'08 VTX, pricing, hull

[techimo]

I'm looking at a 2008 Malibu VTX. I test drove one today with the wake hull - really great boat, threw a great wave for wakesurfing, but, a couple questions:

I asked about the Diamond Cut hull option, and the dealer sort of shrugged and said it really doesn't make a difference, and mumbled something about it being available on the vride only and not on the VTX but I knew that was BS. I've read lots of articles that said the diamond cut makes the VTX a great boat for both skiing and wakeboarding, and I plan to do quite a bit of recreational skiing. Is the diamond cut hull available on the VTX and does it make a big difference in smoothing the wake for skiing? Should I not even be looking at the VTX as a recreational crossover/ski/wakeboard/wakesurfing boat and should instead be looking at the Sunscape 20LSV or something like that?

Price: he's quoting me $50,800 for the boat, trailer, tower, bimini, standard 4 speaker sound/cd player. Any idea how much negotiating room I have there? I'm in Northern California.

Edited August 1, 2008 by techimo

[BrianVTX]

I'm looking at a 2008 Malibu VTX. I test drove one today - really great boat, but, a couple questions:

I asked about the Diamond Cut hull option, and the dealer sort of shrugged and said it really doesn't make a difference, and mumbled something about it being available on the vride only. I've read lots of articles that said the diamond cut makes the VTX a great boat for both skiing and wakeboarding, and I plan to do quite a bit of recreational skiing. Is the diamond cut hull available on the VTX and does it make a big difference in smoothing the wake for skiing? Should I not even be looking at the VTX as a recreational crossover/ski/wakeboard/wakesurfing boat and should instead be looking at the Sunscape 20LSV or something like that?

Price: he's quoting me $50,800 for the boat, trailer, tower, bimini, standard 4 speaker sound/cd player. Any idea how much negotiating room I have there?

I purchased an 2007 VTX with the Cut Diamond Hull last year with the 340 monsoon engine and love it. We ski in the early morning and wakeboard/wakesurf when the traffic picks up. Bottom line is the boat is great to ski behind and overall a great crossover boat. I highly recommend it.

[WakeGirl]

I'm looking at a 2008 Malibu VTX. I test drove one today with the wake hull - really great boat, threw a great wave for wakesurfing, but, a couple questions:

I asked about the Diamond Cut hull option, and the dealer sort of shrugged and said it really doesn't make a difference, and mumbled something about it being available on the vride only and not on the VTX but I knew that was BS. I've read lots of articles that said the diamond cut makes the VTX a great boat for both skiing and wakeboarding, and I plan to do quite a bit of recreational skiing. Is the diamond cut hull available on the VTX and does it make a big difference in smoothing the wake for skiing? Should I not even be looking at the VTX as a recreational crossover/ski/wakeboard/wakesurfing boat and should instead be looking at the Sunscape 20LSV or something like that?

Price: he's quoting me $50,800 for the boat, trailer, tower, bimini, standard 4 speaker sound/cd player. Any idea how much negotiating room I have there? I'm in Northern California.

Your dealer either wants to sell you that boat, or he doesn't know what he's talking about. The cut diamond hull is available on that boat as a no-cost option, & if you search around a bit you'll find that the skiers here that have experience with it find it to be very good at what it was designed for.

[techimo]

Your dealer either wants to sell you that boat, or he doesn't know what he's talking about. The cut diamond hull is available on that boat as a no-cost option, & if you search around a bit you'll find that the skiers here that have experience with it find it to be very good at what it was designed for.

Hmm well there seems to be a bit of a debate about the hull in another thread. So maybe sub 30mph it doesn't matter? Most people will probably not be skiing above 30mph with my boat.

Any thoughts on the $50,800 price?

[WakeGirl]

Your dealer either wants to sell you that boat, or he doesn't know what he's talking about. The cut diamond hull is available on that boat as a no-cost option, & if you search around a bit you'll find that the skiers here that have experience with it find it to be very good at what it was designed for.

Hmm well there seems to be a bit of a debate about the hull in another thread. So maybe sub 30mph it doesn't matter? Most people will probably not be skiing above 30mph with my boat.

Any thoughts on the $50,800 price?

Possibly not as much, it's a vdrive after all. Still, to tell you that it's available only on the V-Ride....argh.

Engine? Power Wedge?

[MalibuTime]

I'm looking at a 2008 Malibu VTX. I test drove one today with the wake hull - really great boat, threw a great wave for wakesurfing, but, a couple questions:

I asked about the Diamond Cut hull option, and the dealer sort of shrugged and said it really doesn't make a difference, and mumbled something about it being available on the vride only and not on the VTX but I knew that was BS. I've read lots of articles that said the diamond cut makes the VTX a great boat for both skiing and wakeboarding, and I plan to do quite a bit of recreational skiing. Is the diamond cut hull available on the VTX and does it make a big difference in smoothing the wake for skiing? Should I not even be looking at the VTX as a recreational crossover/ski/wakeboard/wakesurfing boat and should instead be looking at the Sunscape 20LSV or something like that?

Price: he's quoting me $50,800 for the boat, trailer, tower, bimini, standard 4 speaker sound/cd player. Any idea how much negotiating room I have there? I'm in Northern California.

The wake hull skis very nice. Below 30, it won't be making much difference anyhow. The price doesn't sound too bad, but all is relative. What options? bow ballast, power wedge, 340/HH, tandem trailer, swing away tongue, spare, heated drives seat, w/c shaft seal, billet g/b, racks, etc etc. It all adds up,quickly I might add, so depending on how loaded, 50800 might be an ok or really good price.

Edited August 1, 2008 by TheBlackPearl

[techimo]

The wake hull skis very nice. Below 30, it won't be making much difference anyhow. The price doesn't sound too bad, but all is relative. What options? bow ballast, power wedge, 340/HH, tandem trailer, swing away tongue, spare, heated drives seat, w/c shaft seal, billet g/b, racks, etc etc. It all adds up,quickly I might add, so depending on how loaded, 50800 might be an ok or really good price.

I believe it's the 340HP monsoon but I'll have to double check.

Manual Wedge. Tandem trailer, swing away tongue.

No heated seat.

I'm new to boating so I don't know what: w/c shaft seal, billet g/b are.

Yes racks. Yes tower. No to bow ballast I believe, just standard L/C/R ballast.

Any way to know how much the dealer paid for the boat, i.e. invoice price? Dealers must be hurting for customers these days.

Edited August 1, 2008 by techimo

[antonio865309]

yup,

the whole boating world is hurting...as of sales and gas at least

[MalibuTime]

The wake hull skis very nice. Below 30, it won't be making much difference anyhow. The price doesn't sound too bad, but all is relative. What options? bow ballast, power wedge, 340/HH, tandem trailer, swing away tongue, spare, heated drives seat, w/c shaft seal, billet g/b, racks, etc etc. It all adds up,quickly I might add, so depending on how loaded, 50800 might be an ok or really good price.

I believe it's the 340HP monsoon but I'll have to double check.

Manual Wedge. Tandem trailer, swing away tongue.

No heated seat.

I'm new to boating so I don't know what: w/c shaft seal, billet g/b are.

Yes racks. Yes tower. No to bow ballast I believe, just standard L/C/R ballast.

Any way to know how much the dealer paid for the boat, i.e. invoice price? Dealers must be hurting for customers these days.

Look at the malibu website and you will see what all of the factory available options are.

Billet g/b is billet aluminum glove box door, w/c is water cooled shaft seal.

With the 340 that sounds like its a good deal, but the best deal is one you are comfortable with. At that price you are certainly not getting shafted. The only way to know the invoice price is if the dealer or malibu tells you. There is unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) not an Edmunds.com for boats.

[Brodie]

The dealer here in MN orders all their VTX's with the Diamond hull. They told me that the wake hull is only marginally better for boarding/surfing, yet the slalom wake on the Diamond is a lot better. I will probably end up with a VTX diamond in a year or 2

Edited August 1, 2008 by Brodie

[Arctic Slalom]

The dealer here in MN orders all their VTX's with the Diamond hull. They told me that the wake hull is only marginally better for boarding/surfing, yet the slalom wake on the Diamond is a lot better. I will probably end up with a VTX diamond in a year or 2

ya, looks like minnesota inboard has a few vtx's sitting round (3). i like the one with the beige accents. bet you could make a deal on one of those.....looks like they have over a dozen 08's on the floor. looks like they even have a few of the 20' LSV's.

let me know when you 'pull the trigger' and i'll take that 'classic' LXi off yer hands!

[Sidro]

The dealer here in MN orders all their VTX's with the Diamond hull. They told me that the wake hull is only marginally better for boarding/surfing, yet the slalom wake on the Diamond is a lot better. I will probably end up with a VTX diamond in a year or 2

ya, looks like minnesota inboard has a few vtx's sitting round (3). i like the one with the beige accents. bet you could make a deal on one of those.....looks like they have over a dozen 08's on the floor. looks like they even have a few of the 20' LSV's.

let me know when you 'pull the trigger' and i'll take that 'classic' LXi off yer hands!

I think you should try to negotiate. Dealers are getting desperate. I have a friend who is looking to get into an 08 VLX, 340 monsoon, soundpack 1, bimini, shower, heaters, power wedge, transon underwater lights, docking lights, pretty much everything for 53k.

[johnsvt]

The wake hull skis very nice. Below 30, it won't be making much difference anyhow. The price doesn't sound too bad, but all is relative. What options? bow ballast, power wedge, 340/HH, tandem trailer, swing away tongue, spare, heated drives seat, w/c shaft seal, billet g/b, racks, etc etc. It all adds up,quickly I might add, so depending on how loaded, 50800 might be an ok or really good price.

I believe it's the 340HP monsoon but I'll have to double check.

Manual Wedge. Tandem trailer, swing away tongue.

No heated seat.

I'm new to boating so I don't know what: w/c shaft seal, billet g/b are.

Yes racks. Yes tower. No to bow ballast I believe, just standard L/C/R ballast.

Any way to know how much the dealer paid for the boat, i.e. invoice price? Dealers must be hurting for customers these days.

Dealers may be struggling and margins are getting smaller. However they are allowed to make some money...or not.

[CRASH]

The wake hull skis very nice. Below 30, it won't be making much difference anyhow. The price doesn't sound too bad, but all is relative. What options? bow ballast, power wedge, 340/HH, tandem trailer, swing away tongue, spare, heated drives seat, w/c shaft seal, billet g/b, racks, etc etc. It all adds up,quickly I might add, so depending on how loaded, 50800 might be an ok or really good price.

I believe it's the 340HP monsoon but I'll have to double check.

Manual Wedge. Tandem trailer, swing away tongue.

No heated seat.

I'm new to boating so I don't know what: w/c shaft seal, billet g/b are.

Yes racks. Yes tower. No to bow ballast I believe, just standard L/C/R ballast.

Any way to know how much the dealer paid for the boat, i.e. invoice price? Dealers must be hurting for customers these days.

Dealers may be struggling and margins are getting smaller. However they are allowed to make some money...or not.

try oasis up in redding they have a great selection

[techimo]

try oasis up in redding they have a great selection

I'll contact them, but their new inventory page is quoting $70,000 for the VTX. Another dealer in Washington won't budge off of $65,000.

[ffdawg]

The dealer here in MN orders all their VTX's with the Diamond hull. They told me that the wake hull is only marginally better for boarding/surfing, yet the slalom wake on the Diamond is a lot better. I will probably end up with a VTX diamond in a year or 2

Lets organize a group buy!!

Edited August 2, 2008 by ffdawg