Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: jbeernink on November 02, 2004, 02:35:19 pm
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I am still gathering all information with regards to a Spa I want to buy this week.
A colleague offered me a Sunbelt Spa. To quote him: 'top quality, comparable with Hotspring and Sundance, but much more affordable'.
Actually originally I wanted to choose between the Hotspring Envoy, Sundance Cameo, Artisan Onyx or Coleman 482.
Now I looked to the Sunbelt Ultra Wave. Although the design doesn’t impress me and I know you guys already gave me the advice to wet test al possible spa’s, I would really appreciate your thoughts about the Sunbelt brand. The most important benefit for me would be the pricing which is about 40% less compared to other spas on my whish list.
Any food for thought for this model?
http://www.sunbeltspas.com/Pages/ultra.htm
Thanks in advance,
Jos
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I am still gathering all information with regards to a Spa I want to buy this week.
A colleague offered me a Sunbelt Spa. To quote him: 'top quality, comparable with Hotspring and Sundance, but much more affordable'.
Actually originally I wanted to choose between the Hotspring Envoy, Sundance Cameo, Artisan Onyx or Coleman 482.
Now I looked to the Sunbelt Ultra Wave. Although the design doesn’t impress me and I know you guys already gave me the advice to wet test al possible spa’s, I would really appreciate your thoughts about the Sunbelt brand. The most important benefit for me would be the pricing which is about 40% less compared to other spas on my whish list.
Any food for thought for this model?
http://www.sunbeltspas.com/Pages/ultra.htm
Thanks in advance,
Jos
Sound to good to be true?............
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Just looked at the website. Can't tell what kind/brand of components are being used.
What jumped out at me was jet placement. Excellent spinal massage! If that is what you are after, great.
Other than that I have no other positve or negative comments as this is the first I have sen or heard of them.
HTM
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I agree with HotTubMan - If it sounds too good to be true, it might not be good.
Your looked at $9,000 to $10,000 tubs with HS and Sundance, a $7,500 tub in the Onyx and a $6,400 in the Coleman. (at least by NJ pricing, Coleman price is for the 480).
All of them are good tubs but how low do you want to go and expect to get quality? I don't know anything about Sunbelt (no dealer around here) but if the design doesn't impress you off the bat, you're going to live with it for hopefully many years!
I bought the Artesian Island series and the dealer had the lower end Artesians there as well. They were running about $3,500 but the difference between that series and the Island was tremendous. She carried it for the people looking at the Home Depot line of tubs but wanted a dealer's presence if the tub had problems. She indicated that they were definitely NOT the same quality as the Platinum, Gold or Island series from Artesian. If your looking for a cheap tub, maybe this is the way to go.
Keep your colleague your colleague and don't mix business with pleasure - I would say buy a tub from a dealer that "friendship" doesn't get in the way.
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My Envoy was $7200 and I'm in NJ.
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I live in Jacksonville, FL and I have heard of Sunbelt spas. There is a dealer about an hour or so from here that sells them complete to go. In Jacksonville there is a dealer who buys their shells and customizes them. He says he can get any brand jet to put in them. i am still considering this brand because it can be set in the ground. Hope this helps.
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I would have to say that I find it hard to believe that Sunbelt would be on the same playing field as Hot Spring or Sundance etc. As Hottubman said I have never heard of them.
Which I guess doesnt mean they are not good.
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A colleague offered me a Sunbelt Spa. To quote him: 'top quality, comparable with Hotspring and Sundance, but much more affordable'.
That would be like saying KIA is comparable to Lexus or better yet a disposable camera comparable to a new Nikon. Your friend needs to either get an industry education or work on his ethics.
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That would be like saying KIA is comparable to Lexus or better yet a disposable camera comparable to a new Nikon. Your friend needs to either get an industry education or work on his ethics.
Stuart;
I know you used to box. Is that why you don't pull any punches? ;)
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Tonyp,
It sounds like you got a great price on the Envoy, I was quoted $7,400 for the Vanguard with cover, cover lifter, and ozone. When asked about the Grandee, he mentioned $10,000 so I figured about $1000 a model. He also mentioned that loungers were more money.
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Stuart;
I know you used to box. Is that why you don't pull any punches? ;)
Actually my greatest attribute in boxing was my ability to take a beating and stay on my feet. The biggest threat I provided to the other guy was to wear him out before the end of the fight and then get a lucky shot in. That’s kinda how I post and sell…..
I have a bit of a burr under my saddle when it comes to sunbelt as we have a dealer making the same statements in our area. It's such a James A comment!
Tonyp,
He also mentioned that loungers were more money.
To build a spa with a lounge is not enough difference in manufacturing cost for the customer to even notice. Almost every brand I have ever sold has offered a model with or without lounge at the same basic price.
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Stuart,
As I said in other posts, the local HS dealer is a JERK. That shows you his level of jerkism (is that a word???) that he attained!
From my non spa educated background, it would appear to me that the spas, loungers vs non, use the same amount of acrylic (and everything else) as long as their the same size and same number of jets.
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NO Frigg'N way dude! Sunbelt does make a decent unit but on par with HS? get REAL! Actually Sunbelt sells in two modes to their dealers. Mode #1 is a fully built spa (jets, pumps, etc). Mode #2 is as a shell (and pumps I think). The dealer then ads everything to them. This can be good or bad. Good = You can place them anywhere you want to. Bad = Since there is no possibility of ISO 9001 testing, it's quite likely that those dealer installed jets WILL leak. Insulation in a Sunbelt is nearly non-existent. They are considerably better than the warehouse spas you can buy but are nowhere near the value/quality of the Jacuzzi, Hot springs, Marquis, Master, Beachcomber, ...... It's simply another way to save money. You get what you pay for...
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NO Frigg'N way dude! Sunbelt does make a decent unit but on par with HS? get REAL! Actually Sunbelt sells in two modes to their dealers. Mode #1 is a fully built spa (jets, pumps, etc). Mode #2 is as a shell (and pumps I think). The dealer then ads everything to them. This can be good or bad. Good = You can place them anywhere you want to. Bad = Since there is no possibility of ISO 9001 testing, it's quite likely that those dealer installed jets WILL leak. Insulation in a Sunbelt is nearly non-existent. They are considerably better than the warehouse spas you can buy but are nowhere near the value/quality of the Jacuzzi, Hot springs, Marquis, Master, Beachcomber, ...... It's simply another way to save money. You get what you pay for...
Wow,
You think I don't pull punch's! I'd hate to get in the ring with ndabunka, he REALLY doesn't pull punch's and the headbutts, bites and elbows! (although he makes a great point!)
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Finally someone has given me some information on Sunbelt spas. I live in Jacksonville, FL and the dealer here buys the shell and customizes them to the customers liking. We are looking to set this in the ground. You say insulation is non existent how will this affect an inground installation. The dealer also sells Sunset spas, which is the same deal as Sunbelt. Any opinion would be helpful. Thanks ndabunka
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We used to plumb our own private label spas and I remember having quality issues. I would think the quality control you get from a major manufacturer has to be better than "Joe" out back drilling jet holes hung-over with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.
I believe Sundance sells an inground program that I would think would be better.
( I knew we should never have hired that guy Joe )
good luck. :)
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(http:// http://sunbeltspas.com/web_images/Spa-callouts.jpg)
Here let me take a "jab" at it;
First thing I see is wooden rails both top and bottom. Most manufactures have gone to a drip over lip or a no rail system; this is a place for moisture and bacteria to collect. It can even draw water into the cabinet.
Second, the pillows that they stress are "textured" and "non-slip" are also proprietary, consumable and probably costly.
Third, jetting in this picture is kind of archaic and looks like not much emphasis on therapy and more on air bubbles.
Fourth, (here's the can of worms opening) they talk about their insulation being better than most as it is a sheet of styrene foam tacked to the inside of the cabinet. There is nothing wrong with the thermo pane theory as long as it is done right (i.e. look at Coleman) by supporting the plumbing, using a high enough density to be effective and spraying enough on both the shell and the cabinet to maintain heat lock when the pumps are not running.
Fifth, this might sound like a small thing but there is no bottom drain. If you've ever drained a spa in the middle of winter you will truly appreciate a bottom drain.
Finally, there doesn't seem to be any consistency from model to model for filtration. Filtration is such a viable part of a spa that you should spend as much time and engineering into the design of it as you would therapy and style. Don't just buy whatever canister fits and glue it in. The entire spa has the feel of homemade, my guess is they don't employ an engineer nor do they have an R & D department. Many small companies simply try to copy what the industry leaders are doing without paying the price of high tech workers and equipment. That doesn't work!
BTW, first thing I would do with that spa is cut off the funky little chromed plastic strip going around the shell that resembles something I put on my car door in high school to look cool.
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very nice stuart... a complete, useful response giving good information not based on price, popularity or landing below the belt...
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Punchbag stay on his feet Stuart is on it. He did so well, I can't even take a swing at it.