Wet test: Hotsprings Sovereign not quite eno

[solo]

So my dealer drained one of their spas and filled the Sovereign for me.  I met him after hours for a privater test.

Although it is a nice spa.  I found 2 things:

1.  Not enough power.  I pump doesn't cut it for me.
2.  Not enough jets.  I found that the jets didn't comfportably  hit me where I need

So on to the 700 Series Sundance test this week.  

I may end up stretching my proce range and look at an 800 series Sundance as well as a Hotsprings Envoy.  Will first see how the test of the Sundance Hamilton goes.

[txwillie]

So all this hoopla over whittling down the price of a spa that you never tested and when you did you decided that it was not what you wanted anyway. Do you ever consider what YOUR time is worth? How much of your time did you waste on that negotiation? Simply pointless.

txwillie

[104 degrees]

So all this hoopla over whittling down the price of a spa that you never tested and when you did you decided that it was not what you wanted anyway. Do you ever consider what YOUR time is worth? How much of your time did you waste on that negotiation? Simply pointless.

txwillie

And a Private showing to boot

[solo]

So all this hoopla over whittling down the price of a spa that you never tested and when you did you decided that it was not what you wanted anyway. Do you ever consider what YOUR time is worth? How much of your time did you waste on that negotiation? Simply pointless.

txwillie

So what do you suggest?  Should I just wet test right away?  Ask the sales person to fill a spa I am interested in before knowing if we can come to terms on price?  

I want to be respectful of my sales reps time and resources as well as my own.  
So how do you think I should handle the next wet test?  

[104 degrees]

So what do you suggest?  Should I just wet test right away?  Ask the sales person to fill a spa I am interested in before knowing if we can come to terms on price?  

I want to be respectful of my sales reps time and resources as well as my own.  
So how do you think I should handle the next wet test?  

Test it first when there open. then lead them on for the year.

[bohms]

Just a question....someone else asked this in your other post but I don't think you responded to it.  Why are you limiting yourself to HS and Sundance?  I'm not sure why you negotiated the price before wet testing....seems a little backwards to me.  Make sure you like the tub.....THEN negotiate.  

[solo]

Just a question....someone else asked this in your other post but I don't think you responded to it.  Why are you limiting yourself to HS and Sundance?  I'm not sure why you negotiated the price before wet testing....seems a little backwards to me.  Make sure you like the tub.....THEN negotiate.  

These 2 dealers are within a close proximity of my house and seem to sell quality spas.  The Caldera dealer was a little too far away and the sales rep kind of scared me with the way he approached the sale.  I went to the Bullfrog dealer but also ruled them out.  Hawkins is only open from 8 am to 5pm M-F.  That's how I came to just Sundance and Hotsprings.

Now, I am seeing the wisdom in your reasoning though.  Find the tub or tubs I want first, then make my best deal.  I'm going to proceed this way from now on.

[Steve]

 I'm not sure why you negotiated the price before wet testing....seems a little backwards to me.  Make sure you like the tub.....THEN negotiate.  

So all this hoopla over whittling down the price of a spa that you never tested and when you did you decided that it was not what you wanted anyway. Do you ever consider what YOUR time is worth? How much of your time did you waste on that negotiation? Simply pointless.

txwillie

LMAO! These comments sound familiar!

What a total waste of everyone's time and solo has given an example of how NOT to buy a spa!!

 Most have the common sense to;

A) Do their homework
B) Determine your budget
C) Ask the right questions to determine the best spa for you
D) Narrow down your choices to 2 or 3 spas
E) Wet test them to determine comfort and therapy
F) Determine overall value to YOU in your choices
G) Negotiate price or add-ons
H) Buy the fricken thing!

By putting step "G" ahead of the rest, you have created a negotiation position of weakness not to mention the waste of time factor.

Steve

[solo]

Not exactly a fair statement STEVE.

My Sundance dealer didn't want to fill the spa I like unless I was ready to put down a deposit if the test went well.

My Hotsprings dealer told me after the wet test that he wouldn't have a spa filled for just anyone, but because he could tell I was serious about buying, he had one spa drained and another filled just for me.

So both sales reps were a little reluctant to fill a tub that was dry unless they knew I was serious about buying.  How can one be serious about buying if you don't know if the tub is in your range or if you haven't been in one that has water?  By the way, neither the Hot Springs nor the Sundance tubs were in my price range until I negotiated them down.

So it's kind of a viscous cycle.  Dealer wants me to be serious about a tub before they will fill it.  How can you be serious until you test it?  How can you be serious until you know it's in your price range? See the dilemma?

I was actually trying to be respectful of my dealers time.  

[Steve]

Personally, if a dealer isn't willing to allow me to wet test prior to a deposit or some form of monetary transaction, I know it's not where I want to do business!

You'll find historically that most dealers WANT people to wet test and do not put up obsticles to allow it. By being in the store and asking questions about spas, tells me you are serious and that would be enough for me as your salesperson.

Sundance would be off my list in a BIG hurry with that attitude.

I'm in the midst of buying a new SUV. If one of the car dealers asked me for a deposit prior to a test drive to show how serious I was about the purchase, I would walk out but not before being very clear why! I have better things to do with my time than shop for big ticket items that I'm not serious about buying.

Here's another take on things...
Some people walk into the store and ask, "how much is that one... how much is that one". Drove me NUTS! How can you determine VALUE by just price? I know these people are generally wasting time and kicking tires. If you went in with that concept, I could see a dealer being more stand-offish. There's different ways to show that you are serious and maybe your attitude was giving them a sense that you were just all about the money and not overall value. A cheaper pricetag is not always a better value right?  

[solo]

Agreed.

Cheaper is not always a better value.  In fact, when I buy anything signficiant, I tend to scratch off my list the most expensive and the least expensive.  I find the best values are usually somewhere in the middle.  Befor that point, the product is too cheap and after that point you aren't gettingmuch return on the extra money.

[Steve]

Other than my very last sentence, did the rest make sense?

[hottubdan]

Solo,

We have an interesting situation here.  These dealers were respecting your budget and trying to get you into a spa that fit it.

Now you are finding your budget may not get you the spa you want/need.

Good luck on your quest.

[104 degrees]

Solo,

We have an interesting situation here.  These dealers were respecting your budget and trying to get you into a spa that fit it.

Now you are finding your budget may not get you the spa you want/need.

Good luck on your quest.

Dan

Even if solo buys a spa can you see what a nightmare he will be if it needs service

[Vanguard]

The Envoy will have a lot more power than the Sovereign does.  Its two pumps really turn up the volume.  But it will cost you more than $7,000.