Buying spa for wife Bday

[bearpeidog]

Hello - new to hot tubs and buying.  After reading through many posts I'm convinced that the wet test is a necessity.  However, I do have a question and a comment.

First, the comment.   Buying a tub is a little weird as I can't figure out a fair price.  I'm in Vermont and dealers are far and few between.  So its hard for me to know if I can get a fair price or be paying 50% over.  When I buy a car I have the internet and blue books etc that I can compare.  I haven't been able to find any resources to sanity check pricing.  That has me a bit concerned to purchase.

Now the question, I am looking primarily at hot springs.  One important reason is I've been told they are chlorine free and have easy maintenance.  I like the idea of no chlorine and the dealer implied they are the only manufacturer that has that feature.  Is that true?  Hotsprings uses (Ozone and Everclean).  The dealer indicated that have a patent on it.  Do other tubs run Chlorine free?

[michalbugno2007]

ANY tub can run chlorine free. This is what the hot springs system dispenses: http://www.archchemicals.com/Fed/BAQSPA and you can use it in all tubs.

[Chas]

Actually, the HotSpring tubs come standard with a very good Ozone injection system. Put that together with the great filtration, and a Nature2 Silver Ion Cartridge and you can soak chlorine free without having to use Baqua or other alternative sanitizers. Yes, you will need to do a chlorine shock once a month or after a crowd exits the spa, but that chlorine leaves the water rather quickly leaving you to soak chlorine free for the rest of the time.

[michalbugno2007]

The above post of mine is the AutoFresh. the everfresh uses silver to filter. This is simiar to SpaFrog which can be used in any spa also. With the everfresh bromine or chlorine (or the link in the above post) is still recommended. Here is the spa frog: http://www.kingtechnology.com/products/products-spafrog.htm#SFFilter

[wmccall]

Unfortunately, the only way to get realistic pricing, is to beat the bushes and get it yourself. And you may not get the best price the first visit.

[Vanguard]

What part of Vermont are you in?

[bearpeidog]

I'm in Shelburne