X25 vs RZ2 vs WakeSetter LSV 23
Ok guy I am really debating on pulling the trigger on a new ride this year. I have owned 2 X Stars and a WakeSetter VLX that I currently own. I just need more room because my wife and I are plus 2 with a 2 and 4 year old and the VLX is getting crowed with other friends having kids also. I live near knoxville TN so it would be kind of dumb not to get a bu or mc but seems like everyone on my lake has one and I love to be different. I also think the Tige may be a little cheaper as well. I really love mc but lets face it they are getting out of control on prices. I mean list for over 100,000 for a wake boat, come on. I would like to know about surf and wakeboard wakes, I don't mind loading it if needed. Most of all quality. I know Tige had a bad rap a few years back but seems they are top notch now.
thanks in advance for you time to reply and please let summer get here. |
If money is not an issue for you I would say X-25 all day long.
The factory wake is better than and X-Star (unless the star has 4,000lbs) if you ask anyone who has ridden behind one. |
Joe, did you really rip my username? That low man :)
|
Being a Malibu guy myself, my vote would be a 247. Prices are crazy on everything right now, and I am sure the 247 is no different. I just could not be happier with my VLX. If I wanted something larger, and stay with the same ride and quality, that's the way I'd go. Just my 2-cents.:D
|
Your life is good. This type of decision is something most men dream of.
I would test drive the X25 and see if what everyone says is true....but everyone is saying it, so I think there must be some truth to it. You could not go wrong with any of them. I think dealer support is going to have to be the tiebreaker here. |
i am going to agree with dealer support issue, and i know mc in knoxville is good. malibu should be good also even though the dealer has moved around a bit he is a cool guy and i am sure would do anything he could to help. tige however i have know clue and would be nervous about this issue.
i know the wake on the 25 and the 23 lsv rock. tige i have no clue. i just love the looks of the tige but hate the bimini. does anyone know if you can get a z5 on a bu. if so that may be the deal maker. i love a low big bimini and the z5 is awesome. a hi bimini is almost useless in my opinion. i am leaning toward another bu but would love to get a mc as well. the cost may be the issue. i haven't priced a new 23 but i am sure it would have to be less than the x25. i bet a loaded 23 would be the same as a base x25 if i was guessing. |
At the boat show here the x25 had a boat show special price of 106k. The 23lsv was 87k.
|
Kevin it looks like your Tige dealer is waketowake watersports in bluff city TN about 70 miles from you. Your going to spend a bunch of money looking at the RZ is not a bad idea and think that there are multiple tower choices as well. I would ask about them over on tige owners those guys are pretty honest. Those boats are crazy roomy and comfortable and have an AWESOME ride. Rides way better than my 205v x star. Never been in a 247 but they look huge too. I know instead of a 50/50 split like most MCs have as far as cabin and bow I think Tige and Bu do 60/40 or 70/30. So you gain in the cabin but lose in bow but with the pickle fork that help. Think you have nothing to lose demoing and getting to know the dealer. 70 miles does not seem far and I think on the 2010 or 2011 boats they offer free general maintenance for 3 years or something like that. Also if you have an inboard dealer close to you and you just need oil changes etc they can do it.
|
Oh and the extended bimini is soooooo nice on the RZ.
|
no contest the Tige.
much rarer on the water, and i think tige has the best style and looks of any boat on the market. and they really have got the **** together now on wake, ballast, and useful features. |
Quote:
|
Joe, PM sent.
|
I can't speak for the X25 or the RZ2 but I have spent a lot of time behind a 2010 Wakesetter LSV 23. A friend of mine got one at the beginning of last season. The boat is awesome. You can't ask for more room or storage in a boat. The wake was always consistent, no need to ask people to move to the other side of the boat.
|
Quote:
I'd say test drive x25, I'm a malibu man, but that boat seems pretty bad ass, just way over priced. If you go LSV make sure you get the 410hp or better. I love the style of the new malibus and if it's 30k less than the x25 then go that route |
Quote:
|
Kevin,
I would like to get you out on an RZ2 here soon. Drop me a line with your contact info. |
Ok! If you think about space, great wake, price and beeing different, you should think about a Epic 23V. I really love all kind of boat but, holly cr@p, their prices are unbelievable! I really love the Tige RZ2 look and I heard a lot of good things about it but, always the same *****.... $$$!
I know that Epic have not so much bling bling in it but I really don't care about it when I'm 85 ft behind! You got everything you need and you don't have to put 3000 pounds of extra ballast evrywhere in the boat like in a XSTAR or a 230! Just try different boat if you can and make you own choice! |
I guess the good news is you really can't go wrong with any of those boats. If it was me I would probably be leaning towards the Bu followed by the Tige then the MC. The Bu and Tige are going to be 20k+ cheaper than the MC. You could use that 20k to make your boat very different than the other MC's and Bu's on the lake!
|
Also in colorado the MC dealer sucks, so it'd be out of my list based on that alone. Both the Tige and Malibu dealers here rock
|
My vote is for the LSV. They are just so hot! I don't really see any downside... it's much cheaper than an X-25, yet it's 1.5' longer. There is just sooo much room in these boats.
http://images.traderonline.com//img/...mb_550x410.jpg http://images.traderonline.com//img/...mb_550x410.jpg http://images.traderonline.com//img/...mb_550x410.jpg http://images.traderonline.com//img/...mb_550x410.jpg |
After 4 X-Stars and a X2 we've got a 2011 Wakesetter LSV on the way, so I'm betting you could guess which way I'd tell you to go.
The new Malibu's are plush and have great features. Plus I love the interior layout. Spend some time sitting in them and make your decision. |
Quote:
|
What's the going rate for a nicely-equipped LSV? I see is MSRP of 111k on some dealer's site [ http://boatspotter.com/Page.aspx/dii...er-23-LSV.aspx ] which puts it squarely in X25 territory.
Also, the shorter motor box in the 21.5' X25 stretches the interior beyond what is normal for a boat of its length. The 23' LSV is rated for 15 passengers, the X25 is rated for 16. |
Shawn see my post above, the x25 did have the power tower.
|
Quote:
My perception may be way wrong, but I think you can get a nicely equipped LSV in the low to mid $70's. I'm pretty sure that's impossible on the X-25 where mid-$80's seems to be the price I'm seeing people report on the forums. Again, my perception could be off. No body can know for sure unless they actually price them out with both dealers On size, you may very well be right. The size of the sunpad makes a big difference. On these two boats the only way to know for sure is with a tape measure. Capacity ratings mean nothing. My 21' MB TWB is rated for 16 people too... do you think it's bigger inside than an LSV? I've spent time in both, and the LSV is significantly larger inside than my MB, despite the rating. So I'm willng to conceded that you might be right... but we won't know for sure w/out real price quotes and tape measures. :D I will say this, I don't like the sunpad on the X-25 at all. I just want a smooth place to lie down. I don't like walk throughs, and certainly don't need those funky transome seats on the X-25. The other thing I don't like about it the size of the opening to the lockers is tiny. We are in and out of our lockers every minutes it seems like. Those tiny openings on the X-25 would be a deal killer for me. I think people either love or hate these features on the X-25. |
Sorry, missed that entirely. Makes sense though as the power tower goes for 5500 over the cost of the ZFT3. If it had one of the bigger engines they are 7-9k more than the base 5.7L.
|
Quote:
I'm going to the boat show here in Boston this weekend. The MC and Malibu booths will be right next to each other so I should be able to get a really good comparison done on the two. Of course, our new X25 is already at the dealer so the point is moot from my point of view :D |
Quote:
|
Shawn, I hope you post pics of your new X-25 soon. It's a killer boat, no doubt about it. Lots of good things I could say about it (tower, bow, wake, build quality, etc. etc.).
|
The Malibu, would be my choice between the MC and the Tige'. Mainly because the price, and malibu's lines are a cleaner looking boat. The only real good looking pickle fork boats are the MC's. I hope Malibu doesnt steer towards a pickle. The pickle forks on the Tige, Supreme's and the MB's are ok but the best looking pickle is the Mastercrafts.I personally like a traditional style boat, with nice clean lines. As far as quality, you can't go wrong with any of these choices.
|
DBC, did you go to the Portland boat show? IIRC the 'boat show price' of the LSV and the X25 were pretty darn close. I want to say one of the LSV's was even more?
|
Quote:
|
Quote:
I do remember the prices as the 2010 PDX Boat Show for some reason. The X-25 was $75K with MCX, tower cam, etc. It was the first one I ever saw, and I loved it. I think the LSV was $76K or so. It was a blue one. I don't remember the specs. I guess my perception of the X-25 being more comes from threads I've seen on Team Talk as well as a chat I had with our local MC dealer a few months back. I think getting an X-25 into the mid-$70's would be hard now, but perhaps not impossible. I don't know, they are both great boats. We're really splitting hairs right now. I'd wouldn't kick either one of them out of bed. :p http://cdn-8.psndealer.com/e2/dealer...55_1_large.jpg http://www.mastercraft.co.uk/images/wallpaper/x25-2.jpg http://www.saskatoonwatersports.com/...gs/215/4_1.jpg http://www.saskatoonwatersports.com/...s/185/0_15.jpg |
That's a VLX in the 3rd pic.
|
man, talk about some imput and thoughts. you guys are great. i really love my curren vlx and have not really had any issues in the 400 hours i have been on it. i also love the fact that the tige would be different than anyone on my lake and it comes with wet sounds audio. i do love the X25 and if all 3 boats were the exact same price i would go this route but lets face it, i can save quite a bit of $$$ going with a LSV or RZ2 over the X25 and is the X25 really worth the difference. Sure if may hold its value a bit better but with a lower upfront cost the value at the end will drop the same between the three. I just feel i can get more boat for less with the LSV or RZ2.
Does anyone know if you can put a Z5 cargo rack on a G3 tower and if so is there any pics floating around the web to see them. The tower on the RZ2 looks bad ass but also looks low and the bimini for that tower looks small. Having kids i need a big low bimini to keep us out of the sun. The X25 tower is awesome with a Z5 but there again is it worth the extra $$$. I feel i can get a loaded LSV for the same $$ as a base X25 so i am thinking I will go this route. I am going to make some calls next week to get some hard numbers. I will let everyone know what i find out. Thanks again. |
The Tige' RZ bimini comes in standard and with a 2 foot extention as well as surf board storage in the top itself. The covered area with the extention is about 6" past windshield frame forward and about 6" short of the sun lounge providing complete cockpit coverage.
|
I would definitely get the extended bim that is so nice. It looks great as well.
|
Kevin, I've had 4 brand new boats in the past 6 years. (05 Tige 22v, 07 Tige 24ve, 08 Tige RZ4, 10' Malibu 23 LSV) I gave Tige a ton of chances because I really liked the local dealer but I finally broke away and bought a Malibu. Tige has come a long way in the most recent years but it just doesn't compare to the Malibu. The malibu is so much tighter in everyway, the steering, throttle, fit and finish, rough water ride.... The 23 LSV is bigger than either of my 24ft Tige's inside and way more plush. From what I've gathered regarding MC's they are only a tad bit better than Bu's, it's not the same difference as going from a Tige to a Malibu. I wouldn't buy an MC unless it had that new rack. The old rack was an erector set that moved all over the place. It will drive you nuts if you hang good speakers from it. The surf wake with the factory balast on my Bu is awesome, you can throw spins anytime and I weigh almost 200lb's - It's tall and long (insert that's what she said if you need to) The Malibu never dunked last sumer and with our 24ft tiges we couldn't let people sit in the front it would dunk so often. However, if budget is an issue (which it always is to some degree) the Tige is a great boat and you and you're family will love it.
Everyone gets on here and bashes boats and here's all that matters. The price of the boat better not weigh on your mind when your boating or you won't enjoy it. All the boats have their pros and cons, but they are minor difference. If you want a good surf wake most 22-24 ft boats will have a decent enough wake to start with that you can modify it into a great one. The best boat is the one you and your family can enjoy the most, because that's all that matters. The best part about boating is the time you spend smiling in the sun with family and friends. On a side note, I have the most loaded 2010 23 LSV you'll ever find for sale in the classifieds section of Wake World. We have a baby coming in May so boating is off for this year. Check it out. FYI, we will be buy another Malibu the following year. |
The X25 and the LSV are similar in price. It really depends on how badly your dealer wants to make a deal.
FWIW... from the responses above: IMO, the MCX isn't enough motor for the X25. Don't make that mistake if you plan on riding a heavily weighted boat and The LSV is also available with a walk through on top of the motor lid. We ordered our boat this way. |
I just talked to a local guy here the other day that ordered a brand new 23LSV with the upgraded 550 motor meant for the 247LSV. Apparently they have already done this in another boat. Boat tops out at 66mph or something close. That will get you out of the hole quick!
|
Quote:
|
I honestly believe that if you get your friends/family/crew out for a day in an X25 you would not want any other boat. You only need additional ballast if you are trying to surf, the wakeboarding wake is gigantic stock, and when you have 10+ people in the boat it becomes downright scary (for me/an intermediate rider). The amount of storage in the boat plus the good stock system and the racks are great. It does come with a higher sticker price, but if you do your shopping during boatshow season you can get an x25 for a much better price.
|
Quote:
If you goal is to "get more boat for less" have you considered the new MB 23 TWB? I realize it's not a boat you originally listed, so hopefully the forum police will forgive me. But, whenever I hear the words, "get more boat for less" I think of MB. Take a look at the specs on paper and compare to the boats you are considering. Length: 23' Width: 100" Weight: 4,100 lbs. Fuel: 65 gallons People: 16 Ballast: 2,300 lbs (fills and empties in 1 minute) Speed Control: Zero Off GPS Vinyl: 52 oz. Carpet: 40 oz. Batteries: 2 with Perko Stereo: 6 speakers + Sub + amp standard (just add tower speakers and amp and you are set) Engine: PMC 343 -or- 409 List Price: $69,000 Actual Price: $55,000 I understand the allure of Malibu or MC. But on paper, you can't really argue the facts. This boat is priced less than a Moomba XLV, and yet it has the thickest carpet and vinyl in the industry and comes standar with all the upgrades. I am not affiliated with MB or the dealer in town with this particular boat. I just scratch my head that more people don't do this type of comparison. http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=27013 http://www.onlyinboards.com/Controls...ImageWidth=800 http://www.onlyinboards.com/Details.aspx?ID=27013# |
1 Attachment(s)
Just drive all three, you'll make the right decision.
|
Good god I think those power towwers look awful. Looked up close at the boat show and liked them even less
|
Quote:
|
wow that black 25 would look sick with the other tower. the new tower is growing on me but not to fast. i would love to see it in a color match application. i am going to a boat show tomorrow and will hopefuly see a RZ2. I have been around bus and mc for years and feel good about either one. i really love the looks of the RZ2 but just hate to change from what i know. after reading kdawg's post it seems that what i felt originaly may be true. and dude just because your having a baby please don't sell unless its a money thing because she or he will love boating. our girls loved the boat at that age just make sure its not to hot. we had both girls out there around a month old. no better place to put them to sleep. some nights we would just go down to the boat and ride around for a bit and they would be out. i totaly undeerstand that kids come 1st but if you think you want be able to go the lake, i think you will feel different after you give it a try.
did anyone find a pic or know the availbility of a z5 on a g3 tower and does tige a pic of extende bimini on there site. thanks for the info on the mb sports boat. my friend sells them and i can get a great deal on one i just don't care for them. the fit and finish is so good, i just don't like the lines are something. they are nice and the price is great, they are just not for me. thanks again. |
Was at a Malibu dealer this weekend. They said that the CTS-V 550HP motor was about 10K over the STOCK 350 HP monsoon. 4K to go with the 410 HP L96, 6k to go to the 555 HP LSA.
10K for an additional 205 HP works out to 48.75 per hp... Which is VERY cheap in anyone's book! BTW this motor is a MONSTER in the CTS-V 4door. Drove one and will break the rear wheels free at 85MPH, in the rain, in an AUTO transmission! |
Kevin - here is a pic of the extended bimini on ours. This is on an RZ4, so it would cover even more cabin space on an RZ2. I think it is about 8-feet long, including the extension.
http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/r...1/DSC00685.jpg http://i487.photobucket.com/albums/r...1/DSC00646.jpg |
Quote:
thanks for the pics of the ext bim, its huge and perfect. the bimini on that tower is low enough due to the tower being low. on the lsv with a g3 tower the stock tower bimini is a bit high for my taste. |
kevin i went to a boat show last week.they had mastercraft,moomba,centurion,supra,correct craft,malibu,axis and tige. all of your choices were there.all are awesome boats in their own right.i have only owned correct craft and tige. we just ordered a new RZ2.personally it's what i like the best.i have ridden in and behind mastercraft and malibu also.you can't go wrong with any of the three. i think the malibu and tige are very comparable wake and price wise.also i don't agree with the statement that the malibu has more room.the tige rz2 has a 102" beam.also the seats come up higher on your back than other boats.looks is a personal thing. i love the looks of the tige.i also love the looks of the malibu.i think mastercraft makes a excellent boat with a excellent wake,but i don't care for the looks of them.i do think the mastercraft wakeboard racks are the bomb.every boat has it's strengths.all 3 of your choices are excellent boats.but ultimately only you can decide.i looked at everything before i bought my first tige.i also looked at everything again when i ordered my new one.it worked best for me and looked best to me.you should demo all 3 and take notes on what you like and dislike about each.i don't think you can go wrong if you choose what YOU really want. GOOD LUCK.
|
Kdawg orders boats with every available option (and then some) and then keeps them for 1-2 years. He already has kids so my guess is that he will sell this one (like his others) and then get another blinged out one once summer rolls around or he gets bored! LOL!
As much as I love my Tige RZ2, that X25 is no comparison! I sat in one at the boat show and was in love! The interior in that thing is first class! Sweet boat for sure but not worth $100k to me. I personally think Malibu's are hands down the ugliest boat on the market but it's all personal preference. I do like Malibu's cabin space utilization though, they tend to look like they have more available space for the same length of boat. As for dunking the pickle fork on the RZ's, I think Michael(kdawg) never learned how to drive (kidding!) because in the 4 years I've had mine, the front has only been dunked maybe 3 times. Tige has really stepped up their game in the last couple of years. As far as power is concerned, you could go for the 409 in the RZ2 but it's not really needed. From what I have seen, a 343 with the stock Acme 537 will go like 47-49 mph yet gets out of the hole pretty good too. You put a 1235 on it and it still goes in the low 40's. I know top speed isn't relevant in a wakeboat but it just gives you an idea of the power/efficiency of the hull. Tough choices! Good luck! |
5 Attachment(s)
Back from the Boston boat show. Unfortunately I didn't get to see the 23 LSV because the dealer didn't bring one to the show. Malibu had one of the biggest spaces in show and they used most of it to show Cobalts. The two boats I wanted to see (LSV 23 and Axis A22) were not there. I did sit in the 24 LSV and that thing felt bigger than my dining room! Wow. I also didn't get to spend too much time with the RZ2 since the show was ending for the day but it definitely improved my image of Tige boats. My only prior experience with them was with the Switch V series....
Still think the X25 was the right choice over all. And for those who are worried about storage space in the rear lockers I have posted a pic. The doors are smaller, that's for sure, but the seats don't take away too much storage at all. Finally, I posted a couple pics of the XStar they had on display: Black and Gunmetal flake with Mocha interior. Very pimp. |
have you made a decision yet KEVIN?
|
Quote:
Thanks so much on everyones help. I am leaning toward a BU or MC, I have had both of them with close to no issues so why change. |
2 Attachment(s)
Here's the first two pics of my new rz2:d
|
All I can say is I wish I had your problem. Pulling the trigger on an LSV or X-25 is a dream problem. I love both boats but would probably lean toward the Bu just because I think it is the best looking boat on the planet. Good luck and can't wait to see what you went with.
|
Quote:
|
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:08 AM. |