HotSpring Envoy Likes/dislikes? Ace vs Ozone

[yardlady]

Hi:  Been looking at hot tubs on this forum and online for a while. I finally got into a store to see them in person. I wet tested a few. I found that the one I was favoring was just to big for our needs. I have picked an Envoy. I have to decide if I want the standard ozone or if i want to upgrade to Ace system.

For Ace the big advantage appers to be less harsh chemicals on skin, more green, and less chemicals to buy. Sounds like it costs enough that the even with chemicals you purchase for the ozone, ozone still come out as the more cost efficient way to go.

Thoughts on Ace vs Ozone? Envoy owners like/dislike this model? Im looking at 2012,. pulled up some older reviews on forum, but not sure how the model had changed over the years....

My only concern about this model so far is it has no partial seat, ...for kids or people who dont want to sit fully in the tub are  there booster seets that help?

This will be my first hot tub......
Thanks in Advance!

[Flyonthewall]

i really like the envoy.  i have a cool off seat in my older hot spring model and i never use it.  if you needed the cool off seat the aria substitutes one regular seat for it.  as far as ace goes i would personally stick with chlorine for now.  no knock on the product, but i've had great luck with a standard dichlor system. 

[yardlady]

Thanks! They did not have an Aria in the showroom, checked the catalog and it looks nice, consumers best buy, but I wet tested the Envoy and loved what the sales person said was the captain's chair, has the wrist jets.

The wrist jets hit my hands so they are not such a big bonus but the jets in that seat were awsome, and the real bonus was the leg jets.  I don't see that jet configuration in any of the other HS spas.

I like the lounger but its best feature was the moto DX jets.  My hubby does not like hot tubs so I was thinking I could get him in with a partial seat but he wil not use it very often. I hope he can maybe sit sidways on the lounger but I can't picture that being comfortable. So I'm considering a booster seat to bring him up a bit out of the water, if he wants.

Where do you have your steps on the Envoy, with out a partial seat it seems a bit awkward to get into but Im sure I will get used to that part. Im going to put mine in place where only three sides will have access to steps one side will be too close to the house for steps I think it will be the back side of the spa where I can't put steps, if the front is the side with the digital control pannel.

Not sure maybe the spa will have to sit far enough away to allow steps? We have a contractor that will be putting in a pad for the hot tub and electric access. He will follow code so I guess I will be able to visualize how the tub will sit once that pad is in place.

I have read alot of posts about ozone vs ace and I think for cost concerns, Im going to stick with the Ozone system that comes with the spa.

Thanks Again!

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

I love the Envoy, it has 7 different jet varieties including 3 of the super powerful JetStream Jets which I am personally a huge fan of, the DX Moto is also awesome of course.  The ACE is a nice option for a little lower maintenance, but don't be afraid to run a "standard" system using silver ion/shock/ozone...both are effective and pretty simple in their own right...any other questions just ask...good luck

[d00nut]

Ozone is awesome, and it is super easy.  You'll be perfectly happy with that. 

[pav]

  I bought Envoy Hotspring more than 12 months ago and the spa itself may be good (have not had a chance to use it as much due to ongoing issues) but if I have to by another spa, I would go with a different company. After I paid for the spa, but before Hotspring delivered it, the Hotspring dealer used my spa as a source of spare parts so when my spa was delivered, it did not have original parts that I bought. On top of it, the spa shell was splashed with paint as the dealer was paining the showroom and “forgot” to cover the spa, MP3 player did not worked and the cover lifters were installed incorrectly. When I tried to raised my concerns with Hotspring, I received no real attention until I approached ACCC and OFT. It took more than 6 months before Hotspring agreed to replace entire spa and more that 12 months before they actually did it, and even when they acknowledge in writing entire spa replacement, they refused to replace filters and pillows. It shows Hotspring priorities when it comes to cost effectiveness over customer experience. I would not want to deal with company that do things like this any more.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  I would place most of that blame on a idiot dealer.   I don't know the whole story there are always 2 sides.   In my opinion a spa is only as good as the dealer that sold it I don't care how much you paid or what brand it is.   Yes some blame can be to the mnfg but if the dealer won't deal with it it's not the spa's fault.  HS builds a nice spa end of story!

[d00nut]

Since they replaced the spa, what has happened with the MP3 player, the cover lifter, and your cover?  I assume that your filters and pillows were okay, as they were less than a year old.  Are they working now?  Are you satisfied with the spa? 

Again, as with what Jacuzzi Jim said, I'd put most of the blame on the dealer.  Although, I'd like to see what the dealer replaced your original parts with.  If they took out the heater, I'm pretty sure they replaced it with the correct heater right? 

What was wrong with your cover?  Your cover lifter?  Your Mp3 player?  Is it fixed?

Obviously you posted here for the first time to deter someone from getting the same spa that you own, but to be honest, there isn't that much detail here to show you were done wrong or vise versa. 

The bottom line is, there are some bad dealers... yes.  That goes for any brand, including Hot Spring.  However, most are very reasonable and do everything they can to make sure customers are happy, have a working spa, and are overall take care of. 

It sounds like they replaced the entire spa for paint splatters, and a non-working stereo.  Both of which could be taken care of without replacing the spa.  In my mind they did a lot for you.  Maybe I'm just plain unreasonable, but I would need more information before I turn my back on your particular dealer.

[pav]

I am not disputing the fact that the actual spa is a good product. Actually, I think it is good otherwise I would not select it in the first place. I also agree that it was predominantly dealer’s fault. What I am trying to say is that after the dealer failed, HS has also failed as they have ignored me even though I have contacted them on numerous occasions. HS only acted when I engaged government authorities requesting a full refund. So they have acted only to settle the case outside of court. In my opinion the actual product is good but there is no support. For AUD20k I spend on the spa with HC I expected customer support which I could not receive without government authority’s intervention. They will deliver the new spa tomorrow so I am unable to comment on it yet. Good luck with your one.

[Spatech_tuo]

I am not disputing the fact that the actual spa is a good product. Actually, I think it is good otherwise I would not select it in the first place. I also agree that it was predominantly dealer’s fault. What I am trying to say is that after the dealer failed, HS has also failed as they have ignored me even though I have contacted them on numerous occasions. HS only acted when I engaged government authorities requesting a full refund. So they have acted only to settle the case outside of court. In my opinion the actual product is good but there is no support. For AUD20k I spend on the spa with HC I expected customer support which I could not receive without government authority’s intervention. They will deliver the new spa tomorrow so I am unable to comment on it yet. Good luck with your one.

I'm not sure you understand the whole manufacturer/dealer relationship in the spa industry but you should be happy that this got resolved by the manufacturer because its the dealer who was at fault there from reading your previous posting. If the manufacturer stepped in at some point to resolve it I don't think its really fair to slam them since its not really their issue but the dealer. With some of the smaller or less customer friendly manufacturers you may not have gotten the favorable outcome you got and would have been stuck getting resolution through the dealer alone.

[Flyonthewall]

it is clearly a dealer problem.  watkins has gone above and beyond in this case.  there is NO way that watkins would insist you keep your old filters.  they give new filters to any spa they have in for service.  they have to be pissed at the dealer, as all of your problems were caused by them, or should have been addressed by normal warranty repairs.  paint on the shell?  that tells me all i need to know about that dealer.  not covering it with plastic is one thing, but have you ever heard of goo gone?

[yardlady]

I hope once your new spa is delivered you love it! It seems that the Envoy is a popular choice. I had narrowed my choices down to 2 brands, and the same dealer sells both, plus another in my area. Not tons of dealers around, so they must have the market here. I agree it sounds like the dealer was not responsible at all so I hope your new spa works well so that you don't need to call them much for service.

I think spas are like windows and doors. Its not always the product but the company you buy it from and the one who does the install. Im pretty sure this is my spa. Gave the contractor the specs on how to prep the site. We have a lot going on, so probably will wait to buy until the project is near its end , hope by May or June. 

Thanks for the input.

[pav]

Received the spa (did not have time to enjoy it yet) and HS had replaced it including filters at the end. When it comes to manufacture/dealer relationship, I do understand it but when a dealer fails and go out of business, the manufacture has to take over when the contract is between manufacture and me through the dealer, not between me and the dealer.
So at the end, all worked out well for me. It just took a long time.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Received the spa (did not have time to enjoy it yet) and HS had replaced it including filters at the end. When it comes to manufacture/dealer relationship, I do understand it but when a dealer fails and go out of business, the manufacture has to take over when the contract is between manufacture and me through the dealer, not between me and the dealer.
So at the end, all worked out well for me. It just took a long time.

  Guess I missed the part of your dealer going out of business in the previous post?      Still Hot Springs went well and beyond what most mnfgs would have done for you.  You should really have nothing but praise for them!! 

 Good luck to you! 

[d00nut]

  Guess I missed the part of your dealer going out of business in the previous post?      

That's cause it wasn't there!  Forums and messaging never tell the whole story. 

With what Jacuzzi Jim said, I think Hot Spring did more than their fair share.