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No boat is perfect (people are not God, can't make perfect things), no boat is really bad or nobody would buy her. In the last few weeks I've had to work a lot on my friends x-stars (one has a 2001 one has a 2005). Both with problems on components MC bought, not made (transmissions, fuel pump, etc). The 2005 had the shifter connected to the wrong hole in the shifter lever though, that is an MC mistake.
On an interesting note, the ZF-Hurth tranny of the x-stars makes a lot of noise in reverse. So now MC recommends to put engine oil into it so people don't go back to the dealer to complain, the problem is that engine oil will eventually wear out the transmission faster (builds up more pressure on the pistons, lubricates the clutches too much, doesn't protect the seals as well, etc). But, overall, they seem to be decent boats, much improved quality over the 80s tristar I've worked on. Malibus might be better, I remember now that a friend bought a new xti and never called me again for help working on it. It probably hasn't broken yet.
As for the subsidized jobs, I agree it is ridiculous to subsidize the big companies that make record profits. But as long as people vote for the polititians that give those subsidies and grants, they will keep doing it. People who opose them (on both ends, libertarians and greens) never get votes.
I think we are all objective here, we just have preferences. I try to be objective based on my experience from owning a lot of old boats and doing all the work on them myself, and helping friends work on their boats. I am still willing to meet with Mr. Alkema and see all the quality improvement on his boat lineup if there has been one.
On an interesting note, the ZF-Hurth tranny of the x-stars makes a lot of noise in reverse. So now MC recommends to put engine oil into it so people don't go back to the dealer to complain, the problem is that engine oil will eventually wear out the transmission faster (builds up more pressure on the pistons, lubricates the clutches too much, doesn't protect the seals as well, etc). But, overall, they seem to be decent boats, much improved quality over the 80s tristar I've worked on. Malibus might be better, I remember now that a friend bought a new xti and never called me again for help working on it. It probably hasn't broken yet.
As for the subsidized jobs, I agree it is ridiculous to subsidize the big companies that make record profits. But as long as people vote for the polititians that give those subsidies and grants, they will keep doing it. People who opose them (on both ends, libertarians and greens) never get votes.
I think we are all objective here, we just have preferences. I try to be objective based on my experience from owning a lot of old boats and doing all the work on them myself, and helping friends work on their boats. I am still willing to meet with Mr. Alkema and see all the quality improvement on his boat lineup if there has been one.
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