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Really curious what the product failures are. As a Hot Spring/Caldera/Marquis dealer I may be biased, but I have few failures on Highlife Hot Spring. General statement here, both are quality brands. I don't know Bullfrog pricing, but unless someone in the know can comment, I wouldn't expect there to be a couple thousand dollar difference. If these are the same dealer, it sounds like they are trying to emphasize Hot Spring as a more premium product and if different dealers, maybe one is giving you their bottom price up front and the other has left room for negotiation. Either way, the price difference in my opinion is irrelevant unless the Bullfrog is the better hot tub for you.
That price is pretty fair on the Vanguard with Salt. The Bullfrog price seems low but I could be wrong. When considering the price, keep in mind the options can swing the price a lot. With Hot Spring, Freshwater Salt is $399, the GFCI sub-panel is $399 and depending on which lift and steps, that could be another $500-$800. Same can be said with Bullfrog (which lift and step)?Again, I will not tell you what to do. I would wet test and see which you like better. The $2500 is irrelevant unless the hot tub works for you. Also research each dealer as they are the ones supporting you after the sale.While I haven't been on Consumer Reports, that statement is surprising to me. In my area there has been Hot Spring representation for 35+ years. The company I work for has been with Hot Spring for the last 2.5 years and Caldera 5 years. I order all parts and process all warranty claims. The amount of jet pumps I have ordered is in the single digits and heaters are similar. These numbers are for what we have sold and all other operational Hot Springs in our territory. I think anyone in this industry would agree that all hot tubs will break if you own it long enough and that no company makes an indestructible product. That being said, I'll take my chances with Hot Spring/Caldera any day because I know the manufacturer is going to support me as a dealer and that means my customer will be taken care of. Having been in the industry 18+ years and having dealt with many manufacturers, I have never had this amount of confidence from anyone else. There are a few Bullfrog guys here that can speak about them as a company so I won't because I have no direct experience.
Quote from: castletonia on July 22, 2019, 07:53:10 pmThat price is pretty fair on the Vanguard with Salt. The Bullfrog price seems low but I could be wrong. When considering the price, keep in mind the options can swing the price a lot. With Hot Spring, Freshwater Salt is $399, the GFCI sub-panel is $399 and depending on which lift and steps, that could be another $500-$800. Same can be said with Bullfrog (which lift and step)?Again, I will not tell you what to do. I would wet test and see which you like better. The $2500 is irrelevant unless the hot tub works for you. Also research each dealer as they are the ones supporting you after the sale.While I haven't been on Consumer Reports, that statement is surprising to me. In my area there has been Hot Spring representation for 35+ years. The company I work for has been with Hot Spring for the last 2.5 years and Caldera 5 years. I order all parts and process all warranty claims. The amount of jet pumps I have ordered is in the single digits and heaters are similar. These numbers are for what we have sold and all other operational Hot Springs in our territory. I think anyone in this industry would agree that all hot tubs will break if you own it long enough and that no company makes an indestructible product. That being said, I'll take my chances with Hot Spring/Caldera any day because I know the manufacturer is going to support me as a dealer and that means my customer will be taken care of. Having been in the industry 18+ years and having dealt with many manufacturers, I have never had this amount of confidence from anyone else. There are a few Bullfrog guys here that can speak about them as a company so I won't because I have no direct experience.ThanksDoes the lineup even have an MSRP? I don't like how murky the pricing is in the industry.here is a link to the reviews I mentioned. In fairness its like mostly pissed off people but lots of early breakdowns referenced.https://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/hot-spring-spas.html
Thanks everyone!We have also received a better quote on the Vanguard of 12,400 all in.One quick question, is the sub-panel for the hotspring proprietary? Is that why they include it?Cheers