Malibu Wakesetter

AC505 · Newbie Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 30

I've been offered a very good deal on a brand new, never left the showroom 2002 Wakesetter with all the toys;tower, shower, heater, twin axle trailer etc. I'm keen to understand from other wakesetter owners just how good this boat is. I've ridden behind an 00 or 01 Super Air and loved every minute of it, will I be hapy with the wakesetter, what are the main differences in the wake?????

ThanX,
Al.

jvanick · Posted: Apr 01, 2003 8:47 am Post subject:

Malibu Wake = rampy
Super Air wake = vert

I prefer the Malibu wakes to the super air...

I've got a 99 sunsetter vlx (basically the same as a wakesetter... same hull, engine).. and I've been extremely happy with the wake...

Don't use the wedge, get sacs... you'll be much happier.

-J

Shawn Madison · Posted: Apr 01, 2003 9:24 am Post subject:

AC505, I use the wedge and have 02 wakesetter and the wake is insane. You will love this boat! But, my style is very different than most!

Magellan · Soul Rider Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 255 City: AZ

I had an 02 VLX, but was used to riding behind an X-Star. The VLX blew it away, not only wake, but overall boat. Very plush.
Loved it so much, picked up an 03 last week.

mcfatty · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 725 City: Cookeville

I have never seen a post where somebody got a Wakesetter and wish they had something else.

you'll be totally happy.

aoblak · Posted: Apr 01, 2003 12:02 pm Post subject:

Are you looking at a wakesetter (direct drive) or a wakesetter VLX? I love my Wakesetter VLX

AC505 · Newbie Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 30

okay all I've got to do now is persuade "she who must be obeyed." How much weight so these boats take and how many bags are needed. I'm going to try to push the fdealer to throw in bags and maybe the perfect pass cruise...

jvanick · Posted: Apr 01, 2003 12:21 pm Post subject:

Push for the Perfect Pass Wakeboard PRO... the digital display makes a HUGE difference in how easy it is to use...

as far as weight...

You probably want to add about 3 sacs or so... 1 in the front bow area, plus 2 on either side of the engine... (I'd add them even if you get the MLS.. with about 2300 pounds, the setters through a HUGE wake)

-J

B T Lowe · Newbie Joined: 14 Jan 2003 Posts: 36 City: Palm Harbor, FL

I am just reaching 10 hours on my '03 VLX, and I couldn't be happier! During the break-in period, I have been running with stock ballast and the wedge (new wedge 23). Next weekend I will be adding 400 lbs of lead. I can't see the need for any more beyond that!

The wake is the best I've been behind. Other boats I've experienced include MC X-9, Moomba Mobius, and Super Air Nautique. I almost bought a SAN for significantly more money. I'm soooo glad I didn't!!!

AC505 · Newbie Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 30

It's a direct drive Wakesetter I'm looking at. I wasn't too sure what kind of wake it would throw so I appreciate all your input. I've currently got a '90 Prostar so I am sure the wakesetter wake will be much better.

KG · Outlaw Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 151 City: Cali

i have a vlx and love it. malibu makes great boats. the wake is nice and they look sweet. i got a '03 being built right now. i have a 01 and love it. cant wait til it comes. definently get it if you can get a good deal.

Mike O · Soul Rider Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 416 City: KINGSPORT

500# each side of box and 500 in bow, drop the wedge and hang on! I have a 02 VLX and love it! The wedge makes the wake more versatile, (rampy vs vert)!

forwaken · Addict Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 635 City: Turlock, CA

What colors KG, I might have seen it at the plant?

AC505 · Newbie Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 30

okay I looked at the boat again and will probably try to negotiate a little to get a better price. I was disappointed that simple things like the opening windshield fowls against the tower so it doesn't open fully. It's probably the dealers fault as they may have positioned the tower incorrectly, it is however rectifiable and is a good negotiatoin point.

One thing I'm not too sure on is how best to weigh the boat. You have the wedge at the stern (which some people love and others hate), there is also 500lbs stock MLS, however I thought it would be easy enough to stick a 500lb sac un the rear locker, there are however warning stickers saying do not add over 75lbs in the rear locker as potentially you can disform the fuel tank. All the other lockers seem rather small so I'd be interested to see how and where other people weigh their direct drive wakesetters without fat sacs being visible?

AC505 · Newbie Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 30

okay to complicate things further, I can get my hands on a 2000 SAN with 140hrs (I know the owner and the boat is mint apart from a small vinyl tare) for the same price as the new 2002 wakesteer direct drive. I'll throw the question out to you guys, what do you recommend? The advantage to me of the setter are that it comes fully loaded, the SAN doesn't have shower/heater/stereo etc...

dlb988 · Newbie Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Posts: 36

AC,

If the boat has a Titan Tower expect the windshield to touch the tower. Most all do.

chinkel · Newbie Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 12

I must have gotten lucky with my 03 VLX then. The Windshield does not touch the Titan.

hOUston boarder · Criminal Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 79 City: TX

Every wakesetter that I have seen with that tower has the problem with the windshield.

Not a huge deal, those boats are very nice.

Jimmy F · Outlaw Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 229 City: Virginia

The hull of the direct drive Wakesetter is the same as the VLX so the wake will be very similar if weighted properly. I personally love the wake behind the VLX and am considering buying a direct drive Wakesetter.

Shawn Madison · Posted: Apr 04, 2003 11:52 am Post subject:

Dude, just get the Wakesetter-trust me, you will not regret it!

projectely4 · Posted: Apr 04, 2003 4:55 pm Post subject:

hey if i were you since you have the direct drive. you should buy the lead plates. they are easy to move around, can hide them easily, and can distribute the weight however you want.

projectely4 · Posted: Apr 04, 2003 4:55 pm Post subject:

hey if i were you since you have the direct drive. you should buy the lead plates. they are easy to move around, can hide them easily, and can distribute the weight however you want.

AC505 · Newbie Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 30

thanks to all for your input on the wakesetter. I was fully prepared to close the deal on the boat with the dealer however I discovered the cover supplied with the boat would require modification to fit around the Titan Tower. In standard form the tower needs to be collapsed/removed for the cover to fit, I therefore stipulated my offer required the necessary modifications to be carried out by the dealer - they refused to do this. This made alarm bells ring, if they were not willing to support a very simple modification with a third party sail maker (even if I was paying for the moifications in part) then if there were any warranty problems with the boat down the line, my Malibu warranty would be severely comprimised by the crappy dealer. My firm belief is that if you buy a boat you are also buying a level of after sales service that has to be up to scratch, it frustrates me that we appear to see more and more dealers not really giving a damn about this. Anyway time for me to get off the soapbox.......

steveaz · Criminal Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 73 City: Phoenix, AZ

Is the glass half empty, or half full.

Did you consider that maybe you were making a request that they didn't feel they could adequetely address?

There are a couple of variables here...they get the cover modified per your request, now the warranty is void and you come back in 9 months with a defective cover. Who's responsible, you don't care, you want it taken care of. Either way the dealer is the bad guy here.

Now I'm not saying you'd do this but there are some people that would and as a dealer I'd want to minimize those variables so that whether or not my customers were happy would rely solely on me doing MY job. Well as much as possible anyway.

Honestly I don't know, just saying there are 2 sides to every coin and I'd rather have my dealer concentrate on what they do best and leave the other stuff to those that are equiped to do it.

Have you spoken with other customers, how do they feel about the dealer?

AC505 · Newbie Joined: 14 Feb 2003 Posts: 30

maybe I didn't phrase my last post too well. I wasn't getting a good feel for the dealer, they made EVERYTHING seem like a problem, for instance they weren't prepared to even take the boat out for a demo without a hefty deposit in place. The final straw that broke the camel's back for me was that that they were 100% percent inflexible with every request I made, all of which were reasonable in my eyes. My comment on the warranty wasn't directed at the cover, it was at the boat. If he really couldn't be bothered arranging the demo on the boat and take charge of subbing out a couple of small mods to make the sale then once he has my money I am sure his lethargy would worsen and if something ever went wrong with the boat I would have a real problem on my hands...

steveaz · Criminal Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 73 City: Phoenix, AZ

Agreed, I must have misinterpreted your post, I thought that was the only issue. You're right though, if they're difficult to deal with now, they'll be extremely difficult after the sale. As a matter of fact if they had given me that much grief over a demo, that would have been the end of it.

Good luck with your purchase, the Super Air and the Wakesetter are both great boats.

Steve

Mike O · Soul Rider Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 416 City: KINGSPORT

I have a Malibu and love it! My dealer is great, but if they were that much trouble to get a sale depending on your request, then I would by a different brand! The cover thing is now being addressed by Malibu at the factory, but it cost a couple hundred dollars to do it the way I wanted which was covered in the deal. If your paying under $32k then you got a pretty good deal.