That said for a beginner boat they throw the best bang for your buck wake on the water IMO. I had a direct drive MC X5 that sold for 17.5k and it was not even close to as good of shape as that star.

https://www.onlyinboards.com/1999-Na...xas-48712.aspx
direct drive, but a good proven hull

vdrive
https://www.onlyinboards.com/1995-Sp...xas-46114.aspx

I hate to be the guy who snagged this one out from under you! However it was less than 2 hrs was from where I live, and I talked him down to 12,5 and I couldn't pass up a deal like this one. I just happened to come a cross your post today and was like hey! That's my boat. I haven't done much other than just clean it up( who know how long that guy left it in covered it was a mess) but here is some picture of it now. Attachment 39133Attachment 39134Attachment 39135

The seller had just got an awesome mastercraft and need this one gone. I asked him what was his bottom dollar and he said 13,5 I countered with 12.5 cash and I when and got it that next weekend.

That's awesome man! No problem! Glad someone on here was able to swoop it up!