Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: okflorist on April 19, 2017, 02:46:01 pm
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So I have a very old (2000 maybe?) Sundance Optima, runs pretty good. But, has a rotted wood cabinet. I started looking at new spas to replace it with and my head is swimming! I've looked at Juccuzi J245 series which I can get for about $7000 and it's comparable to a Coast Zenith that is also about $7000. The Juccuzi J3 series is about $9,500. So, I decided to look at Sundance. Dealer here really didn't have anything to look at, just an Optima that was about $11,999. They can order a Chelsee for $9,995. Sundance really isn't negotiating on price. Both the Coast dealer and Juccuzi dealer seem more easy to negotiate with. I really can't find a lot on Coast Spas and don't want to buy something I'm going to have problems with. I like the $7000 price tag of course, but want the best spa for the money.
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The whole negotiating thing shouldn't be a concern. Some dealers start really high so they can make you feel like you are getting a good deal when they come down. Other dealers give you a good fair price up front. I personally think the latter is a better way to do business but this could be an example of an honest dealer being punished because he has nowhere to come down to.
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i own a Coast Freedom since Aug 2014. No real issues to speak of other than it works. I, like yourself, couldn't find much info on them as i believe most of their sales are in Canada(?) and most of the forum resources are US based. We were going to buy the Zenith but thought we would be having everyone over to use the hot tub so we opted for the larger Freedom model.
They use name brand parts from what i can tell and my local dealer has had them for over 15 years along side Hotspring so take that for what its worth. If i was buying again, i would get the upgraded control panel that you can hook into your home wifi (assuming that it works like they say it should). The only reason is that i live somewhere very cold in the winter (-40C) and sometimes the cold comes in so fast i can't turn the tub down quick enough and have to fight with the cover to turn it down not to waste energy (sometimes it stays that cold for a few weeks at a time).
if you live somewhere relatively warm this won't be an issue of course. At the end of the day, dealer support is paramount regardless of brand. That and does it fit you are two major factors in buying a tub.