BC Hybrid Hot Tub

[Gary]

I just read some this crap and could not stop laughing, Beachcomber should ashamed at this marketing deception. Here is one quote from their site:

The Energy Saver Management System on the Hybrid hot tub uses on-demand energy only when necessary to maintain your hot tub water at the perfect temperature

I think this is called a thermostat, I think they have been around since hot tubs have been around.

I hope the buying public will wake to crap like this and choose to spend their money elsewhere.

[kokanee001]

And in our local paper, Beachcomber offers a Spring tune-up special for about $70 (plus parts).
A tune-up?? Never heard of a tub needing a tune-up. I know my Hotspring dealer has never suggested one.

If you try to con the public, it will eventually catch up to you.

[Steve]

After reading Gary's post, I headed over to the site to read more.
http://www.beachcomberhottubs.com/hot-tub-lineup/hybrid-hot-tub.asp

As most of you know, I'm a huge fan of their product and more importantly, the company and I was dissapointed to read there's really nothing new here. It's a little sleazy IMO but I guess like every other manufacturer, they wanted to capture a "buzz word" that relates to the general buying public and create interest with it.

It's just one more step in the world of spas where companies try to differentiate themselves. No different that no-bypass, perimeterlock, forever floor, self clean, the biggest and best, etc. and all the other marketing crap out there. I'm not defending this as I would have a tough time selling this as a "hybrid" product. I would like to hear a presentation on it, wouldn't you? lol

I lump this in with the other mistake they made in the jets/waterports idea. Instead of calling one jet a jet, if it had 5 holes in it, it was considered 5 "waterports". I refused to use that terminology when I was there and told my rep that at the time. It was a poor effort to "match" the larger jet counts other spas had but the problem was that it was a no-brainer...all the other companies needed to do was call theirs waterports and we're back where we started! Stupid marketing that didn't last long...

It's sad they didn't at least come up with something new to create this "hybrid" spa. All they seemed to do was repackage existing features and put a label on it that should appeal to consumers. Really, I'm shocked no one else utilized the word hybrid previously?

Shame on Beachcomber...  

Steve

[SerjicalStrike]

And in our local paper, Beachcomber offers a Spring tune-up special for about $70 (plus parts).
A tune-up?? Never heard of a tub needing a tune-up. I know my Hotspring dealer has never suggested one.

If you try to con the public, it will eventually catch up to you.

A lot of our customers like us to come out once a year, open up the equipment bay, check the chemicals, and recommend anything they may need.  It is basically just a service call charge, so $70 doesn't seem unreasonable.

[Chris_H]

Give them credit to be the first to do market it.  No change on the product however.  

[Steve]

And in our local paper, Beachcomber offers a Spring tune-up special for about $70 (plus parts).
A tune-up?? Never heard of a tub needing a tune-up. I know my Hotspring dealer has never suggested one.

If you try to con the public, it will eventually catch up to you.

That's not uncommon at all. In fact, it should be done on spas older than a few years old IMO.
If you're not sure what con really is or how preventative maintenance can help, maybe look deeper first prior to slandering...   Now, is Beachcomber conning the public or is your HS dealer just lazy and doesn't understand preventative maintenance ?  Hmmmmmm

[Pathfinder]

They've clearly missed the mark on this one since its not a hybrid of any sort but they finally had to change the name since you can only call a tub Limited Edition for so long & it was multiple years too long.

[Steve]

The term "hybrid" generally constitutes two varying forms of producing power so I'm really unclear (other than pure marketing) how they came up with this? Granted, they are utilizing various methods of insulation, pumps and design to create efficiency but so is everyone else.

Maybe if it ran on solar power & 220V I could see it...  :-/

I need to go talk with my old buddies there and see how they feel about this and exactly how they're promoting this as a hybrid? I may even call as a potential buyer that was in last year looking and now I want to know the difference! YEAH!  lol

[Pathfinder]

I find it kinda sad now  because it used to be all about the product & now it seems to be more about the gimmicks.  Like calling the M7 pack the Smart Sense Technology as if it were something totally new only because they were the last brand to finally switch over. Now its the Energy Saver Management System? & Eco4wall sealed insulation Package. Still the exact same tub consuming the exact same energy.  Only difference they are saving in labour cost by having a computerized control arm drilling all of the jet holes now.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Part of the problem is they may have changed what they call things and other than the fancy ozone system everything is exactly the same.  Same insulation,same filtration same construction,and basically the same bland hot tub.  The beachcomber has potential to be a nice spa, and its still not bad. But if they jazzed it up a bit,put some more and better filtration in it yada yada.  To me its probably one of the most generic plain looking spa on the market. That being said some people must like them as they are still selling spas??

  90% of anyone I have sold a spa to that wet tested a beachcomber said it was the most uncomfortable spa they had ever sat in.

[Spatech_tuo]

And in our local paper, Beachcomber offers a Spring tune-up special for about $70 (plus parts).
A tune-up?? Never heard of a tub needing a tune-up. I know my Hotspring dealer has never suggested one.

If you try to con the public, it will eventually catch up to you.

I think the "spring tune up" is just a way to keep the service department busy. While there they are apt to find issues which they can charge if the owner agrees or find issues while under warranty that they can charge to the manufacturer. This is  not a new idea.

[Steve]

Part of the problem is they may have changed what they call things and other than the fancy ozone system everything is exactly the same.  Same insulation,same filtration same construction,and basically the same bland hot tub.  The beachcomber has potential to be a nice spa, and its still not bad. But if they jazzed it up a bit,put some more and better filtration in it yada yada.  To me its probably one of the most generic plain looking spa on the market. That being said some people must like them as they are still selling spas??

  90% of anyone I have sold a spa to that wet tested a beachcomber said it was the most uncomfortable spa they had ever sat in.

The filtration (with the addition of the Hush pump) is one of the best filtering spas on the market for those who understand filtration and know what this system does. It is truly amazing and I say this as someone who owned one for many years. Not as a salesperson selling against them... The illusion that a spa needs multiple filters and huge filtering areas within the spa is dark age technology.

Your last sentence actually made me laugh out loud!    If anything, Beachcomber for the past 20 years has been known as one of the most comfortable spas available. After being with the company and around spas most of my adult life, I've heard many knocks against them but NEVER anyone slamming their molds and comfort. I find your "90%" laughable if not pure BS. Sorry bud but you obviously are totally out of touch on this one!