Response LXI vs others

[Glock]

A buddy of mine is looking into a 2004 LXI. I have heard that the more recent lxi's are less than desirable from a driving standpoint. The feedback is that they tend to get pulled around a bit. Do the earlier lxi's share the same reputation?

[gregy]

I drive a 2008 LXI regularly, it drives great. Never been in a 04 style Lxi.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Oh boy, here goes another my-boats-better-than-yours pissing match...

 

I have an '05. This series LXI hull ('03 through '06) are considered by some the best open bow slalom boat THAT ACTUALLY HAS A USABLE OPEN BOW made. Excellent world class wake, tracks and drives extremely well, PLUS has enough room to be a pretty decent family boat to boot. With the filler cushion installed my wife and I can lounge and stretch out comfortably in the bow no problem. Not many (any?) other open bow slalom boats around you can say that about. Everyone who skis and drives my boat loves it. I'm extremely happy with mine, have no intensions of trading it for anything else (maybe a new TXI if I could afford one...), but I realize this type boat isn't for everyone.

 

Not too much hands on experience with later LXI's but the ones I've skied behind I couldn't really tell any difference in from theirs to mine.

[ForrestGump]

IMO, the 03-06 LXI was a better boat than the 07-11. Smaller feeling. Better tracking.

[Bulldog]

I agree with @Ed!!!!

[Zman]

07 RLxi - my wife drives and has no issues with tracking. Gives her just enough feedback that she can tell if I am leaning too soon, or getting it done behind the boat.

If you are having any issues at all - and you should not be - check the adjustable piece on the rudder. It should be sticking out to one side a LOT to create a light pull to the right. Once you have this set, you will have no issues with tracking.

[jhughes]

@ShaneH totally agree. 03-06 is the better boat by far relative to the 07-11. One of the best all around, totally functional ski boats ever made.

[thompjs]

Putting 60-80 lbs in front of LXi really helps with tracking.

 

Not sure what @ShaneH is talking about with the differences in the earlier and later ones.

 

 

[ForrestGump]

I felt like I was sitting in a hole in the 07-11. The earlier boat felt a bit smaller to me in width and height.

[rfa]

can't help much on the comparison (older vs. newer LXis), but i have a '08 LXi which i truly like to drive and ski behind. The torque tab on the rudder is set about 45-50 degrees for a good amount of "pull" and i feel it tracks quite well. A couple of higher ranked drivers than myself have told me that it drives and tracks great. At 5' 7" ish tall, the seat is a bit on the low side, but a very easy fix, so a non-issue IMO.

[Glock]

Thanks for all the advice. Does 29k seem like alot for a 2004 lxi with 360 hours in really nice shape? My buddy's limit is 30K and I'm telling him that he can probably get a Zero Off boat for that much if he looks around. That leads me to open another can of worms, if you had 30k and wanted a zero off boat with open bow, what would you get?

[gregy]

I've seen some petty nice 04s in the lower 20's

[The_MS]

2007/8/9 CC 206

[thager]

Find a nice 2002 SN 196 with 330 Excaliber. Do the ZO kit and keep 5K$ for yourself.

[ForrestGump]

$29k is a LOT for an 04.

 

I've seen 07 LXI's go for well below $30k. I've even seen a 07 converted to ZO with 450 hours for $28k. 07 and 08 LXI's can be converted to ZO pretty easily.

[The_MS]

Remember, the hours go back to Zero when they get a new ECM for the ZO add. Those low hour 07 and 08 Malibus with ZO have new ECMs.

[ForrestGump]

Yes, but I know how many hours were on that boat before.

[The_MS]

29K is way to much. we sold our 06 for 26,500 with 325 hrs

[PatM]

Drove many LXIs (all years mentioned) in tournaments. All drive real nice. Tracks well predictable in take off and shut down. Nimble enough for the size of the boat (the size of all boats now).

[mlange]

Can't add a whole lot to what Ed stated. I'll just say that I wholeheartedly agree.

 

Had an '04 RLXi that was absolutely mint and sold it for $25k last year with PP, heater, shower, bimini, a good stereo w/ sub and barefoot boom. So $29k seems really high.

 

I now have a '12 RTXi.

 

Both are great boats. Can't go wrong. The TXi tracks MUCH better, feels bigger, and has what I would consider a noticeably better wake at 22 and 28 where I spend most of my time.

 

Mike

[DrDan]

I'm selling my 2008 Malibu Response LXI. Inboard, Indmar 340hp. Illusion ski tower. Great stereo, amp, woofer, tower speakers, as well as 4 inboard speakers, transom controll, satelite radio, usb ports,... This boat has a Malibu wake wedge, and water level led lighting under swim platform. This boat has been well maintained by dealer with annual service. I have had it in storage since October 2011. It has an incredible soft buttery wake for slalom skiing, and the wedge allows you to adjust the wake for wakeboarding, surfing, and wakeskating. There is about 300 hours on this boat, and is almost flawless. All hours were very easy hours. This is a beautiful boat! It is an awesome ski boat, and has a better wake than the Mastercraft and Nautiques I've skied behind.

http://fortwayne.craigslist.org/boa/3836866914.html OR call me at 417-207-3641.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Agree with several othr posters above. An '04 I'd say $25K max and that's for one in pristeen condition with a tandem trailer. $29K is WAAAAY too high, especially in this economy. One opinion.

[mlange]

Regarding my tracking comment... to be fair while my '04 was all over the place in the course it was never set up by someone that knows what they are doing. My '12 pulled the Malibu Open a couple of years so it is set up nicely.

 

Mike

[bdougherty]

If you look hard you could find a Malibu Response LX with ZO for around 30k. My ski buddy sold a 2010 last fall for just under 30k. Good value and an open bow

[GroovyGrant]

Are all LXis the same length? I have an 01 Sunsetter LXi that's 21' 8" and love it for a family slalom boat. Only reason I might ever trade is for a smaller boat/smaller wake but I'm not sure I'd be gaining much.

[Wayne]

@GroovyGrant they should all be 20'6". I went from a 2002 Sunsetter to a 2009 Response LXI. My Sunsetter shared the same running surface as the LXI that year but lacked the bigger rear ski locker. The wake from our old boat to our new one was about a 10% improvement but at the cost of freeboard. Other than the shallower rear ski locker I don't feel we lost any space. The Response is a little more weight sensitive than the Sunsetter. If our old boat had PP or ZO and fuel injection I would have never replaced it.

[Ryguy]

That's is wayyyy too much. I bought my 05 lxi brand new for 34. I sold it in 06 for 29500

[Glock]

I thought that was a bit high. We saw a really nice 2007 nautique 206 with zero off a few weeks ago for 29k but it sold the day before I called on it. We'll keep looking. He's not in a big hurry as we still have my 2004 x7 to ski behind.

 

@ryguy. A new lxi for 34k in 2005. A new txi in 2013 for 65k. I wish I could double the prices on the products I sell in eight years and get away with it.

[Ed_Obermeier]

@groovygrant the Sunsetter is a larger boat than the RLXI. Longer and I think it has a bit wider beam too. My '05 LXI is 20' 6" (I believe). Still a great slalom boat considering it's size but not quite at the level of the RLXI.

[ForrestGump]

Buddy just bought a nicely equipped Promo '13 TXI with tower and manual wedge for $50k.

[shagens]

For what it is worth I bought a 2007 Malibu Response LXI last fall for $28,000. It had 105 hours, a really nice tandem axle Heritage trailer, power wedge, Precision Pro speed control, heater, Indmar Monsoon, cover, etc... The sticker price was $55K and the previous owner bought it new in 2010 for $45K.

[lakeaustinskier]

Compared to the CC 206 the space in the front bow of either a Malibu LXI or TXI is crazy big. Would I prefer a CC over a Malibu quality-wise? Yes, but there's no way anyone other than kids can sit in the front bow of the CC 206. I've always been a CC guy but if I had to buy another boat I'd buy a newer TXI. Malibu has really stepped up their game with that model.

[Ilivetoski]

We have a 04 RLXI. When I first compared it to newer boats (the newer malibus, MC 197) I thought I was crazy to think that my boat skied better. As I talked to people they agreed. They said that hull was the best that malibu had ever come out with and with the "cut diamond hull" they went down hill, which I agree with. Honestly, between the 07-11 RLXI and the TXI, I personally can feel next to no difference. Honestly If you put duct tape over any branding that would indicate TXI or LXI, I know I couldnt tell any difference. Most people I talk to say the same thing. To be 100% honest, the only boats that ski better than the 03-06 malibus are CC 200, Centurion, and from what I hear, the new Prostar. Due to hours and the need for ZO we are preparing to sell our boat. Our boat has about 950 hours and looking at similar 04 malibus, we are going to be asking around the $17-$19 mark. Thats what that model boat is going for right now. All used boat prices seem to be up right now.