05 Vlx in California

Hey Yall, I have been shopping around for a 05 VLX with minor options like
Monsoon engine
Fiberglass swim step
2 outlet heater
Illusion X tower
Wakeboard pro
No Stereo

My Dealer wants 52,300 OTD, I know I aint asking for much but I want a good deal on the boat, and living in California doesnt help much with the tax bracket any suggestions or any dealers close by wants to beat the this price. I am ready to buy a boat but if this isnt going to fly, maybe I should consider Mastercraft, MB Sport, Correct Craft, Supra or Sanger. I trust the WW family will guide me in the right direction. Thanks

Look at a the supra line (Launch 21V, 24ssv, etc.) Great boats and you should be able to do better on price than that. I know the taxes are high in CA, but you are not getting that many options. Seems a bit high IMO. I am piicking up my 05 Lanch 21 next week cannot wait. They are great boats.

I think the Malibu dealers stick pretty close to there msrp and I do know that you will not do any better with our local dealer(Tilies, Vetura).

Considering that the Monsoon is standard as well as No Stereo you are not asking for a lot.
Is the illusion X an upgrade?

Oh Ya,
Don't go near the Correct Craft or Mastercraft dealers if you think $52,300 OTD is too high.

Also Sanger V215 is in the same size class, Definately worth a look, it will be priced low 40's like the Supra 21V.

The Tige' 22V is also a nice boat & similar size, not sure what the pricing is like on them.

52 otd is pretty good, we got our 04 LSV in that range too, tower, 2 spinner racks, bimini, basic stereo, turn down exaust, and tower mirrior. I would go with that if malibu is what you want. you can check out www.malibuboatowners.com for all your malibu information. If you dont need pro caliber wakes, check out the vride, also nice.

the Vride is on the same hull as the 04 VLX - the wake is top-notch. }

The Vride is a good choice and yes it does have a Proven Pro Caliber wake.

Interior in the V-ride leaves a lot to be desired. There I said that as nice as I could.

52 OTD, How much do you think you're going to save by going to another dealer? Get off your wallet George.

pat, the southern, southern so-cal dealer for bu leave little to be desired in terms of fair price and service ( my loaded 05 cc 211 te was within $1k of a comparabley equipped 05 bu v-ride - doesnt take a engineer to figure that one out).

would suggest m20 for nautique or california skier for mastercraft... both are first class dealers with fair pricing and great service and a well deserved reputation among the so-cal boat owners.

btw, if you havent taken a mc or a nautie for a test drive and pull...you are really missing out.

(Message edited by clubmyke on February 23, 2005)

Mike I haven't heard of a new VLX for under 50k. Just don't know how much more George is going to save.

If you're taking the Nautie and MC out also take the Tige 22V as well.

pat,i agreee..

i dont think its a question of the 05 vlk (boat/trailer) for$50k - $52k... it is a question of the options...loaded vs stripped- just add the numbers up and compare.

George;
Call me if you decide to go with Supra or Sanger, I will give you the SBB deal. $53K+ is still a wee bit high in what you want in the boat. The Sanger we had at the show was fully loaded with complete gel color and above average system and it was still just touching 50K. You are right now looking at a stripped down boat.

Some bad information in this thread.

George, with just the options you list, you should be able to get the VLX for well under $50k. In fact, you should be around $47k or less including t/a trailer. I can't speak for OTD since taxes vary based on trade, location, etc.

If not, find another dealer or negotiate better. I just talked with a guy in CA who got a comparable deal, so it can be done out there.

Alan, nothing could be further from the truth. Malibu has a LOT of room to negotiate from MSRP.

I negotiated way more off my '05 VLX than I ever managed on my '04 Supra. It took hell to get 5% off my Supra which was floor stock, I got over 15% off msrp on the VLX (lots of options, so take it fwiw.)

Monsoon is not standard. $650 msrp option, and well worth it. Standard is the 320 LCR MPI engine. Nice, but with the Monsoon only $650 more, it's a no-brainer.
Illusion-X is a $220 upgrade over the standard Titan.

Keep working on it if you want a VLX. Incredible ride. A better deal is to be had.

George;
If your around Tulloch this weekend come up and you can test drive and ride my 215 all day and I will pour you a drink at the end of the day. I may be able to get a supra up for the day but that would be pushing it. I can get you a demo in the Delta anytime you want.

I don't see how there is bad info in this post.

Sales tax in cali I believe is 7.25% so a 47K VLX would cost $50407 before Registration.

Since boats appear to have a slightly higher selling price in California, it make perfect sense to me. I know I can get that VLX for under 50K OTD where I live.

Malibu builds in a solid markup, everyone seems to know this. But, it comes down to The dealer and the fact that you can only deal with your local dealer in most cases.

The V ride's interior is not in the same league as teh VLX, SAN or X2. But neither is it's price (from an honest dealer)

Depending on where you are in cali your sales toax varies, bay area and surrounding is 8.75%. The days of 7.25 are long gone.

jzwake...there is nothing the matter with malibu making a profit... it has to take place to keep the business going. the dealer also has to make a profit also for the same reason.

however, i disgree about higher bu prices in cal.
az & so cal had the HIGHEST prices on bu when i was looing (maybe because both shops were owned by the same owner)..northern cal bu dealer was reasonable and fair imo..

btw, the az nautie dealer was $5k more within in a 2 week period on the same boat....i guess it was the slacks, tie, and shoes the second time i went in..

btw, the vride easily gets up there in price when you add the much needed options (ballast, wedge, pp, heater,racks,stereo as a 210 or x-2)

from a honest nautie owner in so-cal

If the tower is a couple grand upgrade, then you price is fair to both sides. Boomer and i both have VLX's on order, although his is being made and mine is waiting to be made, You may want to see about getting your speakers installed during manufacturing, something to do with getting a speaker installed on the dash before the windshield is installed. i would buy from the dealer that will service it for you, the continuing relationship is well worth the little you may save my shopping all over the state.

Mike,

I fully agree with every thing you posted.

Profits are to be made. My post in reference to micah's and was about the fact that more profits are expected to be made in Cali since demand is high. There is far less demand out east and boats can be had much less.

I too am a CC owner. In my region a V ride is a great deal. There is no reason to be over spec'ing a value boat to put in the the range of a VLX. I have heard some stories of dealers over charging for V rides. My V ride quote was $41500 OTD. That is a good price for a good boat.



(Message edited by jzwake on February 23, 2005)

> I don't see how there is bad info in this post.

I wasn't saying there is a problem in a given post, I was saying there is some questionable info in this THREAD, meaning several posts. Specifically the post stating the Monsoon was standard, and that Malibu's sell for MSRP. Those posts were the ones I was most talking about, but just some generally questionable information in this thread overall.

It's difficult to discuss OTD prices here when everyone here is from a different location, where taxes are different, etc. It's better to compare prices on the boat before taxes, then it's an even playing field.

As I said, CA or not, I've recently corresponded with a guy in CA who got a deal around what I mentioned -- a very deep discount. I think he was southern CA as well, but can't verify.

Agreed, supply/demand still rules though. It's my experience that you will need to negotiate quite a bit with Malibu dealers, although I know some who list lower, no-haggle prices. Drawback being they won't go down a penny, but some like that philosophy.

You're right too, I keep hearing these stories of dealers over-pricing the V-ride. No idea what's up with that.

Have had the same experience As ClubMyke, I would probably have a VLX in the garage right now, except that for an '03 on the lot (same dealer), they were within $1200 of my '04 SANTE 210 that I got to order exactly the way I wanted. My last boat was a Malibu, liked the boat, built really well. The service dept. at this local dealer left alot to be desired.

Irony is that I picked up the SAN in October, my cuz opens up a Malibu dealership the following March. He keeps telling me not to get too attached to that Nautique...too late

i find it hard to believe boats (bu) should cost more in so cal..

why should a west coast produced boat cost more than a east coast ?

the answer is really simple- but lets set the selling field first..

what do you get when malibu signs a exclusive san diego/los angeles/arizona contract with one dealer ????

a monopoly...which is the worst thing for a customer in a huge metropolitan area.. so the customer is forced to "overpay" if they want a malibu.. there have been numerous situations of charging "over" msrp and poor service dept. i pity the san diego or la bu buyers who have to fight traffic and drive to riverside for less than adaquate service..

the best thing that has happened is cc and mc have realigned their prices so you can get a mc,cc, or bu within $1k-$5k of each other..

when i was looking a new 04 vlk(close to stock) was $53k(otd) out of az and a loaded 05 vlk was $51k(otd).... i ended up buying a 05 cc 211 te(loaded) for within a $1k of a comparabley equipped v-ride...

the moral of the story, the price of the boat has a lot to do with the dealer..

When it comes to price difference, its not just because you live in Area X. It's because the cost of living is higher in Area X and the demand for the boats is high.

A 100K house in Area B, probably cost 180K in Area X. Just like the boat.

FYI, for all the people screaming consipracy/no free market when it comes to Dealer territories (much more on that other message board). Realize, that if your local dealer pisses you off, call the manufacture and tell them, they will allow you to deal withn another dealer.

Looking at the BU and CC price sheets for 2005, CC definitly did not realign anything. They acually had another price increase in November 04' of 2%. CC's have as much mark up as BU, it does as Mike said, come down to your dealer.

IMOH, not everyone deserves the same price on a boat. A person who is buying their 3 CC from Dealer A should be given a better deal then that guy who strolls in and demands to pay 20% under MSRP to buy a new CC for tubing. but, thats my opinion.

WOW...good thing all of us are store owners and dealers, with the overhead and tax writeoffs for selling boats! Anybody who tells you that their product, sales, service, ETC is better than someone elses, either owns the boat they are trying to get you to buy....OR they are selling them for a shop. Look carefully, whats in it for the guy pushing the boat? George, you are in the unique position to be able to ride behind virtually any boat you want....take advantage of it. Buy what YOU want......take opinions as just that, and be careful of advice from salespeople. Just my 2 cents.

uhhhhmmm my experience was different...

arizona has the cheapest cost of living ...san diego is more expensive... the bay area is the most expensive..yet the bu out of the bay area was less than az or san diego.... must be the dealer.

btw, i did contact paul(west bu rep) and mike(customer service) and they came down on the dealer...what surprised me is this wasnt the first time....

with this in the equation, should the dealer be trusted to do the service if the boat isnt bought from them ??? i dont think so...

i do agree with you that a 3rd time customer should be given a exceptionally good deal, however a newbie customer should'nt be screwed onto paying over msrp-there is no worse feeling than finding out you have been ripped off and lied to- please remember this is a $45k-$60k total sale.

the final price comes down to negotion skill, timing, and the willigness of the dealer...

it is a long term relationship with the dealer... if someone overpays on a boat, do you think they will refer to that dealer ? never, never, never...get real...
they may have made a "short term" sale but they lost "long term" sales and the more important referrals

when i bought my nautique from m20 in san diego i didnt haggle the price down 1 penny because i knew it was a very, very fair price (i shopped 3 states- the best deal was in my own back yard). also the service so far has been excellent.

No one should get screwed, period. But, it happens all the time in every type of Biz. The Only thing you can do to protect yourself is to do your research. IF you don't look out for yourself, no one will.

There is NO boat worth over paying for.

howie;
Your not takeing a shot at me are you????LOL

Clubmyke, Sounds like you are still bitter about the fact that you wanted a Malibu but had to settle for that 211. JZ is correct in the fact that different demographics are going to command different prices. No, a VLX in Calif is not going to be the same price as a VLX in lets say Nebraska. It has alot to do with supply and demand. The demand for a Malibu is much higher than the demand for a Correct Craft, therefore the CC dealers are going to drop their shorts on the price of their boat whereas Malibu dealers dont have to. You have beatin this horse dead on MBO, Its time to let it go. By the way, If you are going to post on the internet you should get your facts straight first. Malibu reps name is Steve.

Never Gary.

Besides...I still havent had the pleasure of riding behind your Sanger. I will reserve judgement until then. I like to know what the hell I'm talking about before posting comments on wakes and quality. Besides...I love you too much! LOL

Bobby Boucher, I would not call having a 211 "settling". Mike doesn't sound bitter at all. He is just explaining his experience, as a consumer, with a local dealer. Your theory on supply and demand is also incorrect. Local CC dealerships sold out of build slots way early last year. Don't be a hater.

As for me, and maybe Mike's experience was the same way, my decision was between 2 boats. The high pricing, and poor customer experience at the Malibu dealer made my decision easy. Wound up with an awesome ride (210), and dealer (CCC) who has taken care of me like no other. I ought to send them a thank you card.

As far as high pricing goes, it is a product of people willing to pay the higher prices. JUST SAY NO! I did. Don't be afraid to shop around. Keep your options open. If you don't like the price or vibe your local dealer give you, move on the the next one. If you are stuck on brand "X", and they keep refering you to your local dealer, don't be afraid to walk, and tell them so. If they want your business, and don't want to see your $$$$ go to dealer "Y", they will work with you. If not, you are probably better off anyways.

BTW - is it just me, or do alot of people seem zero'd in on a single brand? Sure works out great when you can feel good about more than 1 make of boat.

You Guys are all so wrong on what a dealer will do acording to Demographics. First take a look at what fees have to be paid in Cali. DUH, First sell boats then talk about why they can charge the money.

Wow Gary...that was harsh.

boobie boucher... have to agree with captain insano...i didnt like the price(rip off), the local dealer(rude), or the v-ride(cheap and over priced), or the location and reputation of the service department(RIVERSIDE !!!!!) so i walked. never mind the $700 that i spent to fly up to oakland to buy a 04 vlx...i consider that money well spent and not having to deal with the the local bu dealer....if the local dealer trys to charge over msrp then hey go for it, some people unknowingly will pay it...not to mention i feel really sorry for those who try to get service (btw, there was a post on wakeboarder by a bu owner in so-cal who had to get his engine rebuilt at 75 hrs and they forgot to install a oil drain tube and wouldnt correct the situation....the guy couldnt get a complete oil change and he was told to live with it)...

the real question is why do you attempt to justify high prices and poor service for a crappy dealer ?

it really come down to you get what you pay for and the quality of people you deal with...if a dealer is willing to charge a super premium price and provide poor service then you just got......( you get the idea)

btw, i have the west coast bu reps cell number... do you want it ?

all i have to say is thank God for M20 Marine in san diego..they have been honest and truthful and their serivce has been outstanding....not to mention, i love my 211 . i wouldnt trade it for anything (except a x-star)

(Message edited by clubmyke on February 24, 2005)