Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: D69stang on November 12, 2017, 12:21:29 pm
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So talked the wife into a hot tub. have 4 kids, 15-6 in age. looking for a 6-7 person tub. I like the lounger option as does the wife but the few we've sat in with the full family seem cramped. ones we've liked where we fit comfortably are Dynasty Spa Hawaiian Breeze series 886L (however quick search on line telling me to stay away from these as construction is garbage) and the Master Spa Twilight series 8.25 (non lounger but we fit more comfortably in the lounger-less one in the master spas (but again, forums here really bash these guys). can anyone point me to specific options I should look into? I see a lot of "Oh you can do better than master spa's" but not many direct compares to go look at. and the dynasty review that was harsh on construction was a bit dated so not sure if still an issue with those guys.
trying to keep cost to ~ 10k or so altho flexible if worthwhile.
oh we also looked at bullfrog spas but wasn't overly impressed (or the salesman was not so good there - one of the two)
Thanks.
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We have a Caldera Geneva and it is a 6 person tub and a few times we have had 6 adults in it was ok not overly cramped as it has a good size foot well and one set of feet are in the recliner. I think with 4 kids it would work fine. You need to look at the larger foot print tubs 7.5’ or 8’ square. At least in the Caldera lineup the 8 person tub will be out of your price range.
I normally suggest a two more person tub than you think you will normally have in it. Keep in mind water displacement in a 6 person with 6 adults you would want the water level on the low side and then when just one or two are in it wont have enough water. The extra size balances that out better.
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If you're in the Midwest you could get a Bullfrog A8 within your price range, plus tax. Or the X/R line under $10k.
I've got three kids and I can count the times we've all been in together on one hand. I wouldn't necessarily fret about "full capacity". Sit closer to your wife on those days when all the kids decide they want to join...
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So talked the wife into a hot tub. have 4 kids, 15-6 in age. looking for a 6-7 person tub. I like the lounger option as does the wife but the few we've sat in with the full family seem cramped. ones we've liked where we fit comfortably are Dynasty Spa Hawaiian Breeze series 886L (however quick search on line telling me to stay away from these as construction is garbage) and the Master Spa Twilight series 8.25 (non lounger but we fit more comfortably in the lounger-less one in the master spas (but again, forums here really bash these guys). can anyone point me to specific options I should look into? I see a lot of "Oh you can do better than master spa's" but not many direct compares to go look at. and the dynasty review that was harsh on construction was a bit dated so not sure if still an issue with those guys.
trying to keep cost to ~ 10k or so altho flexible if worthwhile.
oh we also looked at bullfrog spas but wasn't overly impressed (or the salesman was not so good there - one of the two)
Thanks.
What other brands are available in your area? Hot Springs, Marquis, Caldera, Artesian all make great tubs as well as the bullfrog you already looked at
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So appreciating all this feedback. so far what I understand is I should not buy either the dynasty or the master spa. maybe I should relook at the Bullfrog. there is a marquis dealer and a Jacuzzi dealer withing 15-20 mins of my house so will go look at those two (thinking the 495 Jacuzzi however that doesnt look like it has lounge, but does appear to have some pretty cool captain type seats, marguis has several that look to hold 7-8 people). the Cantabria dealers is like an hour away, altho it does look interesting. and am told I should think of dimension one spas as well. friend had the amore bay that he said was the best spa he ever owned. and there is a dealer within 10 mins of the house.
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I have marquis vector 94 great size reasonably priced
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We bought a Bullfrog X8L...VERY comfortably sits 6, but can fit up to 8 people. Under 7k.
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So, looks like I am expanding the budget. Sort of narrowed it down to the following. would love comments feedback on what people think, if any I should avoid, etc.
D1 Amore Bay
Jacuzzi J495
Caldera Cantabria
Marquis V94L
Thoughts / feedback / etc very much welcome. Hoping to go test a few this weekend, but testing new and having a year old clunker is what I am worried about...
Thanks in advance.
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So, looks like I am expanding the budget. Sort of narrowed it down to the following. would love comments feedback on what people think, if any I should avoid, etc.
D1 Amore Bay
Jacuzzi J495
Caldera Cantabria
Marquis V94L
Thoughts / feedback / etc very much welcome. Hoping to go test a few this weekend, but testing new and having a year old clunker is what I am worried about...
Thanks in advance.
Its very common to set a budget before shopping and then have to reset it when you investigate further and review what you really want. The 4 models you list all come from manufacturers with good reputations. At this point it should be about getting in with a dealer you can trust, what kind of deal you can get and by all means you really want to wet test. I'll bet if you dry sit these 4 spas and list your favorites 1 through 4 based on a dry sit and then wet test you'll likely rearrange that list but not because any one of them is poorly designed but just because the dynamics change so much when you're buoyant and you also can't put much stock in what others concluded when wet testing these models because results DO vary from person to person.
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So, looks like I am expanding the budget. Sort of narrowed it down to the following. would love comments feedback on what people think, if any I should avoid, etc.
D1 Amore Bay
Jacuzzi J495
Caldera Cantabria
Marquis V94L
Thoughts / feedback / etc very much welcome. Hoping to go test a few this weekend, but testing new and having a year old clunker is what I am worried about...
Thanks in advance.
Those are all great hot tubs from great companies. It really comes down to personal fit and does it meet your needs. Also, how does the dealer seem? A bad dealer can ruin a good hot tub and vice versa.
The Amore Bay is a badass hot tub, for sure. D1 has been around a long time and does some really cool things. We carried them for a short time. We had a lot of service issues and felt that they were a little overpriced, but that really is an awesome spa and I hate to say anything negative about them. I think we just weren't a good fit. The D1 is made in the same factory as the Jacuzzi, which is also a nice spa. I'm a big fan of Marquis as well, though I don't like the look of the vector spas. Appearance shouldn't be a make or break factor though, imo. Honestly, you can't go wrong with any of them.
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So, looks like I am expanding the budget. Sort of narrowed it down to the following. would love comments feedback on what people think, if any I should avoid, etc.
D1 Amore Bay
Jacuzzi J495
Caldera Cantabria
Marquis V94L
Thoughts / feedback / etc very much welcome. Hoping to go test a few this weekend, but testing new and having a year old clunker is what I am worried about...
Thanks in advance.
A lot of personal preference here and obviously you'll narrow it down quickly after wet testing but on paper imho Caldera > D1 > Marquis > Jacuzzi when taking into account the specific models you are looking at, to give Marquis a fair shake I would look at models within their Signature series while you are shopping them, do you have a Bullfrog dealer near? an A8D/A8L/R8L (if you want a lounge or loungers in case of the A8D) would be some other good units I would def. throw into the mix and wet test if possible....Good Luck!
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All the spas you are looking at are oversized units except the Marquis V94L. To be a fair comparison, that V94L should either be an Epic or a Show and even then. still a smaller spa. I used to sell Marquis and I like them as a company and the product, but just not a fair comparison. If you haven't considered it, look at the Hot Spring Grandee too.
Can't really say avoid anything on your list. All premium manufacturers and with the exception of the Marquis, you are looking at the top of the line for all the manufacturers you listed. Dry test each spa and wet test if possible. The dealer is almost as important as the brand so research each dealer.
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All premium manufacturers and with the exception of the Marquis, you are looking at the top of the line for all the manufacturers you listed.
I dissagree. I think Marquis is almost the top of all listed choices. I would pick a different D1.
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My fault. I didn’t mean Marquis wasn’t a premium manufacturer. They are all premium. All except the marquis model listed are top of the line from each manufacturer. The Vector21 line from Marquis is a step down from the Signature series, which would be the equal comparison.
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Went to Jacuzzi today. Wife didn't like the 495. She did like the J385 better (go figure). was quoted a price for the in stock one we sat in at $13,400. I think that's a bit high for the store model. Is with the usual lift / cover / install. option for the fancier steps which the salesman said cost 600 more (included in the 13,400). wasn't really expecting the j385 to be that high tho. a 300 series.. Only option the demo had was the stereo. Anyone comment on the price? I am in NY so I know we get charged premium on everything, but is this very high or is it me?
Gonna go check out D1 most likely later today or tomorrow. If we like as much as the J385 then i will prob stop testing and start bidding on whichever one i think the better deal will be.
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So, looks like I am expanding the budget. Sort of narrowed it down to the following. would love comments feedback on what people think, if any I should avoid, etc.
D1 Amore Bay
Jacuzzi J495
Caldera Cantabria
Marquis V94L
Thoughts / feedback / etc very much welcome. Hoping to go test a few this weekend, but testing new and having a year old clunker is what I am worried about...
Thanks in advance.
A lot of personal preference here and obviously you'll narrow it down quickly after wet testing but on paper imho Caldera > D1 > Marquis > Jacuzzi when taking into account the specific models you are looking at, to give Marquis a fair shake I would look at models within their Signature series while you are shopping them, do you have a Bullfrog dealer near? an A8D/A8L/R8L (if you want a lounge or loungers in case of the A8D) would be some other good units I would def. throw into the mix and wet test if possible....Good Luck!
Saw bullfrog early one and honestly I wasn't blown away. though the removable seat things was sort of gimmicky and just another thing that could either break or build up slime / dirt.
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Went to Jacuzzi today. Wife didn't like the 495. She did like the J385 better (go figure). was quoted a price for the in stock one we sat in at $13,400. I think that's a bit high for the store model. Is with the usual lift / cover / install. option for the fancier steps which the salesman said cost 600 more (included in the 13,400). wasn't really expecting the j385 to be that high tho. a 300 series.. Only option the demo had was the stereo. Anyone comment on the price? I am in NY so I know we get charged premium on everything, but is this very high or is it me?
Gonna go check out D1 most likely later today or tomorrow. If we like as much as the J385 then i will prob stop testing and start bidding on whichever one i think the better deal will be.
Long Island? That price seems awfully high. Did you get prices on Cantabria or Vector 94? If so I sell both those brands so I can help you pricewise on those. If the 300 Series was that much how much was the 400 Series from Jacuzzi?
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Went to Jacuzzi today. Wife didn't like the 495. She did like the J385 better (go figure). was quoted a price for the in stock one we sat in at $13,400. I think that's a bit high for the store model. Is with the usual lift / cover / install. option for the fancier steps which the salesman said cost 600 more (included in the 13,400). wasn't really expecting the j385 to be that high tho. a 300 series.. Only option the demo had was the stereo. Anyone comment on the price? I am in NY so I know we get charged premium on everything, but is this very high or is it me?
Gonna go check out D1 most likely later today or tomorrow. If we like as much as the J385 then i will prob stop testing and start bidding on whichever one i think the better deal will be.
that is quite high for that model but as you stated hot tub prices in New York are commonly higher then the rest of the country...if you like either that or D1 and are comfortable then you could certainly end the process but I think you are doing yourself a disservice if you don't test at least 1 or 2 other brands, just my opinion, good luck!
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Went to Jacuzzi today. Wife didn't like the 495. She did like the J385 better (go figure). was quoted a price for the in stock one we sat in at $13,400. I think that's a bit high for the store model. Is with the usual lift / cover / install. option for the fancier steps which the salesman said cost 600 more (included in the 13,400). wasn't really expecting the j385 to be that high tho. a 300 series.. Only option the demo had was the stereo. Anyone comment on the price? I am in NY so I know we get charged premium on everything, but is this very high or is it me?
Gonna go check out D1 most likely later today or tomorrow. If we like as much as the J385 then i will prob stop testing and start bidding on whichever one i think the better deal will be.
that is quite high for that model but as you stated hot tub prices in New York are commonly higher then the rest of the country...if you like either that or D1 and are comfortable then you could certainly end the process but I think you are doing yourself a disservice if you don't test at least 1 or 2 other brands, just my opinion, good luck!
I agree with BFSM you should throw a signature series Marquis in your mix also. HK jets are awesome.
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Try the Marquis Euphoria, its one of the best spas I have ever sat in. It's also more comparable to the others you are looking at. It's spacious, has good power, in my opinion much more comfortable than the Vector21 spas from Marquis, and as Tman122 said, the HK40 jets are really nice.
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Went to Jacuzzi today. Wife didn't like the 495. She did like the J385 better (go figure). was quoted a price for the in stock one we sat in at $13,400. I think that's a bit high for the store model. Is with the usual lift / cover / install. option for the fancier steps which the salesman said cost 600 more (included in the 13,400). wasn't really expecting the j385 to be that high tho. a 300 series.. Only option the demo had was the stereo. Anyone comment on the price? I am in NY so I know we get charged premium on everything, but is this very high or is it me?
Gonna go check out D1 most likely later today or tomorrow. If we like as much as the J385 then i will prob stop testing and start bidding on whichever one i think the better deal will be.
Preferably you want to maybe wet test your top 3 or so but I'd add that you really should test them all the same weekend and preferably the same day.
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So, looks like I am expanding the budget. Sort of narrowed it down to the following. would love comments feedback on what people think, if any I should avoid, etc.
D1 Amore Bay
Jacuzzi J495
Caldera Cantabria
Marquis V94L
Thoughts / feedback / etc very much welcome. Hoping to go test a few this weekend, but testing new and having a year old clunker is what I am worried about...
Thanks in advance.
A lot of personal preference here and obviously you'll narrow it down quickly after wet testing but on paper imho Caldera > D1 > Marquis > Jacuzzi when taking into account the specific models you are looking at, to give Marquis a fair shake I would look at models within their Signature series while you are shopping them, do you have a Bullfrog dealer near? an A8D/A8L/R8L (if you want a lounge or loungers in case of the A8D) would be some other good units I would def. throw into the mix and wet test if possible....Good Luck!
Saw bullfrog early one and honestly I wasn't blown away. though the removable seat things was sort of gimmicky and just another thing that could either break or build up slime / dirt.
LMAO so which sales guy fed you this line? Jacuzzi?.....good luck in your search
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actually no one fed me that line. was what I originally said to my wife when we walked out the door. bullfrog was the second place we went to, after the place that sold masters (which honestly I liked until I read about how the quality isn't there long term, and not just from this forum but from a few people I know that have them.
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actually no one fed me that line. was what I originally said to my wife when we walked out the door. bullfrog was the second place we went to, after the place that sold masters (which honestly I liked until I read about how the quality isn't there long term, and not just from this forum but from a few people I know that have them.
Everyone here has their favorite couple brands they like to tout, almost always from a familiar list that get mentioned here regularly as top notch (Artesian, Arctic, Bullfrog, Caldera, D1, Hot Springs, Jacuzzi, Marquis, Sundance...). If a customer for whatever reason isn't impressed with one of them that's fine because there are usually a few others in their area available. It may be tough for some to read who really like the brand they represent to see the reasons but in the end there is no "best" spa out there so it really shouldn't be much more than a shrug when you see someone has a less than stellar review but its just human nature to want to respond when you disagree with the reasoning behind the review but in the end, to each his own...!
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actually no one fed me that line. was what I originally said to my wife when we walked out the door. bullfrog was the second place we went to, after the place that sold masters (which honestly I liked until I read about how the quality isn't there long term, and not just from this forum but from a few people I know that have them.
Everyone here has their favorite couple brands they like to tout, almost always from a familiar list that get mentioned here regularly as top notch (Artesian, Arctic, Bullfrog, Caldera, D1, Hot Springs, Jacuzzi, Marquis, Sundance...). If a customer for whatever reason isn't impressed with one of them that's fine because there are usually a few others in their area available. It may be tough for some to read who really like the brand they represent to see the reasons but in the end there is no "best" spa out there so it really shouldn't be much more than a shrug when you see someone has a less than stellar review but its just human nature to want to respond when you disagree with the reasoning behind the review but in the end, to each his own...!
I've had the same opinion of BF than the OP mehhhhh gimmick. You will never change pacs. And it's easier to just change seats. The one advantage is the ability to put your favorite pac where you want it at the time of sale. But that requires you to like a particular pac better than the feel of a completely different brand. Which may not happen. And the down sides may not be worth it to you.
I get blasted for this opinion all the time from sales and owners. But I simply don't care.
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So, looks like I am expanding the budget. Sort of narrowed it down to the following. would love comments feedback on what people think, if any I should avoid, etc.
D1 Amore Bay
Jacuzzi J495
Caldera Cantabria
Marquis V94L
Thoughts / feedback / etc very much welcome. Hoping to go test a few this weekend, but testing new and having a year old clunker is what I am worried about...
Thanks in advance.
A lot of personal preference here and obviously you'll narrow it down quickly after wet testing but on paper imho Caldera > D1 > Marquis > Jacuzzi when taking into account the specific models you are looking at, to give Marquis a fair shake I would look at models within their Signature series while you are shopping them, do you have a Bullfrog dealer near? an A8D/A8L/R8L (if you want a lounge or loungers in case of the A8D) would be some other good units I would def. throw into the mix and wet test if possible....Good Luck!
Saw bullfrog early one and honestly I wasn't blown away. though the removable seat things was sort of gimmicky and just another thing that could either break or build up slime / dirt.
LMAO so which sales guy fed you this line? Jacuzzi?.....good luck in your search
I have customers say the same thing. I also have customers tell me they don’t like the brands I carrry. That is why the customer has a choice. What might be perfect for me or you someone else might hate. That’s why there are different options out there.
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ok, so wife waffling now. She does like the J495 (originally thought was too bid but remeasured and thinks will fit fine). was quoted 18,200 for it with some sort of special steps (nicer steps). cover, etc. is that a good price? is same place that quoted me the 13,400 for the 385.
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ok, so wife waffling now. She does like the J495 (originally thought was too bid but remeasured and thinks will fit fine). was quoted 18,200 for it with some sort of special steps (nicer steps). cover, etc. is that a good price? is same place that quoted me the 13,400 for the 385.
Are these US$?
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ok, so wife waffling now. She does like the J495 (originally thought was too bid but remeasured and thinks will fit fine). was quoted 18,200 for it with some sort of special steps (nicer steps). cover, etc. is that a good price? is same place that quoted me the 13,400 for the 385.
Are these US$?
Think he’s on Long Island. To me those prices seem high, real high but I’ve heard some crazy prices in that part of New York before
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yes US$ and yes on Long Island NY. and Yes I think high as well. trying to figure what fair price would be to offer.
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yes US$ and yes on Long Island NY. and Yes I think high as well. trying to figure what fair price would be to offer.
Since you seem to know these prices are very high relative to what others see elsewhere, can we assume you've checked other major players in your area and found similar high pricing telling you that this is typical for your market or is it possible this particular dealer is just being super high in an already high market?
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yes US$ and yes on Long Island NY. and Yes I think high as well. trying to figure what fair price would be to offer.
If you are looking at the dealer I’m thinking your looking at he most likely won’t budge much in prices. He gets those prices so he doesn’t need to move off them to sell more tubs. Look at a Jacuzzi dealer and off the island and get a quote. I believe there is one in northern New Jersey. See where he’s at on price.
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Follow up. So I went with a 2015 J495 the dealer had on a take back. got what I think is a good deal (roughly half what he was quoting me on the new 2017's) love the tub. got it installed and up and running Tuesday and been in twice already. kids / wife love it. still figuring things out (i.e haven't been able to pair to my phone for Bluetooth, must be something simple I am not catching on to) but aside from that so far so good. Appreciate the help everyone here gave...