Newbie here... just bought a Hotspring Hotspot SX Spa.. comments welcome

[dexter7701]

Just bought a new spa today...  not totally a newbie as I had a large "local pool/spa" company built tub in my old house for 8 years, but this is my first factory built spa...  was not a big fan of my old spa...  sure hope these new factory built spas are much better...

Went to my Hotspring dealer this afternoon to look at the Hotspot TX model in his showroom.  Nice small 2 person tub, but it really is too small as, I'm guessing, are most corner triangular tubs.  Wife and I tested it and our feet were together in foot well.  That and she said she felt really closed in and would not be comfortable in it.  Looked at the top of the line Jetsetter, but it was really too expensive for our use and it was a foot too long for our patio space.  We settled on the Hotspot SX model.  Big enough for 3 or 4 if one uses the cool down seat and really nice for when it is just the two of us.  It fits the patio at a perfect 6' x 6' especially the way the corners are rounded.  The dealer was really great and worked with us on the price.  Being older, in our 60's, I didn't want to spend a lot of time maintaining the tub, so I bought the Everfresh filter system and the continuous Silentflow 5000 circulation options.  Also got a Covercradle II coverlifter and matching stairs.  I think I got a great price, with all options installed, delivery, setup and a 1 year of free chemicals including the Silk required by the Everfresh system.  Total $5800 + tax.  I think that was a very fair price and the dealer is really great to work with.  Call me happy, happy.  Can hardly wait for the install, since we wanted the Pearl/Expresso it has be ordered and we should have it in 4 weeks or a little less.
 
Any comments pro or con on this would surely be welcomed.   

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

nice little spa...the seat with the precesion jets and armrests is extremely comfortable in that spa, I'll take that seat over certain seats in spas double the cost, and the circ pump is a great addition...your going to laugh at how easy that spa will be to maintain with that option....good luck and happy soaking

[dexter7701]

Thanks for the vote of confidence on my selection TCHS....  Like I said, we tested the TX in the showroom and it was just too confining for my wife....  Unfortunately they did not have an SX for testing, but since two of the seats are identical to the TX and the third seat being more like a regular seat with armrests we are comfortable with our selection...  Glad to hear that you like the seat with the armrests...  The actual price of the SX over the TX was not much, but since it was a larger tub, we added the circ pump, cover lifter and steps which increased the price quite a bit...

Since you know quite a bit about this tub I have a few questions that you could possibly answer....
1)  Is the Everfresh III option I purchased worth it?  I live in an area with hard mineral water and I hate trying to continually balance the water.  I've had pools before and balancing was always a pain.
2)  I went with the 115v/20a electrical hookup because my breaker panel has only two "blanks" open and I didn't want the expense of having to have add another breaker box for the 220V.  I live in the DFW area, so we don't get super cold in the winter (hotter than hades in the summer), and, the dealer told me that with the circ pump it should do fine in keeping the water temp fairly constant.  Is this setup okay for my area?
3)  I have seen on another forum that adding the circ pump to the SX defeats the first speed of the two speed pump.  Is this true?
4)  Is the price of $5800 reasonable considering I got all the options, except the "fancy light", a years worth of all chemicals, delivery and setup (50 miles from the dealer)?

Thanks again for you confidence building comments....           

[Flyonthewall]

very good price on the package. 

[dexter7701]

Flyonthewall,

Thanks for verifying the price for me.  As you probably know, Hotspring dealers have an exclusive in the area they operate in and my dealer is the only one close to me.  You are always wary when you really can't price shop.  Actually, I believed that I got a good price because my dealer realized that I had a budget I had to fit.  Once we switched from the TX to the SX he realized that I would want to add the silentflo pump, cover lifter and stairs, so he priced them with little profit so the entire package would still fit my budget.  I look at it this way, he got the sale and still made a good profit, I got a price that fit my budget and we both were happy.