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Is this a good buy? 98' VLX..


That Guy

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Got a buddy itching for his first boat....he wants a v-drive and isn't looking to spend more than $20k as he doesn't want to finance.  He sent me this boat which is only a few hours from us.....figured I'd post here on the Crew to get any info I could before we potentially went to drive it/buy it this coming weekend.

http://www.justaddwaterboats.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=1878667&p=2&s=Year&d=D&t=preowned&vt=boat&fr=xPreOwnedInventory

Looks pretty clean, possibly some questionable minor interior issues.  We both like the color scheme and the platform looks great.  900 hours on it though...is it likely he'll need to budget for a rebuild sooner than later?  He mainly wants to just get out on the water, but has wakeboarded/surfed behind my boat so I'm sure he'd like the potential of doing that with this boat at some point.  I'm not sure he would go full tilt and add a tower/speakers/racks etc but definitely possible I guess.   If that's at all something he's interested in should be stick with boats that already have a tower, or that isn't a big deal to add after the fact?

TIA

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19 minutes ago, shawndoggy said:

old dash, no perfect pass, no ballast, no tower.  And lots of hours.  I'm not saying it's not worth asking, but it wouldn't be to me.

Exactly the info I'm looking for.  This will be a first boat for him and neither of us are old enough to know these boats new so I appreciate the response.  I figured the ballast thing didn't really matter, anything in this price range likely needs a complete overhaul of that system anyways and it'd probably be easier to start fresh than to rip out old first.  Hell on my brand new boat I had to modify/add to the PNP system....it's a shame.  Perfect pass I think is a must and I'm not sure what his thoughts are on a tower.  But I agree....may be smart to keep looking.... I just saw a v-drive Malibu for $15k and thought wow, doesn't seem half bad.

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6 minutes ago, That Guy said:

Got a buddy itching for his first boat....he wants a v-drive and isn't looking to spend more than $20k as he doesn't want to finance.  He sent me this boat which is only a few hours from us.....figured I'd post here on the Crew to get any info I could before we potentially went to drive it/buy it this coming weekend.

http://www.justaddwaterboats.com/default.asp?page=xPreOwnedInventoryDetail&id=1878667&p=2&s=Year&d=D&t=preowned&vt=boat&fr=xPreOwnedInventory

Looks pretty clean, possibly some questionable minor interior issues.  We both like the color scheme and the platform looks great.  900 hours on it though...is it likely he'll need to budget for a rebuild sooner than later?  He mainly wants to just get out on the water, but has wakeboarded/surfed behind my boat so I'm sure he'd like the potential of doing that with this boat at some point.  I'm not sure he would go full tilt and add a tower/speakers/racks etc but definitely possible I guess.   If that's at all something he's interested in should be stick with boats that already have a tower, or that isn't a big deal to add after the fact?

TIA

It looks super clean. 900 hours isn't really a ton for a 1998. If you think about a car engine, if you have an hour commute to work and an hour back everyday its just over a year of run time. For what he wants to do with it (wakeboard and surf) its not the best boat. No cruise control, tower, or ballast like shawndoggy said. For the money that your going to have to put in it to make it a surf/wakeboard ready boat plus the chance that it could need a rebuilt, I personally don't think its worth it.  Even if you do see the value in putting the money for a ballast system and cruise control and a tower, look at how low the boat sits in the water. There is not a lot of room between the platform and the engine hatch level and the boat is designed to sit even lower than that in the front. There is only so much ballast that you can put in it before your in fear of sinking. Just something to think about.  

http://www.onlyinboards.com/1996-Malibu-Sunsetter-VLX-for-sale-Madison-Connecticut-52364.aspx

http://www.onlyinboards.com/2000-Mastercraft-Prostar-205-for-sale-Kalispell-Montana-59359.aspx

http://www.onlyinboards.com/2000-Nautique-Boats-Air-Nautique-for-sale-Draper-Utah-60000.aspx

http://www.onlyinboards.com/2001-Correct-Craft-Sport-Nautique-for-sale-Houston-Texas-58862.aspx

Just did a quick search for boats under 20k. I think that these are much better options than the one that your buddy found. Just my opinion on a starter boat.

Hope this helps

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29 minutes ago, That Guy said:

 wow, doesn't seem half bad.

And it's not. At all. Check out what it will take to repair the hatch cover and anything else that is wrong, and go through the mechanicals thoroughly. PP is $1200, tower is $2000-3000 for a great one (Roswell or Samson), much less for something like the Monster MTK, which might fit a build like this better. BTW I'd think of it as a 'build' with an all-in budget and bring all these issues up to the buyer and seller and see if there's room to move.

The first boat @blytle473 linked has a dated (but solid) tower and PP, but it's more money, and will cost you some more in logistics to get it home. The rest are DD boats.

Always nice to deal local and get hands on much more easily.

Edited by jk13
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Gull Lake Marine in Michigan has a '01 VLX and Skiers Pier has 2 '01 VLX's.  One of them has a tower.  And yes I know all the discussions about Skiers.

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It's not a horrible deal, but you can get an early 2000's VLX with tower and MLS for $20k if you're patient. I don't know about your market, so you may have to be willing to travel to get everything that fits your needs. 

Here's one in Nashville that's ready to wakeboard/cruise, but doesn't have a trailer... http://nashville.craigslist.org/boa/5763438640.html

Here's one in Knoxville with not much of a description or pics... http://knoxville.craigslist.org/boa/5735319588.html

Unless your friend is an advanced/expert wakeboarder, the sv23 hull will provide a more than adequate wakeboarding wake even without any stock ballast or wedge. You will need lots of aftermarket ballast to surf it, so keep that in mind. 

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Is he into wakeboarding/surfing? Your original post seems to say he just wants to get out on the water and has a budget of 20k. To me that screams i/o. But if he specifically wants surf, he should stretch his budget (has plenty of time this off season) and pick up an early 2000s Wakesetter. That way he just has to add bags (wakemakers tank buster kit) and won't have to worry about completely plumbing in a ballast system.

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11 hours ago, shawndoggy said:

old dash, no perfect pass, no ballast, no tower.  And lots of hours.  I'm not saying it's not worth asking, but it wouldn't be to me.

I agree with all the above except the hours wouldn't worry me too much.  Don't forget the 1-piece hatch everyone seems to hate, dash needs some minor gel work, needs a bit of vinyl work, and snaps on the top of the hull. 

OP:  You mentioned he wants to surf/wakeboard.  For surfing this hull, you need a wedge for push...if you can find a used setup, $500-600, otherwise $1200 new.  You kind of need a tower if you get into it - less for towing and more for simply board storage.  Vinyl could use some repairs.  A low option boat like this is probably rocking a stock 381 prop, so there is another $500 necessary upgrade.

 

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i would wait for a boat with perfect pass, tower, etc.  once he gets it and the new boat smell wears off, he'll wish he spent an extra 3-5k on a boat with everything already on it.  buying a new tower, new PP, yadda yadda adds up real quick.

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Price is okay, I paid quite a bit less than that for mine with 580 hours on it but the guy needed to offload it. We surf behind it without filling the 3 fat sacks mine came with and no wedge. The deals are out there, just have to be patient. 

boat1

 

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Appreciate all the info guys.....I'm sure he'd be ok with an I/O but he prefers the looks of the inboards as well as likes that the prop/engine is inside/under the boat vs hanging off the back.  I don't think he plans to surf regularly, or even at all to start.  And his wakeboarding skill is just enough to cross back and forth over the wake.  He wants to be able to take his family out on the water, relax, pull his kid on the kneeboard and/or some tubes.  It may progress past that in the coming years as he gets more comfortable being on a boat and his kids grow up but beyond getting out on my boat a couple times a year he doesn't have any boating experience.

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I'm gonna get flamed here, but why would you not steer him towards and i/o? If he isn't gonna surf and has you as a friend for when he does... an i/o will be so much easier for someone with no boating experience around the dock, that it just might keep him in the sport. 

Plus he gets a lot more boat for the money...

Edited by Pnwrider
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22 hours ago, Pnwrider said:

I'm gonna get flamed here, but why would you not steer him towards and i/o? If he isn't gonna surf and has you as a friend for when he does... an i/o will be so much easier for someone with no boating experience around the dock, that it just might keep him in the sport. 

Plus he gets a lot more boat for the money...

X2.  An I/O sounds to me like it would be a much better fit.

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On ‎9‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 10:54 AM, BlindSquirrel said:

Price is okay, I paid quite a bit less than that for mine with 580 hours on it but the guy needed to offload it. We surf behind it without filling the 3 fat sacks mine came with and no wedge. The deals are out there, just have to be patient. 

I am calling BS.  There is no way in hell you are surfing a SV23 with no ballast/wedge.  Video or I am standing by my comment of total, utter BS. 

 

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My 14 year old son can go ropeless on 2012 TXI and a 98 Echelon with no ballast or wedge and just me sitting in the back.  Now, he can't do much but stick right behind the boat in the "sweet spot" but he gets it done, so I would think his scenario is plausible.   Depends on the level of surfing I'd say.

  • Like 1
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On 9/12/2016 at 8:03 PM, Nitrousbird said:

I am calling BS.  There is no way in hell you are surfing a SV23 with no ballast/wedge.  Video or I am standing by my comment of total, utter BS. 

 

Surfing does take some skill, that might be why you can't surf behind one? I don't know, I assume that's why your so passionate about it. But I'm your huckleberry, I'm heading to the lake this weekend and will take a video for you. 

Edited by BlindSquirrel
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59 minutes ago, BlindSquirrel said:

Surfing does take some skill, that might be why you can't surf behind one? I don't know, I assume that's why your so passionate about it. But I'm your huckleberry, I'm heading to the lake this weekend and will take a video for you. 

I have this hull and surf multiple times per week.  Let's see a video of your weightless surfing.  

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On September 8, 2016 at 6:57 PM, That Guy said:

Exactly the info I'm looking for.  This will be a first boat for him and neither of us are old enough to know these boats new so I appreciate the response.  I figured the ballast thing didn't really matter, anything in this price range likely needs a complete overhaul of that system anyways and it'd probably be easier to start fresh than to rip out old first.  Hell on my brand new boat I had to modify/add to the PNP system....it's a shame.  Perfect pass I think is a must and I'm not sure what his thoughts are on a tower.  But I agree....may be smart to keep looking.... I just saw a v-drive Malibu for $15k and thought wow, doesn't seem half bad.

Over the winter there will be 05 (V25 hull) VLX's to be had like mine under 30k. He should save up and/or finance 5-8k of it and get the newer hull. VLX V25 hull starts in 05. 06 had the power wedge available and a nicer dash. It will be 2x roomier and better at surfing than anything 04 and before. (ok not 2x, but he will be selling that 98 real soon and spending just 5-10 more to get a boat that will last a long time and surf pretty well).

Not flaming on the SV23 hulled VLX's but after riding in both I really think it's worth the extra investment and the delta is only 20-25%

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@Nitrousbird Here you go... My wife ~110 lbs (driving and taking the vid) and my ~30 lb 4 year old are in the boat. No wedge and no fat sacs. Yes, when I fill the sacs it makes a better wave... but to say it can't be done with out either of those is not true.

 

 

  • Like 2
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On 9/13/2016 at 3:16 PM, Nitrousbird said:

I have this hull and surf multiple times per week.  Let's see a video of your weightless surfing.  

Here is one with one sac filled on the drivers side. Still no wedge. Sorry to thread jack ya op.

 

Edited by BlindSquirrel
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