Arctic Spa vs other Spas

[bosco0633]

arctic has more than just cedar skirts.  They have new skirts this year which are the synthetic type like others.  My cedar skirt is amazing.  We power wash and stain once a season.  It takes 2 beers and an hour out of your day once a year.  

Arctic tundra and fox are the two deepest tubs they sell.  They are more than enough for you.  As for the diverters, they are easy to figure out. I dont find them difficult to use.  Also, if this is one of your main concerns then I would say dont worry.

As for other tubs, I cant really give you to much input.  No one can rate the companies that you asked.  It is all personal preference.

[anne]

Also an Arctic owner here. I was irritated by the diverters a bit too, but no longer. I found that I can feel that little arrow even with no light. If I want them turned one way or the other all the way, it is a no brainer, but when i get out of the tub, I want them all set in the middle so water flows through all the plumbing. I dont even look now, I just find the arrow with a fingertip and move it to the middle.

Also very happy with the cedar skirt, but I have only had the tub 9 months.

[Phyer Phyter]

Brand New member ... 1st Post too.  Just my 2.87 cents worth.  Last year I bought a house that came with a Beachcomber hot tub.  It is approx 6 years old.  Ive had to replace a few jets, seized up, balls coming out of them etc.  Replaced light assembly and seals in the pump.  Now I understand that all that is not to be unexpected when a tub is that old however... Through all my experiences, well, lets just say I felt I was treated as a nusence (Sp?)  and their prices seemed kinda high compared to other dealers.  Then one day I went to Arctic Spas cause I was tired and frustrated with beachcomber.  Not once have I felt like a nusence, their service has always been great and their prices reasonable.  In short I do not patronize Beachcomber anymore and they probly don't even wonder why that guy doesn't come in anymore.  No I have no connection in anyway with Arctic Spas other than I am a satisfied customer.  If this post is concidered inappropriate in any way for naming companies please let me know and I will not name again.  TTFN.

[Tman122]

Brand New member ... 1st Post too.  Just my 2.87 cents worth.  Last year I bought a house that came with a Beachcomber hot tub.  It is approx 6 years old.  Ive had to replace a few jets, seized up, balls coming out of them etc.  Replaced light assembly and seals in the pump.  Now I understand that all that is not to be unexpected when a tub is that old however... Through all my experiences, well, lets just say I felt I was treated as a nusence (Sp?)  and their prices seemed kinda high compared to other dealers.  Then one day I went to Arctic Spas cause I was tired and frustrated with beachcomber.  Not once have I felt like a nusence, their service has always been great and their prices reasonable.  In short I do not patronize Beachcomber anymore and they probly don't even wonder why that guy doesn't come in anymore.  No I have no connection in anyway with Arctic Spas other than I am a satisfied customer.  If this post is concidered inappropriate in any way for naming companies please let me know and I will not name again.  TTFN.

The post is only inapproppriate because you said Beachcomber treated you like sh*t when in all reality the dealer you were at did, not Beachcomber. You could of recieved the same response from an Arctic dealer and it still would of had nothing to do with the product. This particular consumer may have a jerk Arctic dealer and a top notch Beachcomber dealer so the exact logic will apply to them, regardless of which tub is better.

Which just goes to show you the importance to most folks of developing a relationship with a dealer, regardless of the brand.

6 years on a pump seal would not neccesarily be that bad especialy if the pump was left dry or the tub was not cared for properly. I have seen pump seals go in less than a year because of poor water maintenence. I have also seem them last for 10-15 years.

[bosco0633]

tman you know me a huge arctic fan here, but even that post seemed a little odd to me.  I always am skeptical when a first post focuses on slamming one brand and praising another.

[wesj53]

6 years on a pump seal would not neccesarily be that bad especialy if the pump was left dry or the tub was not cared for properly. I have seen pump seals go in less than a year because of poor water maintenence. I have also seem them last for 10-15 years.

Roger, I'm curious. I have asked this question before regarding draining tubs for the winter and the effect that it may have on pump seals or whatever seals they use on jets. Is this practice of ours for the unit we have at our cabin going to cause us a problem down the road?

[Phyer Phyter]

tman you know me a huge arctic fan here, but even that post seemed a little odd to me.  I always am skeptical when a first post focuses on slamming one brand and praising another.

Please re-read my post I did not slam the brand.  I commented on the service I received at a Beachcomber store.  The Stores name is Beachcomber Hot tubs they sold beachcomber branded tubs.  Purported to be their number one store in the franchise. I tried dealing with them for a year as it was a Beachcomber hot tub I own.   I commented on the problems I had experienced with the hot tub and said that I expected that to be considered typical for the age not the brand.  I was making a comment and comparison to the level of service I experienced not the quality of the product.  

[anne]

This is going to sound biased, coming from an Arctic owner, but I'd say that any dealer represents his brand, so if you get bad service from the dealer, it is in some respects bad service from the company, as the company chose to trust that person to represent them. I'm not suggesting that I think any less (or more) of Beachcomber than I did before reading Phyter's post, but I can understand why he would.

Now to balance things out, and to avoid sounding like a biased Arctic person who likes to hear another brand bashed........I had a fairly horrible Arctic dealer, but I regained faith in the company through other's that I worked with personally, on the phone, and online.

[bosco0633]

complainer

[Tman122]

6 years on a pump seal would not neccesarily be that bad especialy if the pump was left dry or the tub was not cared for properly. I have seen pump seals go in less than a year because of poor water maintenence. I have also seem them last for 10-15 years.

Roger, I'm curious. I have asked this question before regarding draining tubs for the winter and the effect that it may have on pump seals or whatever seals they use on jets. Is this practice of ours for the unit we have at our cabin going to cause us a problem down the road?

Wes I personaly think the best way to get the most longevity from a pump seal especialy, is to keep it wet and working. But at a cabin that is a difficult thing. In northern Wisconsin you need it looked at every day or every other day for 3-4 months out of the year. Well maybe 2-3 months.....naw 3-4.... If it's 20 below at night and -5 during the day for a week stretch, and you know that happens and your tub isn't running it will freeze solid and start rupturing lines. And if you get there and the vessel has ice on it (Ihave seen it) it is difficult to get it unthawed. Frozen and busted lines can be replaced but as the vessel gets frozen it becomes a "no longer cost effective to repair issue"

So whats a person to do....drain it. No biggy if the pump seals life is shortened so what. It's about a 15-20 minute job, and if you want I can walk ya through it, so can several others here. I think I pay somewhere around 20 bucks for a good pump seal. Maybe a 1/2h-1hr job if ya got a couple tough bolts to reach or something. Close the gate valves, assuming there are gate vales, and isolate the suspect motor, open the unions and drain the little bit of water in there, (I use a shop vac to lessen the water mess) take the motor bolts out and remove the motor, split it, spin off the impellor, pop out the old seal and in with the new seal after you clean the seal socket and apply a tiny bit of magilube to the sealing surface, spin on the impellor. put the pump back on the motor (4-6 bolts) bolt the motor back in the tub and attach the unions before you tighten the motor down, then tighen the motor down and open the gate valves. But I forgot  shut off tub breaker first. and dissconct motor from power source!!!!!!

[wesj53]

Thanks for that Roger. Great advice and details which I will print out and retain for future reference. I thought that would be your take on the situation. Fortunately, the spa is not full foam so in this case, that may be an advantage in repairing. Do you agree?

[Tman122]

Thanks for that Roger. Great advice and details which I will print out and retain for future reference. I thought that would be your take on the situation. Fortunately, the spa is not full foam so in this case, that may be an advantage in repairing. Do you agree?

No wes sorry, taking a pump out of a FF versus a TP makes no difference. An equipment bay is an equipment bay, FF or TP, 95 percent or better of my repair work is in there. It may be a bit less crowded but you got one access panel either way.

I think your just playin with me now....joker!!!

[Pathfinder]

tman you know me a huge arctic fan here, but even that post seemed a little odd to me.  I always am skeptical when a first post focuses on slamming one brand and praising another.

Please re-read my post I did not slam the brand.  I commented on the service I received at a Beachcomber store.  The Stores name is Beachcomber Hot tubs they sold beachcomber branded tubs.  Purported to be their number one store in the franchise. I tried dealing with them for a year as it was a Beachcomber hot tub I own.   I commented on the problems I had experienced with the hot tub and said that I expected that to be considered typical for the age not the brand.  I was making a comment and comparison to the level of service I experienced not the quality of the product.  

The Edmonton Stores are the #1 Beachcomber dealer  I ve never heard of that ever happening there they do about 200+ a year  but there's a first time for everything.

[Phyer Phyter]

The Edmonton Stores are the #1 Beachcomber dealer  I ve never heard of that ever happening there they do about 200+ a year  but there's a first time for everything.

I am sure that if the majority of their customers had the same experience as I then they wouldn't be in business.  I am also in sales and realise that you can not be everything to every body.  In any business it is about service.  Everyone has competition and if one store doesn't sell you a given product then another one will.  I as most people I know will gladly pay more for a product to get great service than to try to save  a few bucks and get shoddy service.

[wesj53]

No wes sorry, taking a pump out of a FF versus a TP makes no difference. An equipment bay is an equipment bay, FF or TP, 95 percent or better of my repair work is in there. It may be a bit less crowded but you got one access panel either way.

I think your just playin with me now....joker!!!

My bad Roger. I  assumed that there would have to be work done at the jet locations too. So I'm actually glad that all that would have to be worked on is the pump seals. Thanks for the clarification.