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2017 22VLX vs 2019 A22


scrupulous

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I am looking at these (2) boats.  I realize there have probably been 100 threads about AXIS vs Malibu and I know that AXIS is a price point brand.   I rode (wakeboarded) behind a few A22's this summer and loved them.   I basically learned behind a 2005 VRide (and haven't learned much since!) but really loved that wake as well.   This purchase will be partially financed but paid off in 5 or 6 years.   Obviously the Axis will come with a warranty and the Malibu will not, however neither will have a warranty by the time I would sell.   We wakeboard, surf, ski (70/20/10) in those respective percentages so wakeboarding is the most important.  

https://www.onlyinboards.com/2019-Axis-A22-for-sale-Raleigh-North-Carolina-119668.aspx

https://www.onlyinboards.com/2017-Malibu-22-VLX-Wakesetter-for-sale-Highland-Michigan-116755.aspx

Up until this Christmas I was pretty sure we were buying an Axis in the next few months however the more I see the prices start lining up I am considering adding Malibu back into the mix.   We actually prefer the simplicity of Axis but certainly wouldn't mind the extra creature comforts from Malibu.  Is there anyone out there that has made a transition from a VLX into an current model A22?  I also am not trying to start a argument, I would be happy riding behind both boats, just trying to see what might tip the scale.  

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2 hours ago, ahopkinsVTX said:

It’s hard to tell but I don’t think that axis has the power wedge. It will still surf good but you loose so much adjustability and probably future resale. Plus I can personally vouch for how well @Slayer keeps his boats.

Thanks, @ahopkinsVTX.  I do nothing different that you. 

 

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Thanks @Slayer and @formerathlete, I will defiantly PM  you both.  As for the other comments, we definitely want the PW3.   I have been behind one without and was able to see the benefits for customization and even just getting on plane with power wedge.   As far as the new vs used amounts, I have noticed that as well.   In regards to the (2) original boats (or similar), what is 2 years of a warranty worth?  

Anybody ride behind both?  Specifically looking at feedback on the wakeboard wake.  

 

Edited by scrupulous
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19 hours ago, ahopkinsVTX said:

It’s hard to tell but I don’t think that axis has the power wedge. It will still surf good but you loose so much adjustability and probably future resale. Plus I can personally vouch for how well @Slayer keeps his boats.

I'm guessing that Axis does have the Power Wedge. I see the surf pipe there and it was pretty rare in 2019 to see a surf pipe without PW3. I could be wrong, though and it would be a dealbreaker for me, if no PW3. That said, that is expensive for a used A22 and the Malibu listed is a really nice looking boat. The biggest differences between the boats, to me are 1) The Malibu has the Raptor motor which has more torque (404 vs 341) and is a closed cooled engine, if I'm not mistaken (the Monsoon 409 in the Axis is not closed cooled). There is plenty of debate on here about which engine is "better", I can only speak to my experience with the Monsoon 409 (it's fine but does struggle a bit when fully loaded). 

2) If the Axis does indeed have the PW3, I believe the PW3 has a bit more adjustability than the PW2 on the Malibu. 

3) You get the digital dash on the Malibu, if that's something you are looking for. You also get the nicer fit and finish in a Malibu vs an Axis. The Axis is very basic but does throw and incredible wake/wave. 

4. The bow of the Axis, if you have people who like to ride up there, is really big and a nice feature that we utilize a ton with our boat, especially the kids. It's literally a big playpen.

There are obviously several other differences between the two boats but those are a few that stand out to me.

Edited by formerathlete
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2 hours ago, formerathlete said:

I'm guessing that Axis does have the Power Wedge. I see the surf pipe there and it was pretty rare in 2019 to see a surf pipe without PW3. I could be wrong, though and it would be a dealbreaker for me, if no PW3. That said, that is expensive for a used A22 and the Malibu listed is a really nice looking boat. The biggest differences between the boats, to me are 1) The Malibu has the Raptor motor which has more torque (404 vs 341) and is a closed cooled engine, if I'm not mistaken (the Monsoon 409 in the Axis is not closed cooled). There is plenty of debate on here about which engine is "better", I can only speak to my experience with the Monsoon 409 (it's fine but does struggle a bit when fully loaded). 

2) If the Axis does indeed have the PW3, I believe the PW3 has a bit more adjustability than the PW2 on the Malibu. 

3) You get the digital dash on the Malibu, if that's something you are looking for. You also get the nicer fit and finish in a Malibu vs an Axis. The Axis is very basic but does throw and incredible wake/wave. 

4. The bow of the Axis, if you have people who like to ride up there, is really big and a nice feature that we utilize a ton with our boat, especially the kids. It's literally a big playpen.

There are obviously several other differences between the two boats but those are a few that stand out to me.

I agree with your assessment for the most part.  However, I've never had any issues when fully loaded on the VLX.  The boat is propped correctly and when we wakeboard fully loaded it gets up on plane pretty quickly.  

You make a great point about the bow space.  It's pretty big in the A22.  At one point, we were considering a 23 MXZ for that reason as the kids love being in the bow but we're not big fans of the pickle fork so we decided against it. 

I also agree that the absence of the power wedge is a deal breaker.  We were looking at  new T22 and T23 when we bought that VLX and the deciding factor for us was power wedge.  There were none available when we were buying with PW, so a boat that only had 90 hours on it  with the PW and less than a year old when we bought it made more sense for us.  All things considered, we loved that 22 VLX.  It's a great boat, but the added space and new configuration of the '21 23LSV is super attractive to us.  The size is perfect for where we use the boat and the additional foot is substantial in terms of in boat storage and crew size.  It's often for us to have a crew of 10 in the boat so we'll be more comfortable in the 23.  

 

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