Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: Guttboy on March 19, 2005, 02:52:29 pm
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Well everyone....
Our trip to San Antonio is done, I am recovering from the viral pneumonia, took a look at the new house....
Now its time to start looking at Spas!!!!
We will pack our suits and towels in a bag but today is just to get a feel on a couple of dealerships and what is all out there.
Will take a look at (in our search over the next few weeks) D1, Caldera, Sundance, HS, Marquis...cant find an arctic dealer in town and not sure if there are any near us....their designs look intriquing but cant get one if cant find one. Jacuzzi and Coleman are also very far away from us...60 miles or so.
Just browsing today ane will hit a couple of places....will then try to see how they pan out and request wet testing for us. We also want to ask about setup and delivery options etc.
Have been doing alot of reading here and feel pretty confident that all the brands I mentioned are comparable quality wise and it all comes down to feel now.
What I have gathered from this site is that ALL the brands above will clean water effectively. ALL the brands above will heat water well. ALL the brands above have decent warranties. Now is the time to separate the wheat from the chaff and go for feel and function!!!!!
Wish us luck and Ill be sure to keep you all posted on our experiences with each dealership and with the models we test.
I hope that this will help others in the quest for the SPA!!!!
Best wishes!!!
:)
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You sound as well prepared as you can be, hopefully it will help. Let us know how it goes, we will look forward to reading the results.
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good hunting gottboy ;D,nice handle!
i'm sure there is atrophy tubb out there for ya. 8) 8) 8) 8)
happy tubb'n
wade
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Enjoy your quest, and let us know what you decide.
Brewman
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Hi All!!!
Just got back from looking at D1/Marquis/Caldera this afternoon....wife has a headache...LOL.....
We did not wet test any today although we could have...we are going to wet test the D1/Caldera/Marquis later this week.
To be honest....I am sure it is all going to come down to the wet testing. Unfortunately there were no D1 reflection series for us to see. In the At Home series we kinda were drawn to the Dream HP....reason...the size for us was just right. The larger tubs seemed VERY big to us.
We will be using it 99% of the time for just the two of us and perhaps one or two other folks. Going up in size (along with price) is probably something we just dont need right now.
The dealer was also stating that "do you really want to pay way more money for" certain items that we may not need. Yes the reflection series scrolling message center and the massage modes may be cool but I really dont think we need that. The dream and the Aurora are laid out pretty much the same so a $2000 difference in our mind may just not be worth it.
As far as the Caldera/marquis dealer went....again none of the top Marquis line were there for us to look at. Yes there are pictures and things but for us to be able to see one up close and personal....just wasnt going to happen for us. Its a bummer because we would have loved to check into that. They did have the everyday series but none of the "top o the line" models.
As far as Caldera for spa's....I was genuinely impressed with the spa's we saw....we are looking very hard at the Tahitian model. I was quite impressed with the solid feel of the cabinet (thing felt like a tank) as opposed to the D1 @home ones that were "less solid" feeling. Not to say they weren't good tubs just the Caldera felt like it could take a beating on the sides and the dealer really kicked the crap out of it...LOL.
So for comparing the two (we are looking at the sizes and layouts for US) right now they are the D1 @home "Dream HP" and the Caldera "Tahitian" Utopia series.
There is a $1645.00 difference when all is said and done between the Tahitian and the Dream HP.
Again our search has only entered into Day 1 so we are still in the infancy stages.
Overall impression...both dealers were very knowledgable and friendly. Both are willing to throw in some things for us. Both are very flexible for a wet test for us. Both have been in business for a while although one is family owned and has been around for A LONG TIME. Both do their own service.
Ill be sure to keep you updated......
For you D1 Dealers....I will need some serious selling to attempt to go into the Reflections line (aurora for us) as opposed to the Dream HP. Cost is always an issue but if its THAT much better to go to the Aurora as opposed to the Dream HP....PLEASE LET US KNOW!!!!!
Marquis dealers...damn I just wish there were something to wet test here???????
Take care all and I appreciate all your comments and suggestions.
Regards,
:)
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Don't forget to put a pad of paper and a pencil or pen in your "wet testing" bag! Take notes, this will help in the long run, because after a few days, you will need something to refer back to!
Good luck!!!
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Lori,
Already have my trusty notebook! I write down everything!
Regards,
Mike :)
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Good job, Mike!!! ;) ;D
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Hang in there Guttboy,
After spending most of last night looking on the web at different manufacturers, I am getting fatigued. I can fully understand your wife's headache! lol.
As we are both shopping spas, do you think you might be able to include some ballpark pricing that you've received on the spas you are concidering. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but it would be helpful that if you see something that looks "and feels" good, and the pricing is generally the same range we are looking at, we could include it in our search. Our budget is now around 6-7K (Started at 4-6K lol).
Only do this if you are confortable doing so and if it doesn't conflict with the site guidelines.
Thanks,
SpaTime
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We have wet tested the HS Vanguard, Jacuzzi J-335 and J-365, and Caldera Elation and Aspire.
Definitely wet test, as there were differences in all we tried. We found that we did not care for any of the lounger models.
As of right now we are leaning towards the Caldera Hawaiian or if budget permits, the Niagara. Though it sounds like marketing BS, the Calderas had more jets than the others we tried, and for us, we felt it was a positive attribute.
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Congratulations on being so prepared. There now is nothing to stand in your way of making the right decision for you.
Wet test until you're wrinkled...
good luck in your search. ;D
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Spatime,
I dont think this violates any policies but here goes...these are without tax mind you. Standards that are coming with these offers are stairs, cover/lifter, startup chemicals, and delivery. These are rough prices as no "written" offer has been given to us but this is what the reps have told us. With that being said I think that if I were to purchase one of these tubs at this price I am confident they would not "jack" the price up....
Caldera Tahitian 7500*
Caldera Niagra 8500*
@home D1 Dream HP 5900
@home D1 Venture 6200
D1 Aurora 7700
Chairman II 9100
Diplomat 8300
I hope this helps with your search....I encourage others to do the same as it helps us NEWBIES searching get good ballpark figures on tubs!!!
Regards,
:)
PS reviewed the TOS again and there was no mention of not stating prices so FIRE away yours!
Delivery did not include price on crane...but I did ask (we dont need it) and here it runs $300 for one.
* Utopia series which is Caldera's top of the line (all the options)
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all of those prices seem to be in line. Lots of good deals there.
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Here are the ballpark #'s we have thusfar;
All the prices include delivery and setup and a hard cover, not tax.
05 Sweetwater Palermo $5789,00 (list $6499.00) It is comparable to the Sundance Optima pictured in their brochure (so says the salesman).
The next three spa's are labeled and signed as "Resort Spa" and are (so far) an unknown brand
05 Resort Spa #730L 4999.00 (list $5999.00) (The salesman offered to include the performance upgrade for $5999.00. The list on the performance package is $999.99 so there is no break offered (yet) on that deal
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05 resort spa either model 840B 7seater or the 840L 6 seater with lounge. $6499.00 ($7999.00 list)
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Just got back from San Antonio this afternoon. Did a couple days in Corpus Christi to get out of the cold Ohio weather! Weren't home 20 minutes and we were in the tub!
Caldera Tahitian Utopea is what we have and we love it. You can't go wrong with it. Not to say you can't do better, but we love ours and we AGONIZED during the search process.
Looks like a decent price, too...
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Thanks Green Raisin....why did you get the Tahitian? What other ones did you look at....What are your likes dislikes about the Tahitian?
Thanks!
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We looked at a lot and wet tested a few...
We looked at:
1. Master Spa and Downeast, their midrange level tubs. We liked them, but had some concerns with the marketing approach they take. Not sure what the truth was, and not sure about the reliability.
2. Jacuzzi Premium- we liked it a lot, relatively quiet, (relatively, by recollection!). Concerned with reliability with them, too. Dealer contracted maintenance and repair.
4. Coleman- we really liked them, too, but there was something nagging about the feel...can't quantify it, but I trust my guts!
5. Hot Springs - Liked them, but the moto-massage didn't trip my trigger. I didn't dislike it, but wasn't impressed by it, either. I also pegged Hot Springs as a little pricier than the Caldera, but not necessarily justified.
6. Caldera
There are other tubs that made my "A" list, but I couldn't find a dealer or had heard some less than desireable things about the dealers, or they just weren't open on the days that I had them on my list to research and/or wet test. With as many "good" ones that I had on my list, and all the agony that had gone into the fact finding and decision making process, I didn't mind eliminating a couple from the list just to make my decision easier. Notably, D1...I wouldn't disregard them based on my data, or lack thereof. They deserve a shot!
Main reasons we went with the Tahitian:
1. Dealer had a 2004 model left and was willing to deal!
2. It was larger than the Martinique we were originally looking into from Caldera.
3. We wanted a lounger.
4. It wasn't as big as the largest Caledera.
5. We wanted to stay below an $8K turnkey limit.
What we like: Seating for 6, although that is just sort of bonus. It's nice when friends come over or the kids are home. The six seats have a good combination of jets that we liked. Going with the Martinique cut down on a few jet configurations that we would have missed by not going with the Tahitian Utopean. Same thing with the Tahitian Paradise...good, but missing a few of the jets we wanted and now enjoy.
We also like the ability to move around the tub and get a different hydrotherapy experience with each seat. With the Tahitian Utopea, we can both get something at the same time rather than have to take turns diverting jets to certain seats, which you may have to do with other tubs, depending on the number of pumps and diverters. Not so important with just the two of us, but if someones else joins us...we can all get some therapy simulataneously!
We like the lighting with the Utopeas...although I would have liked an option to keep it on a certain color rather than having to enjoy the full circular spectrum as the light wheel rotates! Was leary of the water-level circumference fiberoptics on some tubs. Another opportunity for leaks.
What we DON'T like.- We were stuck with the AquaMarine color, which isn't bad, but would not have been our choice. So far, nothing else. I'm convinced that unless you experience something in the buying phase, including wet testing, that is NOT GOOD, you will make a good decision, at least as far as enjoyment is concerned. If it feels good, it is good! Reliability and cost to run are another thing and should be thoroughly researched. The previous brands passed my initial reliability and cost to run threshholds so we proceded with more research on them.
Hope that helps with your decision making. A lot of research, a lot of wet testing, a lot of reading on this forum and others, and a lot of comparison measurements, not to mention, talking to the dealers and making sure they weren't just selling, but establishing a good relationship that I could depend on should problems arise.
Keep us posted, and enjoy San Antonio!
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Green Raisin!
OUTSTANDING LOWDOWN!!!!!!
Seems as though we are thinking alot alike in our quest for the spa as you did!
We are wet testing this week so we will be sure to let you know what is up. I am going to try to get to see the Sundance folks tomorrow and give them and the HS guys a look as well.
As far as MOTO Massage....I wasnt blown away by that at my friends house so we will have to wet test ourselves and see how that goes. I did like the way that the jets in the Caldera's felt on the hands and arms as we stuck em in there.
We have also asked the dealers for wet testing to set the spa at 100 degrees for us. Anything above that tends to overheat us very quickly. Our experience at 102 was ok but we just couldnt take more that 15 min or so in the tub without having to get halfway out...we are both very hot natured.
Dealers are very accomodating when it comes to wet testing with us as well so that should make it even better!
Ill keep ya posted and thanks tremendously for the post above!
Regards,
Mike
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To Greenraisin........On my 2003 Caldera Geneva Utopia,You can "freeze" the color of the light.
If you have the same setup,it's pretty simple.
When the light cycles,and goes to the color you like,what you do to stop/freeze it is..........hit the "light" button,and then hit the "set" button. Hold em together for like 2 seconds. To put it back on cycle mode,do the same thing.
I like Blue,daughter likes it red,as she likes to pretend there's a volcano erupting from the Euphoria jet from the floor :)
GL :)
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Hey Guttboy,
I am also a newbe looking for our first spa. Saw the Marquis Reward on Saturday. It is a great looking tub with loads of nice features. If you could find a dealer that has one, I'm sure you'll consider it. Haven't wet tested yet so I don't know if this is the tub for us or not. Also looking at Hot Springs (Vangard and Envoy) and D1 (Chairman II and Californian).
I hope to be wet testing soon!! :D ;D :o
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Suggestion: When you do test soak, sit iin the major therapy seats for atleast 5 - 10 minutes. Make sure the dealer has the temp set around 100 -101, not too hot so you don;t overheat while soaking. I tell you to sit still for 5 0 10 minutes because many manufacturers design therapy for the proverbial "hand". You know the routine, you stick your hand in the spa and it feels pretty powerful. However, you might find that most put too much psi and it hurts after a few minutes. So don;t bounce around too quickly, try and relax and see how the seat performs over an extended period of time. ;)
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Agreed Kyle!
We did our first 45min wet test tonight...I am going to put a separate thread on it so that it is easily found by others.
drprwnap, there are simply NO dealers around that have any marquis series on the floors. Unfortunate for them....same with the D1 folks as well.
Still searching to see if they will have any in Austin or maybe houston...however we are talking 2-3hour drives to those places so it will be logistically hard to do....will see.
Will post results of our Sundance wet test a bit later tonight....
Regards
Mike