How do Gulf Coast spas compare to Sundance, D1 etc

[squale]

I was wondering how Gulf Coast spas compare to Sundance, D1, etc.?  I currently have a Sundance Altamar and my parents were looking to get a spa themselves and saw these Gulf Coast spas available in a similar size, same amount of jets, pumps, etc. for about half the price, plus the warranty is just as good if not better for Gulf Coast.  How would you guys say they truly compare?

[Spatech_tuo]

I was wondering how Gulf Coast spas compare to Sundance, D1, etc.?  I currently have a Sundance Altamar and my parents were looking to get a spa themselves and saw these Gulf Coast spas available in a similar size, same amount of jets, pumps, etc. for about half the price, plus the warranty is just as good if not better for Gulf Coast.  How would you guys say they truly compare?

1) Sundance is better quality,

2) Sundance will be cheaper to operate. I've seen too many GC owners bumming when they find out what it costs to operate their spa,

3) The warranty is just as good "on paper" maybe but that's about it. With Sundance if you have a problem they'll come out and fix it. When/if there is a problem with Gulf Coast (more likely for sure IMO), they will attempt to walk your parents through fixing it themselves. They tout it as a positive that they have a 24 hr phone hotline but make no mistake, it is designed to save them on sending out a tech. So unless Dad is a real DIYer who doesn't mid changing a pump, figuring out why the breaker is tripping or finding/fixing a leak, etc. I would NOT consider these warranties equal.

There is a reason the GC is cheaper. If your parents go in with the attitude "we know its lesser quality, costs more to operate and we'll have to get our hands dirty to fix it but we save money up front and can handle all that" then that’s fine. If they think they are comparing apples to apples they are kidding themselves.

[loosenupspas]

Look very close at the GC tub and you will see differences.  800 customers service is bothersome.  What if you cannot fix it over the phone.  A new pump weighs 50 pounds and can be tricky to place correctly on its bracket, not to mention align and retighten. I don't want my customers repairing their tubs, it its dangerous.  A flow message is simple on one level, but if it is a closed valve or a bad pump then what do you do about it?   Who does the warranty work and how responsive are they going to be to fix your problem?  The marketing pitch of Appliance Grade, what does that mean?  While Hot Tubs are outdoor appliances, it is not a washing machine.  A washing machine can be very labor or service intensive.  Appliance Grade is meaningless.  A company with a long term commitment to engineering quality hot tubs is what you should look for when you are purchasing one.  

[Water Boy]

I had a Gulf Coast brochure here so I checked up on the warranty, and it is NOT the same as most spas. It says that the warranty is 5 years, but if you read closely they are prorated warranties. All mechanical parts are prorated after the second year, but it doesn’t say how much. There is only a 2 year labor warranty, but any service call that is made, whether it is warranty or not, there is a service call that is charged for diagnose/inspect/ and troubleshoot problems. There is also a travel charge that the repair man can charge since there aren’t local service reps to repair the spas. There is a 10 year warranty for cracking blistering and fading, but that is prorated after the first year. Also light bulbs, fuses, head rests, stereos aren’t covered at all.

Also, does anyone know what filter the Gulf Coast spas take? I called the local Gulf Coast saleslady to ask her what filter the spas take that she sells, and her direct quote was" I don't have a clue what filters they use, and I could care less. We just sell the spas. Call Gulf Coast to find out!" Okayyy thanks for your help.   :-?

[stuart]

I was wondering how Gulf Coast spas compare to Sundance, D1, etc.?  I currently have a Sundance Altamar and my parents were looking to get a spa themselves and saw these Gulf Coast spas available in a similar size, same amount of jets, pumps, etc. for about half the price, plus the warranty is just as good if not better for Gulf Coast.  How would you guys say they truly compare?

When has any product been half of the price of any industry top ten brands and been equivalent value? You get what you pay for.......

[clover]

We just had this discussion. Search for Gulf Coast Spas and read previous threads regarding customer services and experiences.  Personally, I do not fell that they compare favorable to SD or D1, but we all know GCS are cheaper than SD and D1, not to mention HS, Marquis, Artesian.  That should be an indicator for you to dig deeper.  A search of previous discussions would be most helpful to you.  

[Brewman]

Is this the outfit that claims their $4000 spas have an MSRP of $10,000?  

If so, I'd avoid them because of that alone.