Best Swim spa - Why is it hard to trust sales reps - please help

[Swimspagirlinneed]

I am ready to buy a swim spa that I need for exercise therapy. Not necessarily swimming but a space I can do strength exercises in and get relief from jets. I live in a small town so whenever I find models I like, it seems like the send me to a rep 10 hrs away. Then I got suckered into one of those spa shows at the fairground where they advertise lots of brands represented and it in truth is only one company. Why is it so hard to find a reputable swimspa where they actually oversee the delivery and installation. I don't have time to do that and I wouldn't even know where to begin to find contractors that are good in my area. I like the H2X Swim Spas but the dealer has really poor reviews and they leave the contractor hiring to you. Does anyone do it all for you? Any help would be much appreciated.

[BullFrogSpasMN]

What part of the country are you in?

Swim Spas are a completely different animal than hot tubs, often times dealers are not properly equipped with the showroom space, staff, or proper delivery equipment to sell them so it can be tricky to find a reputable dealer

[Swimspagirlinneed]

What part of the country are you in?

Swim Spas are a completely different animal than hot tubs, often times dealers are not properly equipped with the showroom space, staff, or proper delivery equipment to sell them so it can be tricky to find a reputable dealer

I am in northwest Florida between Pensacola and Tallahassee.

[The Wizard of Spas]

I would think your best plan of action is to find a larger show that will have several swim spa units there.  Do this at your own pace:  Testing the tubs is a great way to get a feel for the swim action.  Trade shows are the best to see units in one spot and to get a good look at what you may be able to purchase. 

The brands that advertise the most are Master Spas and ThermoSpas but there are other units out there.  In my town alone there is Catalina, Dynasty, & Master Spas.  And I live in a smaller city.  Marquis makes a few and if you look at any of the major brands they're all developing something at this point. I am sure that others can chime in and tell you if their brands have swim spa units, so you're apt to get many options  to research from the talented individuals who populate this forum.

There will be endless  sales tactics people  will use when they pitch you  the tub.  Best play is to see what swimming in the unit feels like.  That will cull the herd.

Plan a weekend away in the city that has the trade show and take your time:  This is a large investment so give yourself the best chance to make the right, and informed, decision.

I hope this helps.  Good luck moving forward.

[Swimspagirlinneed]

Do any of the major swim spa companies handle everything for you in regards to setting up electrical, delivery etc.?

[The Wizard of Spas]

To my knowledge, no (Unless you do a phone-order project ala ThermoSpas).

Otherwise the unit should be self-contained and pre-fab so you'll have to arrange for delivery.  Find a crane company in your area to crane the unit into the backyard and a licensed electrician can handle the rest:  Most swim spas are at least 60amp and dual chambers tend to run 100 to 110 amps.  You'll need a GFCI ran out to the swim spa area and you'll need 6 gauge, 4 strand wire.  An electrician will know what all that means.

You'll likely not be buying from the manufacturer.  You'll be buying from a local dealer who may have a "factory rep" selling for them.  9 out of 10 times its not a factory rep at all, just a road agent who says they work at the factory.

Getting the tub delivered, craned and electric ran is the easy part (yes- I know that sounds cavalier but electric and craning are fairly standard.  And if you're at a show, a salesperson will for sure make sure they can get the unit to your driveway).

Identifying the swim spa that is right for you is the hard part.  That is why you should check out Home/Garden shows, trade shows, or pool/spa shows:  You'll get them all in one building and you can spend the day looking at the units and compare/contrast.

This might be the best option if you live far out from any pool/spa store. 

[Swimspagirlinneed]

Does anyone have any experience with this company out of Clearwater, FL: http://www.spamanufacturers.com/spa-swimspa-sm.php

[Swimspagirlinneed]

I thought I would see more people wanting swim spas for exercise. Pools in Florida make insurance premiums go up verses spas. Do those of you who sell spas, not see more interest? Also, when you see manufacturers list swim spas for $9,999 delivered, is there something I am missing since most start at $18,000 it seems.

[The Wizard of Spas]

I think that there is still a lack of knowledge and awareness that is holding the swim spa industry back.  Of course swim spas are more popular than ever, but that is still relative. 

Also- You have the manufacturers like Master Spas, Catalina (Ones I am familiar with here in my town so that is the example I use, but am not limited to as there are many swim spa manufacturers that fit the following bill) that distribute through brick and mortar dealers that offer (in my opinion) a better quality product in general overall with support (warranty, service, expertise) that tends to be the preferred way.  This however comes at a cost.

Most other places do direct-to-customer sales.  This brings down the cost.  But the product tends to be lower quality overall in general and you are not left with dealer support, warranty safety nets nor is it likely to be installed by someone who knows exactly how to install it.  Lots of onus on the customer.  But again, the cost is significantly lower in general.

There are various types of swim spas, just like automobiles, so you do have to do some homework to understand not just the differences in brands, but the differences in models.  This is where something like a trade show is great.  Yes- you gotta deal with high pressure, slimy and over-cologned salesmen (kidding! we are not all that bad).  But the trade-off is you get to see everyone in one place and can learn all in one day (Friday), negotiate the next day on pricing and then buy on Sunday on your way out of town if you prefer. 

Just my two cents.  I've dealt with and sold swim spas for almost 15 years and there have never been more options.  This is good and bad:  You as a consumer have more avenues to explore but there are a ton of manufacturers that are very new to the swim spa business.  This means they're on their first generation of products so you know what that means.  Theres  more to it but now Im monologuing at this point so I will step down.

Good Luck Moving Forward.

[d00nut]

The only thing I can advise is to actually try them out.  That's the problem with those online direct guys.  Most of those guys that I have seen are terrible quality (which is why they have no dealer network.)  Plus, if you end up hating it, that is a $10,000 mistake that you are stuck with.

Would you want to spend $10k and never use it because you hate it?  Or $18k and use it all the time?

Try them out.  That's the only way that you can tell if it will work for you.  I've had people think they want the Endless Pool swim current, then try out the Swim Cross (jetted version) and for their needs... it was perfect, and they saved money.  Of course, I have the opposite happen as well. 

That's to much money for anyone to take a leap of faith on.  Unless you don't care about money... which I know isn't true... because you asking strangers on the internet about different swim spas a various costs

[Swimspagirlinneed]

Just my two cents.  I've dealt with and sold swim spas for almost 15 years and there have never been more options.  This is good and bad:  You as a consumer have more avenues to explore but there are a ton of manufacturers that are very new to the swim spa business.  This means they're on their first generation of products so you know what that means.  Theres  more to it but now Im monologuing at this point so I will step down.

Good Luck Moving Forward.

Any experience with Dimension one, H2X or Thermospas? Also is there a website where you can find out locations of trade shows or home shows where I can see several brands?

[The Wizard of Spas]

For trade shows- Take the closest cities near you and look up their convention center schedule.  It will have what is going on, when, and who will be there.

If that doesn't work, find the dealers in that city and see when they do their shows.