Help with HotSprings, Marquis, D1, Jacuzzi

[jdheffer]

This is my first post, but I have been reading this forum for weeks now.  I think this is a great forum and I appreciate all the great advice.

I have been researching hot tubs for about 2 months now.  I have visited all the local stores, researched the internet, read all the pretty brochures, etc.

I was amazed to find out how many different manufacturers there are out there.  I was also amazed to find out that everyone says that their hot tub is the best.  It's funny to hear them all contradict each other.

My wife and I are planning on wet testing our top spas next week.  If I have learned anything from this forum, it is make your decision based on the wet test.  That is assuming you are testing a decent tub and are working with a good dealer.  I think I am looking at the better tubs, but I still would appreciate any opinions about whose is better and why.  As for the dealers, the four I am working with have all been in town for 20+ years.

My fear is that I will wet test them and like most of them.  I have never owned a hot tub before, but have sat in a few, but only for recreation.  

I am interested in a tub for therapy first and entertaining second.  I have neck and lower back problems.  We want a tub that seats 6 comfortably.  We are open to a lounger, but prefer one without unless the lounger tub is still comfortable with 6 people.  My wife is 5' tall and weighs about 97 pounds, so I fear not many loungers will work.

Anyway, here are the tubs we are looking at:  HotSprings Grandee, Marquis Destiny/Epic, D1 Nautilus/Californian, Jacuzzi 385.

I have NOT tried to negotiate any prices yet.  I figure I won't try this until I wet test and get serious about 1 or 2.  Initial price quotes were $9,000 for all except the Jacuzzi, it was $7,500.

Please let me know what you think about where I am at and where I am headed.  Are any of these really better than the other, if so why?  All seem to have good and bad aspects, which is to be expected I guess.

On a side note, we really like the Saratoga tubs, but did not like the limited warranty.   Any Saratoga fans out there?

Sorry for all the rambling, but I'm excited and have been sitting here idle for weeks.

[Spatech_tuo]

If I have learned anything from this forum, it is make your decision based on the wet test.  That is assuming you are testing a decent tub and are working with a good dealer.  I think I am looking at the better tubs, but I still would appreciate any opinions about whose is better and why.  As for the dealers, the four I am working with have all been in town for 20+ years.


Anyway, here are the tubs we are looking at:  HotSprings Grandee, Marquis Destiny/Epic, D1 Nautilus/Californian, Jacuzzi 385.

Welcome. You seem to have a firm grasp on things. The 4 spa makers you're looking at are all good brands and you've researched your dealers so it really comes down to the wet test. What others think of those spas is secondary to what you and your wife thinks after you wet test. The only issue I see is her size defintely would mean a lounge wouldn't work IMO but you may also find the deepest spas are too deep in the seats so be prepared to wet test the next size down in those brands as well.

[Mendocino101]

I always must ask how many times do you think you will really have 6 people in the spa....but if and when you do the Epic will fit 6 and actually have the leg room for them. I still think in my experience that when used over the course of a year 1 to 2 in the spa seems to be the norm for about 90% of the people out there. They are all nice spas you are considering. I am sure you will be happy with any of them.

[bob5820]

My fear is that I will wet test them and like most of them.  

Not such a bad thing. If you end up really liking 2 or 3 of them then choose the dealer whom you think will provide the best support. Or you could go with the best deal, although I'd be willing to pay a small premium if I felt better about one dealer then the other. Just as there is no one perfect tub that meets every ones needs, I don't think that there was any one perfect tub for me either. I'm sure that there are 3 or 4 tubs that I would have been perfectly happy with. One may have had feature A but not feature D. Another may have implemented feature B better then tub #1 but didn't pull off feature C as well. The point I'm trying to make is that of the 4 tubs you have narrowed your search down to, there may not be a clear cut choice, but that's OK when they are all good choices.

[jdheffer]

I appreciate you all reaffirming that we are on the right track.  One thing I am still up in the air about is the ozonator.  

The Jacuzzi guy says I really don't need it if we use their mineral system.  Is this true?

The HotSprings guy didn't really push it, but it was extra of course.

Marquis and D1 have it built in from the factory which I like.  The Marquis guy really emphasized this and said this was the best way to do ozone because of the way they do their contact chamber and how it removes the harmful stuff before introducing the ozone into the water.  Is this stuff all true or just sales hype?

So, does getting ozone or not getting it really depend on the tub you buy and the type of purification system it has?

Thanks again for any insight!!

[stl-rex]

Have fun wet testing.  You are certainly taking the correct approach.

My wife, at a stretch to 5'2", struggled in several of the spas.  However, the lounger in the 385 may surprise you as it is shorter and shallower than most so she might fit, but we didn't test that model wet.  The lounge in the 375 is actually a bit deeper and she struggled (Dealer got the specs out to confirm).   D1 was a no go for her, it was way to deep.  She didn't test the HS and we never made it to Marquis.

Ozone is a source of debate.  The primary way to sanitize the tub is with chemicals, usually either Chlorine or Bromine.  The mineral cartridge and ozone are supplemental to those.  Technically you need neither.  Anecdotal evidence suggests that using one or the other or both, depending on what you choose as your primary sanitizer, can make water and chemical maintenance easier.  We chose to add ozone hoping to make water maintenance a bit easier.  Neither supplement however, eliminates the need for the primary sanitizer.

[Ruby]

We have the Epic and I am 5'1.  The Epic is awesome for therapy.  I have neck and shoulder problems and my husband has been home for the past month on disability for his lower back.  The Epic is perfect for both of us.

When you go to wet test it,  your wife may think it's too deep, but when you're wet testing, think "outside of the box".  What I mean is that there are more ways to enjoy a tub than the standard seating.  For instance, I find that when I sit in the andrionick seat (AS), the calf jets are really ankle jets for me.  But, if you sit in the corner seat at the end of the AS, those same calf jets are awesome foot jets for me, and the foot jets for the AS turn out to be great calf jets.


Up until last week, we had the Marquis SA  Reward and we sold it to buy the Epic.  We did the switch at the perfect time because the temps have dropped to the 30's at night.  What I really like about the depth of the Epic is that there are more deep seats that keep my shoulders under the water and I stay toasty warm.

Good Luck with your search.

[ndabunka]

I appreciate you all reaffirming that we are on the right track.  One thing I am still up in the air about is the ozonator.  

The Jacuzzi guy says I really don't need it if we use their mineral system.  Is this true?

The HotSprings guy didn't really push it, but it was extra of course.

Marquis and D1 have it built in from the factory which I like.  The Marquis guy really emphasized this and said this was the best way to do ozone because of the way they do their contact chamber and how it removes the harmful stuff before introducing the ozone into the water.  Is this stuff all true or just sales hype?

So, does getting ozone or not getting it really depend on the tub you buy and the type of purification system it has?

Thanks again for any insight!!
 

There are enzyme approachs to water maintenance but most of us have discovcered that those methods are often (1) more expensive than Di-Chlor and (2) more trouble.  Another thing is that the enzeme approach is not unique to any one hot tub so you can discount that as any type of benefit exclusive to the Jacuzzi. brand itself.  Not ding'ing Jacuzzi, just the salesmans approach.

[cappykat]

We looked at hot-tubs for about 3 months.  This forum was extremely helpful.  We wet tested HotSprings, D1, Sundance, Jacuzzi and Marquis.  Our choice came down to the Jacuzzi 385 and Marquis Epic.

As I've said many times on this forum...I did the wet testing as my husband said whatever worked for me would be fine with him.  I thought I wanted to J385 even though I floated in most of the seats especially the lounger.  I'm 5'3" and my husband is 6'3".  I insisted my husband wet test it and the lounger didn't fit him.  Then we tested the Epic...it was the fit for both of us.

All the brands you are looking at are top notch.  You won't go wrong with any of them.  Everytime I tested one I thought, "gee, this feels great, this will work" and they all do feel great, but when you find "the" one you will know.

Good luck, you're on the right track.

[stuart]

The Epic seems to fit more husband/wife teams than any other spa I have ever sold...

I has hands down been the spa that everyone likes the best in our store. Second I would say to that has been the Lotus Bay and the Diplomat by D1.

I have an Epic and having owned several spas in my life think nothing compares.

[waggie]

If you're confused after the first round of wet testing, as I was, go back and do it again in whichever ones are in the running.  I wet tested the Optima, Grandee, and two Coleman models twice each.   And I picked up a lot of things the second time around that I didn't pick up the first.  All great tubs, but the Grandee won out.  

[jeffn49]

If accomodating 6 comfortably is secondary to therapy, you and your wife might consider the D-1 Diplomat.  It has a small lounge which fits my 5'3" wife perfectly and a larger lounge for me. We bought an inexpensive spa seat pillow so she can sit comfortably in the deep therapy seats. The adjustable pillows with neck/shoulder messager jets on the D-1 are really good for loosening up your shoulders and the top of your spine.

[jdheffer]

Thanks again for all the input.

We wet tested all of the tubs on Thursday.  Unfortunately there was no clear cut winner.  Look for my new thread for my review.