Should I buy this boat? If so, how can I make it look better?
 

Well, on paper this boat seems great. '00 Malibu Escape LSV, wedge, tower w/speakers, 290 hrs, good price (NADA "Average Retail"), local, good vinyl, v drive, etc.

I love the interior!

The problem is that I think the outside is ugly. The dark green trailer with the flat black, steel wheels looks like military surplus. That's not a big deal at all except when combined with the dark green and brown accents on the hull and the utilitarian looking tower.

I'm sure it would be a lot better with a more stylish tower, some better wheels and maybe some sort of graphics but if I do all of that then it's no longer a good deal.

So, at the moment I'm passing on it unless the price comes down a couple thousand more but any ideas on how to make it look better?

I think it looks pretty good, to each his own I guess...

i dont think it looks all that bad, i mean how often are you really staring at the trailer, most of the time with the boat is spent on the water, and if it gets you out there then ur gonna be havng fun. if the price is right, i would do it.

get the seller to split the cost of a wrap with you. Make it as wild or as conservative as you want. Est cost around $2500.

unless your one of those guys that buys a wakeboard boat just to look cool :)

Didn't think of a wrap. Good idea. Big $$$ though.

Well, i spent all of high school boarding behind aluminum flat boats and center consoles so anything is a big step up on the coolness factor.

Btw, feel free to comment on the wakeboard wake of this boat too please. I'd have to add ballast because there is none.

Also, at my price point I will never look as cool as my neighbor with his '08 red and black SAN. Ha!

Thanks,
Jeff

In my opinion, a SAN doesnt look good. The super new ones are ok, but until this model year I swear a 99 looks the same as an 09. Narrow and small, just not what I like. To each his own.

New tower, Wrap, and powder coat the wheels.

I think it would look completely different with nice wheels. Isn't that always the case? In the water I bet it looks good.

Could get your trailer painted and some better wheels, I'd say find an illusion x if its a 21LSV and not the 23LSV. But they don't make them anymore so are very hard to find. Other option would be a titan tower and a wrap or wakesetter stickers.

have the rims powder coated for a few hundo and be done, it will look just fine. Also, in this market, there's not much reason to pay NADA unless you REALLY want the boat. Throw him a lowball offer if you want the boat and see what he says. You've got NOTHING to lose!

Ok, you guys talked me into it. Gonna go check it out and hope it looks better in person.

I like the titan tower idea. I'll have to patch the gel coat after though. Might be able to sell the existing tower and recoup some of the cost.

Man, I haven't found anything at NADA pricing so far accept ones with trashed interiors or other problems. People reply like I'm nuts when I mention NADA when their asking price is 50-100% more. I've been told by all every seller that I've corresponded with that NADA doesn't apply to their boat for whatever reason.

Empty boats get better looking with the addition of friends making memories. Thats all you need!

Not hard at all, just make sure you get someone who knows what they are doing to do it.

I personally like the tower, but the trailer is kinda ugly, but i wouldnt care, if it does the job so what.

I always look it up for reference, but I don't usually use NADA value to negotiate when buying or selling stuff. The book is not writing a check. Craigslist is a better way to get a feel for value IMO. If someone is listing their boat 50%+ over NADA they are either completely out of touch, or don't need to sell it.

I agree - put a Titan tower on it, repaint the trailer and put some new wheels on it, and it will look fine. It's probably about time for new carpet on the trailer anyway. Patching the gelcoat is not a big deal, especially since all the tower feet are on white areas.

I am pretty sure that boat is on the Diamond hull, which is the crossover hull. Great wakes are possible, but will take more weight than the SV23 Wake hull.

I've read conflicting reports on this. Some say all escape 23 LSVs would have the diamond hull. Other places say it could possibly have the wake hull. Will it be painfully obvious when I look at the rear corners of the hull?

Thats because NADA is crap. No way its an accurate way to price boats.

I'm sure the boat would look good once in the water but the tower is awful looks like a kids play set it would be the deal breaker for me JMTC

i say just ride with you neighbor! ha..

I say If you like the lay out and it was cared for motor wise grad if. You can add weight that's easy.. That's my advice .... Here is a cool factor tip.. You see it all over guys with 80k plus boats that can't ride. Get some spins and inverts and the boat look won't matter, and always rememder wakeboarding is fun weather you have a 80k boat or 3k ......

and when the whether is good

Put a Samson Razor on it and call it good. My brother has the same boat in red and it looks great with a sweet, polished tower. If you really want some bling on the trailer, I hear the Bedazzler does wonders. I would never put a $2000+ wrap on a 10 yr old boat....then again I would probably never put a wrap on any boat. You are going to need that $$ to keep it maintained anyways. If it doesn't have perfect pass that's another $1000. You will probably need another few hundred for tires as well unless they are new.

Anyways, if the price is right and it looks well cared for it looks like a great boat. Make sure you get it inspected and test drive it first.

People care about trailer wheels???

Seriously though, I would worry more about the overall look of the boat and it's condition. Sure it doesn't have the "graphic t" look of some of the newest boats, but in a few years you'll be happy it doesn't.

Put in the water and see how it looks, I have older boat that looks plain on the trailer, but I get lots of compliments on the water how good and clean it looks.

monster tower would look sick on that thing.
add some graphics just below the for sale sign like the more modern boats and you golden.
pick up some cheap chrome steel wheels if you have any cash left over. that thing would be sweet.

im like brian. i LOVE riding by the rich kids in my cheap boat. doing stuff they cant. dedicate your time to being a better rider, always pushing yourself.
its not about how good you look, or how much money you have. its about doing what you love and the passion we all share for the sport. test the boat, nab it up. do some tinkering if you like, and just get out there and shred!

I like it. the boat, tower and trailer look fine... go ride the same boat that someone has put time in dialing the wake, if you like the wake and like the price then buy it... don't waste your time with towers, trailer paint, wheels...

Well, The price was $18k which sounds like a great deal.

However, I loadedup the wife and kids and we got abut 1/4 of the way there and realized that this was stupid. The dude said he wouldn't go lower than $18k and my budget would really be stretched there. I really shouldn't spend more than $14k. So, I contacted the seller, canceled and turned around. I didn't want to tempt us to spend more than we should by looking at a boat that's just out of reach.

The search continues!

Btw he knows why I canceled and he knows what I have to spend. So, if he gets desperate he knows where to find me.

sounds like you made a good decision, Jeff. don't go out of your budget or comfort level. there's plenty of boats out there and you'll find the right one within your budget and be much happier than if you had paid more than you wanted to. good luck with the search.

I started riding with the guy that own this Boat. The boat is well cared for and has very low hours. My buddy recently had another child and never gets to use it due to his wifes hours and I have a san 210 that is hanging in a boat house 5 min from where he lives so it is just too much trouble to take this boat when I go anytime he would want to get wet. The wake is good with a bunch of weight in it we ran 3 500 lb sacks and it did well I was going to plumb it all for him but we just do not use the boat so it made no sense. I can say that this boat is by far way more comfortable than my nautique But I perfer my wake.

I say murder it. Tint the windscreen and black out everything else. Hull, trailer, everything. black on black on black. If the interior is white and green it will still look good on all that black. Strip and polish the tower or get a chrome one, that with the SS bow rail will look good. Some cheapo American Racing chrome trailer wheels.

Awe shucks, it's your boat. Do what your wife wants!

Black it out like this:
http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=818969

I would think that black interior would be completely miserable on a hot day

Tell ya' boy I'm sorry. If he gets tired of looking at the boat and wants to let it go he knows how to get in touch with me. Also, if it's still for sale at the end of the summer I might have more money together by then.

My rough estimates in my head were that we had $16k to spend and that I could probably come up with another $2k. While we started driving there the wife went through our finances and did some real calculations and it's more like $14k and I'd have to come up with another $4k.

The last thing I wanted to do was fall in love with the boat and spend that much more than I should be spending.