Best Online Deal on quality 3-4 person spa?

[Isaac-1]

I just joined the forum and I am looking for a deal on a good 3-4 person spa, would be used by 1 person (me) the vast majority of the time, my wife has a health condition where she should avoid getting over heated.  I live in an area with few local dealer options, and am DIY person with lots of swimming pool, but little hot tub / spa experience.  I am not at all concerned about handling, installation or warranty, but do want a good tub with good jets / massage feature (I broke my back a few years ago, so have lots of lower back pain).  I think I want a spa with at least 1 (or 2) reclining positions and 2 seated positions that have different jet configurations.  I have access to truck loading dock, trailers, and lifting equipment at work etc, so having to recieve by truck freight to a business location is not a problem.  Thanks for any suggestions

[Tman122]

If your looking for hydrotherapy for your aching muscles and back you absolutely have to wet test to make sure your not settling for a mediocre/bad fit or feel. Hard to do that online. Generally online spa's make compromises in more than just service, delivery and set up. I'm not saying you can't find value online but quality is a bigger stretch. Seems if your willing to do some service and do the install you could take a trailer to a dealer after you have found the feel and comfort your looking for.

[rosewoodsteel]

Isaac,

The spa I wanted was not available locally.  Because the manufacturer (Artic Spas), does not have a dealer in my area, I was able to buy it from them directly.  They have some nice spas, so you may want to check out their website.

Good luck with your search!

[Isaac-1]

My big problem is location, any dealer that is likely to stock anything in my desired smaller size range will likely be 150 - 300 miles away is a major city like Houston or Dallas.  I have seen what the smaller dealers in the 50-75 mile away range stock and those are almost always larger 5-8 person spas.

[Bonibelle]

Where exactly are you located?

[Isaac-1]

I am in west central Louisiana, near the Texas state line

[Spatech_tuo]

I am in west central Louisiana, near the Texas state line

I haven't seen Terminator on this forum much lately but I know he's in Tyler, Tx which is West Texas but then again Texas is kind of big and I'm not sure how far that would be. He's a stand up guy, knows hot tubs, good sense of humor, likes beer.

[brillskill]

frequently goes on sale for 2999 is made by watkins and has costcos backing...http://www.costco.com/Aquaterra%e2%84%a2-Spas-Transport-25-jet%2c-5-person-Spa.product.11757426.html

[Isaac-1]

Tyler is east Texas, about 190 miles from here

[Spatech_tuo]

Tyler is east Texas, about 190 miles from here

I meant East Texas obviously but didn't know they were that far from the LA border.

[Tman122]

See what the brands up to 150 miles away have to offer on their web sites that fit your needs. Maybe self pick up for a tub that fits and feels good will not be much more money for the piece of mind. You sound like a handy guy. And you know what you want.  A trailer and some gas may get you a great spa at a better than normal price instead of a.........well you don't know until after it's in your yard. And once it's on the trailer it's easier for you to get it where you want it. Dealers want to sell tubs, you want to buy. Seems to me some negotiating is in order.

[Isaac-1]

frequently goes on sale for 2999 is made by watkins and has costcos backing...http://www.costco.com/Aquaterra%e2%84%a2-Spas-Transport-25-jet%2c-5-person-Spa.product.11757426.html

Unfortunately the closest Costco is on the west side of Houston about 150 miles away, which is not so bad distance wise, but I hate the idea of having drive all the way through the middle of houston pulling a trailer.  (for the most part the east side of Houston is the idustrial / bad side of town so).

I think I will check with Terminator though to see what they have, even though it is 190 miles away it is mostly rural 4 lane federal highway between here and there, not as easy driving as being on the interstates, but not much worse, just a handful of stop and go towns.  Alternatively it is about 3/4 interstate going the long way around at about 225 miles.

A couple of other side questions, is there any better or worse times of year to buy?  And when it comes to hauling on a trailer are spa's normally carried right side up on on their sides?  Just wondering for trailer selection, I have an 18 ft flatbed car hauler with an 83 inch wide deck  and a little 5x8 lawn mower utility trailer, needless to say the little 5x8 is a lot easier to pull. 

[Pers Onal]

I have an 18 ft flatbed car hauler with an 83 inch wide deck  and a little 5x8 lawn mower utility trailer, needless to say the little 5x8 is a lot easier to pull.

I have a 5 x 8 that I use for dirt bike/quad.

I would only put a spa on that for a really close pull, as in under 15 miles. Depending on how it's built, designed - some of those 5 x8's barely have a 400 lb payload. Some are built heavier.

I probably wouldn't use a 5 x 8  for 5 miles if I had an 18 ft flatbed at my disposal.

Go with the 18 footer.  You will be able to get the weight better centered, probably easier to get the spa positioned with a much lower center of gravity, and the trailer weight will be heavier than the load weight.

In the small trailer, will probably have to put the spa on it's side, will have a higher center of gravity, and the weight of the load will exceed the trailer weight, probably be pushing right up to the limit of the gross weight rating of the 5 x 8, possibly exceeding the rating.

The 18 footer in all likely hood is tandem axle with a gross weight rating in the 4,000 lb range and you will have a much greater safety margin, if it's a tandem the trailer is a probably over 1,000 lbs unloaded and with the heavier trailer and larger platform, you will have far less tipping ability than with the smaller trailer.

I may be 100 lbs or more off on some of my weight guesstimates here, but everything is better with the 18 footer.

You just have to keep the length in mind while you're towing.

[Isaac-1]

The 5x8 is a very sturdy one, but is single 3500 pound axle, I have used it in the past to haul a 1600 pound diesel generator over 200 miles, it also helps that my tow vehicle is a Crewcab SuperDuty F250.  Still the 18 ft car hauler does add dual axles and electric brakes which have something going for them.

[Tman122]

If the 5x8 is flat a tub would fit on there nice, be easy to menuever and be a very easy pull. Figure the tub weights 5-7 hundred. Lay it on it's bottom and tie it on. Put the cover in the back of the truck. If it has edges then just use blocks.