Malibu Boats

I was wondering what you guys think about the Malibu 21 xti. Does malibu make a great boat???How is the 21 xti model? Is it easy to weigh down with extra balasts and where do you put them.

Test drove the 21 XTi last weekend, nice boat, handled great. You will probably need to add 500-1000lbs of lead in addition to the wedge and center ballast sack (MLS) to get a real nice wake. Move the weight around until you like the shape of the wake, take a boat full of friends.

Malibu makes a nice product right up there with Master Craft and Nautique in my opinion.

I have owned a Malibu for 3 years now . Malibu is a very good boat . They say one of the top 3. I just ordered my 05 VLX, it should be here any day now. I can't comment on the XTI, cause I don't know about the wake. Go to Malibuboatowners.com for all the info.I just recently took the tour of the factory in merced CA, I recomend it if you are thinking about buying a MAlibu.

(Message edited by mibu on November 01, 2004)

check out www.malibuboatowners.com

why the xti i must ask, the new vlx is awesome i was just at the factory a couple of weeks ago, awesome boats, love our 04 LSV, the ballast tanks under the floor, bow ballast, wow i wish we waited a year, oh well.

Jeff, if you really want to know if Malibu makes a good boat don't ask a bunch of people on a forum. Ask a boat mechanic that works on all different types of boats. Not a Malibu or a Mastercraft mechanic either. Someone that works on them all. He will give you the best opinion. I just did that recently and I've narrowed my boat search down to two different manufactures. If you like, I can talk to you off the forum, send me an email.

Bambamski has a great point, but you should also consider that boat mechanics will tend to see older boats a lot more, whereas a manufacturer may have changed things in response to problems with older models.

Also, in my area, there used to be a centurion dealer. My mechanics shop is full of them, but there are also a lot more of them around here. It wouldn't be smart to say centurions are poor quality because they outnumber nautiques 10 to one at the shop, becuase they also outnumber nautiques 10 to one at the community in general.

"Is it easy to weigh down with extra balasts and where do you put them."

That type of question of Jeff's is better answered by wakeboarders though. (here, MBO, etc) The type of people that obsses about where every pound on their boat is placed.

come on bambamski don't be a killjoy tell us who the two manufacturers are...

Malibu started out as a super high quality boat. the one to have like the Mastrcrafts and Nautiques. Then they fell into the mass production field and let their quality slip. Over the past 3-5 years they have made a huge move to get back to the quality they once were. Unlike Mastercraft. My new boat came down to Malibu or Sanger and for the bottom line dollar I liked Sanger better. Nautiques are still one of teh best boats out there but you will pay for the name. Malibu's extra price I think is due to there marketing, how many builders have hard back brocures and a dvd for you?

Sanger boats are mass produced also!!!!! You get what you pay for.Does sanger still use wood? Also did you take the Malibu factory tour in Merced? I'm not sure where you are located.

(Message edited by mibu on November 11, 2004)

Sangers are mass produced? That is news to me and probably Sanger too.

Malibu puts out more boats in a month than sanger does in a year I bet. (No hard facts to prove it, so don't quote me.)

Personally I have a Nautique, but also think the Malibus and Sangers both great boats and would not be ashamed to own either.

Also you don't always get what you pay for. I don't necessarily think my Nautique is worth the premium I paid for it over a Malibu, but I paid it happily because I always wanted a Nautique as a kid. People just have different priorities.

John cool your jets I'm not knocking the malibu its a great boat. But Sanger produces 300 of each boat. The V215 ony produced 150 the first year (2004). Yes if demand gets up there and they have time left in the year to produce more, they do what they can. Thay also have one factory, Malibu has 3, Malibu on the light side is at 3 to one in production. Some time take a look at there distribution area. Sanger is just starting to make there way east (slowly). Both great boats, and several other manufactures out there are just as good or better depends on your prefrence. Me Sanger for life, (what malibu has done 212 in the quarter mile. thanks eddie hill...

I didn't know sanger produced such few boats. In reality all the boats are good boats. It all depends on what you want.I guess it's like Ford, Chevy, and Chrysler and etc. etc. I did not mean to upset anybody. I am on my second Malibu and I really love the boats and company.

Malibu's and MC produce 3500+ // Sanger will do a limited amount of V210 from this year forth, while they will produce around 400 of the 215's and 230's. They have just opeb thier first dealorship on the East Coast in S.Carolina. Both boats are great, both Mali's and Mc you pay for alot of the advertisement and sponsorship which is why thier boats cost more. Remember both boats are great ...Chevy or Ford.....

Resale will be much higher on a CC , MC , BU may not be an issue now but will be when you sell it

don't get me wrong I like other boats esp riding behind my friends MC/Mali/and SAN so they are great boats but speaking of resale just try to figure that out mmmm...mmm... you can see all kinds of Mali's and MC for sale used but try and find used Sanger for sale! It doesnt happen to often.. does that mean Sanger are so satisfied they dont sell and the others are not that good. dont know but I do know after looking for 3 months this past summer I couldnt and still do see that many for sale, but I can sneaze and see the others for resale... THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO MMMMMMMMMMM!

they make a lot less don't they? You don't see many Yugo's either for sale do you? So that reasoning is not bullet proof. Thats why they make different makes and models

Kenny,

Sanger makes a nice boat, I have recommended them to two close friends resulting in them becomming happy Sanger owners. However it appears that Jeff is looking specifically at the Malibu XTi which is a direct drive boat with a unique style of seating, its unlikely that he will find a comparable in the Sanger line. In my opinion some of the qualities of Sangers (made in California, beautiful gelcoat finish) are also qualities found in Malibu's. Don makes a valid point when it comes to production numbers, maybe a less valid point when he mentioned Yugo. I might have used Maseratti as my example for Sanger versus BMW for Malibu. My next boat will most likely be a Malibu because the wedge works for me.

yes they do make less, reasoning bulletproof no... but it makes sense, by the way they havent made yugos in more than 10 years.. but being in CA were the factory is in central CA. you should still see atleast a handfull but you dont Remember I said I do like the others and there is nothing wrong with them, if I had enough money I wwould like to own a new one each year taking turns with each company.....

Every boat has its pros and cons. That would be nice to have a new one every yr or 2.

would'nt mind having the wedge though, got to give that to Mali's...Mike I like the way you ref the cars, nice taste!

Sanger is a great boat. They are very popular up at Nacimiento (close by the factory) Biggest issue is they still use wood stringers, but at the price they charge, it makes a great NEW entry level boat that you could upgrade every 3-5 years, and the wood would not be an issue. I have a friend that has a 90's model and the wood has nver been an issue. As a matter of fact for the use it gets, there have been no major issues. Sanger could sell way more than 300 a year, but from what I've heard the owner still puts one portion of every boat they sell together and doesn't need to sell more, which in this age of "mo money" is kind of nice. It was one of the boats I looked at when I was shopping.

I must say it is hard to find used Sangers. Its not because of lack of production, 50 years of boat making and even at 300 of each modle. I myself sold my 96 DX20 in 2004 on e-bay, A guy from South Dakota bought it and drove all the way to get it.

if you buy a sanger you better call the orkin man quick!!

Being in the US NAVY I know boats/ships and water...Wood stringers are great for thier flexablity.... Lifetime warranty or hows this to put the wood issue to rest 50 years in business and show me some threads with people having issues with thier SANGERS!

Jeff if you demo all the boats you like and want the Mali then go with it and be proud of of baby, I know we all talk a lot trash but the end result is the same as are the boats unless maybe you are a pro with 50 years experience, so go get her cause we have have the same in common... we love being on the water

So this is the only thing Sanger haters have to knock is wood. How can you knock it if they can give you the same waranty as if it had none at all. Do you know the benifits of wood. The ony draw back is if it gets moisture, 50 years and growing must have that issue licked. Take a look at Sangers history (just a little) they are one hell of a pioneer in the development of any boat you get towed behind now. The whole ski boat phenom came from the old skooll flat bottom days. Where was mc, supra , malibu, and the rest then. Dosen't take away from the fact that all the boat on todays scene are good if not great but Sanger has been doing it right for along time and you can't dispute that.

Didn't we decide it's Maribu?

For the record Gary and Mike! Sanger has built 400 or so boats for the last 20 years and sold most of them in the state of California. Sanger was, for many years the #1 selling tournament boat sold in the state. Sanger still has more registered boats in California than MC, and CC and very few for sale which validates your theory. This year Sanger will step up production to around 500. We are happy to be in this industry with such great companies as Malibu, MC, and the others. Thanks for the support!

Scott it good to here from you, I want to thank you for the help with my Sanger. I couldn't of asked for a better boat. I hope t see that day cruiser of yours out on the Delta this next spring. Keep up the great service and tell Kit to stop making excuses on the weekend ski trip he is not really working (just geting old). Sanger for life...

I guess this turned around to be a Sanger discussion, but allow me to bring it back to Malibu boats. Have you guys used used the illusion tower? What are the benefits/drawbacks of it? I love the looks of it, but not sure if design is made in spite of functionality.

The tower is extremely sturdy and comes prewired for lights and speakers so you do not have to run the wiring yourself. The only drawback to the tower is that it takes two people and 2 minutes to fold it down. When it is folded down the highest point is about a foot higher than the windshield so it folds pretty low.

I am a fan of the Titan Tower. Titan is solid side to side. Is easy to take down in less than 30 seconds by one person. The Illusion Tower? Just wondering what it looks like with a bimini. Can you reach the rope for length adjustments easily?

The blade looks sick in photos

Hey Gary...Lamborghini makes an EXCELLENT car...but would you tow your boat with it? Probably not. I cant WAIT to get you behind the VLX with full ballast and a wedge, with 4 people and my 600 pounds up front. The wake is taller than your Sanger in the water! See you in January.

Gary wrote: "How can you knock it if they can give you the same warranty as if it had none at all."

I love Sanger boats. Still, Gary, you should know that Sanger's wood warranty is NOT transferable after 2 years. Thus, the wood warranty is generally only good for the original owner. And, the wood warranty only helps with re-sale if the boat is sold quickly.