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Anyone trade the m235 for the new m240


RCorsa

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I have a 2018 m235 with 175 hours on it.   It’s a high spec 244k MSRP.   Wondering if anyone out there has traded on the new m240 and if so what are the meaningful improvements.   I like the idea of bow thrusters as an option as my docking is a tough one. I understand the computer is a little different but now sure if that would be worth it to upgrade

i also have to imagine I would take quite a hit on $. 

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Hi RCorsa,

While I have never traded in an M235 I have had 2 M240's. One quick clarification; Malibu offers stern-turn, an electrical device that allows you to turn the stern of the boat with a button on the throttle. MC offers bow thrusters. Same-same I figure. 

While we all know this is not a great time to buy a boat, dealers are also being generous with trade-in allowances. Not a "push" but dealers are really wanting inventory to replace inventory so that should work in your favor. 

Last item, and you have very likely thought of this. PLEASE water test your M240. And, include both surf pulls in your test drive and long runs at about 20 Mph. I suggest this because my first M240 pulled hard to starboard. Not initially, which is odd, but after a long run and it just got worse. There are threads here that speak to this problem. Not all M240's have this problem but some 2020's and some 2021's do. 

Chris

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I did a good bit of reading on steering thrusters.  Malibu OEM's Stern-Turn from https://www.ezdrivethruster.com and they have aftermarket kits for most surf boats.  Unless MC has corrected the issue there is a limit on how long the thrusters can run due to heat buildup, the EZ Drive units are submerged under the swim platform and don't overheat with heavy use.  We ordered a boat with the factory install but from what the guy at EZ Drive says lots of dealers (both BU & MC) do installs.  The factory build includes a 170 AMP alternator that is not an absolute requirement but the motor pulls 243 AMPS when running so it can't hurt.  If maneuvering is your primary complaint don't see how an aftermarket install would not be an option to consider.  The guy at the factory spent 15 min with me playing 40 questions about the product and pro/con of dealer vs. aftermarket, nice guy.  Interesting business story, they were building for Yacht size boats and stumbled on the wake boat market.  Sounds like it has been a good fit for what they do.

On the trade in issue we bought a 22 LSV last year and put 100 hours on it, are now trading in on a 23 MXZ.  Factoring in the new boat and discount on it we are doing better than I could do selling private based on what people are asking in the private market.  This despite the fact that our original boat was lightly optioned.

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Thanks for the advice. Didn’t know aftermarket thrusters could be done.  I’ll check that out. So aside from that option it’s doesn’t sound like much of an upgrade?  Only other good thing about my m235 is I have all the early gremlins out of my boat (slow pump, squeaking tower, various rattles,etc) 

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13 hours ago, RCorsa said:

Thanks for the advice. Didn’t know aftermarket thrusters could be done.  I’ll check that out. So aside from that option it’s doesn’t sound like much of an upgrade?  Only other good thing about my m235 is I have all the early gremlins out of my boat (slow pump, squeaking tower, various rattles,etc) 

You couldnt pay me enough to put a stern thruster on an M235.

And we did one. Absolute PITA. No room to work in those boats (probably should remove the motor). And you WILL need the Indmar high output alternator, which they charge way to much for and has a different bracket, and belt that needs changed. 

 

Edited by COOP
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On 3/27/2021 at 8:27 AM, Chrismoe said:

Hi RCorsa,

While I have never traded in an M235 I have had 2 M240's. One quick clarification; Malibu offers stern-turn, an electrical device that allows you to turn the stern of the boat with a button on the throttle. MC offers bow thrusters. Same-same I figure. 

While we all know this is not a great time to buy a boat, dealers are also being generous with trade-in allowances. Not a "push" but dealers are really wanting inventory to replace inventory so that should work in your favor. 

Last item, and you have very likely thought of this. PLEASE water test your M240. And, include both surf pulls in your test drive and long runs at about 20 Mph. I suggest this because my first M240 pulled hard to starboard. Not initially, which is odd, but after a long run and it just got worse. There are threads here that speak to this problem. Not all M240's have this problem but some 2020's and some 2021's do. 

Chris

Malibu did offer a bow jet thruster on their bigger boats in ~2019. I don't think they built many boats with this option and it was quickly replaced with the Side Thruster SX unit(Stern Turn.) I know someone posted on here about their 24MXZ with the bow thruster and the install took up a ton of storage space and looked messy.

Edited by gregtay
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27 minutes ago, gregtay said:

Malibu did offer a bow jet thruster on their bigger boats in ~2019. I don't think they built many boats with this option and it was quickly replaced with the Side Thruster SX unit(Stern Turn.) I know someone posted on here about their 24MXZ with the bow thruster and the install took up a ton of storage space and looked messy.

I dont think the bow thruster was ever an option on the M235. We sold one on a MXZ24. The pump and battery to run it took up alot of room under the port side storage, and under the OB. And they didnt really work as good as the stern thrusters.

Edited by COOP
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42 minutes ago, gregtay said:

Malibu did offer a bow jet thruster on their bigger boats in ~2019. I don't think they built many boats with this option and it was quickly replaced with the Side Thruster SX unit(Stern Turn.) I know someone posted on here about their 24MXZ with the bow thruster and the install took up a ton of storage space and looked messy.

Hi Gregtay,

Thanks for the clarification.

Chris

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4 hours ago, COOP said:

I dont think the bow thruster was ever an option on the M235. We sold one on a MXZ24. The pump and battery to run it took up alot of room under the port side storage, and under the OB. And they didnt really work as good as the stern thrusters.

I was really surprised Malibu even had this option, I don't think they ever marketed it, it just sort of showed up and then went away.  Sounds like it was overly complicated for what it did.

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@RCorsa My 2 cents.  I came from a SC 25LSV so not ideal for your comparisons but hopefully some relevance.   We did spend a day on a M235 we were considering.

Notable improvement over 25.

Ballast fill time- biggest improvement for us as we tend to change ballast frequently for kid waves and floating/cruising between surf sets. 8-10 min+ to 2 min for full fill.

No PnP ballast bags- increase rear storage

Stereo in stock forms is significantly better

Engine Noise Level, power and fuel consumption - all much improved

Rough water ride- likely similar to that of the 235 but much better than the 25.

Wave has much more push than the 25 and limited time I spent on the 235.  It is steeper- took some time to tweak for kids wave to get some of the push out for lighter riders.  

Have stern turn and only use it to get new/young riders on the correct side - wife loads and she uses in wind to align to trailer a bit- crosses me up on docking so I don't use it for that.

 

Best

 

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I traded a 2017 M235 for 2020 M240.  
 

Pros:

Half the fuel consumption

better wave and more adjustable

surfgate fusion makes a difference 

Ride slight improvement 

stern turn is nice for docking and turning to get a surfer

drives straighter when surfing

ballast fill and empty times more than twice as fast

no bags is nice


Cons: price 

I would do it again even with the money difference.

Edited by potterm
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  • 2 years later...
OrondoWakeFoil

Great thread, still relevant.  I also traded in a 2016 M235 for 2021 M240.  I agree with everything said here, but there are more differences.  I will try to brainstorm the comprehensive list.  I really hope some Malibu designer sees the list of Cons and thinks about ways to improve….

Pros:

  • Half-fuel consumption of the M235
  • Stern Turn is amazing
  • Wave is definitely longer although maybe not quite as tall.  Still great.
  • Surf band contains volume controls and has much better range if you are wakeboarding or foiling second wave it will still work that far back
  • Stereo massive upgrade
  • Tower speakers are in vertical config instead of horizontal (great for tall people like me)
  • Cooler slide out is so much better than under rear-starboard seat
  • More factory-installed weight in front (aka batteries) prevents need for custom ballast tank to weigh down the bow.  Also removes the dangerous loose-fitting cushion over the walkway in bow
  • Half time ballast filling and no need for after-market bags
  • Stereo volume moved away from the walk way so people don't butt-bump it anymore
  • Tower has a distilled water mister option (my wife's FAVORITE feature)
  • Ride at high speed is much smoother.  M235 was so up-and-down, always had to reduce throttle
  • Replaced the power-sliding bow door with a flip-up cushion.  That door was so flaky and loud.
  • The rear-middle seat cushion rotates into a table with cup holders.  Makes a great instant-bar for bartending
  • The power tower is so easy to lower for towing and reduces bug hits on racks and speakers which are a pain to clean.  I will lower it even if I’m just driving 2 miles to the launch.
  • The folding step to get riders back out of the water is way faster and better than the ladder which people would fail to secure all the time.  My dogs also use this step to get themselves out of the water when fetching instead of me having to pull them out manually.
  • Rear camera view on the dash is great for seeing surfers’ status while lining up to pull
  • The center-port and center-starboard ballast tanks give you better control of the shape of the wave without having to physically move people around
  • So much room in the bow.  It’s huge.  I’m 6’3” and can sit up there facing forwards without my feet hitting the front cushions
  • If you don’t get the 4-rack option, then the tower has extra tow points near the rack which could help new surfers learn easier.  I recommend the 4-racks though if you can justify the cost. 
  • Racks allow for thicker boards.  My Slingshot Dwarfcraft would not fit in M235 racks, but works great in M240.
  • There is a lot of storage in the two rear compartments, but they're also very deep and hard to get to the bottom of

Cons

  • Less room in glove box. It’s tiny.
  • The driver's drink holder location is absolutely moronic under the driver's seat and so ridiculously hard to get to.  I can't believe they haven't fixed this on later M240 models
  • There's no drain under the bow flip-up cushion door and it collects and stores SO MUCH WATER.  Gross.  I had my dealer drill a few holes into the bilge to try to get it to drain, but they instantly clogged.
  • My M240 rides tilted to the starboard side out of the factory.  I had to put about 200 pounds of lead bags along the port side storage to even it out (no, it's not just because the driver is fat :)
  • Speaker covers are cheap plastic and not very secure.  Often fall off and break.  I have a stack of extras in the garage.
  • Heavier.  7500 lbs dry.  Sort of a pro, because that’s part of what makes it a great boat, but you may have to upgrade your boat lift or vehicle.  Keep that in mind.
  • The hinges under the swim platform for the fold-down step do create a small splash on the wave.  Looks a little ugly and if you have a short rider like a child, it will hit them in the face, which is annoying.
  • No different than M235 but still worth mentioning, doing any kind of service in that engine compartment is a pain because it’s so cramped. An alternator replacement was over $600 and difficult to do yourself if you’re not a professional.
  • There are these vertical metal bars under the two side fold down seats in the rear.  The seats can be used as steps when folded down, but the vertical metal bars are hidden by cushions and people WILL bang their knees, heels, everything on these hidden bars and it HURTS BADLY.  It’s a good idea to warn new passengers of these bars.  Ouch.

 

Edited by OrondoWakeFoil
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