new hot tub

[LEM]

just getting started have looked at apollo coleman marquis and costco oc hot tub   the costco was 4600.00 the others all about 8000.00. any ideas would be of great help

[Pathfinder]

Well if the rest are priced around the same and one is half the price  that should tell you something right there  and its not becasue of dealer markup.    Which of tubs have you tested???

[Clown Shoes]

Keep in mind 90% of the members on this forum are dealers, So you will get a skewed outlook on this I purchased my spa from a dealer because he is a client of mine and we traded money.
Take about half what you hear here as the truth.
If you are Handy and don't need service I say buy one from a Box store.

[Bonibelle]

While there are many dealers on this forum, there are far more consumers. You will find great folks willing to help you learn how to purchase a hot tub and take care of it after the purchase. Dealers on here not only serve to educate you about their products, but they also provide support and quality information if there are problems. Ultimately, you make the choice, but when you are armed with a good information, your search may be easier.  

I think Mr. Shoes is just clowning around!!

[In Canada eh]

Keep in mind 90% of the members on this forum are dealers, So you will get a skewed outlook on this I purchased my spa from a dealer because he is a client of mine and we traded money.
Take about half what you hear here as the truth.
If you are Handy and don't need service I say buy one from a Box store.

This statement couldn't be more wrong

Yes there are a number of dealers that post on this board and yes all of them will trumpet their own product.  You can't blame them for that its what they do for a living.

What is also on this board are a good number of consumers (not dealers) that have just stuck around after asking all the questions and have purchased a tub.  Yes you will have to sift through some of the salespeak that does rear its head once in a while, but its the same as shopping various dealers showrooms.

Clown Shoes comment about being handy well that's just kind of nuts.  The Province of Ontario thinks I'm pretty handy, I guess that's why they granted me a couple or so skilled trade qualifications  and I would not even think of trying to diagnose a spa control panel on my own.  

After wet testing to find the tub you want your choice in what dealer to buy it from is the next most important step.  A crappy dealer can make the best tub seem like a piece of junk.  A great dealer can make a average tub seem like a diamond.  Keep in mind this is the person you will be relying on for service, water care questions and chemical supplies.

Pathfinder is right the big box store tubs are not of the same quality and  are like comparing a Lada to a Lexus.  Coleman and Marquis are very reputable brands, I'm not familiar with Apollo so I won't comment on it.  The OC spa at Costco is a stripped down Cal Spa and their reviews have been mixed although there are a couple of happy Cal Spa owners here.

This is a great site where you can get excellent info from dealers and customers and fantastic water care and maintenance tips.  So ask all the questions you want

Good luck shopping

[searchinginfl]

I am a consumer, and have never felt like I was getting a sales pitch in any way on this site. Just good information. I don't know how I would have bought without it!

[drewstar]

Keep in mind 90% of the members on this forum are dealers, So you will get a skewed outlook on this I purchased my spa from a dealer because he is a client of mine and we traded money.
Take about half what you hear here as the truth.
If you are Handy and don't need service I say buy one from a Box store.

I've owned 3 hot tubs  and have been around the boards for a few years I think the majority of dealers on this particular board are decent folks.  Given that, I would take any advice given on any forum   with a large grain of salt, but to  imply that half of the dealer info here is bogus is out and out wrong.  


I thinkyou'll finsd dealers will openly identify themseves and honestly tell you about the products they represent, phoney dealers and slick salesmen get drummed out of here pretty quick. I've seen it.

In fact I think the most questionable info comes from newbie onwers, who have limited experience and may be tryign to justify thier own  purchase.  


There are pros and cons with dealers, bix box stores, and differenet manufactuers of hot tubs, mix in a consumers own set of needs,budgets and expections and it becomes a complicated question to answer and no one tub fits all.

Personaly, I wouldn't buy a "budget" hot tub, but would steer someone on a budget to either save thier money, or buy used.

[Chad]

Keep in mind 90% of the members on this forum are dealers, So you will get a skewed outlook on this I purchased my spa from a dealer because he is a client of mine and we traded money.
Take about half what you hear here as the truth.
If you are Handy and don't need service I say buy one from a Box store.

You're still here....

[Spatech_tuo]

Take about half what you hear here as the truth.

If the clown shoes fit ...

[Vinny]

I think the truth is some people will be happy with anything and some won't. It's true with houses, cars, jewelry and anything else that can be had.

I know someone with a Walmart spa and thinks it's great, only "problem" is he thinks it's energy inefficient. But would he think that if he owned a brand name - maybe. I bought a spa knowing it was going to consume energy.

As for the prices - every area of the country is different. If you're looking at premium brands - Marquis and Coleman in your post then look to see about their secondary lines. Secondary lines can give you the benefit of a "quality" tub and costs less.

There are other tubs out there as well that have the premium and secondary lines - look around. Having a dealer may not be a big thing for some people but when it's something that needs repair and you either don't have the time or don't want to do it - then what?

I am a consumer and did indeed get a lot of good info from here as well a Doc's site.  I also stick around to help people out and hope if and when I need assistance for my tub - all the spa professionals are there to help out.

[d8]

.
If you are a spa tech and don't need service I say buy one from a Box store.

Fixed that for you.

The price of a good spa from a good dealer will include service after the sale, and often enough, delivery and set up. If you're a first time spa buyer, have a look at what warranty service and support is available from the dealer.

[Chas]

Keep in mind 90% of the members on this forum are dealers.

Not true - but if it was, I wonder how this thread managed to get posted and built up by non-dealers the way it has?

Take about half what you hear here as the truth.

So if we take about half of what we hear as truth, then that means that about half of your statement is true. Which would mean that 45% of the members here are dealers and we should actually take about a quarter of what we hear as true. Which would mean that 22.5% of the members are dealers and we should take one eighth of what we hear as true, which would mean......

 8-)

[Bonibelle]

When I first looked at tubs, I was looking at Walmart on line and Home Depot...until I was enlightened by the folks on this forum about the importance of wet testing..something that neither big box store can offer.  

Then I imagined getting that huge heavy tub from my driveway about 400 feet to my deck..not to mention getting it up the 5 feet to sit on the deck. What if we damaged it? What if it was delivered to me damaged?  How much do I really know about hot tubs anyway and how would I learn water management or how to troubleshoot if I had a problem? Even the sales line from Walmart admitted if the tub was not satisfactory, I would pay return shipping.  There is no support network either.

The best information that I got came from folks (dealers and consumers alike) on this forum and I have to say I would, without reservation,  recommend anyone willing to spend the money for a tub, go to a reputable dealer selling a quality brand tub. There is so much more to a hot tub than just hot water.   And to echo others, there are plenty of quality used tubs for consideration too.

My dealer did a site evaluation, set up my electrician, completed a perfect, on time delivery, tried to educate me about my sanitization system, provided support for questions or problems and delivered fast, dependable service when I had a problem. This was well worth the difference that I paid verses the Walmart tub!  

[loosenupspas]

While I am a dealer and proffer a balance view of my product, Coleman, Cal Coop and Maax spas.  I am eating a sandwich at this moment, thus have some extra time.  Dealers are here and contribute openly, it was my belief that our opinion was welcomed.  I have touted my products but I also attempt to assist those in need of my simple-minded advice.  Many dealers don't have a lot of spare time to contribute, so for the most part the voice of this blog is consumer based opinion.  Good luck......dry & wet test your spa prior to purchase, this is key.

[Vanguard]

just getting started have looked at apollo coleman marquis and costco oc hot tub   the costco was 4600.00 the others all about 8000.00. any ideas would be of great help

So, back to the original post now that we all know Clown Shoes is an idiot who pops in here every once in awhile and ruffles some feathers.

You are looking at a premium line in Marquis, a pretty good line in Coleman and one I would stay away from in Costco.  Yes, the upfront cost of the Costco spa is much less.  However, the long-term cost will be much more.

We have had some discussions on here about the OC Spa at Costco.  Look at the warranty.  It is prorated.  That means in the future, you will be paying to have your spa serviced under warranty.

Does Costco have an on-staff service technician?  Probably not.  You will end up paying trip charges to an independent tech that may or may not have expertise in the spa you have purchased, so that is another cost you will bear.


Here's the deal:  Go to local dealers of reputable brands.  Find the spas you like then wet test them.  That way you will know if you like the spa.  

Some of the reputable brands, in no particular order, are:  Sundance, Hot Spring, Marquis, Jacuzzi, Caldera, Dimension One.  There are others, but those are my personal top brands.



To ease your mind, I am not a dealer, I don't work for a hot tub company.  I have been in the Pool & Spa industry for over 20 years.  I have seen companies come and go, I have seen how different brands treat both their dealers and consumers.  I have no pig in this race.  I like to be here to help folks make a good decision on the purchase of their spa.

Good Luck and Happy Shopping.