Warrantee

[spanovice]

I realize that warrantees may vary greatly, and the better the warrantee, the better the spa.  I guess I'm still wondering what things to watch for in the "fine print" so that I really get the best spa and warrantee.

Any suggestions and personal experiences?

Thanks!

[Steve]

My suggestion is to read the warranty prior to the purchase and pay close attention to the exclusions.

Steve

[Rayman]

Pick a warranty with no exclusions

[J._McD]

My suggestion is to ACQUIRE A COPY of the written warranty along with the brochure and other sales material being provided and read the exclusions, limitations and prorations of the warranty.  What they give you in numbers, they always take a way with words.  If it is not available, you must begin to ask yourself, why not?  There is one in every spa on the floor and they can simply make a copy.

For example, no warranty consideration for damage caused by operation of the spa at water temperatures outside the range of 34° F - 104° F.  Or, the use of "Tri-Chlor" voids your warranty.

These is specific and ice begins to form at 32° F.  If a warranty failure causes the GFI breaker to trip, subsequent damage is not covered.  Maybe not important in Florida but it is in the snowbelt.

[Spatech_tuo]

One thing to add is that warranties are great when they are honored. If you buy from a major reputable spa manufacturer (i.e. Sundance, Hot Springs, Caldera, Marquis, D1, etc.) you not only get a thorough warranty but you get one from a company that is known to back their product.

[Brewman]

Good luck finding a warranty without exclusions.
Brewman

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

"I realize that warrantees may vary greatly, and the better the warrantee, the better the........."

Hundi 100k miles
BMW 50k miles

which would you rather drive? Which do you think is a better car?

It's all in the marketing.

Don't forget, you pay for the warranty as a non-itemized, included part of the spa.

[Steve]

Very true Doc!

Which brings me to ask, Is there any non-major dealers that look after their customers and provide great warranty service?

Of course there is...

Steve

[spaman--]

I know one! Lol

[Steve]

I know one! Lol

I know you were going to say Hydropool...

Let's take this one step further...

Who and what determines a MAJOR BRAND? Is it number of units sold annually?

Steve

[Lori]

Very true Doc!

Which brings me to ask, Is there any non-major dealers that look after their customers and provide great warranty service?

Of course there is...

Steve

Yes!  My dealer stopped selling tubs altogether.  They moved to a smaller building and now sell ponds   !  They have taken excellent care of me, when I have needed it!!

And regarding your other question about quality major brand, I would say that it wouldn't have to be based on number of units sold, annually!  Everyone likes to use auto imagery, so I may as well, too.  Look at the "major brands" who have had "major" recalls in the past few years.  GM, Ford, even Honda.  I would consider them all "major brands of autos, and they all sell a whole lot of units annually.  I would say a "major brand" would be a "brand" that takes care of the dealers, who in turn, take care of their customers with that "brand".  If there was a defect in a car I bought, I would expect GM to take care of it!  I expect the same from my hot tub maker, no matter the brand!

Does that make any sense?  But, thanks, it made me think a bit!!!

[spaman--]

2 and they are all hand delivered by me and my wife,oh nevermind that is someone else!

[dino]

When I was buying my Cal SPa I was shown a 5 year warrantee that it turns out was only offered on custom ordered spas.  If one was to choose one of the pre-specified factory option packages (the pricing GREATLY encouraged this) the warrantee became only 1 year.

And as they say it is not what they say they will cover but what they actually do cover - they have a deal where they (Cal Spa) requires #6 AWG wire for the ground wire.  Nobody makes cable that way (they use 3 #6AWG with a #*AWG ground wire) so they know that your electrician will not want to do it and charge MUCH more.  It requires individual wires and conduit for the entire run.  Don't do it there goes your warranty.

Their controller manufacturer thinks it is stupid, my BSEE degree tells me it is not needed and my father - who is one of the world's leading authority on Power SUpply Design does not see the need for this requirement.

I guess they want you to disregard this meaningless and expensive requirement so that they can void your warranty.

[dino]

I have seen them offer to extend the warranty if you agree to use there store and buy (or even pre buy) all your chemicals from them.

Some dealers go out of business.

[J._McD]

When I was buying my Cal SPa I was shown a 5 year warrantee that it turns out was only offered on custom ordered spas.  If one was to choose one of the pre-specified factory option packages (the pricing GREATLY encouraged this) the warrantee became only 1 year.

And as they say it is not what they say they will cover but what they actually do cover - they have a deal where they (Cal Spa) requires #6 AWG wire for the ground wire.  Nobody makes cable that way (they use 3 #6AWG with a #*AWG ground wire) so they know that your electrician will not want to do it and charge MUCH more.  It requires individual wires and conduit for the entire run.  Don't do it there goes your warranty.

Their controller manufacturer thinks it is stupid, my BSEE degree tells me it is not needed and my father - who is one of the world's leading authority on Power SUpply Design does not see the need for this requirement.

I guess they want you to disregard this meaningless and expensive requirement so that they can void your warranty.

Dino, I couldn't agree with you more, a local dealer now gone and in another city, carried a brand you are familiar with.  They only bought red tags, seconds, returns and leakers at deep discount and without warranty.  They refurbished and repaired the units and sold them as new, first quality spas and spas that had been supposedly used as floor demo's, with their own version of warranty conditions that you mentioned.  

In spite of our disgust for knowing the truth, they out sold us.  Shoppers bought into the sales pitch on "bargains", the"deals", and what appeared to be big discounts and 2 years later these consumers would come in to seek solutions to their problems.  They were not happy people and they did not speak or think kindly of the sellers or industry that did this to them.

Of course if we competitors spoke of this dealer or mfg, it was considered negative bad mouthing.  Saw it a lot.  He's gone now, but money and opportunity always brings a new "marketer", and we all get lumped into the mix.  That is what make some shoppers SOOO suspicious about dealers or whether or it is a "real" sale or not.

After 2 decades of this, I can no longer muffle my words.