2018 230 vs 2017 X23

[thejean]

I am high jacking only because I also am looking at a 230. Right now in a tige r21 but would like to get back to the 23 foot interior room. Had a z3 bumped my head bought a pontoon now this year back in a tige r21. The 230 sounds like a nice boat with awesome options but needs added weight or is it as good as a z3 stock surf ballast to surf ballast? What about the fi23 from centurion? About 35 to upgrade for me to a 230 and 45 to upgrade to a z3. Haven't priced out a fi23 yet. Any thoughts appreciated.

I personally haven't even looked at Tige's. I don't see how they compete in the quality department or looks department. The 230 is the best value as far as I'm concerned but my issue is they can't (won't) build me one on the colour scheme I want. Super disappointing.

[Kruchy]

The wife thinks I overpaid for a tige for quality and lack of options we got and I am starting to agree. I got convinced they had a superior wave so i went with a tige. The 230 heated seats, new dash, fit and finish and the nautique name for resale sounds like best bang for$$. Is it the color lines that don't work or colors in general?

[thejean]

The wife thinks I overpaid for a tige for quality and lack of options we got and I am starting to agree. I got convinced they had a superior wave so i went with a tige. The 230 heated seats, new dash, fit and finish and the nautique name for resale sounds like best bang for$$. Is it the color lines that don't work or colors in general?

It's the lines. I absolutely love the new medallion metal flake but they will only do it on the front half or the back half, not entire side. I think it looks too broken up when it's only half of the boat. I can see not being able to butt up two different colour metal flakes but I honestly can't understand why they can't do the same colour along the entire side (even if I have to pay more I'm ok with that). My dealer is looking into it and apparently it has something to do with having to do a single spray but I would be ok with them doing it in two sprays even if there is a tiny line in between, which would never be noticed. Anyway, I'm sure there's a good reason for it but it just bothers me because I spent a lot of time figuring out which colour schemes I would be ok with and now none of them I can actually do. They should make sure that if something isn't possible that the website doesn't allow you to build it that way as it's very disappointing when you find out it's not even an option.

[Kruchy]

I didn't know you couldn't do that either. Good to know.

[surfnjosh]

I had actually forgotten I had posted on the Malibu forum (I used to have one). When I thought the LSV was going to in the price range of a MC, I wasn't going to consider it further. And truthfully, I am not leaning that way at all. I hear the new 18's don't have bad bow rise anymore so maybe I thought I should at least do some more homework on it. Regardless, I can't see me in another Malibu.

But now I found out that I can't order the 230 in the colour scheme I want, so I am seriously considering pulling out and going MC. I'm not brand loyal here, I'm just looking for the best boat for the best price. I bought the wrong boat once because I didn't do my homework and I'm not making that mistake again. That time I got off lucky and got most of my money back. With a new boat, there is zero chance I will get off that lucky if I change my mind afterwards. So is it a bad thing that I posted on two forums to get the opinions from owners who own both boats? I think it's due diligence.

As for options, no problems there. We know exactly what we want in that department. That's also why I am having such a hard time getting the MC dealer to be competitive with the 230. Sure, I can get a bare bones MC XT23 for similar money but I know I am not willing to do that.

So pay more and get the MC or 'live' with a 230 in not my preferred colour scheme. It's a tough call. The whole point of ordering a **** boat is to make sure you get exactly what you want... ugh.

Can someone pass me a joint please?

You will regret it if you don't get a Nautique. I AM brand loyal. I've owned over 20 wakeboats heck probably 30 and I'm Nautique for life now. I've owned 5 wakesetters, a couple tiges. A couple Supra a couple brands is rather not mention Lol....mastercraft.... xstar. Centurion...

None of them compared in build quality to the nautique I've owned. I've owned 7 nautiques. I've drilled holes in almost every brand of boat ( i do custom ballasts installs) nautiques are thicker than any other brand. The vinyl in the interiors lasts longer than any other brand. This is probably be sure it's better vinyl and it's stitched in a way a little bit of shrinkage doesn't start tearing the seems *like other brands and the PCM engines are king and have been for over a decade. I just think nautique engineers think far more outside the box than other brands. Let's face it since 13 and the release of the G series no other company has even cone remotely close in equaling them, few even tried, tige failed miserably with the ASR and so did Malibu more recently with there M235 or whatever it is... only time will tell with this new Xstar but the previous star was a Fail.

Seems crazy you can't find a color scheme you like...

[thejean]

Seems crazy you can't find a color scheme you like...

There are some I like for sure and might have to go that way. Just sucks I might not be able to get the one I really wanted. Afterall, that's half the reason for ordering a boat - so you don't have to compromise on colours.

[Oregonsurf]

I am super curious about your experience. I'm looking at upgrading from a 2014 X2 to either a 2018 SAN 230 or a 2020 M/C XT23. Price is pretty comparable and the XT23 is newer, but it is a 2020 build during covid, so no BTS Windshield, only the ZFT2 tower, etc.