coleman 706 or sundance cameo/altamar?

[gbw]

if you've looked at either, or both, then bought one, please share why you selected one over the other.

both dealers are active, fairly close (within 10 miles), been in business for numerous years, etc.  

my ego tells me the maxxus is for me, but the wife says it would take up way too much patio space.

i know...wet test, wet test, wet test.

[Brewman]

YUP.  
How else you going to know?

[tanstaafl2]

I have just recently purchased a tub (which just arrived in my backyard today and is heating up as we speak!) and it occurs to me that the way to approach this process is not to identify a particular tub to focus on until AFTER one has seen and wet tested a number of tubs already.

I recognize that to some degree or another for most people, including me, budget will be one major factor in what tubs one can purchase. Others may have a limited number of brands to choose from depending on where they live.

But with that in mind one should then determine what dealers are in reach and perhaps get a sense of what features you are interested in generally and then just go out and sit in wet tubs. I had a definite sense of the style and size of tub I was interested in from the internet and going to home shows and seeing tubs before I made a determined effort to wet test as many tubs I could as much as I, and my girlfriend, could stand and the dealers would tolerate. I wet tested five different brands at least twice and several more brands once before making a final decision. I had no particular leaning towards any one brand when I started and had not even heard of the brand I ended up buying in the end.

I also concentrated on trying to get a sense about dealers and how they would be to work with in the long run, perhaps the hardest part of the process.

I found that after wet testing my original idea of the style of tub I was interested in waivered greatly before I ended up going back to the style (a fairly open four corner seat tub with a central dome in the foot well) I thought I wanted initially. That and the fact that the  boss (SWMBO I believe it was called here  ) was happy with it.

I am also more firmly convinced that spending the extra dollar on a brand name is the way to go, if at all possible, in part due to my research and also from being here on this board. Hopefully that small additional cost  now will pay off down the road in peace of mind in the unpleasant event of trouble in tub city.

At least that is what seemed to work for me. Your mileage may vary...  

Now, I will just have to sit back (in some lovely hot water naturally) and see whether or not I made a good choice!

[spahappy]

Great post!!!

[Debra]

We wet tested the coleman and sundance (and others) and bought the Sundance Optima.  We've been using it since September and love it.  We especially love the foot dome, I think it's the best part.  The lights are great, and the waterfall we never use.  The reason we did not go with the coleman was only because we found the seats too short for our (longer) legs.  The Optima has a seat for everyone with a variety of depths which is great for our family of 7.  Whatever you choose, I'm sure you'll love it.