Any Costco Highlife sightings?

[Gomboman]

This was hot news a few weeks ago. Has anybody out there purchased one yet? Any dealers deliver one yet? Just curious.

[Chas]

Not yet. I am in the process of delivering two spas which were given away on game shows, but no Coscto.com tubs.

[Vinny]

I'm standing outside my local HS dealer and have sold 15 of them ... made a great profit. Good thing I don't have to service them!


Psst ... you wanna buy a spa (as I open up my trench coat)

[wmccall]

Not yet. I am in the process of delivering two spas which were given away on game shows, but no Coscto.com tubs.

 

Which game show?  I think back to the last time we were our in your area, we watched The Price is Right and they gave away a Beachcomber, but Bob Barker kept calling it a Jacuzzi.

[Chas]

I have no clue what game shows. I did hear that the two spas are not from the same show, but that's all I know.

Both spas are Caldera tubs.

sorry!  

[hottubdan]

This was hot news a few weeks ago. Has anybody out there purchased one yet? Any dealers deliver one yet? Just curious.

We will be delivering our 1st in June.

[vdronet]

Hi,  I am  a first time spa shopper and I plan to purchase a new spa soon.  I visited Caldera Spa yesterday for their Memorial Day sale and I am interested in the Moorea spa that costs $7,500.  The Discovery Odessey on sale is $5,000.  Is the $2,500 difference worth it?  Please give me feedback if you are familiar with either and preferrably both spas.  Thank you.

[Gomboman]

Wow.

http://www.costco.com/Images/Content/Misc/PDF/999704.pdf

[Spatech_tuo]

Hi,  I am  a first time spa shopper and I plan to purchase a new spa soon.  I visited Caldera Spa yesterday for their Memorial Day sale and I am interested in the Moorea spa that costs $7,500.  The Discovery Odessey on sale is $5,000.  Is the $2,500 difference worth it?  Please give me feedback if you are familiar with either and preferrably both spas.  Thank you.

The Discovery will come as is, you'll have to move it and place it, I'd expect it to be poorly insulated (if you do get it you'll want to add some serious insulating), you'll be totally on your own to figure it out, the quality will be ?able and the warranty will be minimal to non-existent (regrdless of what some piece of paper tells you as you'll be the service guy and at best might be sent parts when needed [at best and hopefully the right ones]).

What else does the Caldera price include? Are there some things included to lessen the price difference to make you feel better (lifter, steps, gfi breaker box, chemicals, ozone, etc.). There will be a differnece in price fior sure, and there should be as you're not comparing apples to apples IMO. Without knowing too much more I'd definitely think the premium spa from the local dealer is the way to go but it's not my choice to make.

[Gomboman]

Hi,  I am  a first time spa shopper and I plan to purchase a new spa soon.  I visited Caldera Spa yesterday for their Memorial Day sale and I am interested in the Moorea spa that costs $7,500.  The Discovery Odessey on sale is $5,000.  Is the $2,500 difference worth it?  Please give me feedback if you are familiar with either and preferrably both spas.  Thank you.

vdronet,

The Caldera Moorea is a great new spa. The Discovery is not in the same league as the Caldera. They both may look similar to you but they are miles apart. The Discovery will cost you more to operate per month. They are not insulated as well as the Caldera.

You'll get dealer support with the Caldera if anything goes wrong in the future. You won't get much help with the Discovery. I believe the Costco spa is dropped off at your curb. If you liked the Moorea and the dealer, I would personally go that route but it's up to you.

$2,500 seems like a lot of money but you'll most likely forget about it once it's in your back yard. There's a huge difference between the two brands. Good luck in your search.

[luvmytub]

Yes, vdronet, IMHO, to go with the Caldera and a reputable dealer would be $2500.00 well spent.  When I first started spa shopping, I hate to admit, that I looked at the ones at Home Depot.  But that was before I started seriously researching.  Spend the extra money now, you will not be sorry in the long run.  You will be getting more spa for the money, plus a dealer you can call with all those annoying little questions that pop up after you start using it .  I was home when my spa was delivered, I would not have wanted to have to set that up ourselves, not having any prior experience.  Just my 2 cents.

[hottubdan]

Hi,  I am  a first time spa shopper and I plan to purchase a new spa soon.  I visited Caldera Spa yesterday for their Memorial Day sale and I am interested in the Moorea spa that costs $7,500.  The Discovery Odessey on sale is $5,000.  Is the $2,500 difference worth it?  Please give me feedback if you are familiar with either and preferrably both spas.  Thank you.

If you are going to go the Costco route, you really should consider the Highlife.  You get more bells and whistles from a spa like Discovery, but you get more quality form the Highlife.  You will get better jets, better insulation, local delaer supprt...With any other Costco spa you are on your own.

[Brookenstein]

Vdronet,

I think you've gotten great advice already.  Not sure I have much more toto add.  Did you love the Caldera?  Did you wet test it?  Is the only thing holding you back the fact that there is a cheaper product out there?  Are you on a tight budget?  If you are wanting a long term quality product, with a dealer that will back it up, the Caldera is the way to go between the 2.  

Honestly, if money were the main thing, I would probably look the used route of a top brand (Sundance, Hot Spring, Caldera, Marquis, D1, etc. etc.) before I would look at a less than great brand.  

Good luck.

[Spatech_tuo]

Is the only thing holding you back the fact that there is a cheaper product out there?  Are you on a tight budget?  If you are wanting a long term quality product, with a dealer that will back it up, the Caldera is the way to go between the 2.  

Honestly, if money were the main thing, I would probably look the used route of a top brand (Sundance, Hot Spring, Caldera, Marquis, D1, etc. etc.) before I would look at a less than great brand.  

Good luck.

vdronet,
Brooke hit the nail on the head with teh use of the word "cheaper". Sometimes people can't get past price but they're not comparing like products as that's the main thing you'd be getting with the Discovery, a "cheap" spa. Caldera is a tried and tested premium spa brand on the other hand.

It's ALL about understanding the difference between PRICE and VALUE. The Discovery may be a lower price but it is NOT a better value. You get one chance to make the best decision for the next 10 years and I think those of us who are in the business or have become a knowledgeable spa consumer all see the difference so I hope you an think about it and do yourself right.

[Chas]

The Discovery Odessey on sale is $5,000.  Is the $2,500 difference worth it?  Please give me feedback if you are familiar with either and preferrably both spas.  Thank you.

If the tubs were the same price, which would you choose? If you said the (far higher quality) Caldera tub, then don't you think you are worth the extra money? Keep in mind that the Caldera tub will last you twenty years - so spread that difference over the life of the tub and it's not very much, really. Now, if you go for the low-end tub and have to replace it after just a few years - or if you find yourself missing those features on the Caldera - I'm just afraid you'd regret not getting the tub you really wanted.

Get the better tub. I have been doing this for along time and I have yet to hear a customer come back and say they were sorry they bought a better quality tub.

Caldera has been around for 30 years - they obviously do things right - or at least they offer the right combination of features to keep lots of folks happy long term.

Better insulation,
better jets,
larger variety of jets,
better digital control system - set the exact temp you want and the spa does all the rest - including clearing the various plumbing systems and filtering all the time, with a filter boost twice a day using one of the jet pumps - lots of nice stuff.