Price comparison - Marquis 435, Bullfrog *7L

[wmspringer]

I'll be wet testing a Marquis e-series 435 tomorrow morning, and if it feels good we plan to go ahead and buy it. (We also tested a HotSpring tub this week and liked it quite a bit, but the exact model we want - the ARIA at $10,500 which comes with a GFCI pump but without a step or cover lifter - wasn't available for wet testing and it also costs a bit more and comes with less). Both companies are running a promotion this month (the HotSpring one ends Sunday). The trouble is I can't find any prices online for comparison and I haven't purchased a hot tub before so I'm not sure if we're getting a good deal or not. We live in Wisconsin and plan to use this all winter.

The local Marquis dealer offers these options on the 435:
Floor Model: $8,299
Includes full foam, 2nd pump, cover, cover lifter, delivery and setup, chemical package and orientation, 0% financing for 60 months with 10% down

Ultimate Package: $10,399
Everything in the floor model + Step II, LED Lighting package, bluetooth audio, frog sanitation, corona ozone

Additionally, a towel rack is included when you purchase this month.

We definitely want the step ($299) and my wife would really like the audio package ($875), so my impulse is to just go ahead and get the ultimate package (which, adding it up, is only $162 cheaper than buying the options separately but avoids deciding which ones to get).

Do these prices seem reasonable?

[BullFrogSpasMN]

E-Series has a 3 yr component, 2 year shell surface, and 1 year cabinet warranty, for 9-10k you can find a much better value imo, what other companies do you have in your area? some examples would be Bullfrog X or R series, Limelight from Hot Spring, Jacuzzi 300 series all offer a better fit and finish and longer warranty for similar/same pricing..just my .02 good luck!

[wmspringer]

One company sells Marquis and Bullfrog, one sells Hot Spring, one that we haven't been to sells Vita and Viking.

I should note that there's a $1800 rebate on the deluxe ($1400 on the floor model) if you pay with cash, so it's really an $8500 hot tub with a 21% financing fee over five years.

Requirements are I need a good back massage and my wife needs a high cool-down seat. Of the Hot Springs I tried, one of them I kept floating away from the lounge chair and the tub felt a bit cramped, but the other was very comfortable. Just expensive.

[bradleyabell]

I'll be wet testing a Marquis e-series 435 tomorrow morning, and if it feels good we plan to go ahead and buy it. (We also tested a HotSpring tub this week and liked it quite a bit, but the exact model we want - the ARIA at $10,500 which comes with a GFCI pump but without a step or cover lifter - wasn't available for wet testing and it also costs a bit more and comes with less). Both companies are running a promotion this month (the HotSpring one ends Sunday). The trouble is I can't find any prices online for comparison and I haven't purchased a hot tub before so I'm not sure if we're getting a good deal or not. We live in Wisconsin and plan to use this all winter.

The local Marquis dealer offers these options on the 435:
Floor Model: $8,299
Includes full foam, 2nd pump, cover, cover lifter, delivery and setup, chemical package and orientation, 0% financing for 60 months with 10% down

Ultimate Package: $10,399
Everything in the floor model + Step II, LED Lighting package, bluetooth audio, frog sanitation, corona ozone

Additionally, a towel rack is included when you purchase this month.

We definitely want the step ($299) and my wife would really like the audio package ($875), so my impulse is to just go ahead and get the ultimate package (which, adding it up, is only $162 cheaper than buying the options separately but avoids deciding which ones to get).

Do these prices seem reasonable?

Just my 2 cents...Save the $1,000 (including tax) on the audio system and buy a nice wireless bluetooth speaker!  Hot tub speakers may seem nice, but think about repair-ability and costs if something were to go wrong.  Also - $300 for a plastic step seems VERY steep!  Lastly - If you get a Covermate III (cover lifter), it comes with 3 spots to hang towels from FYI.

[Hottubguy]

I'll be wet testing a Marquis e-series 435 tomorrow morning, and if it feels good we plan to go ahead and buy it. (We also tested a HotSpring tub this week and liked it quite a bit, but the exact model we want - the ARIA at $10,500 which comes with a GFCI pump but without a step or cover lifter - wasn't available for wet testing and it also costs a bit more and comes with less). Both companies are running a promotion this month (the HotSpring one ends Sunday). The trouble is I can't find any prices online for comparison and I haven't purchased a hot tub before so I'm not sure if we're getting a good deal or not. We live in Wisconsin and plan to use this all winter.

The local Marquis dealer offers these options on the 435:
Floor Model: $8,299
Includes full foam, 2nd pump, cover, cover lifter, delivery and setup, chemical package and orientation, 0% financing for 60 months with 10% down

Ultimate Package: $10,399
Everything in the floor model + Step II, LED Lighting package, bluetooth audio, frog sanitation, corona ozone

Additionally, a towel rack is included when you purchase this month.

We definitely want the step ($299) and my wife would really like the audio package ($875), so my impulse is to just go ahead and get the ultimate package (which, adding it up, is only $162 cheaper than buying the options separately but avoids deciding which ones to get).

Do these prices seem reasonable?

Just my 2 cents...Save the $1,000 (including tax) on the audio system and buy a nice wireless bluetooth speaker!  Hot tub speakers may seem nice, but think about repair-ability and costs if something were to go wrong.  Also - $300 for a plastic step seems VERY steep!  Lastly - If you get a Covermate III (cover lifter), it comes with 3 spots to hang towels from FYI.

Marquis doesn't use a plastic step. They probably make the nicest step in the industry. Agree on the audio. I like the cover companion better then the covermate 3 for the marquis tubs. Pricewise it's fair considering the 60 month financing. Warranty wise I wish Marquis would get with the rest of the industry and up it to 5 year component on this series like all there competitors do. All the equipment is the same as what is in the signature series which carries the 5 year component warranty. Good thing is I don't do much warranty work on Marquis tubs because there stuff typically lasts beyond the warranty. Good luck in your search

[wmspringer]

Update: I tried the 435 and the Epic and didn't really care for either of them. I really liked the back massage in some of the  HotSpring seats, but we would like to get a spa that has a high seat with jets and they didn't seem to have that. Still looking...

[The Wizard of Spas]

Update: I tried the 435 and the Epic and didn't really care for either of them. I really liked the back massage in some of the  HotSpring seats, but we would like to get a spa that has a high seat with jets and they didn't seem to have that. Still looking...

Its *always* about the wet test.  Try out some brands, then check out the dealer, then report back if the choice is still up in the air. 

[wmspringer]

Going to test Bullfrog this weekend. The quoted price (with 60 months no interest financing, 10% down) is $13,699 for the A7L or $11,199 for the R7L. That includes delivery and setup, the cover lifter, the step, ozone, and chemical kit. Quite a bit more than I was looking to spend, but I do like being able to customize the tub to get exactly what we want...

[bradleyabell]

Going to test Bullfrog this weekend. The quoted price (with 60 months no interest financing, 10% down) is $13,699 for the A7L or $11,199 for the R7L. That includes delivery and setup, the cover lifter, the step, ozone, and chemical kit. Quite a bit more than I was looking to spend, but I do like being able to customize the tub to get exactly what we want...

Since you will be there anyways, give the X series a wet test as well.  Would be more in your price range...Obviously lacks the jet pack system, but you might get there and find you don't really care for it that much.

[wmspringer]

Just to close out this thread:

I did a wet test of the A7L on Friday and put in an order. I'd done quite a bit of reading (mostly on this board) and decided that if the lounger in it was reasonably comfortable I'd go ahead and get it. Went in with a list of jetpacks I was interested in and spent about an hour trying them. (There wasn't an X series one available to wet test, but I actually did really like some of the jetpacks). Added the circulating pump, which seems to give me everything except the wiki and sound system (stuff like the step and cover lifter are already included).

Will be putting in a gravel pad and getting an electrician out to install a gfci box this month, then the tub gets delivered in early November. Can't wait! It ended up being a LOT more than I had planned to spend (original plan was to just get one of the Costco tubs on sale and see if it would work with the existing 120v outlets) but recent events mean we're going to stay in our current house longer than planned so we decided to get the best tub we could afford and hope to continue using it for a long time.

Thanks for the comments; they were very helpful.

[Fcat]

Curious what price you got it for ?

[wmspringer]

Curious what price you got it for ?

With the 5 year financing, all the options except the wifi and sound system, an extra jetpak, and WI sales tax, it came to just over $15k.

[Thisismyname]

Man it's crazy how much variance there is in price in different regions.  Just got an A8 with recirc, ozone and wifi for over 5k less.

[d00nut]

Man it's crazy how much variance there is in price in different regions.  Just got an A8 with recirc, ozone and wifi for over 5k less.

It's pretty established that you got an insane deal.  I'm happy for you, because that is awesome!  I question the sanity of the dealer.  If an employee of mine came in my office jumping for joy because he closed a deal in the price range you got it for... they'd be in for a rude awakening, because I'd make them pay the difference.

5 years financing, sales tax, with circ and ozone for $15k is about what that spa should go for.  Probably $12-13k before tax if there was no financing.

[Thisismyname]

Ha.  Well there are 2 dealers near me quoting the same price completely independent of eachother.