Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: lobo on June 28, 2005, 05:16:53 pm
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I think I know the answer, but I'm new. Image spas are new at HD. Has anyone heard any pros or cons about this tub. Like most folks I dont have the bucks for the best but hate wasting on money on somthing that will not last long. Any help or advise would be great.
LoBo
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I would highly recommend purchasing from a local dealer. Most dealers will have models available in the price range that you are looking for. Purchasing from a local dealer allows for much better support after you have the hot tub and also allows you to wet test different models.
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I'm new too lobo but I've done a little research so I'll chime in here.
I found that all of the major spa manufacturers carry what I guess could be called an "economy line". Look for a manufacturer that will stand behind their product and a dealer that you can trust to answer questions and repair it.
Please don't shop based on price alone.
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My two cents based on a little Googling... Image appears to be a HD partner, and also appears to be part of Icon, which makes NordicTrack and other exercise equipment that gets not so great ratings sometimes....
Also, a general matter, I conclude from what I've seen here is that buying a spa from a box store (HD, etc.) is that you are setting yourself up for problems after-sale since service will be by some third party since there is no 'dealer' that you have a relationship with.
Based on the semi-endless problems that can arise, I (personally) wouldn't purchase a spa from a non-spa-dealer store.
Other comments?
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I would far sooner take a 4-5 year old Hot Spring than a big box store tub.
Don't let a used tub fool you...they can be a great value.
also, as vlady said, look for the economy line for some of the bigger manufacturers like Hot Springs, Sundance, Marquis, Jacuzzi, Caldera, Dimension One, etc...
They all have tubs comparable in price to HD tubs, and you'd have dealer support.
Mark
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We carried this brand years ago.
Poor quality product, poor manufacturer support.
Stay Away from them.
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WOW, thanks for the response and great information. I will check out a local dealer..
LoBo
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There is at least one review of Image spas in our reviews section.
http://www.whatsthebest-hottub.com/cgi-bin/reviews.cgi?view=product&pid=358&rid=597&pg=1&sort=&search=
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I think I know the answer, but I'm new. Image spas are new at HD. Has anyone heard any pros or cons about this tub. Like most folks I dont have the bucks for the best but hate wasting on money on somthing that will not last long. Any help or advise would be great.
LoBo
LoBo,
I have yet to read any feedback, positive or negative, from an Image spa owner on this forum as most of its members subscribe to the dealer Model of spa ownership. I think there is nothing wrong with choosing to buy from a "bigbox" store like Home Depot. Choosing to do so can mean a different kind of ownership experience when something goes wrong.
A big reason those spas are generally a lot less expensive is because of a limited mark-up and limited warranty. Therefore you get no dealer to "help" you in times of need and there is a risk of paying more out-of-pocket for service that could otherwise be covered under a "premium brand dealer" store warranty, provided you bought from a "good" dealer and provided the problem is really covered and arises within the granted warranty period paid for.
A big difference, that can be seen as a negative, is that you can not wet test a bigbox store tub. As pretty much every aficionado on this forum, and others, will tell you, wet testing is most important and should be a deciding factor in choosing a tub. Then again, some don't care to wet test.
Everybody who sells or buys a "premium brand dealer tub" loves their tubs with good reason, but that should not deter you from other options that may work for you. Either route you choose, you need to know what you are choosing and paying for before making a choice.
Good Luck!
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I'll share an experience many Home Depot spa customers experienced here in Canada last summer. These spas would have been 2 years old. I forget the brand (depot has changed the brand they carry up here a couple of times).
A customer would come in looking for a jet. These were Waterway 5" threaded jets. Jets no other spa manufacturer had used in 5 or more years (none that I am aware of).
Water no longer made the jet in question. The solution? Install a new jet body in a fully foamed spa.........
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There is at least one review of Image spas in our reviews section.
I've got 7................... 6 for, 1 against
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Does the old addage "you get what you pay for" apply to the Image spa? I think it does.The Image customer is not typically a H.S,SD or CalSpa customer in my experience they have been a totally different market buying these cheaper tubs.
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I have had people come into our stores, see what we have and make statements like:
"no, a warranty isn't that big a deal to me, I can fix things myself.
Jets? No, I just like to soak.
Filtration? We just changed the water every three weeks in our last tub and it was fine.
Lights? Look at my wife over there. Do you think I'd want to see that in a bathing suit? No light please.
Non-wood Siding? Gonna deck around the thing.
ET what? I'll run a big ground wire.
Digital controls? I like surprises.
Delivery? Just threw the last one on the trailer and took it home myself.
Long lasting? Well my last one went three years, and I figure that's about good enough, don't you?"
I usually just offer to drive them to Lowes.
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What are these tubs selling for?I would bet one could finda better tub for less at a hot tub dealer in the economy line that most manufacturers of quality tubs make. If you can get more (delivery, set-up, quality, service, warranty, reliability,etc.) for the same amount of cash, why go "big box?" Call and ask the hot tub stores what they can offer at a similar price.
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Also look at it as a long term thing, At my home depot, the models change constantly and they carry spa chemicals as a "seasonal" item.
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I have had one for 1 year now and so far knock on wood i haven't had a problem YET but from reading the reviews i know if i do have a problem now i will be left to fix it on my own more or less. I too looked at a price range and thought it was a good deal. I did not have this form to check out other brands and if i had to do it all over again i would go with a local dealer.
Just the support alone is worth it to go with a good dealer. Shop around and you will find what you are looking for. As they say you get what you pay for. I do not plan on having the Icon tub too much longer and i am now looking around and planing on replacing it if i run into to many problems.
Also they just drop it off at your door step and you have to haul it to where you want it and set it up yourself. Lucky I am good working with tools and had no problem setting it up. I just cross my fingers and hope it will last another couple of years and then i will replace it. Don't get me wrong i do love it and we use it almost everyday. So Far so good. Hope this helps. :-/
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In looking at them at my local store .....They seem to be very poorly insulated .... I would wonder what your monthly cost would be for eclectic ....Stores like Sam's or Costco or HD etc.....can be great deals for somethings but many items they have are built to hit a price point and still have a lot of features so they have to cut quality somewhere ..... some people are impressed with the return policy which is in fact very good...but that is factored into the price also and calculated as to what percent of people will ever return something ....
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Are these spas at Sams's club or Costco stocked, or are they shipped from a warehouse somewhere, perhaps from the manufacturer? If so, I'm sure the cost of returning the spa would be on the consumer.
You can pay for your spa once (Good quality insulation, lower power bills) or you can pay over the years of ownership. (poor insulation, higher power bills).
I'd rather give my money to the spa maker than the local power utility.
Brewman
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And, I'd rather pay more for better, modern features, and know that I can (probably) get parts more quickly and get them installed quickly, also. I wonder what I'd do with one from HD or Costco?! I'd also rather not pay for the 'razors' each month. :)
BTW, I once saw one at HD, on its side. Looked impressive, but you couldn't even *dry* test it, never mind (of course) wet test it. Sheesh.