Where to start???

[lovejoyland]

Hello,

I am looking into buying my first spa! I've been doing my research, and frankly, the more I read the more overwhelmed I feel. Is it possible to buy a good tub without knowing all the ins and outs of every make/model, the mechanics involved, and all the jargon? I have gotten as far as narrowing my choice down to several dealers near me who sell Jacuzzi, Caldera, Hotspring, and Marquis. Any ideas on how to focus my search from here? I don't want anything fancy, just a good 4-6 person tub at a reasonable price. It's ironic, but I am feeling incredibly stressed by this!

Thanks!
Vanessa

[wmccall]

Welcome to the forum.  You've come to the right place.  It sounds like you have a good selection of different brands to choose from. Just remember your in charge and let them know you are looking at other brands. TAKE YOUR TIME and if you can, wet test.

[bud16415]

Don’t be talked into anything. We looked at a lot of tubs and heard how much better their brand was than the others. All the brands you mentioned are top quality. Find the one that fits your price and feels the best to you when wet tested.

In general I feel 2 more seats than the number of people you expect to have in it is the proper size so if you will be having 4 in it a 6 person tub is perfect and then on a rare occasion you get 6 it will be tight and the water will come up to the top or even overflow.

Some tubs are more social and some more therapeutic. We have a 6 person Caldera tub and it is designed as a circuit tub where if you move thru the seats it gives you a good overall massage. It has social setting though like a whirlpool setting that is great for sitting and talking. A truly social tub wont have the recliner and have a extra seat instead.

Some like recliners some don’t we happen to love ours. You will find out if you do when wet testing. Don’t rush when testing a tub. Take your time and play with all the controls and how the diverters work and feel what the full force is like and also when two seats are sharing a pump.

I know exactly where you are at it is a confusing purchase. We have a good friend that has a tub and used that one many times so we kind of knew what we wanted in a tub. That helped a lot.   

[TemptingDestiny]

Good advice. While meeting with all of these dealers, make sure you have an exceptional experience when talking with the representative of each location, as well. Typically, you will be having a long relationship with the person you buy the tub from. Knowing that they will be there after the purchase and not to just sell you the tub is a key factor. When you buy a tub, you buy the company you get it from.

[Tman122]

Hello,

I am looking into buying my first spa! I've been doing my research, and frankly, the more I read the more overwhelmed I feel. Is it possible to buy a good tub without knowing all the ins and outs of every make/model, the mechanics involved, and all the jargon? I have gotten as far as narrowing my choice down to several dealers near me who sell Jacuzzi, Caldera, Hotspring, and Marquis. Any ideas on how to focus my search from here? I don't want anything fancy, just a good 4-6 person tub at a reasonable price. It's ironic, but I am feeling incredibly stressed by this!

Thanks!
Vanessa

I would advise you also consider neutral reviews from sites like this on top of the "pitch" your local dealers throw at you.

But sitting in some is in order at this point. Read up, be a smart purchaser, take all the tools you can.

There's 4 good brands there. Try and not muddle it up with to many choices, narrow down your list of manufacturers to a couple models from a couple of them. Then see if those fall into your price range. Unless it's a spectacular deal. And not just less tub. Or the perception of more tub.

[Calisoldier83]

Everyone has good and bad experiences with dealers and particular tubs. Dealers are basically car sales men. They should be help guiding your decision. I personally liked that mine gave advice on how to not waste money by buying unnecessary products and made accommodations to come in and wet test, that required water transfers, offering to let me use their sump pump for water changes.

Go with your instincts and the dealer tends to have info on the spa that fits you based off your needs, therapeutic, social, etc. They should be able to gear you into the right direction.

[The Wizard of Spas]

Dealers are basically car salesmen?  Ouch.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  Only cars I have sold have been my own, and I have been honest about all of them.     I think stereo typing a spa salesman to a car salesman is wrong, but many people believe it. 

  Just go to a few spa shows or fairs where companies hire these types and it's no wonder people think it.

[d00nut]

Dealers are basically car salesmen?  Ouch.

It goes to show you, that the business practice of a few can put a nasty stigma on an entire industry.

Thanks Master Spas!   

[dertl]

Same goes for the car salesman. I am here to help.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Same goes for the car salesman. I am here to help.

  The car sales guys I know are good people, I think the majority of them are as well.