vita spas

[clayclay]

I, am going to Sacramento this sunday to look at Vita spas They are sold at the California Backyard store. HaS Anybody out there got info on these models. Has anybody purchased one and if so please tell me about your purchase. Happy, mad etc....

Any info on these models would be very much appreciated.

If you look up california backyard on there web site there is a link to there hot tubs that links you to the spas website.

Thanks

[J._McD]

Clay, I do not know how far you are going to get to Sacremento but it sounds like a different city than you live in.  So far you have mentioned Jacuzzi, Sundance, Caldera, Cal Spa and now Vita Spa.  I am not certain how many other brands you are driving by to get to Sacremento but service should be an issue here.

Quality, Price, and Service are commonly referred to as the principle elements you are shopping for.  If you could only get two of the three, which ones would they be.  All of the tubs you mention are good Hot Tubs with subtle differences and a range of prices.  Are you looking to find something for the family, hydrotherapy, a certain price point, duribility, reliability?  It seems that you are still in pursuit of that special one, but what is it that you are looking for?

What did you think of Caldera?  Good product with a wide price range, the same for Sundance.  Have you ruled these out?

[JJ]

I have owned a Vita Nuage for about a year that I am very pleased with.  I'm an engineer, not a dealer, and in my opinion, they build a quality unit with name-brand components.  They have as good a warranty as anyone in the business and stand behind their product.  The dealer I bought from has been carrying them for 14 years.  They have a full line, from budget to premium, and I do not believe you would be disappointed in your purchase.

Having said all that, here is JJ's rule (feel free to quote me)....  Don't buy a spa you like from a dealer you don't.  Don't buy a spa you don't like from a dealer you do.

If you find a dealer you trust that happens to carry Vita, and you find a configuration that suits you in a price range you can afford, buy it.  If not, keep looking.

[anne]

Here's what I would add as someone who lives in Sacramento: almost all of the "good" brands of spas have dealers around here, so you really have your pick (Though some are in Roseville). I have been in a couple locations of California Backyard, and though I was not looking for a spa at the time, it seemed that EVERYTHING in there was overpriced.  Not sure if that applies to spas.

[Tatooed_Lady]

Seems that clayclay's doing a lot of looking around, which I think is a good idea, as long as the dealers aren't FAR FAR away (think potential "trip charge").....if there are 40 dealers within 45 miles, and he's decided to look at the 12 closer ones to check their tubs.....then I think he's doing his homework....he may find that one brand is too shallow, one too deep, one too this, one too that.....which should narrow his selection down to a few he DOES like....
Remember too that even 'hydrotherapy' can mean something completely different, depending who you talk to.....I want/need therapy, but mine won't be the same as what bachaches, bonibelle and Tman need.....
When you go on your 'quest',  take a notepad with you.....ask for the sales brochures on the tubs, and keep track of which ones you liked, the price, WHY you liked them....If you're "on the fence" about a couple, do another dry test on another day if you're going back to that dealer anyhow....
I found that the first sitting may not've been to my liking.....but on a different day, it was just the ticket, because I realized they don't all feel the same, and I stopped expecting it.
BEST OF LUCK!

[Mr_Burns]

Don't bother to do a dry test.  It is virtually useless and will give you a false sense of the tub (either good or bad).  Wet test or don't test at all.

[tanstaafl2]

I have recently purchased a Reflections Granada spa which is a "sister" line to Vita, made by the same company. I have not yet received it (Due in less than 2 weeks!) but wet tested both Vita and Reflections extensively.  

The Vita spas were very impressive but I went with the Reflections Granada as it was the largest in size (similar in size to but less expensive than a Vita Rendezvous, a nice spa as well I thought) and has a very open four corner configuration while still having all the quality components of the Vita. Jets were plentiful and very powerful with 3 pumps, ozone, circ pump, etc.

Reflections come in several different lines, premier, ultra and ultra plus I believe. Vita also has several lines, L700, L100 lines and Sport series. My impression was that the Vita L700s had more specialized seats and jet configurations than the Reflections line. But the design of seats was more molded and a little less open, other than the Nuage.

I also looked at Hot Springs, Caldera, Sundance, Jacuzzi and Bullfrog among others but found the Granada to be the most to my liking. And I feel confident with the dealer right now so that made for a good combination for me.

[tanstaafl2]

Here's what I would add as someone who lives in Sacramento: almost all of the "good" brands of spas have dealers around here, so you really have your pick (Though some are in Roseville). I have been in a couple locations of California Backyard, and though I was not looking for a spa at the time, it seemed that EVERYTHING in there was overpriced.  Not sure if that applies to spas.

Interesting. Here in Atlanta Georgia Backyard, which is apparently related at least indirectly to California Backyard, carries Sundance. I thought their store was in general a little pricey and the Sundance spas seemed more expensive in general than others I wet tested. Of course I found making direct comparison between spas difficult in general and did not reach a point where I tried to negotiate with the Sundance salesman to see how much flexibility there might be on price.

[Tatooed_Lady]

Don't bother to do a dry test.  It is virtually useless and will give you a false sense of the tub (either good or bad).  Wet test or don't test at all.

So....you're saying that sitting in a tub without water is NOT going to tell you if a) the seats are too confining, b) if the tub's got enough leg/foot room for the number of people that will be using it, c) if the seating is too shallow for taller people to comfortably get use from, without having to scrunch down....d) if it's too DEEP for short people.....
That's ridiculous...even without water in the tub, taking your shoes off and plopping your butt in it CAN be of some value...NOT the full effect, but better than just eyeing up a brochure and guessing.

[Cola]

I looked at a Vita Spa here in Windsor.  They seemed OK but I wasn't too impressed with the sales staff.  They want to charge you an $85.00 trip charge for warranty service also.  Being in the service business, I have to say that that is a load of crap.  This was right from the get go.  Lets face it, you are going to have problems with anything and to have to pay for them to come out to fix their own problems, I told them to keep their spa if that was there attitude.  The quality might be OK but I'm not sure.
Steve

[Mr_Burns]

So....you're saying that sitting in a tub without water is NOT going to tell you if a) the seats are too confining, b) if the tub's got enough leg/foot room for the number of people that will be using it, c) if the seating is too shallow for taller people to comfortably get use from, without having to scrunch down....d) if it's too DEEP for short people.....
That's ridiculous...even without water in the tub, taking your shoes off and plopping your butt in it CAN be of some value...NOT the full effect, but better than just eyeing up a brochure and guessing.

Yes. That is exactly what I am saying.   I feel sorry for you that you find it ridiculous.

Do you know what I find ridiculous? Someone who doesn’t even have own a hot tub yet, much less even have sat in one with water and the jets on, arguing this point.    


Why?

[meriflower]

When we shopped for spas, we first dry tested the spas and if that felt comfortable we did a wet test which felt even better!  But if the dry test came out that seats too deep,  too uncomfortable, or we didn't like the spa period, we didn't bother with wet testing.  Sometimes the dealer didn't have the model we were interested in filled with water so we didn't have a choice but to dry test.

I agree with Tatooed Lady - dry testing does have merit.  Once you find a model that you like, do both a dry (to see how the seats feel) and west test to get the full affect.

Sorry clayclay for side tracking your original post!  I cannot comment on Vita spas as we don't own nor have tested them - dry or wet!  

[drewstar]

When we shopped for spas, we first dry tested the spas and if that felt comfortable we did a wet test which felt even better!  But if the dry test came out that seats too deep,  too uncomfortable, or we didn't like the spa period, we didn't bother with wet testing.  Sometimes the dealer didn't have the model we were interested in filled with water so we didn't have a choice but to dry test.

I agree with Tatooed Lady - dry testing does have merit.  Once you find a model that you like, do both a dry (to see how the seats feel) and west test to get the full affect.

Sorry clayclay for side tracking your original post!  I cannot comment on Vita spas as we don't own nor have tested them - dry or wet!  

Wet testing made all the difference to me and actaully saved me money.  From the specs, I thought I wanted a differernt more exspensive tub, but when I did the wet test, it made a huge difference.  

Can you buy a tub with wet testing? Sure. Many folks do and are very happy with thier results.

But since this is an enthusisast message board,  filled with proffesional dealers and crazy owners who think day and night  about thier tub,    I think advocting a dry test as a prefered way of evaluaing a tub....Bzzzzzt!      doesn't cut it in my book

[Tatooed_Lady]

drew, I'm not saying that dry tests are the way to find spatopia......however, doing a dry run in a tub CAN be beneficial to find that you feel cramped in legroom or the more closed-in seating might be a tight fit for some larger individuals.....it beats just pointing at pictures in a brochure, and saying "that's it!" at any rate....
wet testing, however, I agree, is the best test.....since it's the end point, it is the way to find if it will REALLY work well....
Same as looking at shoes in a sales ad....they LOOK good, but will they fit? wear them in the store for 2 minutes, it's not the same as wearing them to work, or out on a date, etc......but you have to start somewhere.
Anyhow....I've read that some dealers are irritable about people just coming in and wet testing when they have NO clue what they're looking for...