Optima or Grandee

[needaspa]

From what I have heard, 75% markup is conservative.  If I am wrong, let a dealer reply and show me his purchase price from the manuf, his overhead costs, target profit, etc and we will determine the markup publicly and set the story start.  However, I will bet that will never happen!  I will just get excuses of why they can't.  Hey, prove me wrong dealers.  The ball is in your court!

[doodoo]

From what I have heard, 75% markup is conservative......Hey, prove me wrong dealers.  The ball is in your court!

With your attitude, approach and belief in the ability of hot tub dealers to mark up their products by an average of 75% (your figure here) you are in for quite a long wait in acquiring a tub that you believe is fairly priced. BTW that would also suggest an unbelievable twist for the spa industry because that would mean that they collectively do the same thing. I suggest a different theory, that of market driven forces whichmean operational costs plus profit equals the consumer price.

Ya know something Needaspa, the ball is really in YOUR COURT. As your nom de plume reveals you are currently without a spa and looking to acquire one. From what you've heard.....you say. You sound more like a child that has been told you cannot get your ice cream today.

Enough said. I'm here to learn and offer advice. Of all the boards that I have stumbled onto this one is by far the most informative and neutral. You on the other hand..........

[Mendocino101]

Why don't you just go and play ball with yourself...why doesn't every business of every type just show what they pay for everything...next time I am in Napa auto parts...or Nordstrom.... Sears...the furniture store...why stop with spas.... AM-PM for the big gulp soda...I am going to demand they tell the cost of it all.... which by the way oh great dense one is only a small part of THE TOTAL COST of doing business....

[johnnythunders]

If you have a problen with your sundance and you bought it from another state or anywhere else  the dealer nearest you will fix it.You might be on the bottom of his list but he will fix it.Samething with my john deere lawntractor I bought it from Homedepot but all john deere dealers have to fix it if I have a problem.They hate it when someone buys something from homedepot but they have nothing to say so I would not worry go and find the best price.Johnny Thunders

[needaspa]

Like I said excuses.  Your examples, Mendo, are small ticket items.  I dont care the price break of those.  Cars for example have invoice, transportation, etc fees that I can easily see.  Why not spas?

'market driven forces whichmean operational costs plus profit equals the consumer price.'  If were truly market driven, the final price would have nothing to do with profit and operational cost.  The price would be what the buyer is willing to pay.  Thats a market economy.

[doodoo]

Like I said excuses.  Your examples, Mendo, are small ticket items.  I dont care the price break of those.  Cars for example have invoice, transportation, etc fees that I can easily see.  Why not spas?

'market driven forces whichmean operational costs plus profit equals the consumer price.'  If were truly market driven, the final price would have nothing to do with profit and operational cost.  The price would be what the buyer is willing to pay.  Thats a market economy.

It's a two way street oh one without a spa (as I soak in mine). It also depends on what the dealer is willing to sell it for.  GOOD LUCK with your purchase based on what you are willing to pay for.

[Mendocino101]

Hello feeble minded needaspa...SMALL ticket items.... lets see...I mentioned Sears...a good wide array of items there.... furniture...I guess that sectional my buddy just brought for 14 grand is a "small" ticket item.... but I tell you what...go a head and send me or better yet post your pay check stub and also your w 2 from last year and I will make sure I get someone to show you a spa invoice...tell me are you ready to step the same way you want others to.... I doubt it...

[poolboy34]

wow.................I suggest you ask your local sundance dealer for a used optima  b/c at your asking price......all sundance dealers will laugh you out of their store.

[Electro]

Needaspa,    

As I posted with more detail on Cajun_Mike's thread titled:  Prices paid for Sundance Optima, my study of thousands of posts at this site over a 2 year period indicated that the lowest price that anyone has paid for the Sundance Optima was $7300.  Typical prices were $7700 to $8000.  $8400 was the highest price paid.

A target price of $6500 is unrealistic.

Electro

[Brewman]

Needsaspa doesn't really want a spa, he or she just wants to stir up things on the bb.  
I bet you don't get any response from any spa dealer, because asking for the cost of their merchandise is just plain rude.  It's akin to asking someone what their salary is, what they paid for their house or cars or boats, or other things that are just plan none of your business.  Go get that $6500 Optima.  Then just go.
Brewman

PS
Consider changing your name to Needsadoseofreality.

[Lori]

 

Brewman,

You crack me up!!!

[ebirrane]

My guess is you can try and search for a used optima and get it at a good rate.  Keep looking at E-bay and various classified ads.  Even if the spa is on the other side of the USA, it could cost less to buy a used one and transport it than to buy a new one.

I don't think you will get a new optima for your price.  If you do though, please let me know! Sundance spaces its dealers out and, at least in my area, one dealer won't sell into another dealer's area.  Several dealers would rather lose a sale than set a precedent.

When I bought my Grandee I'm sure *alot* of the price, although probably not 75%!,  went to profit margins for the manufactuerer and the dealer.  I can't imagine the Grandee costs more than $1k in materials. (Aren't we worth, like, $40 in chemicals??) but I wanted the model and did my little bit of philanthropy and helped somebody's daughter go to college and someone else buy a new porsche.

You may want to look at a manufacturer-direct spa. You can get a big one for around $4k.  Even if it is plagued with problems, if you are at all handy you can tackle them and they would have to amount to more than $3k over 5 years to wind up costing you *more* than the optima.

Heck a so-so thermospa and a new 60" (??) DLP TV trump a single optima (for the same price) in my book!  

-Ed

[whypaymore]

Here is my observation from this forum and many visits to local dealers on our search for a spa. The main posters on this forum are spa dealers from the major 6 manufactures so what do you think they are going to say about their $8,000 spa when compared to the reasonably priced same size and features $5,000 spa from another manufacturer? You don't see any posts from customers that have bought other brands and have not been happy do you??? Because the readers are getting all of this information here that the only spas to buy are the "big 6" and that is all you hear about, they get so scared by the miss information that they either decide not to buy a spa or waste their money on one of these over priced spas that are promoted here on this forum. They are not going to let you in on the costs of their spa and the 60-75% markup that they put on their spas. When visiting the local dealers in our area they also stressed the need for a "local service man" and importance of their service, then 3 sentences later they were bragging how most of the spas they sell go 4,5,or 7 years with out even needing service....so why again should we pay the extra $3,000. We have pretty much decided to go with a factory direct spa which has all of the same features of the "big 6 manufactures" but for about 1/2 the price. We just cant see paying an extra $4,000 because of it's name.

[Chris_H]

Whypaymore:
If service is such a non-issue:
Why does Cal Spas have such a bad reputation?  Service from the manufacturer.
Why does Hotspring have such a great reputation?  Service from the manufacturer.
Sometimes it is worth paying $3,000 dollars more.
Chris H

[Spatech_tuo]

You don't see any posts from customers that have bought other brands and have not been happy do you??? Because the readers are getting all of this information here that the only spas to buy are the "big 6" and that is all you hear about,  

YES YOU DO, if you look. You are only seeing what you want to see. If you search this site as well as Spahelp.com, Dr Spa, and poolandspas.com you'll see MANY posts from disgruntled OWNERS of spas from Cal Spas and Thermospas (fairly large spa makers)  and many complaints from some of these middling spa makers who promise their $5k spas are as good as the premium makers spas only to find out the Quality is not as good and the warranty is basically a piece of paper with words on it that are not honored. There have been sooo many posts from people telling others not to make the mistake they've made of thinking these "factory direct" spas are on par. BTW, often factory direct means the manufacturer can't get a reputable dealer to carry their product and have to have ownership of the store themselves so that factory direct thing is simply a sales ploy. Now if you're buying from the internet then you're really rolling the dice. If you do end up with a dog that is constantly broken down and in need of expensive service that is your responsibility cause you don't have a warranty to be honored, remember, these things make a great planter.

I suggest you buy one of these $5k spas that are "just as good" as the spas made by Hot Spring, Sundance, Jacuzzi, Caldera and Marquis. After all, a Kia is just as good a Honda and at a far better price and in the spa industry there are still some making spas on par with a Yugo if you really want to save.