Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: jfish63 on August 31, 2006, 03:19:24 pm
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I have been looking at posts and web sites for a couple of months. I don't feel any closer to making a good decision. This weekend we are wet testing at 3 different dealers. My wife is short and just wants to soak, I am 5'11" and want the therapy. We are looking for almost open seating. We are looking at a hot spring vanguard, a Caldera aspire (wet floor model w/full term warranty), and a couple Beachcomber models. Any thoughts?
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Do you have a Marquis dealer near you? You didn't say how much you are willing to spend, but we have a Marquis Epic and it is roomy, the therapy is fantastic and it is versitile enough that you and your wife would fit comfortably. It could even accomodate several friends.
Very often my husband sits on one side of the tub and just soaks with no jet action while I use the other side for therapy. It works well for us. If you don't feel that you are ready to make a decision based on what you have seen, maybe you need to look at some other brands.
Good luck,
Boni
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We don't have a Marquis dealer near us. The closest one is about an hour and a half. We have looked at Coleman480(to deep for my wife). When a 177 comes in they will call us. We weren't thrilled with the sundance optima. The master spa and down east spas are pretty much eiminated. 8k is pretty much my upper limit for the right spa I could go more.
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When you are wet testing the Vanguard, check out the Tiger River Caspian also by Watkins. It's roughly the same size and has some of the same features. It should also be a little more affordable if you are on a budget.
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I wet tested the beachcomber and was impressed with it. Ended up buying a Emerald 699 Classic instead but the Beachcomber was my second choice. Any of the ones you mentioned are good solid tubs. You have the right idea by wet testing and make your decision from there.
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The hotspring dealer has some tiger river spas to test also. I'll give it a soak. My budget 8K I would go higher for the exact right tub.
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That you are wet testing indicates that you have gleaned something very important from one of these forums. That is an excellent start. Given your respective physical sizes, I would think the Caldera line merits special consideration because of the raised bump in the floor of their spas. This helps a lot for staying anchored in the seat. I am about 6 feet tall, my wife slightly under 5 feet, and she has difficulty staying seated in our HotSpring, whereas she had much less trouble with our previous Caldera. Other brands such as Jacuzzi have raise domes too, but short legs have trouble reaching them. Caldera has the hot setup for short people.
If you happen to be looking at any spas with lounge seats, don't be disappointed that your wife finds them unuseable as she will find them almost drowning her and almost impossible for her to stay anchored in.
Another thing you might want to do before going for the wet tests is get a submersible cushion for your wife to sit on during her soaks. These are inexpensive (~$10) and available from Linens & Things; Bed, Bath & Beyond and similar stores as well as at many spa stores.
Regards,
Bill
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Do you have a Vita dealer nearby? I considered the Cabaret before I ended up getting the Reflections Granada that I now have because I wanted a little more open seating. It had some nice therapy seats but also had a couple of seats where you could just soak and you have a fair amount of control of the jets between the seats. The therapy chair was nice and fit me well at 5'12" ( ;) ). It even had jets that massaged the bottom AND top of your feet at the same time in a part that overhangs the feet in the therapy chair (Top part of the picture, top jets aren't visible). Hadn't seen that before. Probably closer to 9K, at least in my area but I liked it. I think they are well made spas but they aren't one of the bigger names and don't get discussed a lot here.
(http://www.vitaspa.com/hot_tub_showroom/hot_tub_showroom_jpgs/cabaret.jpg)
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that was one of my choices but the only dealer in my area stopped selling them 2 years ago. He said service calls were the main reason.
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that was one of my choices but the only dealer in my area stopped selling them 2 years ago. He said service calls were the main reason.
Sounds like a good reason to take it off your list then. So far no trouble with my Granada, made by the same company as Vita, but I have only had it about 5-6 months. Hopefully, knock on prefabricated pseudo wood, it will stay problem free!
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In the end I think we all hope we make the right decision. I don't think there is one right answer.
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I have a Beachcomber 580 and the whole family really enjoys it. The tub is very roomy, comfortable and easy to maintain. My tub was around $8,500 delivered taxed included. This included everything except outside garden light and sound system. Sounds like all of the tubs you are looking at will do the job.
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Your situation sounds a bit like mine. I'm 5'10" with a wife that is 5'1". We tried the Aspire and Vanguard as well. We went with the Vanguard. The biggest problem I had with the Aspire is that the arm rests cut into the side of my legs. It was uncomfortable for me. I liked the openness of the Vanguard.
Doing the wet test is the smart thing. I would have had an Aspire if I hadn't tested. When I did, I realized I wouldn't be happy with it.
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Don't automatically take Marquis off the table. My dealer is a little over an hour away and have no problems with service.
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Unfortunately the Marquis dealer is in a higher cost area. The model I was looking at was over 10k.
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aquatub,
We are going to wet test the vanguard also. I also like the open seating. The price 7700 in this area, at least there are 2 dealers in my vicinity. Does your wife find the seats high enough? How do you like the moto massage(single row)?
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I've been in the industry about 20 years and I have owned several tubs. I owned a Grandee for 3 years and my wife and I like the rotary jets more than the moto massage. But hey that's us. You and your wife are probably different. I use a Beachcomber 750 now and I really enjoy the room and the the jets. See if the dealers that you are working with have a exchange policy, just in case the tub you buy ends up not being the right tub for you. You may try one out and then when you get it home you just might not enjoy it enough. A 20 minute test soak may not do the job.
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I wet tested a beachcomber this weekend. I liked the tub and the component compartment seems to be a good idea. The price of the spa seems to be kind of high as there are really no bells and whisles on this spa.
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I have had my Beachcomber 580 for over a year and love it. I agree that Beachcomber is a no frills tub, but does a waterfall really matter. I had narrowed my tub choices down to the Beachcomber 580/750, Sundance Optima and Hot Springs Grande. Wet tested all 3 and liked them all. Choose the Beachcobmer because the wife liked the look of it. If I had to do it again I might be inclined to get teh new Beachcomber 738. I found the pricing to be similiar.
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Are bells and whistles important?
Generally I find that the more bells and whistles on a hot tub does not always add to the enjoyment of the tub.
Ask yourself why are you getting a hot tub.
Is it for massage and relaxation or to water a prancing water and light show?
Comfort is most important, followed by durability, ease of maintenance and having a good dealer is important also. Don't get caught up in the flash of a hot tub. Sometimes when something costs more, it could be because it was built to last longer. Opinions are nice but unless you are buying a hot tub to impress someone, look for the tub that feels the best to you.
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I did like the beachcomber and am looking at the new 738. The high cooldown seat was a big winner for my wife. The price of the tub 9k is holding me back. So far I enjoyed the wet test in it over Hot Springs, Caldera. I haven't seen to many people post about this brand. I am not really a fan of the bells and whistles. But for that much money I want to be sure I am getting the best for me.
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Beachcomber has been around since 1978, but only available in the states since 2000. Keith Scott the founder and still the owner has always believed in making a hot tub to be a place for families and friends to reconnect. He doesn't believe in bells and whistles and he builds a very durable tub. I haven't heard anything negative on this forum about Beachcomber. Mainly because this is a very good group of professionals on this site. Unless you are a basher from Colorado.
I don't look at the cost to purchase the tub, but the cost of use. Let me explain. If you spend $5000 on a tub and are uncomfortable in it, you will use it less. But if you spend $8000 on a tub you are comfortable in and you use 4 times as much, your cost per use is less. I think alot of time you get a budget in mind and when you start seeing what is available in your price range, you start seeing you need to spend a little more for quality. It's better to spend a little more up front than to spend a little less and then use the tub less.
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aquatub,
We are going to wet test the vanguard also. I also like the open seating. The price 7700 in this area, at least there are 2 dealers in my vicinity. Does your wife find the seats high enough? How do you like the moto massage(single row)?
She does find it comfortable. Sometimes she sits with her legs crossed and sometimes she sits on a pillow. The Moto is her favorite jet.
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In too long, do you find the spa to be energy efficient? I think the use of the steps for the spa pack a good idea. If I buy a beachcomber it will be the 738 (9.6k delivered tax inc.). My wife likes to get her feet out of the water at times and the high cool off seat was great for her.
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jfish63,
I will preface this by saying this is no way scientific. My electric bill compared to the previous two years without a tub has gone up $10-$15 a month in the winter and about $5 a month in the summer. I use the tub about 5 times a week. I live in Tucson, AZ so winters are not very cold.
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It is very energy efficent. Beachcomber has used the 4 walled insualtion method for close to 3 decades. It does make sense when you think about it. Insulation is designed to keep hot things hot and cold things cold. My step is fully insulated and it keeps the equipment warm, like others do by putting their equipment underneath the spa shell. But unfortunately no body puts insualtion on the door. That allows for heat escape. Some companies offer a insualtion kit to be put on the door. But Marks who lives in a hot climate, probably understands that during the summer months you don't want to fight the temperature creeping up over the temp you want it. An uninsulated door allows for more heat to enter the equipment compartment, which then over heats the water in the summer. many companies offer a summer mode to help the temperature stay lower. When you think of the 3 wall design it reminds you of your garage, which is hotter than your house in the summer and colder in the winter. Most companies make energy efficent hot tubs. Full foam, dead air space, 4 walled insualtion all mean nothing if you don't use it. What is the cost of a hot tub that is never used? In my northern climate in which i hooked a check meter to the tub in January of 2006, my tub cost me $15.72 at that was at 7.5 cents per kilowatt hour. There were night I used it for over a hour, there were nights I didn't get to use it. another tub may have cost $20, but the $4 difference doesn't matter if you enjoyed the time in the tub with your family.
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In_Too_Long
You are absolutely right about the summer. I have to prop my cover open with a tennis ball to keep the tub from getting too hot. Then again we are over 100 degrees most days in June, July and August.
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Beachcomber 750 owner, just thought I would give you my 2cents. I have had the tub sinve june 2 2005. I had some issues at the beginning and they replaced the tub with a new one and have been in spatopia ever since. I am 6'1" and my wife is 5'4', 3 kids as well and we use it everyday.
Good luck in your search.
Rayman
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Rayman, Are you in NY? The dealer here told me a story about a tub replacement.