Newbie looking at used Sundance Marin model and general buying advice

[MojoMike]

New shopper here. Great site, great forum. Thanks 4 being here.  We are east of Sacramento in a pretty rural area. Local Sundance dealer seems good... Products seem solid, as reviewed here. Cost is concern to us.

Many questions... But for starters, there are a couple of vintages of the Sundance Marin model currently on Craigslist locally, a 2002 for $3K and a 2007 for $4K. Having little experience with these things, a few features are important and I wonder how these guys stack up. My wife is sensitive to chemicals, so we want to use as little bromine/chlorine as possible. It appears the 2007 vintage has ionizer features that promise to minimize the required "juice," but I wonder about the 2002 model.

In general, when did the newer generation filtration technologies become common, and what should I be asking on the used market to determine what generation and how good these features are. (I can't really ask the guy at the Sundance store that, not in good faith.)
I will go down there and "wet test" this weekend however, as I have never even "lounged," and don't know if I'd like it.

I realize there are many other considerations, and I may ask the forum population for more help downstream, after I have done more homework.

Big picture: I'm after a big massage experience... at 58 I am creaky as hell, lower back and hips get tight and sore, and hot water works better for me than ibuprofen. Wife just wants relatation

Last question for now: How do I determine if a used, or new for that matter, tub has big, powerfull jets like the tub in that expensive health club I  used to belong to? I don't know what to ask... is it pump horsepower? Specific types of jets? and are there skin concerns? I recall getting a weird itchy sensation on my lower back. after sitting in the inground hot tub at that club. Do modern jets alleviate that problem at all?

I appreaciate you in advance.

[Sam]

The only way to tell about the jets is to feel them.  Horsepower tells you nothing because there are multiple ways to rate HP.  Jet power is also reduced by the friction that occurs as the water passes through the plumbing.  An efficiently plumbed spa will give better jet pressure than a tub with miles of plumbing and lots of 90 degree elbows.  Some companies use soft radius elbows for this reason. 

As to the question about itching:  My understanding is that the itching sensation is due to the massage and temperature causing your body to release toxins and therefore histamine.  It's the same as when the chiropractor uses his powerful back massager on you and it itches afterward.  I may be wrong on this though.....anyone else wanna chime in?

Also, are you going to a retailer to wet test but plan on buying used? 

[MojoMike]

I read a thread on the forum on Bullfrog brand tubs and found a dealer about 40 minutes away ... got wife down there for a wet test and we were impressed. Seemed innovative, efficient and comparably priced. The jets are modular, with a whole bunch of options, more than the small dealer had on hand. Not sure if the "jet packs" diminish jet power, but also realized how sophisticated the various jet treatments are. I won't know what I want until after I have it... or more likely after I have something else.
I also got cold feet on buying used. A lot of talk about leaks and problems. I was sort of thinking of this as an appliance, but care, feeding and maintenance are clearly part of the ownership package... much moreso for a used one.

also the dealer lives near us... that seemed good. But it's a small store, maybe 8 tubs on display... Worry that he might not make it, then I wouldn't have local support.

And yea, I have no problem wet testing a tub at a dealer and also shopping on the used market. That dealer has the opportunity to impress me, to convince me it's worth the extra $$ to buy new from him, and generaly add value to the transaction... that's all any salesman wants I think. We have enough dough to go either way... just trying to stretch it as far as possible.

Doing a major bathroom remodel concurrently... The new john will adjoins a deck where the tub will be installed... but that's another story.



that said, I still haven't gotten my wife down to the local sundance store for a dip. We get insanely busy and burnt out in our jobs... which is one reason we'd like a hot tub.

[Sam]

One of the brands that I sell is Bullfrog. They are extremely well engineered tubs.  The JetPak system eliminates a majority of the plumbing found in traditional hot tubs, which reduces friction, and therefore increases jet performance.  This is highlighted by the fact that Bullfrog does not use diverter valves.  You can run all of the jets on high speed at the same time.  Most hot tubs only allow some of the seats to operate at full power simultaneously. 

As to your concern about the dealer, Bullfrog is a great company to work with.  Should your dealer go out of business, they will still honor the warranty.  They will either send you the parts and credit you the amount that they would pay the dealer for performing the work, or they will locate a company in your area and contract the repair out to them.  Fyi, of the 3 brands that we sell, Bullfrog are the most reliable.  We have very few warranty calls on them.

I am happy to advise you in this process should you have any questions. 

[rin-spa-aic]

Definitely worth testing.

I was very interested in Sundance and after a test found it very uncomfortable whereas the similar Jacuzzi model was comfortable.

I liked the Bullfrog in theory but due to prior experience with the local dealer did not really consider them.

[mandtra]

IMO   both of those two used spas are over priced ,    6 years old for $ 4000   with no warranty .

[MojoMike]

Hey thanks so much to all...especially the technical feedback on the jetpacks. The bathroom remodel decisions should be this easy. We're going back down to the Bullfrog dealer and talk turkey this weekend. I'll update this thread with details. I want to put it on a deck, which needs an additional support beam, and of course electricity. -Mike

[brillskill]

FYI..my local Costco is selling bull frog ..great prices..

[bimmerdog]

FYI..my local Costco is selling bull frog ..great prices..

My Costco sells Red Bull for a great price also.  A little drink I like to have in my hot tub......Apple Pucker, Cranberry Juice, Lime, Red Bull, White Rum   (please hot tub elite don't tell me to be careful with alcohol and hot tubs....I'm a big boy)

[brillskill]

^^^ haha!^^^

[Chas]

I want to reiterate something mentioned above: the ONLY way to tell if jets will be strong enough is to try them, wet. You may be able to tell by simply placing a hand in front of them, but a wet test is better.

If the tubs you see on CL are not hot, bubbling and at least clean enough to put your hand in front of some running jets, I would not bother. You would be buying a pig in a poke.

There is an awesome HotSpring dealer in about five cities east of the sacto area.

http://www.hottubstore.com/

Check them out. They may have used tubs as well, most of us dealers do.