malibu vlx "04"

rsutton 11-22-2003, 11:24 AM

thinking of buying any feed back? traded 01 sanger v-210 had a great wake with 2000# of fat sacks how about the vlx any wieghting suggestions for a huge wake. does the wedge really work. looking for large rampy wake

deltahoosier 11-22-2003, 11:33 AM

Depends on what is rampy to you, but, relative to wedge and no wedge; the wedge adds more peak to the wake. It does get very large. The Sanger V210 is a narrower boat than the VLX, so, it is a little easier to sink. Put the wedge down, add 250 per side of the engine, add 400 to 500 lbs up front, fill the front MLS, and fill the rear tanks as well. Sometimes you will need to drain a little bit of weight out of the rear if you have more than 4 or 5 people in the boat. The wake will be everything you want. If you like it more rampy, raise the wedge.

wakeboardjo 11-23-2003, 7:41 AM

They have great interior space as well so you can cram plently of people in one!

(ralph) · (ralph) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 11-23-2003, 11:55 AM

Make sure you test drive it setup like you will ride, the VLX will need about 3000 to compare to the Sanger with 2000 imo. The VLX will not drive as well as the V210 and you may be disappointed. You might want to look at the new Sanger V215 if you want something a little bigger than the 210.

(batman) · (batman) **Join Date: Nov 2001** 11-23-2003, 7:46 PM

My 02 VLX wake is that big with only 1900# and steers great. If possible test drive both boats and see for yourself. Weight them both the same and you will have the only honest opinion.

I am not knocking the Sanger, just saying see for yourself.

(greatdane) · (greatdane) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 11-23-2003, 11:56 PM

Ya, I agree. My VLX wake is plenty big and nice with 1800 lbs (450 left-rear, 450 right-rear, 400 MLS, and 500 in bow). I don't have a wedge. Get some sacks and go test ride the boats!

hockeyruss 11-25-2003, 7:38 AM

Here is a link to some photos taken by a professional photographer sunday with my 04 vlx.
We had 7 people on board, wedge down, factory ballast plus 1 500lb sack in the bow. The wakeboard and surf shots are from my boat, the slalom and trick skiing shots are from a nautique.
http://www.photoreflect.com/scripts/prsm.dll?eventframe?event=03CW002N&start=0&ts=1069 774271

hockeyruss 11-25-2003, 7:45 AM

Oh and by the way, the VLX with the new gorilla fins will out manuever any v-drive boat on the market. Don't take my word for it, drive one. My boat with the wedge down can spin around on a dime. With the wedge up it handles like a direct drive.

tige_joe 11-25-2003, 9:17 AM

Is that the re-engineered wedge with the shear pins? Or is that lawsuit by Greg still pending?

hockeyruss 11-25-2003, 10:38 AM

All the 04's were built after the 03 problem was resolved. It is an early 04 and the only negative thing is it has the soft bag for the center MLS, while all the new ones have three hard tanks in them now.

(rocketman) · (rocketman) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 11-25-2003, 11:39 AM

Question-

Can the gorilla fins be retrofitted to pre-2004 Malibus?

(ralph) · (ralph) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 11-25-2003, 11:44 AM

Awesome photos Russ, the wake looks really nice. You had a beautiful day for it.

hockeyruss 11-26-2003, 4:27 AM

David, that is a good question and worth looking into. I don't know if the holes are in the same spot as the previous years or wider. I know to get at the fins you need to remove the interior and take out the gas tank.

Darren, it was the best day ever, bushy park is usually glassy but this day was unbelievable...

(batman) · (batman) **Join Date: Nov 2001** 11-26-2003, 8:03 PM

No you cannot retro the fins unless you plan on buying a new trailer as the fins are deeper. VLX still has only the bag up front. The LSV has the tanks up front.

rsutton 11-27-2003, 3:04 PM

no, my new 04 has a hard tank up front 500#

hockeyruss 11-28-2003, 4:19 AM

Mike, I know for a fact in Sept they started the 04 VLX's with the hard tank. And you could still use an older trailer just launch a little deeper, as I did b/c I ordered a custom trailer that wasn't ready so I borrowed an 02 trailer and it was fine.

(batman) · (batman) **Join Date: Nov 2001** 11-28-2003, 7:24 PM

Sorry, but they maybe putting the tanks in now. The boats that have come in here don't have a tank and the dealer wasn't aware they were doing that. It doesn't even say that's available on the site. Guess maybe that's an option now? I guess if you can find a spot deep enough on a regular basis it would be okay but that's chancy if you tear one up, the repair cost would be pricey.

(greatdane) · (greatdane) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 11-29-2003, 11:02 AM

Hard tanks are the way to go.

BTW, I bet the VLX is redesigned this year for 05.

rsutton 12-01-2003, 9:20 PM

what makes you say that, dane

(bwood) · (bwood) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 12-02-2003, 3:14 AM

I found a dealer with a 03 VLX for 41,500. The boat is a leftover and never been used. Is this a good price or should I go for a 04?

cabalisticfire 12-03-2003, 9:50 AM

It might be a good price, depends on which options are on it. I bought an '03 a few weeks ago for under 40K.

(bwood) · (bwood) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 12-03-2003, 5:04 PM

how do you like the boat?

(batman) · (batman) **Join Date: Nov 2001** 12-03-2003, 9:01 PM

Have you sold your Mobius? My dealer in NE TENN has a red/ black 03 VLX he is trying to sell. www.shadrack.com

(bwood) · (bwood) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 12-04-2003, 3:17 AM

Mike didn't I see your boat for sale and why? How much for the 03 vlx in TENN? I just put my boat on the market if anybody wants it.

(batman) · (batman) **Join Date: Nov 2001** 12-04-2003, 9:07 PM

Yep, I am moving into an '04! I will check on the '03.

cabalisticfire 12-05-2003, 6:54 AM

woody-
I love it! The wake is big and nicely shaped, the interior is roomy, and the boat handles very well. I have the Skylon swoop tower, board racks, MLS, Wedge, PP wakeboard pro, JBL head w/4 speakers and 2 remotes, and the 3 outlet heater (which rocks). I looked at an '03 SAN, nice but the dealer wasn't interested in giving me a good deal. They had an '03 limited with 0 hours that had most of the team options for 50K or an '03 team with 80 hours for 50K. Thanks but no thanks. I also looked at a demo '03 SSV with 35 hours on it which I could have bought for about $36,500 similarly equiped but I liked the fit and finish of the VLX more.

(bwood) · (bwood) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 12-08-2003, 3:32 AM

The same dealer has a 03 SAN with 6hrs on it for 44,500. Is the SAN a better boat, if I can get the right price? What does everybody think of CC geting the JD power. I'm just not sure what boat to buy.

cabalisticfire 12-09-2003, 5:16 AM

That sounds like a darn good price but hard to tell for sure without knowing options. When I compared the SAN with the VLX I found that I liked the way the SAN looked a little better, I liked the room in the VLX a little better. I felt that they had comparable build quality. The shape of the wake is a preference thing. The SAN is super steep and some people just love that. The VLX is a little more rampy which I like, but with the wedge down I understand they are close. I'll admit to spending a buch of time at the natique dealer looking over the SAN yet I never actually rode behind one so my comments on the wake have a lot to do with what I have heard from others. Since the SAN was comming at 10K more than the VLX I didn't bother to test run it. With that said I think you really should try out both boats and make up your mind which you like best.

hockeyruss 12-09-2003, 5:35 AM

I have a dealer promo 03 for sale for 37k or b/o.
semi loaded (pp, most options, fact 4 spkr stereo.
Boat has about 180hrs all maint done and its ready to go.

(bwood) · (bwood) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 12-09-2003, 2:50 PM

Is that a 03 SAN or VLX? Can you post some picture's of the boat?

(Message edited by bwood on December 09, 2003)