This is the ole "Bought a used hot tub post" , Calspa or Hot Springs??

[JacuzziJack]

Hi all, first post, but look forward to your input. Sorry for the long post, but maybe laying out the situation will help..

I'll start by saying I've been looking at used hot tubs for a few years now on/off. I'm very mechanically inclined, and can handle electronics too, so I'm not intimidated by working on a H/T. That said, a lot of the used H/T's really show their age, especially with the cabinet and I wanted to at least get something that looked presentable. I found a Hot Springs H/T (Souverign) ...about 2000(yr) on Craigslist for $450 that didn't need any work, not rotted at the base, no leaks and cover was replaced about 5 years ago and is in average condition. The guy has kept up with it and replaced several items over the years as needed. So, I put some money down on it but didn't pick up yet. The guy didn't have it unhooked. He's also going to give me the GFCI breaker box on the outside of his house.

Low and behold, I see another hot tub on C/L, a really nice looking 2006 Calspa (I think it's a 6200 series??), 6-person, lightly used, 3 jet pumps, white, LED lights, radio/CD ..waterfalls, looks fantastic (better than the Hot Springs), but it needs at least a pump, and worse yet, the guy drained it and it's sat outside for a few years (Upper midwest) and I'm sure he didn't blow the water out. So, I passed on it.  Well, a few days later he calls me back and says he wants it out of there so he can redo his deck over the 4th and if I come and get it he's got help there to load it for me, or he's cutting it up and taking it to the dump. So, after some back/fourth and the lure of a 'cheap' hot tub, I go back and we load it into my PU w/o hardly a scratch from moving it. I know it needs at least new pump and motor (he took it out and eventually threw it away), also the cover is there but needs to be replaced. There is a little rot on the base, but it's not a structural issue at this point. It cleaned up really nice - wife loves how it looks. I haven't even plugged it in to inspect the controls. Potentially, the pumps could be cracked, maybe even some of the hoses too ...however when I had it up on the skid steer forks, I didn't detect any splits in the few hoses I could visibly see. I will eventually pressure test the lower hoses and pumps to see how they hold up. So, it could need anywhere from just 1 new pump and that's it, to a whole bunch of work including fixing a bunch of leaks. My plan right now is to look for a cheap used Craigslist pump to replace the missing one, then replace the seals in the remaining pumps, hook up power ....pressure test things in the meantime, and go from there. I can handle all the work ..and don't need a H/T installed anytime soon, but... I'm wondering if I should just pickup the Hot Springs anyway and pick at the Calspa issues as time permits. I've already put the Calspa on a pallet and can stick it in the shed and dig it out with a skid steer whenever I need ...storage and moving around isn't a problem ...but time is more of an issue as it always is. Still, I get a charge out of working on and learning about new things like this.

My questions are:

1) How would you rate a 2000 Hot Springs vs a 2006 Calspa assuming they were both in working order?
2) Is the Hot Springs better insulated -- cheaper to operate in the winter?
3) What's good or bad about Calspa?
4) Are there common issues with Calspa units / controls?

Sorry for the long post, but I truely value your input.

Thanks,

[Spatech_tuo]

My questions are:

1) How would you rate a 2000 Hot Springs vs a 2006 Calspa assuming they were both in working order?
2) Is the Hot Springs better insulated -- cheaper to operate in the winter?
3) What's good or bad about Calspa?
4) Are there common issues with Calspa units / controls?

Sorry for the long post, but I truely value your input.

Thanks,

1) A working 2000 HS (well respected brand) vs a 2006 Cal (not so well respected) which may look good on the outside but is not operational, has sat empty for a couple years which can lead to hidden issues (cracked plumbing) and has a rotten base? I think this one is obvious, get the HS hooked up and enjoy the fact that it works. With used hot tubs its always about its condition and is it operational far more than how old is it. Would you buy a 2000 car that is up and running and ready to go or a 2006 with a nicer looking paint job but needs engine work and may have major unseen issues?
2) I would expect the HS to be better insulated.
3/4) One problem you may run into with an older Cal is a hard time getting parts even though the HS is older.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Real simple here. Forget you ever saw Cal Spa.

[JacuzziJack]

Good input guys. Thanks for the feedback. Pretty much what I was thinking too.

For grins, I dug into the Calspa hot tub a little more yesterday, took the plumbing apart. I did not detect any visible freeze damage with the pumps or plumbing ...although I can only see a certain amount of exposed plumbing. I'm very familiar with what freeze damage looks like and I would think that if there was freeze damage it would most likely be at the lower pipes where it can't drain out so readily. At this point I'm going to replace the one pump (that the PO removed and tossed) and rebuild the other 2 that seem to still be good, put some water in it and see what happens. But I've got to make a decision on the Hot Springs unit pretty quick one way or the other.