2003 216TE

[gator]

I am now in the market for a new boat. I am a two time CC owner and a two time bu owner so I am seriously considering both options. I am looking at slightly used boats right now and have narrowed to the 216TE or a response LXI promo boat. I am looking for feedback on the 216. I have 2 young kids and we do a little bit of everything on the water but are by no means great at anything. Also, a dealer 4 hours away has a nice looking 2003 216 for sale but that is a long trip just to look. If I go to the local dealer and see a 2005 216 what are the significant differences from the 03.

Thanks.............sorry for the long post :shock:

[skinautique]

RE: 2003 216TE

To start off, the 216 is a great boat. It is based off of the same hull as the 196 but two feet longer. The things I like are the warranty, the stitching quality, the quality of vinyl and the foam used in the seats (lasts way longer), the ride quality, performance and durability of the engine and the keyless ignition. With no ballast, the boat puts out a respectable ski wake. With the ballast filled (~400 lbs) you have a great wakeboard wake.
There are not a lot of differences between the 03 and the 05 other than a different head unit, polk momo speakers vs. clarion and different graphics and striping options. There may be a few minor details that I have missed but these are the big ones.

Hope this helps a little bit.

[gator]

Oops.........one more question.

Does anyone know what portion of the warranty I can transfer and the fees associated with that?

Thanks

[skinautique]

Good question. The motor warranty will most likely be up from PCM but the dealer might offer something. On the boat, it was either 2003 or 2004 when they started to make the remainder of the 5 year warranty transferable to the second owner. I am unsure what costs if any are involved. There is also a transferrable hull and deck warranty.

[gator]

Thanks for the help skinautique

[skinautique]

yeah hopefully it gets you somewhere. What dealer are you headed to? You can call them ahead of time to ask about the warranties.

[gator]

The boat I am looking at is at Waterski America (Malibu dealer) in Dallas and I am in Houston. I may go visit our CC dealer and look around. The only problem is resisting the temptation to buy new I am guessing a new one would cost 15-20K more so I think I can resist.

[Daytomann]

I have a 2004 216 TE...I wrote the following on another 216 related thread..

"I bought the 216 TE because I wanted a boat that would do it all. I'm a wakeboarder, and with the ballasts full on the 216 the wake is great. With a few more people in the boat its even better. I have alot of friends that are skiiers so I wanted them to be able to go out with us and enjoy a great slolam wake as well. So now everyone will be happy.
This boat also handles like nothing else. Its like a sports car on the water."

To add...When I was shopping for a boat, I decided early that I wanted a direct drive for the versatility they provide.
I looked seriously at 3 boats..Tige 22I, Malibu Wakesetter 21 XTi, and the 216 Team. Tige is a good enough boat but I was only going to get it if I had to go with spending the least money. I loved the unique seating but the overall build quality was obviously not the same as the Nautique or Malibu. I was lucky enough to take a test ride in the 21 XTi. I thought it was exactly what I wanted. Then I happened along a smokin deal on my 216....based on the Nautique reputation alone, without being able to take a demo ride, I purchased the 216. I'm glad I did. Its head and shoulders above the XTi in performance and build. Its much quieter than the XTi and very solid, with excellent handling.
I cant speak for the LXi but if its anything close to the XTi, and the money is close to the same, then I think you'll end up appreciating the 216 a little more than the LXi.

Good luck to you.

[AbunDiga909]

Ok, I'm really pissed off and frustrated now because I just spend a lot of time typing something really long and now it's deleted because I got logged out. Jeff, I have to say this is the only thing I don't like about this site.

To summerize in 2.16 seconds... I forgot... Yellow_Flash_Colorz:

[redelf75]

In short....the 2003 has a smaller trunk than the 2004/5. Take your largest ski with you to see if it'll fit. I think we got a 68" in diagonally on its side with nothing else in the trunk. There's something about the rudder that's different too, but I don't think it's critical.

And I'll agree...nothing drives like a DD and nothing beats a CC DD!

You can PM me if you want more details. Good luck,

[skinautique]

There is a zirk grease fitting on the 2004 and newer boats. Someone tried to say that the rudder was shaved differently on the 2005 to increase handling but that isn't true.

[NautiqueJeff]

Ok, I'm really pissed off and frustrated now because I just spend a lot of time typing something really long and now it's deleted because I got logged out. Jeff, I have to say this is the only thing I don't like about this site.

To summerize in 2.16 seconds... I forgot... Yellow_Flash_Colorz:

Ah, I hate that too! I have a couple of things to offer that might help.

First, if that ever happens to anyone, as soon as it happens, click the BACK button on your browser. That should take you back to the screen where you were typing your response, and your response should still be there. Highlight your response and hit Control-C to copy the text. Then log out and back into the site. Reply to the thread you were replying to before, and just paste in what you had typed.

Second, when you log into the site, you'll see a check box that says Remember Me under the password box. If you check that box, the site will not log you out unless you close your browser or click logout. You should not have any trouble with the site kicking you out if you check that box.

[AbunDiga909]

I try to steer away from the Remember Me options b/c more than one people use the computer I log in from and I'm just not big on the cookies thing. Also I did hit the Back button and what it did was bring me back to the thread as a guest, so I am pretty sure the problem was caused b/c it took me too long to write it and I got automatically logged out. Maybe it would be best if the "auto-log-out" feature was adjusted so people weren't logged out so quick. And the ironic thing is that this is the one time I don't copy my post before I post it... just my luck...

life will go on, and summer will come...

[NautiqueJeff]

I just doubled the timeout setting. Let's see if that helps.

[Christopher-W.-Becker]

Back to the 216 Thread. My brother-n-laws, brother-in-law (hope you can follow that), just bought a 2003 216 from Eric at Mid Ohio Water Sports. In doing so, he spoke at length with Greg Meloon a Midwest Correct Craft about the engine and warranty transfer. I believe that he recommended BOTH transfers. There are fees associated with it (Jeff Gibson....or Eric can you provide the details...age...I forget). In this case, it was a 2003 with 30 hrs on it. For the $$$$ saved, it was the perfect choice. I know his wife is happy!

Myself, I have a 216 with tanks and tower. I am a serious solumn skier. But as a family we love to play. 216 lets me do both. My brother and brother-in-law luv the flooded wake for the Wakeboard and that is why the brother-n-law talked his brother-n-law into the boat (not that it was hard).

Only concern...make sure that the steering recall is fixed. There is information on this site about that. Correct Craft can tell you if it has been from the hull number. Doubt that it would be a problem in test drives or the like, but the risk is not worth it.

2003 is very similar to the 2004. Another difference is the electronic truck locks on the 03 vice mechanical on the 04.

Its a gem of a boat. Quite.

Seriously, call Greg Meloon at Midwest Correct Craft, Angola Indiana...he can and will answer any questions.....its worth the piece of mind if you have any concerns.