wet test today!

[Kelley]

We are wet testing at a Caldera Marquis dealer as well as a Artesian dealer today. They have the reward full and about 6 Caldera spas. This is our first wet test and thanks to this forum as much as I don't want to do it I am! I like the Artesian Ruby and out of all the sales people I have talked to I like him too! Also the store is a mile away but I am a little leary as it does not seem to be a super popular brand...feedback would be great. I will probably stop by a Down East dealer as well.
I will probably turn in to this crazy spa lady who just goes around testing spas and can never make a decision! LOL

[UnderTheStars]

Yahoooo!  Have fun today Kelly!  Take a notepad and write down every thought/impression - you won't remember in a day or two what it felt like.

Keep us posted!
Stars

[bulmer4nc]

didn't wet test any Caldera, but we tried the Artesian a couple of times - nice tubs!  We decided on a Sundance in the end for a few reasons, popularity of the brand being just one.

Hope your day was fun!

Jodi

[UnderTheStars]

So Kelly, how was the wet test?  Did You guys like the tubs?

[TahoesMama]

Hi folks,

Has anyone heard how Kelly's wet testing went?  We've decided to purchase a Sundance Marin, but set out to buy the Altamar.  Here's the scary part, and hopefully, things will work out.  In calculating our space needs, we thought the Altamar would fit, but after discussing the needs (i.e. panel access for repairs, placement for drainage, room for cover lift, positioning for best view), we decided to play it safe by chosing the smaller tub with the same features.  Here's the rub...we didn't actually wet test it.  The Marin is a smaller version (minus a couple of jets and one seat).  We got in a dry tub placed next to the Altamar.  That's all we had to go on.

I'm not sure if its a Kansas City thing, but most of the dealers make it extremely difficult to wet the the actual tub you'd like to purchase.  The first dealer we went to was Watsons (the place with the tv swimsuit girl).  Big flashy showroom, pool tables, sauna, and so on...Naturally we knew they were gonna be overpriced, but as huge as they are, we thought that even if we weren't gonna buy from them, they'd have a variety of spas available for wet-testing.   Not so.  They had two of their high line models to use both of which we tested(The Caldera Geneva and Aspire).  But WE were interested in the Tahitian.  The saleman told us to try out the Aspire, as it was comparable.  We did and liked it, but since it was our first stop, we said we'd come back when the Tahitian was ready to try (as the saleman stated that he'd sold one of the floor model, freeing up space to hook up another tub, and the Tahitian would be that tub).  

We then checked out a Hot Spings dealer.  The Sovereign and the Caspian were the tubs we chose.  The Sovereign was available for wet-testing, but not the Caspian.  We were told to test the comparable Siberian.  We were impressed by the Siberian, but knew the Caspian would fit better in our area.  (We really didn't care for the Sovereign - o.k. tub, just not for us).  We were told the the Caspian would be available to wet test on Sunday.  The store hours are 1-5.   (as anybody whose ever lived in KC knows,  - ALL THINGS STOP AT GAMETIME!!  (Even churches let out of Sunday morning services early, otherwise the congregation isn't gonna show up, period!)  So it was gonna take a heck of a deal for us to go try out a tub during the Chiefs home opener.  Nevertheless, we headed out anyway.  Imagine how we felt when we arrived and there was no water in the tub  It's bad enough the Chiefs lost, but we wasted our time too!  Our salesman wasn't there, and supposedly didn't leave word to the staff to fill up the Caspian.  Her boss who was present wanted to work a sweet deal with us for the Sovereign, problem was, we didn't like that tub, and WE wanted to wet test the Caspian.  

Marquis was our next stop.  This is the dealer we were most impressed with.  Informative, honest, helpful, great service department & personnel, wonderful warranty.  Both tubs we were interested in were present & available for wet-testing (Rewards and an Everyday model that I can't remember the name of).  We just didn't care for the tubs, which was a real shame - we really felt most comfortable with this company for repairs and service, but physical comfort of the tub was too high on our list of priorities to sacrifice for a tub we were less than turned on about.

Sundance was our last stop.  We targeted the Altamar.  We liked and wanted it.  But you know what happened.  No wet test.  

Just for grins, we contacted the Watson store again about the Caldera Tahitian.  Again, we were told that the Aspire was available.  In explaining that we were working with Salesman X who had already allowed us to test the Aspire, but we really wanted to test the Tahitian and were told that a space would be free to fill it up, blah, blah, blah.  The salesman stated that he'd only allow us to do so IF WE AGREED THAT WE WERE PLANNING TO BUY IT!  

Looks like we're stepping out on faith.  Wish us luck folks!  Has anyone else had this much trouble wet-testing the tub of their choice?

[KC-SWO]

I believe many stores have only higher end models available for wet-test in hope that you will like the model you tried A-LOT, and will buy the more expensive model.

Some people this doesn't work on.

It worked on my wife and I.  We blew our budget, and our ideal tub size right out of the water.

[Lori]

Well, it has been over a year now, when I was wet testing and trying to make a decision!

HotSpring dealer (who isn't anymore) let me test the Sovereign and Vanguard (I tested the Vanguard twice, after hours, at my convenience).  I also have to mention, this dealer is in Norman, which I wouldn't be caught dead in Norman on a Saturday Sooner game, ugh!  Anyway, he was flexible about my schedule and wet testing, what I wanted, not what he wanted.  (He did suggest I try one of the Tiger River tubs, I just didn't have time to try 3 in one night.)

So, the Sundance dealer was barely accommodating me for a wet test of the Altamar.  They wanted me to test the Optima, but the Optima was too big, I was REALLY interested in the Altamar.  I asked once and they told me the floor model was sold.  I waited and went into the store to talk to someone, again, face to face about testing the Altamar, said it had a leak and that they would call me when it was fixed and ready to be tested.  This was on Monday, they called me on Friday and said it was ready to test.  When I got there, the water had been siphoned out of the Optima and the young lady had messed up the water chemistry.  She honestly admitted that no one had really warned her that I would be in to wet test.  Anyway, tested the Altamar and was not that impressed.

I then went to the LA Spa dealer, who were very flexible in when I could wet test (initially tested the HEET, which was way too big).  In fact, one salesman said he had never seen anyone wet test in Oklahoma, before.  When the saleswoman found out I was interested in the Vanguard, she suggested a few models for me to try, that were comparable in size.  (which was great!!!)  I was torn by the Fiji!!!

Anyway, you should be able to test what you want, in my opinion.  I understand there are sometimes difficulties with this, but that is my opinion.

Sorry for so long, but one more point.  The first tub I wet tested was a Jacuzzi 360, which I floated in, but would have tried a different model.  The week after I tested (and the salesman practically begged me to buy) the dealer closed his doors!!!  Sure glad I missed that bullet!  (Not the brand but the dealer!)

[tonyp]

My local HS dealer had the Sovereign and the Vista filled along with some Tiger River units.  After trying them, I decided that the Envoy might be the right one.  They only offered a dry test of the Envoy.  I called several other dealers to try to find one to wet test and found one about 30 minutes away.  

Turned out that not only was the Envoy the right spa, this dealer was $700 less.  I went back to my local dealer and mentioned that I had gotten a lower price.  Their answer was that their price was final and they didn't even ask me what the lower price was.  Needless to say I bought from the other dealer and delivery and service has been great.

Wet test even if you must travel to find the spa you're interested in.