Just got done reading all the posts on here. My decision for purchasing was based on a couple of factors.
1. Price
2. Dealer
I was torn between the Optima and the Caldera Geneva. If my decision was based soley on price, then I would be the owner of the caldera and about $1000 richer. The reason I bought the Optima was that I was more comfortable with the Sundance dealer. He took more time to explain the tub to me and didnt negative sell his competition. On the other hand, the Caldera dealer talked negatively about all the other spas on the market. Being in sales myself, If you are trying to sell a product, talk about the benefits and features of your product instead of talking down the competition.
In the short time that I have owned my optima (1 week) I have been into the dealer a couple of times with questions and have walked out with chemicals free of charge.
Purchasing your tub is part of the process but afterwards it comes down to what type of customer service are you going to get from your dealer after the purchase.