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Factory Closing??


Kimbro

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Trying to make a deal on a new VTX - was going out this week to test drive one when he got it from another store. Wasn't the one I wanted but it was just to check the ride.

Dealer called me to day and said Malibu had a company meeting and was closing the factory for a couple of weeks and today was the last day to get in an order for a 2008 Malibu. He said originally it was supposed to be the end of the week but they moved it up cause the are slow.

Anyone ever heard of this or am I being hosed??? I wasn't going to be rushed (at least not that much) as we are still working out some of the options and price. So at 5:30pm he said that it was too late today to get the order in but he was pretty sure he could call them tomorrow and get the order in. How can Malibu turn dow a sale (he says)

Should I believe this or is he trying to rush the sale?? :unsure:

Thanks for all the help so far!!

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Trying to make a deal on a new VTX - was going out this week to test drive one when he got it from another store. Wasn't the one I wanted but it was just to check the ride.

Dealer called me to day and said Malibu had a company meeting and was closing the factory for a couple of weeks and today was the last day to get in an order for a 2008 Malibu. He said originally it was supposed to be the end of the week but they moved it up cause the are slow.

Anyone ever heard of this or am I being hosed??? I wasn't going to be rushed (at least not that much) as we are still working out some of the options and price. So at 5:30pm he said that it was too late today to get the order in but he was pretty sure he could call them tomorrow and get the order in. How can Malibu turn dow a sale (he says)

Should I believe this or is he trying to rush the sale?? :unsure:

Thanks for all the help so far!!

Call the factory yourself to confirm the story.

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They close the factory to switch over production from 08 to 09 models. Takes about two weeks then the 09's start coming out.

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The factory does close for the change over (and for vacation for the employees), but even then, there's no way your dealer could place an order for an and get a spray date before the change over. At this point, any custom order that goes into the system is going to be an '09 (unless production is that slow).

It sounds like your dealer is trying to do his best to be honest and help guide you, without being overly pushy.

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get your dealer to call around , I have heard stories of some dealers having like 20 2008s in stock ! Maybe your dealer could just buy one, because some dealers have so many boats in stock .

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I was told TN is re- tooling for the 09's. There's enough stock boats where one could find a good deal.

Have your dealer get hold of a rep if you're looking for something specific.

The plant shutdowns happen on a yearly basis.

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It's really slow right now, it might be possible to still get a spray date for an '08. If what I've been hearing is true, I wouldn't be surprised at all.

What is a spray date?

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spray date is the start of production on a new boat. spray referes to the gecoat being sprayed and the hull pulled from the mold.

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Well they must be really slow (business wise) because I finalized my order (for my spankin' new VTX) yesterday and was told today that it has already been sprayed and has a competion date of June 16!!!!! Clap.gifYahoo.gif

Thanks everyone for the info you've given in the past week!!

By the way - I ordered it without a stereo system and the guys over at wetsounds were in contact with my stereo installer and were absolutely wonderful in designing a system for my boat!! It's gonna crank!!!!!!!!!!

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Kimbro,

Congrats on the new Malibu!!! I bet you can't wait.

Did you find out whether it's a 08 or a 09?

From what i know Malibu is all done with 08 production but I was curious.

Thanks!

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Just picked up my new 07 VTX, and was talking to the dealer and he said the Tenn. plant had only a few orders left for 08 to fill, so they were going to close the plant for the change over to the 09 model. New model year and the price goes up a little more.

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spray date is the start of production on a new boat. spray referes to the gecoat being sprayed and the hull pulled from the mold.

I took the Merced, CA tour and I'm pretty sure the spray date is just for spraying the gel coat (paint colors). They wax up the mold, then spray your paint colors on the inside of the waxed mold, let dry for a day or two (maybe even bake it--can't remember), then they apply the fiberglass cloth and resin overtop of the paint, let harded, and then pull the fiberglass hull from the mold. Because the mold was waxed, the paint adheres to the fiberglass. In other words, when they pull your hardened hull out of the mold, it is already painted. There are several days between spraying the gel coat paint into the mold and when they pull the fiberglass hull out of the mold.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would recommend it to anyone. I was visiting my inlaws over Thanksgiving in the Bay Area last year and decide to take the 2 hour drive out to Merced for the tour. My only regret is that I didn't know Calabria and Centurion (and I think one other) were also in Merced. I would have taken all three tours so I could compare. Maybe this year I'll redo the trip.

-Cory

Edited by Cory
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Yes, that's correct. The spray date is the first day of production, since it's the first thing done (short of taping off the molds, etc) to physically build the boat.

Peter

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So you're saying that the spray date is the start of production on a new boat.

And it's a sight to behold...and fumes to choke on....and the start of a 7-10 day journey for the boat.

To an earlier poster, not to bust your chops, but it's not paint, it's gelcoat. Don't try to fix scuffs with paint!

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