New Malibu owner- Are they good?

[Fman]

On 5/11/2018 at 6:00 AM, WaitNoPlsim said:

I’ve heard good and bad things about Malibu boats, but we bought one because they are a far better price than Nautique or Mastercraft (not to mention that every nautiques at my camp last year had a technical problem, and needed to be serviced multiple times)

the marina that we’re buying from is also very good.

 

the bottom line is, are they good boats? Do you like them?

Malibu does make a good product.  I would say many who own them are very satisfied with them.  Nautique and MC also make some very nice boats, really comes down to personal preference, price range and your dealer.  Don't be fooled tho because they all have there issues at times regardless of the brand.  This is why your dealer will become such a huge part or your ownership experience. 

I would say your definitely in good hands, enjoy the new ride and post up some pics!

Welcome to the Malibu crew

[ibelonginprison]

Seriously though, new Malibu's get turned out like candy bars. They have great components and a great boat, but you'll have a laundry list of warranty items the first 20-30 hours. Nothing major, just little things. So take her out, break her in, then keep a running list with photos for anything you want to get fixed, and the dealership will fix 'em for ya.

As a friend of mine says... "get through those first break in hours, have anything tweaked that irritates you, and it'll be a great boat for a very, very, very long time."

[hethj7]

26 minutes ago, ibelonginprison said:

Seriously though, new Malibu's get turned out like candy bars. They have great components and a great boat, but you'll have a laundry list of warranty items the first 20-30 hours. Nothing major, just little things. So take her out, break her in, then keep a running list with photos for anything you want to get fixed, and the dealership will fix 'em for ya.

As a friend of mine says... "get through those first break in hours, have anything tweaked that irritates you, and it'll be a great boat for a very, very, very long time."

This is kind of like my house.  The build process was painful, QC wasn't up to my liking, some punch list items never got fixed.   In the end though, we're 5 years into a home that we love and is overall a really nice, solid house.   

[Steve B.]

With all due respect, do you have any boating experience? 

Steve B.

[edo]

look like u have done some home work , just know what u got is a good boat have fun , dealer will help out with wr

[M235Ozark]

Don't listen to all the A-holes that have had some smarta$$ comments about  your question.  Some of you need to get a life, the dude asked a simple question.  Embarrassing....

 

Malibu boats are great. I have owned two of them and have been happy with them both.  You MAY have (notice i say "may" and not "will") some warranty issues right out of the gate, but those will all get fixed by the dealership. Based on my experience, most warranty issues will pop up in the first 25-50 hours. If you do have a couple issue pop up, dont sweat it.  Its completely normal.   I've got buddies who own other manufacturers and I can assure you that its the same with everyone. 

My experience has been anyone who bags on another brand is doing so to make them feel better about the brand they bought.  Mastercraft, Malibu, and Nautique put out steller products now-a-days and there really isnt that much thats different between them other than styling.  

Couple pointers:   First, have the dealership download and install the latest software updates before you take possession. That will prevent a lot of the issues from even happening. Second, make sure you keep the batteries nice and charged up. if you have a power supply near where you park your boat, buy a trickle charger and make a habit of plugging it in whenever you arent using it. The electronics in these boats dont like it when the batteries arent at a full charge and the alternators arent meant to charge a battery, just maintain them.    

 

Enjoy your time on the water and be safe!

[ORMailbuboater]

2nd what M2350zark had to say.  Sorry one of your 1st posts is so difficult.  We really are a great bunch.  Congrats on your order.  This site I would suspect is going to be a bit biased since we obviously like Malibu's if we hang out on this site.   Malibu like Nautique, and Mastercraft in my opinion make up the top tier of wakeboard\surf\ski boats in the industry.  

I believe Malibu honestly does their best to build a high quality boat.  They push the technology envelope each year trying to raise the bar (which sometime has bugs), provide high quality materials, make many of their own components to improve quality, create high tech hulls, and strive for quality craftsmanship within their "high volume" constraints.  I have owned a couple Malibu's and one from another manufacturer.  None were perfect.  Quality standards for "hand built" I would say is a bit different than like a mass produced automobile.  Malibu does do extensive quality control through out the build process and actually water tests every boat.   

My current 2016 boat had a few imperfections but all were addressed under warranty.  Never was I left out on the water stranded.  I personally love the way the Malibu's look, feel,  handle on the water, plus my local dealer is honest with high integrity and provides great service.  

If you are trying to justify or confirm your buying decision after putting down a deposit on >$100k purchase I would say you can sleep well at night.  Malibu is a great boat that can provide years of enjoyment.  As with anything take care of it and it will take care of you.  

[Suggy]

On 5/11/2018 at 6:53 PM, sonny20 said:

Here I’ll  just get it started until we get the real picture.

https://www.mainchannel.com/2018-malibu-boats-llc-wakesetter-20-vtx-inventory.htm?id=2261655&in-stock=1

 

 

VTX with a G4!?!? That's a special/custom order. Can't usually get them from the factory like that. That's one expensive a** 20' with a G4

[Rxgator]

My two cents:

My family has owned three Malibus: 00 response LX, 01 Sunsetter LXi, and most recently a 18 21’ VLX. Got rid of the response for a bigger boat but we still slalomed and wakeboarded. We owned the Sunsetter the longest (about 17 years). In the time that we owned it the boat endured typical wear, some stitching loosened where people stepped on the seats continuously, netting on the sides started to get loose, etc. The boat was garage kept though and still looked pretty damn good (no faded gel coat). We kept up maintenance (oil, impeller, steering cable was lubricated) and the only problems were self inflicted like running it out of gas. When we sold the boat it still ran great and it was sold in under a month at the dealership we traded it in to. I can’t say too much about our 18 because I’m going from analog gauges, manual wedge, and perfect pass to touch screen, power wedge/surf gate, and zero off. I don’t know how all the electronics will hold up over time but I love them right now. I can say that in the span that we’ve owned a Malibu I’ve driven several other boats, old and new. Nautiques in my experience tend to have a lot of issues but if you live in Orlando you get lifetime service I’ve heard. My friends constantly had issues with their 08 226, and older nautiques couldnt touch Malibu for comfort. I’ve towed friends while driving their boats (mooba, tige, nautique) and I can say that a Malibu is usually smoother and has a better throttle (used to free throttle a lot) even vs a brand new ski nautique. You are getting a good boat, just remember to treat it well and take good care of it and it will stay in your family a long time. 

On another note I can’t believe the prices vs what they used to be. Remember when a flagship wakesetter was between 50-60k? 🤔

[bamaboy]

At this stage of the game doesn't it really come down to personal preference/style and dealer?  All the new boats are good and have great surf waves and solid wakeboard wakes.  

You have people that are brand loyal and will never buy anything else.  That's cool.  I've owned them all and they all had issues early on.  Buy what you like and which dealer will treat you best.  Bottom line.  

To elaborate on that a bit, a demo is also critical.  You might find little things about a brand that you never thought of that will drive you nuts.  Example, many people hate the tower on the old G series because it is so low.  I never noticed because I'm short.  But that is a deal breaker for many tall guys.  A demo gives you invaluable information that you otherwise would have no idea of.