Buyer Beware! 2003 Malibu VLX - AL

(hayes) · (hayes) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 05-17-2009, 3:18 PM

Just wanted to give a head's up to anyone on here looking to make a purchase on a 2003 Malibu VLX.

To make a long story short, I was told the boat was in excellent with no real issues. I reached a deal with the dealer and told him I would give him $23,000 and would pick up the boat on Sunday (today).

Well, when I arrived and started to check out the boat. I climbed underneath to check out the hull to find that the tracking fins were missing and the holes were patched up with BONDO!!! When I confronted the dealer about this, his reply was "the owner had taken them off and that the boat did not need them". I then stated that the boat did need them and then he replied "he must have bent them on the trailer and took them off".

Why did the dealer not tell me this when I asked of the boat had any interior/exterior issues? I mean, is the boat missing the tracking fins and being bondoed not an issue?

Anyway, anyone considering this boat should be very skeptical and get the facts up front. I do not want anyone wasting 6 hours of their day and a 250 mile drive. Especially, out of state buyers who may buy the boat without inspection.

Here is a link to the boat, it is also posted on boattrader.com.

http://wedoweemarine.com/searchengine/Details.aspx?diid=2106218&bvdid=26724&type=AN&indi d=1&sortCol=Length&sortDir=DESC&Category=Sport%2fS ki+Boat

(colombiansurfer)

From the pictures on the website you can see where they are missing. Do not know if you caught that or not..... Sorry for your troubles, but I would ask more recent photos next time and have them to date stamp them.

(malibuboats4) · (malibuboats4) **Join Date: Sep 2008** 05-17-2009, 4:28 PM

he might as well have taken the prop off and said that it wasnt necessary...

(wstr01) · (wstr01) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 05-17-2009, 5:34 PM

Fins???? We don't need no stinking fins!!!!

(h2oproaccessories)

If i'm not mistaken..... fins are only to help track straighter. It is crapy how they just bondo the holes....

(cbk) · (cbk) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 05-17-2009, 6:15 PM

It may be just me, but that boat looks to be in great condition and the price is more than competitive. If all it needs are the tracking fins and everything else is ok, I'd consider spending the $1500 it would take to replace the fins and repair the gel. Seems like a deal, but I know that pictures can be very deceiving.

In the dealers defense judging from the website they don't carry an inboard line so he may not even be aware that it should have fins.

(hayes) · (hayes) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 05-17-2009, 6:28 PM

Team CBK

I thought it looked to be in great condition as well. The pics were extremely deceiving. The gel coat had lots of scratches (down to the substrate) and the chrome was peeling off on the tower and rub rail. The boat looked nothing like the pictures.

(cbk) · (cbk) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 05-17-2009, 7:06 PM

Completely understand...

(chris_b) · (chris_b) **Join Date: Feb 2007** 05-17-2009, 7:54 PM

I am so glad you posted this. I called the dealership about this boat. I was going to put a deposit on it until I could inspect it, but someone beat me to it. The pictures looked great, but I am wondering what else might be wrong with it? I asked them what kind of ballast did it have, and they did not even know what it was or where to find it. I had to tell them it was in the rear two lockers. Good luck, I guess I'll keep shopping around!

(gregtay) · (gregtay) **Join Date: Aug 2008** 05-18-2009, 11:18 AM

ad states "No scags on boat at present. Owner would be willing to install them. Price includes scags." Guessing he means fins.

(2006maliblue) · (2006maliblue) **Join Date: Mar 2009** 05-18-2009, 11:54 AM

Thats new wasn't on original ad, I'm sure the dealer didn't realize this at first and thats why he's now posting the correct info.

(coz) · (coz) **Join Date: May 2008** 05-18-2009, 2:17 PM

First of all, whoever thought bondo would hold submerged is just as fckn stupid as the dealer trying to push the boat. What a joke and I'll bet they'll be victims of the economy because of their own stupidity. This is a malibu dealer or just a boat broker?

(bill_airjunky) · (bill_airjunky) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 05-18-2009, 2:28 PM

Weird. Wonder why the PO removed them. Seems like all you'd have to do is put the boat in the lake & the bondo would soak up the water & fall right off the boat in no time. He must have used something that was a bit more water resistant.

I imagine the reinstall would make it fine. But I'd always wonder what other cheezy stuff the PO did on it. The pics make it look pretty faded to me. Gotta love that sun bleached teak.

Most of the wake boat drivers out there probably never use the fins much. They make the boat track straighter & the boat turn better. Granted a good rider/driver likes to go in a straight line, but they rarely turn (like a slalom course turn). And a lot of them zig zag all over the lake as their pulling their drunk buddies' tubin.

(chris_b) · (chris_b) **Join Date: Feb 2007** 05-18-2009, 6:34 PM

It is not a malibu dealer, just a dealership trying to sell it for a customer. If the previous owner hit something to knock them off, then what else might be damaged and covered up?

(hayes) · (hayes) **Join Date: Aug 2007** 05-18-2009, 6:37 PM

Greg,

He must have just added that today. They called me today to try to tell me the owner would put them back on. I told them no way! I was no longer interested.