Lx swingback vs R series swingback

[Runway04]

Hi guys. First, let me introduce myself. Brand new here. I've owned a 24 ft. Bennington for 14 years. Always kept it covered, kept the vinyl clean and protected, and anything else the old girl needed. She took care of us and still doesn't have a pull in the vinyl and looks way younger than she is. My wife and I recently moved back on to Webster Lake in Massachusettes where we lived when we were first married. Long story short... It's time to sell her to make room for a younger model...(still talking about the pontoon). Love the swingback layout. Drawing up an Lx 24 vs an R23. Gonna drop a 200 v6 on the back so I think we'll do ok wakeboarding. I know the R series weighs quite a bit more than the Lx models. Love all the blingy lights and am huge on great sound. So.... I understand the Roswell upgrade shows like 12000 upgrade but I hear it has to do with the sport tower with gas assist requirement. The R series is far less. I assume the tower is already a part of the package. So, the R series, I take it is more of a luxury feel and the Lx series is more of a sporty feel. What's your feeling on the two models? I am sure I would be happy with either. Is the seating that more comfortable in the R series than the Lx? Any other thoughts or considerations??? Thanks

 

[LaurencetheAdventurer]

Well......
In my detailed comparison of the LX vs R model, the R had a bunch of upgrades I did not care about: Smooth exterior siding (felt it would be easily damaged and no rails to hang stuff off - though looks amazing); Integrated Lights; Fold Down Armrest on front seat backs; RGB speakers (got this as an upgrade on LX); some design addons with the bow rails; Command Dash Package (push buttons, wireless phone charger - I liked the LX better - and was not clear if the R models had an access door in the helm = key storage missing); and I liked the Swingback Plus (seat back lays flat) over the Swingback Deluxe on the R (seat back folds into SB which was cumbersome and eliminated storage - though it did have multi adjustable reverse direction back seats vs the 2 position adjustment on the Plus). The R with a similar build was over $20,000 more after adding a whole bunch of upgrades on my LX. A big issue was the furniture, the LX had the wider seats which were very nice and very similar to the R - just no armrests! On the LX, get the pillow top. I also wanted the double Bimini over the arch or an electric Bimini - we boat in Havasu and it reaches 120 - the top just never goes down. I suggest doing a build for each, then you highlight and copy the Standard and Custom Specs into a word document and compare (or excel - I never got that far). It was clear the LX was a better build for us, and the savings allowed me to jump up to the 350 - no issue tubing or boarding with 8 people and packed with gear and gas with that beast. We also opted for the 26, the extra length at the front made the front seats more more usable for this tall family. I must have spent 40 hours looking into every detail I could find before settling on my final build. So far would not have changed a thing.

 

[BigKahuna]

Hi guys. First, let me introduce myself. Brand new here. I've owned a 24 ft. Bennington for 14 years. Always kept it covered, kept the vinyl clean and protected, and anything else the old girl needed. She took care of us and still doesn't have a pull in the vinyl and looks way younger than she is. My wife and I recently moved back on to Webster Lake in Massachusettes where we lived when we were first married. Long story short... It's time to sell her to make room for a younger model...(still talking about the pontoon). Love the swingback layout. Drawing up an Lx 24 vs an R23. Gonna drop a 200 v6 on the back so I think we'll do ok wakeboarding. I know the R series weighs quite a bit more than the Lx models. Love all the blingy lights and am huge on great sound. So.... I understand the Roswell upgrade shows like 12000 upgrade but I hear it has to do with the sport tower with gas assist requirement. The R series is far less. I assume the tower is already a part of the package. So, the R series, I take it is more of a luxury feel and the Lx series is more of a sporty feel. What's your feeling on the two models? I am sure I would be happy with either. Is the seating that more comfortable in the R series than the Lx? Any other thoughts or considerations??? Thanks

Welcome to the forum Runway04! You mean Lake Chaubunagungamaug!?!?!? Ha! My in-laws lived on Pascoag Lake in RI and we used to take his MasterCraft to that lake from time to time for a change of pace. This was back in the late 70's early 80's. Before Bennington even existed!!! What's the price difference between the LX and the R?!? We had an R for 12 yrs. You can't beat the comfy seats and upholstery in an R!!!

 

[Runway04]

Welcome to the forum Runway04! You mean Lake Chaubunagungamaug!?!?!? Ha! My in-laws lived on Pascoag Lake in RI and we used to take his MasterCraft to that lake from time to time for a change of pace. This was back in the late 70's early 80's. Before Bennington even existed!!! What's the price difference between the LX and the R?!? We had an R for 12 yrs. You can't beat the comfy seats and upholstery in an

That's the lake! Funny thing is, by the time I end up with the options on the Lx that I want, the R model is only a couple thousand dollars different. Seems like the options on the Lx are standard...at least some of them, on the R. Also trying to see what people think of the bowriders. I love the forward visibility, but seems like you have less space in the front of the boat.

 

[Runway04]

Well......
In my detailed comparison of the LX vs R model, the R had a bunch of upgrades I did not care about: Smooth exterior siding (felt it would be easily damaged and no rails to hang stuff off - though looks amazing); Integrated Lights; Fold Down Armrest on front seat backs; RGB speakers (got this as an upgrade on LX); some design addons with the bow rails; Command Dash Package (push buttons, wireless phone charger - I liked the LX better - and was not clear if the R models had an access door in the helm = key storage missing); and I liked the Swingback Plus (seat back lays flat) over the Swingback Deluxe on the R (seat back folds into SB which was cumbersome and eliminated storage - though it did have multi adjustable reverse direction back seats vs the 2 position adjustment on the Plus). The R with a similar build was over $20,000 more after adding a whole bunch of upgrades on my LX. A big issue was the furniture, the LX had the wider seats which were very nice and very similar to the R - just no armrests! On the LX, get the pillow top. I also wanted the double Bimini over the arch or an electric Bimini - we boat in Havasu and it reaches 120 - the top just never goes down. I suggest doing a build for each, then you highlight and copy the Standard and Custom Specs into a word document and compare (or excel - I never got that far). It was clear the LX was a better build for us, and the savings allowed me to jump up to the 350 - no issue tubing or boarding with 8 people and packed with gear and gas with that beast. We also opted for the 26, the extra length at the front made the front seats more more usable for this tall family. I must have spent 40 hours looking into every detail I could find before settling on my final build. So far would not have changed a thing.

Thanks for the details. I think the hardest thing to get an opinion on would be the driving feel of both. The R weighs quite a bit more and I'm thinking probably has a little more stability but I haven't heard you complain at all about the stability of the Lx model. It is interesting that you say you saved on cost as much as you did, but I think you opted out of some of the items I might want. The two boats come in very close by the time I add these things in. Which is why I'm kind of stuck between them. State speed limits are 45 miles per hour here so the 200 seems to be about right for the lake. I am having with availability of the v6 yamaha vmax so I might go to the v6 merc...not the Verado, but the new 4 cylinders. I actually have a 250 Pro Xs 4 cylinder on my bass boat so they are very good outboards to. Is the pillow top on the Lx comparable to the pillow tops on the R series? Any how would you compare it to the sport option on the Lx? Thanks again.

 

[Bill N]

State speed limits are 45 miles per hour here

I'd never heard of a State Speed Limit on bodies of water.

 

[Runway04]

I'd never heard of a State Speed Limit on bodies of water.

More and more states are imposing it. Nh used to be no limit but they have changed. At least on Winni. On our lake it's 45 during the day and 10 mph at night.

 

[Bill N]

Nearly every PWC built is capable of breaking that speed limit!
Seems communist to me?

 

[White Laker]

Michigan has a 55 MPH limit on inland lakes I believe.
for the record I am very satisfied with my LX 23 with a Yamaha SHO 250. Runs 47 mph. I did the upgraded Roswell sound, sounds very good but could use about two more speakers sprinkled in the interior. The R series does have a very luxurious interior. But I did the upgraded interior on the LX and it is quite a nice boat.

 

[Runway04]

Michigan has a 55 MPH limit on inland lakes I believe.
for the record I am very satisfied with my LX 23 with a Yamaha SHO 250. Runs 47 mph. I did the upgraded Roswell sound, sounds very good but could use about two more speakers sprinkled in the interior. The R series does have a very luxurious interior. But I did the upgraded interior on the LX and it is quite a nice boat.

Beautiful boat! Do you think the Roswell package was worth it, and would you have done anything differently (sport arch with 2 more speakers there)?

 

[Runway04]

Nearly every PWC built is capable of breaking that speed limit!
Seems communist to me?

It's the busiest lake in the state and someone donates their life every year. It's a good size lake but has a lot of islands so about the time you hit 74 it's time to pull back.

 

[Michiman]

I'd never heard of a State Speed Limit on bodies of water.

Here in Michigan, all inland lakes (and the Great Lakes within one mile of shore) have a 55 MPH speed limit, although I can't say that it's enforced.

 

[David G]

Compare to Regular L series, My dealer said the RX and LX are overpriced. Regular R does not come with tower, you can add to any model. Armrest are overrated. We never use them, except on captains chairs.

 

[Jack M]

Here in Michigan, all inland lakes (and the Great Lakes within one mile of shore) have a 55 MPH speed limit, although I can't say that it's enforced.

In Northern Michigan ,they dont even enforce the No Wakes Zones.
I bought a Diver Down Buoy ( that I havent got to use yet ) to go under mine to wipe it down at the sand bar .

 

[Vikingstaff]

Compare to Regular L series, My dealer said the RX and LX are overpriced. Regular R does not come with tower, you can add to any model. Armrest are overrated. We never use them, except on captains chairs.

I think the key when getting the “X” version, understanding you are paying for an aesthetically better looking boat with some upgrades from the next series up. For some people, those are nice touches to set their boat apart from the regular versions. For others, those are frivolities not worth the money.

I don’t think anyone else’s opinion, including a dealers (maybe particularly a dealers), is worth a darn in this department. I think this is where someone needs to set their own eyes on the two versions to appreciate the difference and decide if its worth the extra cost.

We did in 2017. Caused me to go with the SXP version of our desired boat (24’ SSBXP). Saved a slight amount on the G series version we were considering, but got something MUCH nicer than any standard S series. Worked for us, but may have been a wast of money for someone else.

I think of it similar to car buyers. My dad was always “get the base model, and don’t waist money on unnecessary options” that price the vehicle up to nearly the next tier of vehicle. I have always rather liked optioning up my vehicles, and prefer to have all the bells and whistlers. Different strokes for different folks.

Now on the price differential, that I am unsure of these days. I know in the past when you went from an S/SX to a SXP, you were getting close to the base G series. I would imagine it is similar if going with an LX you are getting close to the base R, or an RX is getting close to the base Q.

Some people want and appreciate those pricey extras, and others could care less.

 

[Potomacbassin’]

Thanks for the details. I think the hardest thing to get an opinion on would be the driving feel of both. The R weighs quite a bit more and I'm thinking probably has a little more stability but I haven't heard you complain at all about the stability of the Lx model. It is interesting that you say you saved on cost as much as you did, but I think you opted out of some of the items I might want. The two boats come in very close by the time I add these things in. Which is why I'm kind of stuck between them. State speed limits are 45 miles per hour here so the 200 seems to be about right for the lake. I am having with availability of the v6 yamaha vmax so I might go to the v6 merc...not the Verado, but the new 4 cylinders. I actually have a 250 Pro Xs 4 cylinder on my bass boat so they are very good outboards to. Is the pillow top on the Lx comparable to the pillow tops on the R series? Any how would you compare it to the sport option on the Lx? Thanks again.

4 cylinder 250 Merc or do you mean 4 stroke?

The R model is the best looking in my opinion, but the weight and cost make for a tough sell. If the R is slightly more than the optioned LX it's a no brainer for me, especially with the speed limitations in your lake. Fuel economy will suffer a little, but that's probably the least of your worries when buying a $100k+ boat. Resale should be better.

 

[David G]

Where it changes in weight is when you go to SPS tubes or the Q series where panels turn to fiberglass or molded plastic. A 25' R has more interior room than a 25' Q. The sloping nose is a waste of space in my opinion. If I was not so vein I would get a L series and throw as big of a motor as I could, At least 300..
Back to his swingback question-There are 3 versions if you count the railing. Look close, order wise, one like I have would be an issue for anyone with lots kids.

 

[SEMPERFI8387]

For some people, those are nice touches to set their boat apart from the regular versions. For others, those are frivolities not worth the money.

Some people want and appreciate those pricey extras, and others could care less.

I agree. For 4 years we were the only blackout on our 20HP restricted lake. Now there’s 2-3 more. I was willing to drop the $$ for what I wanted in the looks dept. Even added the curved bimini. Lot of bling for small lake but I’ve always been about what looks nice. All my cars have been modded to my tastes.

 

[Jack M]

4 cylinder 250 Merc or do you mean 4 stroke?

The R model is the best looking in my opinion, but the weight and cost make for a tough sell. If the R is slightly more than the optioned LX it's a no brainer for me, especially with the speed limitations in your lake. Fuel economy will suffer a little, but that's probably the least of your worries when buying a $100k+ boat. Resale should be better.

That is how I ended up with a Q in 2020 . I went in to order a 2020 RCW , after optioning it out the way my wife and I wanted , the QCW came out to about the same ,with added options on the Q that I would not have added to the R . I'd be willing to bet that wont happen next on my next one .

 

[Runway04]

That is how I ended up with a Q in 2020 . I went in to order a 2020 RCW , after optioning it out the way my wife and I wanted , the QCW came out to about the same ,with added options on the Q that I would not have added to the R . I'd be willing to bet that wont happen next on my next one .

Are you saying the options on the R ended up being close to the Q and so you would just order the Q next time?