Estimating value of used boat

[sv3854]

Just to let you know, a loaded 04 VLX wasn't going for 60k....no where close to that so the 20k depreciation in 2 years just isn't right. Since the price of boats and the material to build them has sky rocketed in the last two years, yeah maybe the MSRP of a 2006 VLX FULLY LOADED could be nearing 60k (before negotiations) but I doubt that an 04 was 60k

Agreed!! Remember the new VLX is much bigger and the prices have sky rocketed for new ones. I know that boat in '03 could be had for around $40K with those options and probably a little more in '04.......depending on the season.

Edited February 25, 2006 by sv3854

[jcbatt]

Resale on the boats is very good EXCEPT on stereo options. You'll never get good resale value on those items. On the base boats though, my experience has been that they hold their value extremely well. Put it this way - assuming you put on 200 hours per year, 2 years from now, a 400 hour 2006 v-Ride is definitly going to be worth more than a 1050 hour 2004 VLX.

[Lakenut]

Put it this way - assuming you put on 200 hours per year, 2 years from now, a 400 hour 2006 v-Ride is definitly going to be worth more than a 1050 hour 2004 VLX.

I agree. Plus if you pay similar prices you still have a lot of hours of life left in the VRide vs. not many more in the VLX (at least before most people think the little problems start popping up).

However, the V-Ride will always be a V-Ride while a VLX will always be a VLX.

This is true. However, unless your focus is on prestige what difference does it make? Both boats are mechanically equal. Same hull, same engine options, etc...There are a few cosmetic differneces that most non-bu owners would never notice.

Either way you go, isn't it a great problem to have?

[jklein]

If you can get a really good deal on the VLX, I would do that over the V-Ride just for the fact that you will dump money into the V-Ride for all the extras like a stereo (2500), board racks (600), cover, trailer?, etc., plus get hit with the depreciation.

A good deal on that VLX would be around 35K. The seller has to deal with the fact that it has high hours, you don't get the money out of the stereo you put into it, and the hull design has changed, making the old hull design less desireable. In addition, the seller has to deal with the fact that you can go get a V-Ride which is essentially the same boat for less. Malibu segmented their market into mid-range and high end when they changed the hull. All those VLX owners get pinched as a result. All of those things are in your favor as a buyer.

[dlb]

If I were you I would buy a low hours boat. They are out there you just have to look around. Whether you keep your boat a long time or a short time you will have better value at the time of sale.

Those 600+ hours on a two year old boat would make me search high and low for a boat with lower hours. There are people who flip their boats every 2-3 years and only have +/- 180-200 hours on them at the time of sale. Many are very well taken care of.

Forget the bling stuff, more is not better. To each their own. Outfit the boat the way you want.