Original > Hot Tub Forum
Optima or Grandee
Lori:
;D
Brewman,
You crack me up!!!
ebirrane:
My guess is you can try and search for a used optima and get it at a good rate. Keep looking at E-bay and various classified ads. Even if the spa is on the other side of the USA, it could cost less to buy a used one and transport it than to buy a new one.
I don't think you will get a new optima for your price. If you do though, please let me know! Sundance spaces its dealers out and, at least in my area, one dealer won't sell into another dealer's area. Several dealers would rather lose a sale than set a precedent.
When I bought my Grandee I'm sure *alot* of the price, although probably not 75%!, went to profit margins for the manufactuerer and the dealer. I can't imagine the Grandee costs more than $1k in materials. (Aren't we worth, like, $40 in chemicals??) but I wanted the model and did my little bit of philanthropy and helped somebody's daughter go to college and someone else buy a new porsche.
You may want to look at a manufacturer-direct spa. You can get a big one for around $4k. Even if it is plagued with problems, if you are at all handy you can tackle them and they would have to amount to more than $3k over 5 years to wind up costing you *more* than the optima.
Heck a so-so thermospa and a new 60" (??) DLP TV trump a single optima (for the same price) in my book! 8)
-Ed
whypaymore:
Here is my observation from this forum and many visits to local dealers on our search for a spa. The main posters on this forum are spa dealers from the major 6 manufactures so what do you think they are going to say about their $8,000 spa when compared to the reasonably priced same size and features $5,000 spa from another manufacturer? You don't see any posts from customers that have bought other brands and have not been happy do you??? Because the readers are getting all of this information here that the only spas to buy are the "big 6" and that is all you hear about, they get so scared by the miss information that they either decide not to buy a spa or waste their money on one of these over priced spas that are promoted here on this forum. They are not going to let you in on the costs of their spa and the 60-75% markup that they put on their spas. When visiting the local dealers in our area they also stressed the need for a "local service man" and importance of their service, then 3 sentences later they were bragging how most of the spas they sell go 4,5,or 7 years with out even needing service....so why again should we pay the extra $3,000. We have pretty much decided to go with a factory direct spa which has all of the same features of the "big 6 manufactures" but for about 1/2 the price. We just cant see paying an extra $4,000 because of it's name.
Chris_H:
Whypaymore:
If service is such a non-issue:
Why does Cal Spas have such a bad reputation? Service from the manufacturer.
Why does Hotspring have such a great reputation? Service from the manufacturer.
Sometimes it is worth paying $3,000 dollars more.
Chris H
Spatech_tuo:
--- Quote ---You don't see any posts from customers that have bought other brands and have not been happy do you??? Because the readers are getting all of this information here that the only spas to buy are the "big 6" and that is all you hear about,
--- End quote ---
YES YOU DO, if you look. You are only seeing what you want to see. If you search this site as well as Spahelp.com, Dr Spa, and poolandspas.com you'll see MANY posts from disgruntled OWNERS of spas from Cal Spas and Thermospas (fairly large spa makers) and many complaints from some of these middling spa makers who promise their $5k spas are as good as the premium makers spas only to find out the Quality is not as good and the warranty is basically a piece of paper with words on it that are not honored. There have been sooo many posts from people telling others not to make the mistake they've made of thinking these "factory direct" spas are on par. BTW, often factory direct means the manufacturer can't get a reputable dealer to carry their product and have to have ownership of the store themselves so that factory direct thing is simply a sales ploy. Now if you're buying from the internet then you're really rolling the dice. If you do end up with a dog that is constantly broken down and in need of expensive service that is your responsibility cause you don't have a warranty to be honored, remember, these things make a great planter.
I suggest you buy one of these $5k spas that are "just as good" as the spas made by Hot Spring, Sundance, Jacuzzi, Caldera and Marquis. After all, a Kia is just as good a Honda and at a far better price and in the spa industry there are still some making spas on par with a Yugo if you really want to save.
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