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Local dealer now selling MB's


Malibuswany

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Forgive me if this makes me sound stupid but, My local dealer is now selling MB's is this like a pontiac GMC dealer or is it more like a chevy dealer selling fords. Should I be worried about service, warranty etc for my Bu.

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Just my opinion but I have always thought MB's to be a really nice boat. I have not had any experience with them a dealer in our area also now sells them.

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Forgive me if this makes me sound stupid but, My local dealer is now selling MB's is this like a pontiac GMC dealer or is it more like a chevy dealer selling fords. Should I be worried about service, warranty etc for my Bu.

More like a cadillac dealer selling box vans.

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I would think it has more to do with the people in the dealership than what else they sell besides Malibu. They still get the same support from the manufacturer that they got before they picked up MB, so what would possibly be different about service or warranty?

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I would think it has more to do with the people in the dealership than what else they sell besides Malibu. They still get the same support from the manufacturer that they got before they picked up MB, so what would possibly be different about service or warranty?

I concur,

I don't see what you're worried about.

BTW, I think MB's aren't bad.

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My dealer sells them too. I do not know if they are good or bad, I just know I did not like them as much as the Malibu line, as far as looks and interior comfort. As far as performance, I do not know.

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Blowup.gif Now that's funny

Can't stop laughing.

I don't know anything about MB's or running a dealership. I didn't know if it was good, bad or indifferent to have more than one brand. But I do know the crew would know more than I about it.

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Well MB boats is Mike Brendella.Was one of central Cal.(MERCED)top ski boat designer. Worked for Malibu,Centurin.supra

and his own Ski Brendella. Now MB, please correct me if I am wrong

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My Bro. has a MB it's very nice with exception of a tired paint scheme. And it is strong like a box van because it has pulled my Cadillac of the lake 5 times in the last two years. I guess they just don't build them like they use too.

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Well MB boats is Mike Brendella.Was one of central Cal.(MERCED)top ski boat designer. Worked for Malibu,Centurin.supra

and his own Ski Brendella. Now MB, please correct me if I am wrong

I believe you are correct, sir!

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Yes this is correct.

I looked at a MB 190, very Nice boat. The hull was an old MC hull. Very pricey and small.

Do they still make the MB 190? They always did well back in the day when Waterski Magazine used to rate skiboats. They did look small but looked to me to be pretty nice boats. Anyone ever ski behind one?

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My Bro. has a MB it's very nice with exception of a tired paint scheme. And it is strong like a box van because it has pulled my Cadillac of the lake 5 times in the last two years. I guess they just don't build them like they use too.

Yes kind of like a barbed wire tatoo. Just can't go back once it's done. I don't think they're bad boats by any means just very bland (other than the over the top gel patterns) and the fact that the boats I've seen they fold over the vinyl when stiched. It's very cheasy looking inside. They started to get better in 09' though.

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Do they still make the MB 190? They always did well back in the day when Waterski Magazine used to rate skiboats. They did look small but looked to me to be pretty nice boats. Anyone ever ski behind one?

We had one years back. It's a great skiboat, built on the old '94 Prostar mold. Doesn't handle with a Response, but will more than hold its own with regard to wake quality. Solid boat, good quality, great wakes.

MB in general tends to be more up & down from year to year, & even from model to model with regard to quality control. The Big 3 do a better job of being consistent with both their good points & bad points. MB only sells between 2-300 boats per year, so they are more apt to do one-offs (custom gel or interiors) or try different things on demo or company boats. They don't tend to be terribly innovative as a company, with the only real stretch in the past few years that I can think of being the 2 speed tranny that they tried (not sure where that ever went to be honest). The Tomcat doesn't really qualify IMO since it came out well after the MC pickelforks, & just came off as a copycat boat.

Personally I like the fact that their schemes are real gel coat & not just stickers. It takes real talent to get that right. But you definitely better like it, a lot. :lol:

EDIT: As far as the OP's concerns, I'm not sure that I understand the problem. MB is a niche brand at best. I can't think of an accurate comparison in the car world, maybe the GM dealership selling Pontiacs is as close as I can think of. But that isn't even right IMO.

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I just had not seen any boat dealer other than yachts selling more than one brand of boat. I guess it's just a sign of the times. Makes sense to have a price point and a better boat to choose from that way you don't lose as many customers. Heck maybe they get into the sport cheap enough that down the road they cough up the money for a Bu.

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Here is my MB story.

In the mid 80's I was in a ski tournament in Amarillo, Tx. It was a 2 day event and was being pulled/sponsored by Ski Sanger. The Sanger rep. came over to our campsite the first night and ate fajitas and drank beer until we ran out of stories. The next day before he left he gave me a business card that I shoved in drawer when I got home. About 5 years later I got my Waterski issue with boat reviews and saw a new boat Mfg, Ski Brendella.....I dug out the card and it was Mike Brendell. He was out hoofin for Sanger, I guess picking up something.

I traded in my old MC Powerslot and bought a Ski Brendella Shortline Comp that was a fine boat for about 10 years, just cause I liked the story.

I've always wanted to ask Mike what he was doing working for Sanger, they make a crappy ski boat.

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Anyone ever ski behind one?

My neighbor has one. Out of 40 various boats in the 'hood (Malibu LX's, MasterCraft 197's, Ski Nautique 196's, a Tige and Gekko), the 190 has a wake that ranks near the top of all of them. As WG said it is an old MC hull, with low soft wakes.

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Its your typical old school 3 event boat. Which I love. A friend of mine has one and the wakes are really nice's.

Between 2005 and 2007 I think they make maybe 1 or 2 per year. I would bet they still have the mold laying around and would build you one.

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Do they still make the MB 190? They always did well back in the day when Waterski Magazine used to rate skiboats. They did look small but looked to me to be pretty nice boats. Anyone ever ski behind one?

Last time I talked with Mike Brendell the 190 was not in the line up but could be built by request.

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..... They don't tend to be terribly innovative as a company, with the only real stretch in the past few years that I can think of being the 2 speed tranny that they tried (not sure where that ever went to be honest)....

The MB rep at the Seattle boat show told me that they have gone to using the 2 speed transmission for all of their model line...not sure if he knew what he was talking about (seemed to not know alot about the boats in general), but that is what he mentioned

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I really like the MB TWB (The Wide Body). My only gripes are storage and freeboard, but I could learn to live without them! MB has lowered their prices to Moomba levels around here. They have a pretty slick and innovative pure vert ballast system in the stringers of the boat that can fill up to 2,500 lbs of ballast in 60 seconds. Also, empty in 60 seconds as you get on plane. Let's say you want to surf after your wakeboard run. You surf on the port side, you open the starboard gate to let the water out as you get up on the wakesurf board, it's empty by the time you can let go of the rope and the wave is huge!

Some might ask, what happens if my tanks get stuck full, well as you can see the boat in the video is on the trailer?!?! Another downfall is it's hard to monitor like Maliview can, but we all want the biggest wake right? No ballast for beginners.....

http://www.mbsports.net/accessory_view.asp?accessory=ballast

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I really like the MB TWB (The Wide Body). My only gripes are storage and freeboard, but I could learn to live without them! MB has lowered their prices to Moomba levels around here. They have a pretty slick and innovative pure vert ballast system in the stringers of the boat that can fill up to 2,500 lbs of ballast in 60 seconds. Also, empty in 60 seconds as you get on plane. Let's say you want to surf after your wakeboard run. You surf on the port side, you open the starboard gate to let the water out as you get up on the wakesurf board, it's empty by the time you can let go of the rope and the wave is huge!

Some might ask, what happens if my tanks get stuck full, well as you can see the boat in the video is on the trailer?!?! Another downfall is it's hard to monitor like Maliview can, but we all want the biggest wake right? No ballast for beginners.....

http://www.mbsports.net/accessory_view.asp?accessory=ballast

The ballast system was introduced by Calabria several years back. It is very slick indeed. Maybe they didn't get a patent, but I thought when I was looking at them the dealer mentioned it was patented.

Edited by MalibuTime
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