Jacuzzi/Sundance going under?

[Spatech_tuo]

Interesting

I brought this up a month ago on this thread http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1226263540

I did buy the Sundance and took delivery yesterday. Hopefully if they do go belly up the dealer wont (like them a lot and they have been carrying SD for years) and we'll still be able to get it fixed and under warranty.  Who knows. Many of you said there was no way Jacuzzi and SD would be going under.  This is an economy like no other for sure!

The product is warranted by the manufacture not the dealer so in reality if a manufacturer goes under the warranty is gone with it even if the dealer stays on and takes on another product but this is like talking “in theory” I have to imagine. Despite the very serious times we're in I have trouble seeing this really going the gloom and doom direction. When is this all going to bottom out??

[Hot Tub Ryan]

Jacuzzi and Sundance are strong enough to survive and if sold off someone would pick them up, debt or not, its a bit different industry then Linen and things.

I don't think anyone would purchase a business that's saddled in debt in an industry that's down 50% right now. I think the only way Jacuzzi changes hands is if they are forced to liquidate assets under bankruptcy in order to pay back thier creditors.

[James_Outlaw]

I'll never ever forget when a spa mfg. that I was selling went out of business.  I had consumers arguing with me left and right why I should warranty the spa!

We're not talking a pressure switch or jet here and there.  Major mechanical issues and intense leaks.

Letters from attorneys, swearing on the phone....what a nightmare.

On top of all that, the mfg. owed ME over $30K in warranty re-inbursments (parts & labor) and spas that I had returned for them to fix, I never saw those again!

I was buying the parts direct from OEM's to fix consumers spas to keep consumers happy, then trying to get re-inbursed for the parts cost, never happened!

So, no, don't expect your dealer to warranty a spa per the spa mfg's warranty.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

I don't think anyone would purchase a business that's saddled in debt in an industry that's down 50% right now. I think the only way Jacuzzi changes hands is if they are forced to liquidate assets under bankruptcy in order to pay back thier creditors.

  I am not so sure the industry is down 50%,  not that I know!   I think it varies depending where you live.  We actually are only down 5% from last years totals.   From what I heard in Vegas most were saying 20 to 30%. I am more or less asking not telling.


 Hot Tub Ryan, if you don't mind tell us a little about yourself.

[Kialda]

Hot tub Ryan, who laid you off, Sundance or jacuzzi..

I didnt see anywhere in the article that you posted the words "going under"...

Since you are in the industry as you say, you may not want to attach a copy of this thread you started to your next application..

[Zep]

does this nutcase Mr Black own the entire Jacuzzi brand?...Like the
residential bathtubs and showers or is the spa division a different
entity with a different owner?

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 I guess he does mind??  

[Hot Tub Ryan]

  I am not so sure the industry is down 50%,  not that I know!   I think it varies depending where you live.  We actually are only down 5% from last years totals.   From what I heard in Vegas most were saying 20 to 30%. I am more or less asking not telling.


 Hot Tub Ryan, if you don't mind tell us a little about yourself.

I'm in my mid 30's. I sell Hot Spring in California and I have been doing so for 3 years. I'm a Scorpio . I like long walks on the beach...  Let me know if I left anything out.

At our store we are probably down 5-10% from a year ago as well. As far as I know the industry is down about 50% from it's peak in 2000. I tried to find some hard data for you but the only thing I could come up with was a stat in "Spa Retailer" (Winter 2008) that said Big box unit sales were down to 23,000 units in 2007 from their peak of 46,000 in 2000. Big box certainly doesn't speak for the entire industry but it's the only thing I could find.

I hope my brand affiliation doesn't discredit the New York Times. I didn't want this thread to be about brand x vs. brand y. For the record I think it would be bad for the industry as a whole to lose Jacuzzi and Sundance. The top brands legitimize each other. I hope Apollo pulls it together and gets Jacuzzi back in the green.

[Hot Tub Ryan]

Hot tub Ryan, who laid you off, Sundance or jacuzzi..

I didnt see anywhere in the article that you posted the words "going under"...

Since you are in the industry as you say, you may not want to attach a copy of this thread you started to your next application..

Wow. lol. I'm not going to get into a flame war with you but in my defense the New York times did report "some analysts say most of them (speaking of Jacuzzi and four other companies) are severely indebted and are crumbling quickly because of the economy." I don't think the thread title is unfair but the forum moderators can change it if they disagree.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

I'm in my mid 30's. I sell Hot Spring in California and I have been doing so for 3 years. I'm a Scorpio . I like long walks on the beach...  Let me know if I left anything out.

 I get the picture you live in California, like long walks and you sell Hotspring spas.   So what your saying is your -ay?










 I kid I kid   ??


  Welcome to the forum!     While I dont like what you posted for your 2nd post ever here,because basically anyone interested in buying a Jacuzzi or Sundance (or have already bought and are now worried to death they wont be covered) and looking for info here probably wont buy one now (just saying)  On the other hand I am not worried about it, if they go down they go down, a sad day that will be. I honestly don't think they will, they have to much going on but who knows with this goofy economy.  On the other other hand its the media and they are only interested in bad news, not to mention how they would know if Jacuzzi and Sundance or those other company's are really in serious debt, unless they have access to their books or they are just assuming and we all know what that means.

[Hot Tub Ryan]

Thanks for the warm welcome... and the assault on my manhood  

[ndabunka]

I never thought we would see a huge name like Mervyn's go away. They were much bigger than Jacuzzi. These are crazy times for sure...

I personally have never heard of "Mervyn's" but I take it they may have been some type of storefront?  That is SIGNIFICANTLY different than a "brand name" like Jacuzzi which is recognized around the world by EVERYBODY.  Was Mervyn's some local retailer?

So Apollo also own ALL the Century 21 and Coldwell Banker franchises as well as Tyco and Harrah's entertainment?  We aren't talking about some mumbo-jumbo Investment Banking firm here, we are talking about a HUGE conglomerate.  Haven't you heard that in times of financial crisis more lottery tickets are sold than at any other time?  Harrah's is a gambling business and business is likely booming.

[Zep]

"Harrah's is a gambling business and business is likely booming"

I hear casinos are hurting and not "booming" as far as revenues.

I have a very close friend that has been a dealer for years and he just
left the industry, he said the number of gamblers/tourist in Vegas is
way down. There is construction going on in Vegas but almost all of it
was started before the economic downturn.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98015137

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

With Sundance's current sales event, "No interest and no payments until 2010! "...what happens if they go under before your first payment is due?  

[hottubdan]

With Sundance's current sales event, "No interest and no payments until 2010! "...what happens if they go under before your first payment is due?  

You are financing with GE.  It is a good question.  As a consumer, you have leverage given issues with warranty.

The other entity with a relationship to the deal is the dealer.  Sundance has nothing to do with the financing.  If a consumer had a warranty issue that could not be resolved, GE would put the burden on the dealer.