prospective buyer, need advice!

[briankwi]

Hi all

Looking to buy a used Malibu - stay under $50K

Owned a Hurricane Deck Boat for the past 5 years and used it to ski, tube, poke around the lake, etc.

I've been skiing for years, Kids are now teens and getting into skiing, WB, surfing, etc.

We have a lot of guests who spend time on the lake with us, loved the room the Hurricane had for seating

QUESTIONS:

1) Which model to buy?  

2) Best way to purchase a used boat (do it myself, work with a dealer, work with someone who can help me buy, etc. - not sure if there is such a thing)

3) In the event I "find" an out of state boat, how do you know what you're getting? Never done that before and not sure if it's a good idea / bad idea

4) What other questions should I be asking / did I miss?

THanks!

[BadgerBoater55]

Welcome to the Crew! You are in the right spot for your questions to be answered. 

-Where are you located?  That will help people find boat listings for you.

-How big is your crew usually? (you say a "lot" of guests... how many is a lot?)

Those will be key questions to have answers for when starting the search!

Best of luck.

[Bill_AirJunky]

If your not familiar with what your shopping for, I think I'd ask a mechanic to look at anything your serious about buying. Test drive a few & decide what you want, can live without, etc. When you do a test drive, run all the accessories, make sure everything is working. Drive it like you would any day on the lake.... within reason, be respectful too.  Any limitations on what weight you can tow? Where your parking it? Boat slip size?

When I was shoppng for boats, I ended up buying about 500 miles away. I had a friend who lived nearby go look at it, take some cell phone pics of it & give me his 2 cents. So when it came to negotiation with the seller, I had some requests for things that I wanted fixed. He knew I was coming & had cash. So he hopped to it & got some things done to clinch it.

Good luck!

Edited April 2, 2017 by Bill_AirJunky

[briankwi]

Live in WI.  Most we'd every have on the boat would be 7-8 I'd think

[DAI]

6 minutes ago, briankwi said:

Live in WI.  Most we'd every have on the boat would be 7-8 I'd think

Welcome . . . Where in WI?  I'm down in SE (Kenosha County).

One thing to keep in mind is service if you are doing it yourself.  Buying from the dealer has a few perks, such as the inspection and usually better service wait times if you buy from them.  But you'll likely pay a bit of a premium from a dealer.  If willing to do service yourself, or not going to a dealer for it, be sure to do a lake test and run through it like you would on a normal day on the lake.  Listen for any weird noises and make sure all the electronics are working.

[briankwi]

In Milwaukee area but boat would be used and services in Eagle River area.  I have zero mechanical skills so dealer it is for service!

[DAI]

Is there still a Malibu dealer up there still?  I thought Plowmans lost Malibu a couple years back?

Like you I wakeboarded behind a Hurricane prior to getting the Malibu . . . . Huge upgrade!

[jwl019]

I am about 13.5 hrs away so my 2010 VLX may not be feasible for you but definitely take a look at a Malibu VLX or LSV.  Both are really nice and you should be able to find a 2010 at the top of your budget, so you can work down from there.

[onwi]

Plowman's doesn't sell Malibu anymore.  Island City in Cumberland and American in Shawno are the closest IMO.  I bought my boat at Island City, FYI, but with the budget I'd keep my eyes on anything used from any of the dealers or any private party.  It's pretty rare for any of the dealers around here to have a good used selection at that price range.

 

[onwi]

Would you keep the boat in MKE and trailer to the cabin or leave it in Eagle River?  If you keep it local I would fully recommend using Tinus for service.  Like any dealer they will have delays in the summer but I didn't buy there and they treat me like I did.  Don't know anything about the service depts. at the other Wisconsin dealers.

[braindamage]

Welcome to the 'crew!!

I live 40 miles West of Milwaukee in oconomowoc. Tinus is a good dealer and does all the work I don't do myself. 

Leverage the 'crew about checking out remote boats. I drove 12 hrs each way for my 'bu and it worked out great!

the real questions that will dictate what model will be the # of people typically out on any given day and whether ski or surf is more important. 

we love to spend other people's money so let us know what are your priorities and we'll help find you a boat!!

Edited April 3, 2017 by braindamage

[AJwakedevil]

27 minutes ago, braindamage said:

we love to spend other people's money so let us know what are your priorities and we'll help find you a boat!!

But for real, it's a good way to pass time. With 7-8 ppl any model will fit you. But coming from the huge, open seating of the hurricane you might find as you demo boats you want more room? The 247 LSV is a very roomy boat and performs very well. Its tow weight is up there so your drive to the lake. tow vehicle and boat lift are all things to keep in mind.

[braindamage]

3 hours ago, AJwakedevil said:

But for real, it's a good way to pass time. With 7-8 ppl any model will fit you. But coming from the huge, open seating of the hurricane you might find as you demo boats you want more room? The 247 LSV is a very roomy boat and performs very well. Its tow weight is up there so your drive to the lake. tow vehicle and boat lift are all things to keep in mind.

Agreed.  the roominess of the deck boat will feel significantly larger to what you get with v-drive. A larger boat will help. Definitely don't go for a direct drive if this is a major point of consideration.

[Woodski]

@briankwi:  1.  On the specific model you are going to focus on, given your list of activities & loading of the boat, those may very well be a bit counter to each other.  If you and the gang may get or are somewhat serious about skiing, you will steer towards the smaller end of the Malibu lineup which means the gang will hang out in close proximity while on the boat. The lineup is very broad and diverse so I suggest you put together a well thought out list of needs / wants / compromises / budget as a starting point to help you focus on the models that will work.  Hopefully, there is a boat show near that you have an opportunity to check out and see a wide array of choices at one time.

2.  Do you have some boating friends, particularly one that is mechanically inclined, that would be an excellent resource.  Perhaps your post will connect you with another knowledgeable crew member that can assist.   

3.  Out of state find, again, this site offers world wide membership and you may stumble on a boat near a Crew member who is willing to go check a boat for you.   

4.  You can't ask too many questions and there will be some that fall in to a specific model issue.  There are a few boat websites / what used to be magazine sites that have experts that post articles on specific questions and you will get plenty of feedback from Crew members also in this thread since you asked.  Maintenance, physical condition and repair questions will be dominant followed by anything specific you see from pictures or in person.  Also, what is included with the boat.

Good luck and happy hunting. Malibu makes a great boat which will provide hours of family fun.

[Shaun187]

LSV 23 sounds like a good choice.