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Old     (wakerider42)      Join Date: May 2002       12-21-2010, 11:26 AM Reply   
My wife and I are leaving the area, so we need to get rid of our 2002 Malibu VLX. There hasn't been a lot of activity on our ads, and I'm wondering what other's experience has been with selling at different times of the year. Obviously, it's a buyer's market right now, and I completely realize that. I'm not sure though in general, if things are likely to pick up more in the February/March time frame, and maybe we're better off waiting until then? Yes, we need to get rid of the boat, but we also have the option of leaving it in the area and having a friend or family member show the boat while we're not here. At the same time, every month it's not sold is another large boat payment to the bank and the boat is not even getting used...Thoughts?

Thanks,
Danny
Old     (shawndoggy)      Join Date: Nov 2009       12-21-2010, 12:22 PM Reply   
I don't think that that custom tank taking up the whole bow area is helping your resale, nor is the lack of a wedge. First step (IMHO and all that) would be to reinstall the interior in the front and take pics of that. Step 2 would be to add a wedge. I'd think with those two things done the boat is worth $22K+ pretty easily.

All that said, you are priced pretty aggressively for a great boat. I just think you may be scaring people off with that bow tank and no wedge.
Old     (wake_upppp)      Join Date: Nov 2003       12-21-2010, 12:30 PM Reply   
Always better off selling in spring versus winter IMHO
Old     (wakerider42)      Join Date: May 2002       12-21-2010, 1:25 PM Reply   
Shawn: I appreciate your feedback and think you have a very valid point. To me, the tank is super-upgrade of the century because the boat is fully (and perfectly weighted) at the flick of switches. No moving pumps around, monitoring filling, etc. However, I realize that 99.9% of people out there would never choose to run it like that. So essentially, as is, the boat is too wake-specific and not functional i.e. for a family or larger group of friends. For us, it's always been a crew of 3-4 people max, most of the time just my wife and me - don't yell at me, safety people! I can see how people would assume the seats are gone, or messed up, etc. when in actuality they were cleaned and protected and then have been sitting safely underneath my house for the last few years! So, I think after I get back from break, I will put the seats back in there. As for the wedge, I'm a bit hesitant to invest in that kind of expense. I would think it costs somewhere around $1,500 to get installed at the dealer? I'd rather take $1,500 less on the sale price without a wedge than deal with getting it retrofitted. Also, I'd think there is risk in NOT recouping the investment at the time of sale, then it was a waste putting money into something I am trying to get rid of. I don't know, just thinking out loud here.

Sparky: Thanks...any direct experience with spring vs. winter? I've always figured that is true in general, but wondering if that is what people have really experienced.
Old     (elc)      Join Date: Jan 2008       12-21-2010, 1:38 PM Reply   
danny - I had my boat for sale in the same area of the country last year around this time. I had no action from nov - to the new year. Starting the middle of Jan it really picked up and I ended up selling it in Feb. I went from no one contacting me to a few (not counting the peeps from nigeria...lol) a week.

Last year the exchange rate was pretty positive for Australia and Canada - I had a few peeps contact me from there. I actually almost shipped it to Canada. I am not sure if the exchange rate is the same but you may sell it faster if you are prepared to ship it through the port or to Canada.

I would also get rid of the tank taking up the bow - I wouldn't worry too much about the wedge.
Old     (shawndoggy)      Join Date: Nov 2009       12-21-2010, 2:49 PM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakerider42 View Post
Shawn: I appreciate your feedback and think you have a very valid point. To me, the tank is super-upgrade of the century because the boat is fully (and perfectly weighted) at the flick of switches. No moving pumps around, monitoring filling, etc. However, I realize that 99.9% of people out there would never choose to run it like that. So essentially, as is, the boat is too wake-specific and not functional i.e. for a family or larger group of friends. For us, it's always been a crew of 3-4 people max, most of the time just my wife and me - don't yell at me, safety people! I can see how people would assume the seats are gone, or messed up, etc. when in actuality they were cleaned and protected and then have been sitting safely underneath my house for the last few years! So, I think after I get back from break, I will put the seats back in there. As for the wedge, I'm a bit hesitant to invest in that kind of expense. I would think it costs somewhere around $1,500 to get installed at the dealer? I'd rather take $1,500 less on the sale price without a wedge than deal with getting it retrofitted. Also, I'd think there is risk in NOT recouping the investment at the time of sale, then it was a waste putting money into something I am trying to get rid of. I don't know, just thinking out loud here.

Sparky: Thanks...any direct experience with spring vs. winter? I've always figured that is true in general, but wondering if that is what people have really experienced.
have the "same" boat (06 vride), and I don't doubt that with the weight in front the wake is killer. I know I really like a 400 sack up there. Likewise, I don't use the wedge at all for wakeboarding (though it makes a huge difference for surfing). Wasn't trying to criticize your boat at all, and I understand why you run it that way. But you really narrow your potential buyers with that setup.
Old     (kenteck)      Join Date: Jan 2005       12-21-2010, 3:14 PM Reply   
IMO
Selling your boat this time of the year is pointless really, unless you are selling it at such a low price, I have found that the month of march is the best time to sell a boat and not at full price but a fair price, June, July pretty much full price, another thing I have noticed is that Craigs List obvious is a great place to sell your boat, but repeat ads over and over for months on end isn’t good, I see this boat on CL now that has been advertised since last July, priced like it is still July and he repost it every 4 days, I think that post your boat for sale when it is time and let it roll, no bites the first time, lower the price a hair and repost it again the next week and so on…. It is a buyer’s market, but don’t forget it’s also a fair market value of your item that sells it, you either want to sell it or show it off & store it….
Others are right about taking out the tank & adding the wedge, I think that most people would like to buy something more stock and build it up the way they want (some people) also you might have to just suck it up and make the payments till spring and sell it then to get a somewhat good price for it, I sold my 2006 Moomba in October in 3 days, but also took a 10k drop in price to do it, it’s just all about numbers…………
Old     (jason95gt)      Join Date: May 2006       12-21-2010, 3:49 PM Reply   
This time of year is great for selling boats. Our dealership has sold 3 used boats in the last 2 weeks. Customers are looking for deals but other than that there are buyers.
Old     (nautiquesonly)      Join Date: Sep 2007       12-21-2010, 4:27 PM Reply   
I wouldn't waste your money on the wedge. A lot of people don't use them anyway.
Old     (bill_airjunky)      Join Date: Apr 2002       12-21-2010, 4:46 PM Reply   
Take it with you. I don't understand why you wouldn't entertain that..... unless you just want a new boat. If thats the case, then drop the price & unload it now. boat sales will pick up after the holidays & the boat shows.
Old     (wakerider42)      Join Date: May 2002       12-21-2010, 4:57 PM Reply   
Thanks for all the input, gents! Bill, I would like to take it with me, but "leaving the area" actually means leaving the country (I could have been more clear the first time around...) But yeah, anyway, I have nowhere to store it, won't have time to use it, and the import taxes are retarded! I think I'll just hope it picks up a bit after the new year, and have the tank pulled out. It's just a balance of how long I wait vs. how much $$ wasted paying payments in that time! Regarding the wedge, yeah I never used nor liked a wedge on this era Malibu. The newer wedges, I like better than how this era worked. Just my opinion, I'm sure there are people who swear by them.
Old     (wake_upppp)      Join Date: Nov 2003       12-21-2010, 5:21 PM Reply   
I am on my 4th boat and have always sold or traded in during spring/summer. As far as the wedge, I rode behind an 03 for several winters and we hated the wedge. Made the boat handle like a tank and the times we did use it, it was breaking the studs that hold the foil onto the uprights. Happened like 3 times until we figured out that the bolts Malibu was using were bottoming out just before they would make contact with the foil.
Old     (mikeski)      Join Date: Aug 2003       12-21-2010, 6:24 PM Reply   
1. Pull the tank and sell it to somebody with a similar boat wanting a ballast upgrade, replace it with a 550 sack.
2. Take some good pictures, write a very detailed ad, with some humor, drop the price to your bottom line and advertise the piss out of it everywhere. Even to the point of joining other wakeboat web forums.
3. You won't get a return on your wedge investment, even though the average rider uses it.
Old     (jeff_mn)      Join Date: Jul 2009       12-21-2010, 8:48 PM Reply   
pull the front sack and reinstall front seats, re-list..

**** the wedge, no resale value there and some don't use..

you're too narrowly focused on "core" riders with the front tank.. even a lot of core riders want the space.. sick boat/price..

keep posting it, it'll go..
Old     (talltigeguy)      Join Date: Sep 2003       12-21-2010, 8:55 PM Reply   
There are very few buyers this time of year for private sellers on the net. The ones who are looking, are looking at every single ad on every single site and are only calling the lowest priced ones they can find.

People who don't internet shop for their boats will just walk into a dealer and start shopping there, thus I think jason's comment about having sold a few boats this winter.
Old     (brit_rider)      Join Date: May 2004       12-22-2010, 7:16 AM Reply   
Personally I see that big ballast tank up front as a major turn off.

Not because it takes up the bow but because I now know the boat is run with a stack of ballast on every outing.

I'd ditch it, re-install seats and not mention you're ballast set up at all... People don't want huge ballast systems that are above what is fitted stock on the boat.

Just my 2 cents based on buying/selling boats here in the UK.
Old     (tyler97217)      Join Date: Aug 2004       12-22-2010, 10:59 AM Reply   
I am really surprised noone is saying the hours. I think many of us hardcore boat guys know that hours don't matter on a well cared for boat, but the majority of buyers are not on WakeWorld and hours are a HUGE turnoff to people. Seems like a good boat and good price, but many people will walk away from hours.
Old     (shawndoggy)      Join Date: Nov 2009       12-22-2010, 11:03 AM Reply   
Quote:
Originally Posted by brit_rider View Post
Personally I see that big ballast tank up front as a major turn off.

Not because it takes up the bow but because I now know the boat is run with a stack of ballast on every outing.

I'd ditch it, re-install seats and not mention you're ballast set up at all... People don't want huge ballast systems that are above what is fitted stock on the boat.

Just my 2 cents based on buying/selling boats here in the UK.
Agreed. Same with the rear tanks, really. Even though the wake is better with the bags, that might be a turnoff to a more casual buyer.

And I know the wake is better with the weight, but that's not the point.

Same with the wedge, really. I wasn't suggesting anything about its merits, just saying it's a feature that would help sell the boat.
Old     (polarbill)      Join Date: Jun 2003       12-22-2010, 12:02 PM Reply   
I pretty much agree with everybody here. Ditch the front tank. I wouldn't worry about a wedge at all. It would be better to wait until spring but if you have fairly large boat payments maybe it is worth taking 1000-1500 less now than after 3 or 4 more boat payments. I think your boat looks great but unfortunately yellow isn't the easiest color to sell. The hours are also a turnoff. All that being said your price is ridiculously cheap for that boat and I think that would offset the hours at the very minimum.

As for the ad I would take a bunch of good quality pictures and mention that in any ad. Also anything you can mention about maintanence records or you will pay for a mechanical inspection. Maybe some of that can lessen people's fears of being a high hour boat.
Old     (apwrx)      Join Date: Feb 2008       12-22-2010, 4:47 PM Reply   
Agree with most , get rid of that monster in the bow and i'd say reduce the price as well,Or wait until spring and get what youre asking.
Old     (talltigeguy)      Join Date: Sep 2003       12-22-2010, 9:36 PM Reply   
Agreed, get rid of that ugly tank up there. Only a few people are willing to give up the bow seating, so you put most people out of the market right there.

Please take 5 minutes to put some oil on that teak.
Old     (lionel)      Join Date: Nov 2005       12-25-2010, 9:50 PM Reply   
10 minutes to sand, then oil
Old     (wakerider42)      Join Date: May 2002       01-03-2011, 11:15 AM Reply   
Thanks again, everyone. Lots of good info here and has helped me to realize some things. The boat is definitely solid and a great boat, and I see how minor things (like teak not being freshly sanded/oiled) can make it seem that the boat isn't as nice as it is or maybe even abused which is absolutely not the case - I'm more anal than a lot of guys out there (probably similar to a lot of you guys; no shoes on the vinyl, wipe down after EVERY time being in the water, etc.). Teak is the one thing I've always been lazy about...

Anyway, now, I just need to find the time to make some of the changes mentioned above.

- Danny
Old     (bmartin)      Join Date: Jan 2007       01-03-2011, 1:55 PM Reply   
I sold a boat in less than a week in early Feb so hang in there. The phone should start ringing soon with the buzz boat shows kick. Just be ready to water test which can be a pain this time of year and agree with comments on teak and bow seats.
Old     (mike3500)      Join Date: Jun 2008       01-05-2011, 4:09 PM Reply   
Danny, we're in SoCal, and were able to sell our boat in June 2010. This is after having it posted for 2 years. We were posting it during the winter as well. Calls started about April and May, and then only low ballers. We decided to keep it and enjoy instead of taking a huge hit with the bank/ our credit. All of a sudden, in May 2010 we received two very serious buyers, and were able to unload, and still took a $4,000 hit. We had a 2005 VRide with 220 hours. Very good condition. Sold it for $32,000.

It was posted on boattrader, onlyinboards, WW, and craigslist. Our buyer found us on boattrader, but other than that, the only hits we got were from onlyinboards. Craigslist was a joke. We only received calls from scammers, and people who knew nothing about boating (atleast they seemed to be scammers). From WW, we only received comments like, great boat... if I had the money... All very nice, but no buyers.

You gotta detail everything, and take pictures of everything. I think I had 32 pics to send people. Every angle, close-ups, compartments, seats, racks, tires, wheels, trailer, wake, wake with rider to show size, etc

Good luck, I wish you all the best. I know how frustrating it can be, especially these days.

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