Hi, I was wondering if there are any PDC owners here who can share their thoughts on this brand? I am looking for a 3 seater with a lounger. Locally I have a choice between Hot Springs, Bullfrog, Jacuzzi, and Marquis. No other dealers locally so it would have to be between those 4. Before I heard about the PDC carmel
https://www.buypdc.com/shop/premium/carmell I was leaning towards the Hot Springs Jetsetter LX. I am also considering the Bullfrog R5L or X5l, and the Jacuzzi J315.
The PDC is much cheaper and I am drawn to the non-proprietary Balboa parts they use which would be much easier to replace after the warranty goes out and something goes wrong. I hate being locked in to proprietary parts that Hot Springs and Jacuzzi use to lock you in with them for life and may not be as high a quality as Balboa parts but cost more. I live in Georgia so insulation isn't that big of a concern as someone in New England since it rarely gets really cold here.
The PDC is much, much cheaper so I am a bit concerned because there seems to be so little info on them. That Hot Tub University guy seems to like them and has a youtube video touring their factory and I like the way they make the self supporting shells. This would be a curbside delivery but I contacted a local mover who quoted me $150 to have it delivered directly to them and then they would bring it to my patio in the back yard. My last hot tub was a factory direct one as well and I had it for 12 years with few issues so that doesn't scare me that much not to have a dealer for issues if they stand by their warranty. Can someone experienced in reading the fine print on spa warranties tell me if this looks like a good warranty or not? It seems to be worded very obtusely which concerns me. Hard to tell what my out of pocket cost would be for repairs.
https://media.cmsmax.com/2qm0gbicufnybnvb98cvy/2018-luxury-premium-warranty.pdfI also noticed that Stellar Spas seem to sell the exact same tub as an off brand for over $1,000 cheaper. The Martinique is almost identical to the Carmel in every detail so I have to believe PDC is their secret manufacturer.
http://stellarspas.com/martinique_detail.html Sorry for the long post but I would love to hear thoughts on these 3 seater choices. Neither wet nor dry testing is an option at the moment because all local dealers are out of stock and also because of Covid they stopped allowing that. Price is a factor but I will gladly pay for a more expensive spa if it merits the extra cost. But the PDC seems to be a solidly built spa at a much lower price. What am I missing? Out of my options locally or online for a 3 seater which brand would you put at the top of your list or remove entirely?
