Decisions....decisions!

[mode4]

OK, as with most new people to the hot-tub industry I have been unable to find any substantiated and unbiased reviews concerning this area of interest. I have found a few sites that describe which options to look for and what really is important (like insulation) to be aware of. But there is really no data out there in terms of maintenance history, reliability and customer satisfaction.
The two closest dealers to me carry Vita-spa which includes Reflections and Jacuzzi. With nothing to go on like hard data it appears that price point will seperate these along with a few frills along the way. I would like to get the best bang for my dollar all along staying under the $7000.00 price mark. The Reflections Cordoba seems to satisfy these requirements, but I would appreciate any and all comments. Hot tub will be out-doors and seated on a concret slab.

Thanks,
Gary

[Mez]

I agree with you, I did alot of online research before buying my tub and you really dont know who to trust. I found this site and it seemed less biased than most. True, there are a few guys on here that come on to talk up Brand A or B but I beleive most on here are enthusiast and at least you can take all the advice you read, decipher it and come into a dealer a bit more educated to make a decision.
The best advice on here is to wet test different tubs and to find an established dealer that you feel comfortable with. Do a BBB search on the ones you are considering, see or ask how long they have been in business. The warranty is only as good as the company you are buying from and the dealer that will hopefully be around to service you if you need it.
I am a novice, been on here a few months and have only had my tub up and running for less than a week but the guidelines I spell out were the same ones given to me by other members here. Not to attempt to steer you in any direction, only to give my opinion, but the Jacuzzi J-335 (lounger) or J-345 (no lounger) is a helluva tub in the under $7000 range. We paid $6495 for ours and have enjoyed it very much in the short time we have had it. Took awhile to get here but it was worth the wait.
Good luck in your search.

[Vinny]

Not knowing how far away dealers are from you the best way to find out if a dealer will sell and service a tub you bought would be to call them and find out. I will assume that a dealer in an urban area will have a smaller territory than one in a rural area. When I was shopping I gave myself a 45 minute drive time (suburbs between NYC and Philly) and hit any dealer that sold tubs. At one point, I looked at an Emerald Spa and the only dealers that were around were in 1) another state and 2) about 35 miles away in the same state - both said they would sell and service the tub.

The more dealers and tubs you look at the more you find likes and dislikes of both tubs and dealers. I liked family run businesses the best and found the bigger pool and spa places weren't for me.

As far as tubs - Beachcomber, Marquis, Sundance, Artesian, Jacuzzi and probably a few others probably have spas around $7000. With some of these brands you may not be able to get their premium line but certainly their secondary line will fall into this price range.

Good Luck!