di, therma spas and sundance

[teresa]

 ::)hi new to  the hot tub world, got a few questions, have been researching dimension  one, therma spas and sundance, just these so far,  we live in iowa i hear wet testing is the way to go., therma spas dont seem to bad but it is a factory company with no middle man. the only way you can wet test is if you go to someones house that has bought one and try it. the company says they have a few customers that let people do that but where they are i dont know.  we want t a 5 to 6 person hot tubs with a lounger and therapy chairs ,  my husband and i have the old aches and pains and is hoping this helps. i keep reading all the pros and cons of different brands, not apposed to different brands as long as the warrenty is good   is the size of the pipes important and  different insulation  and the number of pumps? di seems pretty good but it and therma spas can be really pricey.   i got a price for thecameo sundance with cover easy steps , oaone start up and dleivery for 9499  is that a good deal the di dipolmat was 10200  the therma spa was higher yet  any advice would be appreciated thanks teresa

[Brewman]

Don't fall for the "no middleman" line that Thermospas is feeding you.  For some mysterious reason, these spas cost more than spas that have the evil middlemen.
 It's these middlemen, by the way, that will be there to support you when you have questions or need service.  
 No way would I ever consider showing up at a strangers home to wet test their spa.  
 Also, this is a very expensive purchase, which I'd never consider buying with just a picture on a brochure or DVD presentation.  The first time to see a spa model is before you make a financial comittment, not after.
  If you do agree to see the Thermospa pitch, know that you will be presented with a very high initial price, which will be drastically cut (though not enought for me) a day or two later if you refuse the initial pitch.

[dax]

Took delivery on a Sundance Cameo at the end of June.  Paid $9200 for it.  Came with matching steps, cover lifter, 250mg ozonator, start up chemicals, silver cartridge, filter cover drink holder, and a rubber ducky.  Sundance had a 0% financing deal going on at the time as well.

If you read this forum enough, you'll find out that dealer pricing is very much based on location and their costs to do business.  I'm located in Allentown, PA, which is about 50 miles northwest of Philly.  Not familiar with Iowa, but I can't imagine a dealer's cost to be any more than here on the east coast.  Wouldn't hurt to ask for a lower price.

As for the Cameo, we love ours.  I wanted a lounge and thought that this was the best one for me after wet testing several models.  The therapy seat really gives your sore muscles a good going over.  Best thing to do is to wet test for yourself.  Good luck!

[Spatech_tuo]

::)hi new to  the hot tub world, got a few questions, have been researching dimension  one, therma spas and sundance, just these so far,  we live in iowa i hear wet testing is the way to go.,

i keep reading all the pros and cons of different brands, not apposed to different brands as long as the warrenty is good  

 thanks teresa

D1 and Sundance are very reputable brands IMO but I'd put the Thermospas brochure in the recycle bin (or fireplace). If you're wondering who else out there may be worth looking at here is my standard answer that I cut and paste for such requests:

Here is a list of what many consider to be some of the top spa makers in the industry. These links should put you at the dealer locator sections of their websites where you can enter your zip code to see who is local to you:

http://www.arcticspas.com
http://artesianspas.com/main/dealer_locator.asp
http://www.calderaspas.com/Locator/index.html
http://www.dimensiononespas.com/findadealer.asp
http://www.hotspring.com/index_spas_hot_spring.html
http://www.jacuzzi.com/products/
http://www.marquisspas.com/locator.asp
http://retailer.sundancespas.com/Retailers/index.php

There are more certainly (some good, some not so good) but those above probably make more than half of the spas sold in the US. Visit 3, 4 or 5 of the closest and see what you like. It's always best to wet test to find the spa that fits and feels best to you but you at least want to compare rather than buy the first one you see. Good luck.

[The_real_Clown_Shoes]

Well hello, fellow Iowan!

I agree with Spatech that you should nix the idea of getting a Thermospa.  We do service on their tubs- the middleman effect is very real there.

What part of Iowa are you in?  If you're in the Cedar Valley, I assume you're looking at the Sundance dealer in Clear Lake or M&B.

If you're in the Cedar Rapids-IC area that's Ralston Creek (steer clear) and Branchini's.

I'm not too familiar with the dealers to the east and west except the Hot Spring dealers, but I'd be happy to answer any questions you'd have about owning a tub here in the great Hawkeye State.

[teresa]

hi i live in se iowa we did go to ralston creek and looked at the hot tubs . what was the problem with them, if you dont mind my asking??? thanks teresa    has anyone bought a hot tub at their state fair?

[Spatech_tuo]

has anyone bought a hot tub at their state fair?

There is nothing wrong with that route as long as you realize 2 things:

1) You want to be sure they are a local dealer IMO, not just some out of town manufacturer that comes to the fair, sells some tubs and then has no local presence when you need service. Ask what the address is for their store and make sure it exists.

2) Don't assume you're necessarily getting a better deal at the fair. It is very costly to show spas there and while sometimes you may a great deal, other times it can be the same as the store and sometimes just the opposite. You do get to see multiple brands though so I understand why people like to go there but I'm only bringing this up because sometimes people assume fairs mean better pricing by definition and that's not always the case.

[The_real_Clown_Shoes]

Ralston Creek doesn't really push hot tubs as their primary focus.  We've had a lot of customers come to us due to service issues or frustration as chemical customers.  They used to have a store here in Cedar Rapids but pulled up stakes without notice a few months ago.  Not to say the tub you could get there won't be a great quality, but that's just what I've gotten from our new customers.

Branchini's is nice.  Lynn and Pam (the owners) are great with customer service.  If you decide to take a look at Hot Spring Spas you've actually got two options for dealers around the Iowa City area.  Pool Tech in Cedar Rapids  has been around for about 35 years, and Whirling Waters in Coralville has both a Hot Spring dealership and a Caldera dealership in Cedar Rapids.

All three of those dealers are solid, have been around for a long time, and have great staff.

Other choices in the area are a new Marquis dealer in Cedar Rapids on the SW side of town, a new Dynasty dealer in Marion, and a QCA dealer in Cedar Rapids.  There was a Jacuzzi dealer until about March of this year, but they also pulled out.

A lot of people in Iowa buy tubs at the State Fair.  I'm not sure about what the service after the sale of them has been like, but I wouldn't want to drive two hours to Des Moines for a tub I could get at home.

[GoBlue]

We have D1 Diplomat.  Love it!  Paid a couple thousand less than your price though.  It's been very dependable.  A couple of small problems, but dealer took care of them the next day.  We test it though.  One seat is very deep, and unless you are tall, it may be too deep. Loungers are are a bit more shallow and built for shorter folks.  I am over 6' and my wife is 5'2" so the tub fits us well.

[scromey]

I just got my D1 Nautilus on Tuesday. Paid $9100 out the door, included tax, delivery, chemicals, spa class, upgraded lighting. No stereo or waterfalls though. I was focused more on quality of jets and water management. I am very surprised how quiet the tub is. My son and his girlfriend were in it while I was up on the deck above, and I didn't even know it was on. Both pumps on high. The jets are very well placed and plenty of power. Each seat has a specialty as I am sure most tubs have the same design.

I wet tested 7 weeks ago and loved it, but just had to wait and hope I made the right choice. The D1 seems extremely well made and everything is the highest quality (look, feel, design, water management).  I could have spent another 500-700 for the LFX package which adds premier lighting and waterfalls, but I'm glad I didn't. I also plan on putting speakers near the tub in case we listen to music, but with the jets on it is hard to hear.

I wanted to give you a benchmark in case you are looking at D1. I think I got a good deal.

[spaman--]

I just got my D1 Nautilus on Tuesday. Paid $9100 out the door, included tax, delivery, chemicals, spa class, upgraded lighting. No stereo or waterfalls though. I was focused more on quality of jets and water management. I am very surprised how quiet the tub is. My son and his girlfriend were in it while I was up on the deck above, and I didn't even know it was on. Both pumps on high. The jets are very well placed and plenty of power. Each seat has a specialty as I am sure most tubs have the same design.

I wet tested 7 weeks ago and loved it, but just had to wait and hope I made the right choice. The D1 seems extremely well made and everything is the highest quality (look, feel, design, water management).  I could have spent another 500-700 for the LFX package which adds premier lighting and waterfalls, but I'm glad I didn't. I also plan on putting speakers near the tub in case we listen to music, but with the jets on it is hard to hear.

I wanted to give you a benchmark in case you are looking at D1. I think I got a good deal.

Thats a great price for that spa CONGRATS! I have been all over the country selling that spa and am proud to say that it is a great value even being  the most expensive in the industry.