more of what has been said.
I was in a similar situation and dilemma in 2011. I wanted the 05-08 VLX wake, 2nd favorite of all time, but my budget was exactly yours. I narrowed it down to a used VLX, new A22, or new 21Vride (same boat as 05-08 VLX).
I went with the New A22 because:
it was only a few thousand dollars more than an 06-07 VLX.
It was brand new, we got to build it exactly how we wanted it.
Being first owner with full warranty, new trailer, and get to break it in myself.
I wanted to avoid filling and draining fat sacks, but wanted to put a couple tons of weight in it to mimic my buddies VLX wake. Vrides have no option of front bow tank, so that would have been a lot of work, VLX has bow tank, 300 i think, maybe 350, but in order to get more weight up there you have to put a fat sack on the seats or put a lot of lead in the bow and I did not want to do either.
The axis has the front pnp sack (straight lines 900 sumo bow sack is the bag of choice over the fly high, imo) that fills to probably 650-700 or so which is over double of the malibu front tank.
Layout of the boat with chillax seats and slidebox seat is more friendly for watersports, though the malibu has a more comfortable feel to it.
A22 handles just like the VLX, will be similar to the 23 LSV.
The LSV would be nice because the bow is smaller with the cab-forward malibu design, the Axis bow is bigger and the cabin feels the size of the VLX. You will notice the 23 LSV will feel a lot bigger in the cab than the A22 and it will be noticeably quieter due to the carpet floor and seat bases. The LSV has a great rep for having a great surf wave, and some argue the 23 LSV of that era has the best malibu wakeboard wake of all time. In order to achieve the same size wake as the A22, you will need more weight and will most likely have a 1000 lb fat sack in the bow and a floor sack as well, but it would be a great wake. You can achieve an incredible wake on the A22 with a little bit of lead in the bow and the pnp sacks all full, nothing on the floor or seats or bow.
My buddy is looking for the same 06-07 23 LSV, they are few and far between, all around 45-55k. Good thing is they have already took their hit, so you will probably be able to sell it in a few years, or longer, for close to what you paid. The A22's are holding their values very well as each year their prices are increasing, like everything else, but you will take the new boat hit (which most likely is your down payment). The LSV will have no warranty of any kind except for the lifetime hull, i believe.
Tough choice, you cannot go wrong, really. 8-10 people is easy in both boats, but the LSV will do it better, unless a couple people choose the bow in the A22, then it will be a wash.
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