Hot Tub Forum

Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: ramdom on September 10, 2005, 05:18:33 am

Title: Paid Too Much?
Post by: ramdom on September 10, 2005, 05:18:33 am: I did lots of homework (if you can call lurking on Forum Boards actual research) and here I sit waiting for delivery and preparing a new crib for our first hot tub.

I started out looking cheap - saw a RotoSpa for about 4K - just to get in the game. Then a scam feeling from Gulf Coast Spas at some dirty, shady warehouse for 6.3K with a salesperson who was vague, evasive and totally unknowledgable. Saw the Arctic Spa Fox starting at 6900 (14 jets, 1 pump and experienced the controversial, cheerleader reps). I was convinced of the AS Yukon for an offering of 9100 (always on special) for a few days until I read a few posts by a chap who said it was too small and he was my same size. On a dry test, the chairs made me feel restricted and the design seemed to have too many weird obstacles.

Next we go into Hydropool and check it out. Hmm. 6-7 people, two pumps 3+4 HP, barrier free, 44 stainless steel jets (3 primary hydrotherapy seats, a swivel seat, etc. etc.) on their Anniversary 625 model, 4 deluxe LED lights, ice bucket (right!), same skirting quality as AS, 2 Waterfalls inside the pillows, textured and self cleaning well w/ cooldown seats, GFI 60 Amp box, Deluxe cover w/ Piston lifter, matching cedar steps, 2 Solar garden lights outside the tub at entry point, towel rack, premium upgraded 5 year parts + labour warranty on everything, lifetime on shell, ozonator, blah blah blah.

So we nailed it down at getting the 625 in the upgraded Anniversary edition w/ additional promo features thrown in. The tub was 10,500 (the anniversary is apparently even less than the Platinum, their one down model) plus tax of GST of 7% in Canada and an additional 8% PST only on the GFI for a grand total of $11,450. No haggling, no comparison back @ Arctic Spa to match it who initially impressed me for all the usual and unusual reasons. The fellow who sold me the tub also services them and installs pools and worked at AS for 6 years and we spent 3 hours with our gals just talking and telling stories. Oh, and in the Black Pearl marble colour which is so lush and decadent looking... this model here: http://www.hydropoolhottubs.com/625.html

I see some folks talking in the 5-7K range but over that price point, one doesn't hear too much. It's very exciting waiting for that first soak but I wonder how it all got so expensive and i haven't even got an electrician or laid sone dust and patio pads yet. Is this too much to pay for a tub or is it all relative?
(http://www.hydropoolhottubs.com/Hydropool.data/Components/hydropool/625/infoimgs/625.jpg)
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: bob5820 on September 10, 2005, 08:26:40 am: Quote
... I wonder how it all got so expensive and i haven't even got an electrician or laid sone dust and patio pads yet. Is this too much to pay for a tub or is it all relative?

I know how you feel. In my original plan I figured about 5k for the HT and another 4 or 5k to expand my deck. This quickly grew to 10K for the HT and the deck is now at 15K. Going over budget like this makes me feel like I should work for NASA ;D.

I paid $10,750.00 after taxes for my Artesian Piper Glen. This included delivery, a cover, and chemicals, but no steps, no radio, no pretty lights. I did not haggle over the price either. Compared to the price I got on some other tubs, Caldera Niagara, and a HS Grandee, the price on the Piper Glen did not seem out of line. Compared the the prices I have seen others post on this and other forums that they paid for a Piper Glen, I got taken for 1 or 2k. The conclusion that I have drawn from all of this is that pricing varies widely from area to area, which only makes sense. Cost of living can vary widely, so why hot the cost of luxury items.

As to going over budget, I don't think that this is all that uncommon. Many of us are first time buyers who come into this with no real idea of exactly what we want or how much it will cost. As we look we learn that even though we can get a tub for 4k, the 8k tub offers some very real advantages. Once we have taken a step over that line its not all that hard to justify 10 or 12k on a tub. I look at it like this, I'd rather pay 10k for a tub now, then pay 5k for now, realize its not what I really had in mind and want to upgrade in a couple of years
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Vinny on September 10, 2005, 08:34:33 am: You have to remember that there are a number of factors - Canadian consumers seem to pay more than American's - I guess it's the exchange rate. Prices have (are) going up due to petroleum. Where you live in relationship to the factory. Local competition - what are other brand name tubs going for?

If you like the tub, are OK with the dealer and can afford the purchase, go for it. When you read the prices on-line, don't think that it's written in stone - too many factors involved! I paid about $1000 more for a tub in NJ then someone in Utah but I got a good price for the tub!

There are a couple Hydropool people here and hopefully they will chime in.

Good luck!!
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: HotTubMan on September 10, 2005, 09:16:20 am: Thats a good price.

Remember most posters here are American so the prices they are quoted will be 20% less at least.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Steve on September 10, 2005, 10:22:02 am: Welcome to the Hydropool family ramdom and you have done very well with your pricing and upgrades.

The 25th Anniversary model is unbeatable value and you are 100% right that it's priced less than the model below it right now! It's the best selling spa for Hydropool worldwide this year and it's going in my back yard as well right away. :D

Enjoy your great tub and keep us posted on how everything goes for you.

Steve
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Mendocino101 on September 10, 2005, 10:49:55 am: Random.... Congratulations .....my only concern for you is that I am not so sure I would want the same spa in my backyard as the "man" .....who has this "spidey" character dancing around like some drunken ballerina on long weekend in west Hollywood .....I might reconsider that roto spa again ..........lol.....just teasing .....sounds like a great spa enjoy it .......and I hope this Steve guy ;)at leasts gets a different color ....... :D
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Dr. Spa™ Ret. on September 10, 2005, 10:52:40 am: Quote
You have to remember that there are a number of factors - Canadian consumers seem to pay more than American's - I guess it's the exchange rate.
Good luck!!

This seems to be a common confusion on message boards. Americans currency is the dollar (the US dollar), Canadian currency is also the dollar, BUT the CANADIAN dollar.

By todays rate, 1 US dollar = 1.18 CAD dollar, meaning ramdom paid an equivalent of $9,733.08 US dollars for the spa.

In Australia it would have cost you $12,591........ Australia Dollars

Be happy your not in Hong Kong, where that spa would run 75,436 dollars (Honk Kong dollars that is).
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Steve on September 10, 2005, 11:02:28 am: Quote
Random.... Congratulations .....my only concern for you is that I am not so sure I would want the same spa in my backyard as the "man" .....who has this "spidey" character dancing around like some drunken ballerina on long weekend in west Hollywood .....I might reconsider that roto spa again ..........lol.....just teasing .....sounds like a great spa enjoy it .......and I hope this Steve guy ;)at leasts gets a different color ....... :D

LMAO! ;D

First off...you just dissed Spidey and God will get you for that. ;D Seconldy, mine is coming in [size=18] HOT PINK [/size] thanks for asking!!
;D

Steve
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: stuart on September 10, 2005, 11:05:50 am: Quote
Random.... Congratulations .....my only concern for you is that I am not so sure I would want the same spa in my backyard as the "man" .....who has this "spidey" character dancing around like some drunken ballerina on long weekend in west Hollywood .....I might reconsider that roto spa again ..........lol.....just teasing .....sounds like a great spa enjoy it .......and I hope this Steve guy ;)at leasts gets a different color ....... :D

Thats mean! Don't pick on Steve for his new home show hook routine! After all he's not doing it at the Master Shows!!
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Steve on September 10, 2005, 11:17:04 am: Honestly guys...you should see the crowds I draw!
(not to mention my wife LOVES it!) :P

Oh, it's a tangled web we weave.... :D

Steve
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Lori on September 10, 2005, 05:57:24 pm: Congratulations!

May you always have clean, hot, bubbly water in that Hydropool!!!

Steve, I liked your dance! I tried to recreate it, but it wasn't the same without the spidey outfit!!! ;)
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: wmccall on September 10, 2005, 06:13:57 pm: I can't speak to the cost, but from having been around here awhile, I'd say you got a good value. I like the looks of the tub. Our local Masterspa dealer just added the Hydropool line and if I was in the market again, I would look at this one. I like the layout and the open seeing design. Looks like a comfortable tub.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: ramdom on September 12, 2005, 05:20:45 pm: Between the exchange rate, the features list and taxes all in i guess i feel much better. {now i've just got to relax until the baby is installed which could be 3-5 weeks...arrgghh, forever!}

How do people feel about their Hydropools and all they offer? any problems or does that require a different thread?
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Steve on September 12, 2005, 06:30:25 pm: Trying to be as unbiased as possible here..
I would put Hydropool in the same class as any better known product out there for quality, support, therapy and comfort.

Where I strongly believe they surpass many is in their double thermal lock heat recovery system and in their 6 stage Self Clean system. The 2 biggest aspects of ownership after the love affair with your lights and other features that may have caught your eye during the "courting time", is low maintenance and energy efficiency. These are the 2 primary elements that Hydropool focuses on and that's why our customers who research spas find these to be a huge benefit in the long term aspect of ownership.

Not only that, most of our customers are engineers and other smart kinda people! ;) :D

Steve
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: salesdvl on September 12, 2005, 07:43:41 pm: Quote
Not only that, most of our customers are engineers...

Steve

... and they ride up & down the tracks all day saying "chooo chooo" :)
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: crapjack on September 13, 2005, 10:15:16 pm: Canadian $ or American $ it's all relative to where you live and your cost of living and what the local market dictates for the price. You cannot avoid the taxes where you live so its not really part of the cost comparison. Most reptuable spa companys have all the price ranges covered 6k-11k and it becomes a personal choice of size and features. If you only have 5 spa dealers where you live i guarantee you that their prices will all be pretty close for similar spas--and that is what the local market will dictate. The only way you may have paid too much is if you did not shop around and test the market.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: ramdom on September 14, 2005, 02:32:03 am: that's all true crap, jack. We only have Hydropool and Arctic Spas here in town. Did a couple cheaper explorations, some research on various boards n' forums and was hooked on the Arctic hype before we even saw the Hydropool. The reality of the 625 set in pretty fast - plus the dealer had won a Silver Award for Service after only 6 months. We were initially just going to see the Hydro out of obligation to our purchase dollar. My wife insisted we go...

Each company only had one tub wet. Neither the model we wanted to test. I was so blown away by the performance on the Hydropool it made the AS moot and I never did wet test them. I never even asked what they could do for 10,500 before jumping on the Anniversary w/ the Summer Promo.

Taxes suck and so does death, each being relative. There wasn't just one feature thrown in on the Hydro, but a barrel full. I've heard about Colemans, Jacuzzi's, Beachcombers, Sundance and tons more. I just wonder if 10.5K is too much to pay for a hot tub - upper middle class?
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: stuart on September 14, 2005, 11:09:36 am: Quote

... and they ride up & down the tracks all day saying "chooo chooo" :)

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: ramdom on September 14, 2005, 01:24:36 pm: hahahahahah!!!!!!!! woo! woooooo!
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: HotTubMan on September 14, 2005, 05:07:55 pm: Quote
hahahahahah!!!!!!!! woo! woooooo!

Random, what province/city?
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: hair on September 14, 2005, 05:09:42 pm: keep on looking! try to do at least 6 wet tests on different manufacturers. i bet you can find one you like better then that hydropool. try artesian, sundance, marquis, master, jacuzzi, saratoga, hot springs for example. good luck!
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: HotTubMan on September 14, 2005, 05:16:12 pm: Quote
keep on looking! try to do at least 6 wet tests on different manufacturers. i bet you can find one you like better then that hydropool. try artesian, sundance, marquis, master, jacuzzi, saratoga, hot springs for example. good luck!

WOW. What do you have against Hydropool?

Please correct me if I am mistaken, but Random doesnt have those brands locally and has purchased the 625.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: ramdom on September 14, 2005, 05:51:05 pm: That's true HotTubMan, we are very limited in our available dealers. Like, say...2! I've been checking other brands sites as they appear on this site: Sundance, Beachcomber and Jacuzzi and still nothing seems to fit the bill quite like the Hydropool and all the added features. damn this is starting to sound like an advertisement but I'm just excited... :o

Perth ON Canada
POP: 6,000
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: HotTubMan on September 14, 2005, 06:10:05 pm: Grew up in Kingston. I know of Perth. I have a couple of old freinds (haven't spoken to in a long time) that grew up there.

Enjoy your tub! Post some pics when its in.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Steve on September 14, 2005, 07:20:33 pm: Quote
keep on looking! try to do at least 6 wet tests on different manufacturers. i bet you can find one you like better then that hydropool. try artesian, sundance, marquis, master, jacuzzi, saratoga, hot springs for example. good luck!

What's that about hairball? ??? Do you have a question about Hydropool in there somewhere? I did notice that in the spas you said you wet tested, Hydropool wasn't mentioned. Where are you gathering your worldly knowledge on this topic? ???

Steve
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: hair on September 15, 2005, 11:53:09 pm: will the real steve please stand up, please stand up! everybody knows hydropool is a mediocre tub.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Steve on September 16, 2005, 12:32:56 am: Not sure what you're getting at with the "real Steve" bit but don't care either really... :-/

I see you're basing your opinion off of some very detailed information and past historical data and we all really appreciate that that you've taken the time to make your point so clearly and share your vast wisdom wth us! ::)

Gee, if you didn't suggest you were just a "consumer" on this forum, I'd a thought you were a disgruntled salesperson that looses sales to Hydropool all too often! ;D

Steve
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: HotTubMan on September 16, 2005, 09:37:58 am: Isn't hair the guy that made that post a while back asking us not to be playa-haters?
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Steve on September 16, 2005, 09:46:55 am: I guess he forgot that...

Quote
seems like every dealer says that his brand is the best and always has some negative thing to say about an opposing brand the consumer is interested in.

You should practice what you preach hairball. :-X

Steve
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: ramdom on September 16, 2005, 11:48:51 am: Ouch. Dealer, hater and rep in-fighting. Not a pleasant sight. It irks me that in a forum post called 'Paid Too Much?' some clown comes in and calls the tub 'mediocre' after my choice (and down payment) was made. I was only seeking confirmation to avoid the dreaded buyer remorse...this is my first tub and we were infatuated with the 625.

That post above instills less faith in 'hair' than the product. He's not really paying attention. It does concern me somewhat that I don't see a lot of reviews for the Hydropool on the 'net or here as compared to other brands. Has anyone owned one for over 5 years around here?

Would i get the same amount of tub for 10,500 w/ Arctic Spa? i doubted it and acted accordingly. Positive, informative + constructive opinions need only apply.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: hottub.pool_boy on September 16, 2005, 09:57:08 pm: A big spa with some accessories? You did just fine.

I had buyers remorse on a GMC Suburban I bought for the wife and kids the other day. The next day, I just did not feel a could trust the dealer I was purchasing it from. I backed out of it.

I think the comfort level you experience during your fact gathering from dealers, is the same comfort level you'll experience with that dealer you buy from.

Enjoy.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: stl-rex on September 16, 2005, 11:09:56 pm: Quote

Would i get the same amount of tub for 10,500 w/ Arctic Spa? i doubted it and acted accordingly. Positive, informative + constructive opinions need only apply.

Hard to say, but did you look at the Arctic Yukon? It's a 7x7 spa and probably in that price range or less. If you move to an 8x8 spa, you're probably out of that range, but also into a substantially larger model. Curious what Arctic model in which you had an interest initially.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: ramdom on September 17, 2005, 01:59:54 am: The Arctic Yukon was our initial interest as I mentioned in my first post and 10.5K would've gotten me significantly less, in terms of spatial utilization alone. The HP 625 simply offered more, felt more expansive and better designed to our preference somehow. I checked out the price of the Signature jet package and it was 10.3K here in Canada. Not much of a contest, unless one believes the claims of the TP + FF debate, but ask me again in 5 years...

Neat thing is they're both made in Canada where the cold and efficient heating is apparently taken into no small account. That's kinda cool.
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Soakin on September 17, 2005, 03:28:48 pm: Quote
...everybody knows hydropool is a mediocre tub.
It's like a more concise version of the Duffman report! ;) ;D
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Steve on September 17, 2005, 07:53:43 pm: LMAO! :D

Steve
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: bobhol on September 18, 2005, 11:31:16 am: I,ve owned a hydropool serenity elite plus for about a year now. It is not the top of the line but was the most tub IMHO for the money and has performed flawlessly. I am in Peterborough O nt. where winters are cold and my increase in hydro has been so small it is insignific ant. It is a great tub for my needs and that is the key. Buy the tub that is right for you not everyone on the forum. Bob hol
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: salesdvl on September 19, 2005, 10:13:12 am: You should feel good about your decision. Your opinion is the only one that matters here. :)
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: salesdvl on September 19, 2005, 10:21:15 am: Quote
It's like a more concise version of the Duffman report! ;) ;D

We interupt this thread for a braking story:

CNN has just learned that information used to create "The Duffman Report" was obtained largely through personal experience and should in no way be considered to be absolute fact. ;)
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: Chas on September 19, 2005, 10:24:12 am: OMG !!

:o :o :o :o :o :o

::)
Title: Re: Paid Too Much?
Post by: stl-rex on September 19, 2005, 10:34:21 am: Quote
The Arctic Yukon was our initial interest as I mentioned in my first post and 10.5K would've gotten me significantly less, in terms of spatial utilization alone. The HP 625 simply offered more, felt more expansive and better designed to our preference somehow. I checked out the price of the Signature jet package and it was 10.3K here in Canada. Not much of a contest, unless one believes the claims of the TP + FF debate, but ask me again in 5 years...

Neat thing is they're both made in Canada where the cold and efficient heating is apparently taken into no small account. That's kinda cool.

"To our preference somehow" Sounds like you bought the right spa for you!