Buying a Caldera this weekend-last minute adivice?

[gores95]

I had posted earlier that I had found a local dealer (23 miles from my home) who had priced my two final choices, the Caldera Moorea ($8100), Caldera Niagara ($9100).  Both tub prices include delivery, steps, cover and lifter, and chems for the first few months.  Tax is not included and at 6% the prices become $8586 and $9646.  Note the price on the Moorea also includes the CD Ozone system and colored LED lights that are standard on all the others.  The prices above are after I had gone to this dealer earlier this week to try to get him to lower the price and he did by a few hundred dollars.  I had told him some of his competitors were much lower.

Well I found another dealer who is 50 miles from my home who has the same to spas, with the same add-ons and delivery for $7273 and $8538.  Since I am buying out of state there is also NO SALES TAX!!  The price difference is $1313 and $1108 respectively.   The dealer would be happy to deliver to my area and service down the road.

Here is the dilemma...the further away dealer has only been in business for 1 year while the local guy has been around for 30+ years.  I am visiting the further away dealer tomorow but over the phone they sounded very nice and helpful and not pushy.  Bottom line I could get a Niagara there for a little less than the other place is selling their Moorea!  What would you do?  Obviously the brand is the same and I am trusting that the brand and their warranty is more important than the local dealer servicing.  I would think if the further away shop went away in a few years the other shop would do the servicing but am I being naive?  Do shops hold grudges if you don't buy from them?

I am 90% sure of taking the better deal.  I will know more when I visit the further shop tomorrow.  I will also make sure I tell the local guy what I am about to do and see if he can try to price match.

Thanks as always,

Marc

[East_TX_Spa]

I think the 1 year old out of state dealer is one who is not destined to be around long.  I think it is discourteous to flagrantly operate inside a fellow dealer's territory, even moreso across state lines.

However, you have the right to buy the spa wherever you'd like.  If you do, then that is the dealer who should service your spa.

I would at least take a written quote to the original dealer and give him the opportunity to match the out of state guy's price.  More than likely he will be doing the service on the spa in the future and this could establish a good relationship from the getgo.

We had a similiar situation years ago.  The customer approached me with a quote, we couldn't match it but we came close enough.  The other guy went out of business 4 months later and the people who bought from me are some of my best customers and in the process of buying a new spa from me.

Just my two cents worth.

Terminator

[autoplay]

If you get a doctors prescription for a spa,you can write off the sales tax as un-reimbirsed medical expense.

As Term said,see if the local dealer will price match or negotiate a little closer to the out of staters price. Ask for some possible freebies I.E. spare filter,rubber duckie,extra chems etc.

If it was only 500 dollar difference,I would go local,esp if the dealer has been in business 10 years or longer.

I purchased a 2003 Geneva Utopia in may of 2003,and paid around 7300 bucks.  The same spa (2006 model) now sells for 8900 bucks in my area.

A local dealer throughout the lifetime of ownership of your spa,is a PLUS!

GL,and let us know what you ultimately decide to do.

[obi wan]

we bought our niagra last march for 8100. had gotten a quote from a store 95 miles away but it was only 400 less. i opted to go local dealer as they have been there for 20 plus years. end result is a great tub and great dealer relationship. believe it or not, my dealer supplies(chems) are only a little more than wallymart. (very little)
after 15 months of wonderful soaking, did have a small problem with the electric motor on pump 1. tech was out today, verified problem, ordered new motor, and will call me in a few days to install. i would and do, highly recomend my dealer to anyone,and i am very pleased with how its being handled.
i am actually quite handy but i am more than happy to let some one do it for me...... as i have matured.... well gotten older anyway, i have found it is much more enjoable to soak rather than repair.....

[tmknies1]

At the very least you should give the local dealer a chance to lower the quote/review competitions quote.  

[Wisoki]

On the tax issue, there is no such thing as a tax free sale. If the out of state dealer sells you a spa free of his states sales tax rate, it is your responsibility as a responsible law abiding tax payer to report the sale at the end of the year on your taxes, and pay your states sales tax rate on the product. On the new dealers price issue, I mostly agree with Terminator here. Except that I say go ahead, buy that spa for the cheaper price. When they go out of business and you need $ervice, we'll be $tanding by to $ervice your $pa. Pay me now, or pay me later!

Well I found another dealer who is 50 miles from my home who has the same to spas, with the same add-ons and delivery for $7273 and $8538.  Since I am buying out of state there is also NO SALES TAX!!  The price difference is $1313 and $1108 respectively.   The dealer would be happy to deliver to my area and service down the road.
Thanks as always,

Marc

[Bill_Stevenson]

First of all, Caldera is an excellent choice and you will not reqret buying one.  Second, this is a free market economy and as such you are free to buy your spa wherever you wish.  Having said that, the local guy is definitely in a better position to service you.  I agree with others that you should give him the opportunity to react to the lower price you have received.  He may not match it, but he may meet you halfway or something and it might be worth paying extra to ensure service without a hassle.

With respect to sales tax, ask you dealer, because in many states sales tax is waived if the tub is prescibed by your doctor for therapy.  

I am a big advocate of having a local dealer, and would be willing to pay a premium to have a reliable local dealer.  With that said, the premium should not be more than 10% for the same goods.

Bill

[ndabunka]

Buy from the local guy but ONLY do so if he is willing to be a little more competitive.  It's good to have a dealer that's been in business a while but that doesn't give them the right to charge HUGE premiums (which is what it looks like your local dealer is tryign to do).   Don't BY ANY MEANS show him the competing Caldera dealer's price but rather tell the local dealer that you'v found another Spa that you feel is comprable at a significantly lower price and tell him that you would be willing to pay X dollars for his Caldera (I would recommend that you offer between $200 and $500 over what the out of territory guy is will ing to do for you as that is most likely a viable premium for the local support and service).  A free market system works if we simply allow it too.  Mfg's try to artifically elimiante the free market system (via territories) so you have to be a wise consumer and use your leverage to it's best potnetial.  Do NOT tell the local Caldera dealer (UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES) that you have another Caldera dealer willign to bargain.  It only works to your detriment and is giving a dealer more information than you should.  One of the few tools consumers have is information. Another is the ability (and willingness) to simply "walk away".  Once the local dealer understands that you have done your homework and are willing to walk to another brand (even though he doesn't know the brand), you will find that most dealers will be willign to work with you.  But you can't do it with empty promises.  Be willign and able to hand him a deposit once you have your terms.  Say something like..."I have my choices down to two spas.  Yours and a close competitors.  but your competition is significanly less expensive.  However, I would be willing to pay a premium to get your spa.  Here's my final figure and here's a $500 deposit if you agree to this figure (Placing the cash on the counter).  At the VERY least you should expect a counter offer from the local dealer.  At that point, it's back in your court. If he's still WAY out of line (in your view), then simply pick up the cash and say "I'm sorry we couldn't do business on this purchase and head towards the door".  Don't slow down or linger or you will be giving him signs you are not really serious.  The worst that can happen is that he simply let's you walk.  Do NOT go directly to another store at that point.  Give the local guy a day or so to let it stew and see if he doesn't call you on the phone with a reconsideration.  The last thing you want to do is to have your heart set on the Caldera and name your price, wlak out thinking you've lost the deal and go to another store (even a Caldera out of town) and plunk down your cash on another unit you are proabably also goign to have to wait on them to order and then have the first, local guy call you and say "You know I was thinking...".  I know this process appears to add time to the acquisition but the reality is that time is one of the other few advantages consummer have.  Use all your tools as a consumer on EVERY purchase.  These steps work for major applicance, cars, boatrs, hot tub, etc.  It's simply buying 101 and a course EVERY consumer should be forced to pass before they are allowed to buy ANYTHING.  Remember that many sellers thrive on a buyers emotion so don't show any excitment over their particular product (You can celebrate all the way home in the privacy of your car when you've saved yourself $800. Send me a few bucks for the advice or donante 10% to charity in appreciation).  Good luck and happy shopping!!!

[gores95]

Thanks everyone for the replies and I did visit the farther away store yesterday.  Everything looked fine and they are almost exactly 50 miles from my house.  The prices that they gave over the phone were accurate.  I am going to call the local guy today and give him the bottom line.  I would like him to match or come VERY close to the other guy's price because on top of the price of the spa is 6% sales tax.  I just can't see the local guy coming down $877 and $612 respectively to match the other guys price.  I will surely try though...

If he decides to match the difference would just be the 6% sales tax...$433 and $509 which would be my premium to have a solid more local dealer sell to me.

If this doesn't work and the local guy will not come down I will buy from the farther away shop.  Worse case scenario if the farther away shop closes down or gives me a hard time with servicing would the local guy have a problem doing the warranty servicing down the road?  I would think not because even though he did not sell me the tub he still is in the business of servicing them and money is money!  Do dealers hold "gudges"?

Thanks again for all the replies,

Marc

[Wisoki]

I can only speak for myself, I have never held one of those. What do they feel like?  

Do dealers hold "gudges"?

Thanks again for all the replies,

Marc

[gores95]

"Gudges"....you know a grudge without an important letter!!!!!!  

[Gomboman]

Tough call Gores. I would be honest with the local guy first. Maybe you can work something out. I personally would hate to cut out the local guy and then ask him for service in the future. Which dealer do you like better regardless of price or distance?

[Vinny]

Being in the service business I will say grudge is a strong word but people do remember. Giving the dealer the opportunity to work with you is the best solution for both of you.

I have a customer that woud love for us to take care of the equipment but corporate gave her a quote of $3000 more than someone else. It's business and I understand. Am I mad - NO! But she has called upon me a few times when her service provider couldn't make it. I have a long history with her but it got to a point that I needed to inform her I needed to start charging her for my time - she stopped calling me - either way I'm OK with it since I believe I did the right thing, had she paid the contract price I would have responded free of charge all the time

$1000 is a lot of money to save. Assuming that you don't need service under warranty - that's in you pocket BUT if the other dealer closes up I would assume that someone would fix the tub and you may have out of pocket expenses. Hopefully it wouldn't add up to the amount that you saved and you're still ahead.

[drewstar]

LAst minute advice?

Bring the final payment in as rolled changed. For some reason, hot tub dealers love rolled pennies.  The more the better!

Trust me.  

[DoubleA]

And maybe wear a bike helmet as when the dealer starts throwing those rolls of pennies at you it won't hurt when they hit your head.