Wet Test #1 Goes to Sundance Cameo

[dax]

First time buyer here.  Thanks to all the info I read here on this forum, we bagged the Thermospas idea and I convinced the Mrs that we should wet test some spas.  There are four dealers in the area - about an hour northwest of Philly.  One sells CalSpas, one sells Jacuzzi, one sells Caldera, and the other sells both Hot Springs & Sundance.  We visited the latter and took soaks in both the Hot Springs Envoy and Sundance Cameo.

Both my wife and I like the idea of a lounger and after trying these two tubs, we believe that's the way to go for us.  The moto-massage on the Envoy was a little disappointing.  It was nice, but I think I would prefer a constant jet on my back.  Salesman said some people feel that way while others absolutely love it.  I also think we both fit better in the Cameo lounge.

Besides the lounger, the Cameo also featured two other seats with neck jets.  The Envoy only had the neck jets in the lounger.  A definite advantage to the Cameo for that.  The Mrs. also preferred the Cameo's  water fall feature over the Envoy's fountain.  Don't want to base my decision on something like that, but it seemed pretty important to her.  I did like the overall feel of the Cameo better so I agreed with her on the waterfall.  

Warranty, according to the salesman were the same on both spas.  Everything is absolutely free for the first year of ownership.  After that for the duration of the warranty, we have to pay a service fee for the tech, which currently is $35.  Is that a standard charge given the warranty?

Price we were quoted for a Cameo with ozone, steps, cover lifter, and start up chemicals was $9,495.  Seemed a little high given a couple quotes I thought I read here.  May be some room to negotiate if I really want to buy the tub, but I don't know that for certain.  Still want to wet test the Jacuzzi and Caldera models.  Even told the salesman that and he encouraged us to do so.  The CalSpa salesman didn't seem to want to be bothered for some reason.  Maybe we visited too close to closing or something.  Either way, I think we're not even going to consider that brand.

Anyway, so far we prefer the Cameo.  Can anyone give their opinion on the price quote we received?  Any other suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

[MarKee]

I would try out the Marquis Epic too.  Their is most likely a dealer near you, you can find your nearest dealer at  http://marquisspas.com/locator.asp

[104 degrees]

Please let us know about the jacuzzi wet test do you know what modle they have to wet test?

[vlady]

Welcome to the forum, dax.

I'm no expert and it has been a while since I was shopping but I'm guessing that is a pretty good price for a cameo.  I purchased mine almost 2 years ago with ozone, steps, cover lifter, start up chemicals and stereo for more than $10,000.  I thought there had been some price increases in the last couple of years but I could be wrong.

I love the cameo and I wouldn't change a thing.

Good luck in your search.

[Johnny D]

I would try out the Marquis Epic too.  Their is most likely a dealer near you, you can find your nearest dealer at  [url]http://marquisspas.com/locator.asp[/urlBoth my wife and I like the idea of a lounger and after trying these two tubs, we believe that's the way to go for us.  The moto-massage on the Envoy was a little disappointing.  It was nice, but I think I would prefer a constant jet on my back.  Salesman said some people feel that way while others absolutely love it.  I also think we both fit better in the Cameo lounge. ]

Agree with your point on the lounge but only in the Sundance.  The Hotsprings just didn't feel as comfortable.
As far as the Motomassage, my son loved that action, didn't thrill me as I would rather have IT be stationary and me move around the jet.  Each jet is controllable on the SD from full to off.  Diverters seem more handyu on the SD as well.  
  Bottom line is he is getting the Hot Springs Grandee and I will most likely get the Maxxus from Sundance.
      Wet test as many as you can.  

[Jacuzzi Jim]

First time buyer here.  Thanks to all the info I read here on this forum, we bagged the Thermospas idea and I convinced the Mrs that we should wet test some spas.  There are four dealers in the area - about an hour northwest of Philly.  One sells CalSpas, one sells Jacuzzi, one sells Caldera, and the other sells both Hot Springs & Sundance.  We visited the latter and took soaks in both the Hot Springs Envoy and Sundance Cameo.

Both my wife and I like the idea of a lounger and after trying these two tubs, we believe that's the way to go for us.  The moto-massage on the Envoy was a little disappointing.  It was nice, but I think I would prefer a constant jet on my back.  Salesman said some people feel that way while others absolutely love it.  I also think we both fit better in the Cameo lounge.

Besides the lounger, the Cameo also featured two other seats with neck jets.  The Envoy only had the neck jets in the lounger.  A definite advantage to the Cameo for that.  The Mrs. also preferred the Cameo's  water fall feature over the Envoy's fountain.  Don't want to base my decision on something like that, but it seemed pretty important to her.  I did like the overall feel of the Cameo better so I agreed with her on the waterfall.  

Warranty, according to the salesman were the same on both spas.  Everything is absolutely free for the first year of ownership.  After that for the duration of the warranty, we have to pay a service fee for the tech, which currently is $35.  Is that a standard charge given the warranty?

Price we were quoted for a Cameo with ozone, steps, cover lifter, and start up chemicals was $9,495.  Seemed a little high given a couple quotes I thought I read here.  May be some room to negotiate if I really want to buy the tub, but I don't know that for certain.  Still want to wet test the Jacuzzi and Caldera models.  Even told the salesman that and he encouraged us to do so.  The CalSpa salesman didn't seem to want to be bothered for some reason.  Maybe we visited too close to closing or something.  Either way, I think we're not even going to consider that brand.

Anyway, so far we prefer the Cameo.  Can anyone give their opinion on the price quote we received?  Any other suggestions would be appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

 As for the Jacuzzi vs the Cameo you really want to try the J-355 great leg jets and you dont need a blower to get the action for the legs.
 Also the Power pro jets feel fantastic! and its probably gonna cost less than the Cameo.  

[eightisenough]

For what it is worth:  went to two dealers today:  The Marquis dealer said Jacuszzi just bought Sundance to resue the company, and the jacuzzi ndelaer said basically the same thing.

[hottubdan]

For what it is worth:  went to two dealers today:  The Marquis dealer said Jacuszzi just bought Sundance to resue the company, and the jacuzzi ndelaer said basically the same thing.

They are embellishing.  I will let Sundance or Jacuzzi dealers on the forum correct this misrepresentation.
 

[Chris_H]

Considering the sale of Sundance happened over 5 years ago, I would agree with that comment.  

[eightisenough]

great!  nothing like honesty from a salesman you are about to spend $10,000 with.  Maybe I should then discount other things he said.

[Mendocino101]

I agree that it is wrong to simply misrepresent any product, particularly something that is not your own. I will only add that at this time there are so many rumors flying about most every spa company that they may be repeating something they were told but that does not make it right. And something we would not do here.

[D.P. Roberts]

Just to "spin" in the opposite direction - at the time, I heard that it was the other way around. Jacuzzi wasn't doing so well, and buying Sundance was a way to acquire new ideas, engineering, etc. that they could incorporate into their own spas. I know it has been 5 years now, and I'm not sure how long it will take to show some connections between the two, but I haven't seen any changes (from a consumer perspective) that show any effect of the merger, one way or the other.

[ndabunka]

Jacuzzi and Sundance products are manufactured in the SAME EXACT plants.  They may have separate lines for each product and slightly different characteristics to each line as well but for the most part are nearly interchangeable.   Although this may sound unusual, the Sundance line is typically priced higher than a comparable Jacuzzi product (thus high profit margin as they cost the same to manufacture in the same plant with nearly the same specifictions to the 400-series Jacuzzi line).  It use to be that if you wanted the Jacuzzi name and an agressively priced unit you went Jacuzzi.  If (on the other hand), you wanted stainless escrusions and a little more pretige, you bought a Sundance (kinda like the typical American car mfgs with Cadillac)

[Micah]

I belive it has been 9 years (june 1998) since jacuzzi purchased sundance.  

[tony]

Considering the sale of Sundance happened over 5 years ago, I would agree with that comment.  

Jacuzzi actually bought Sundance in 1998.  At that time Jacuzzi was not doing well in spa sales and needed a makeover while Sundance had just built their new plant and needed cash.  It seems they both needed help.  The deal was that Sundance and its management team would run the whole spa business for Jacuzzi.  In 2002, Sundance created Jacuzzi Premium Spas and moved production to their plant in Chino, CA.  These spas kept some of the filtering, jetting and air features of the older Jacuzzi spas and engineered them into many of the features of the Sundance spas.  Part of the deal also, was that Sundance would be their top of the line company with all the new engineering and bells and whisles installed on their spas first.  Fast forward to the present and it seems that management is changing and the original deal is ending evidenced by Jacuzzi comming mainstream in spa sales and sales talk.