Hot Tub Forum
Original => Hot Tub Forum => Topic started by: redwright on February 22, 2007, 11:15:47 am
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Good morning!!
:)
I was directed here from another forum .... and I like the way you're set up here much better! But I'm a sucker for graphics.
My husband and I are really excited about buying our first spa. But we are lousy consumers! We've tried to gain some knowledge - but the spa market is quite confusing! We're both actors - so we really can't go crazy and buy the Mercedes of all Spas. But we do want to make a smart purchase.
So anyone who can comment on my questions -- jump in please!
1. Like I said, we are easily influenced by bells and whistles so we thought the Bullfrog was fun and interesting. But I hear a lot of neagtive talk about this brand. Can you tell me what the specific issues with this brand are? What are its drawbacks and problems?
2. What is the best round spa for 5-6 people?
3. Does anyone have suggestions or knowledge of good dealers here in Minnesota?
4. Are there brands we should avoid because of our FREEZING COLD winters? (We're planning on installing our spa in a new 3-season porch ... but there are still dreadful windchills here.)
Nice to meet you all ... and thanks in advance for any info you wanna pass along.
Red
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Large Round spas are not nearly as common as they were years ago in this industry but one that has survived for nearly 30 years as a very popular model is the Dimension One Arena. I will give you a picture and a link.
(http://d1spas.com/images/spa_lg/Arena.jpg)
http://d1spas.com/spa_selector.asp?spa=14
Another large round spa is the Nordic warrior.... most of the round spas are not big enough for 6 people without crowding, these two are.
You would want to order the Warrior in full foam if you choose it due to the cold weather in your area.
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I'm not sure if I'm wise...... ::) but I'll put my $.02 in. There are a few here who have a Bullfrog spa and are happy with it. There are some good tubs out there on the market, so you'll have to shop around. This site will help you out in the decision making process.
I really didn't care about "bells and whistles" when I bought my tub. We wanted a quality product with a good warranty, reputatation, therapy, insulation, etc. We ended up a HotSpring Jetsetter and absolutely love it. The MotoMassage DX jet was definitely one of the selling points for us.
I'm sure there are numerous spa dealers in your area. My uncle ended up buying a Cal Spa in the Eden Prairie area and his family really likes it.
As far as your Minnesota winter's and tub insulation, most of the top tubs out there will suit you fine. Just don't ask about full foam vs. thermopane insulation here (if you want to know about it, do a search or look in the "beating a dead horse" forum). Good luck in your search!!
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Good morning!!
:)
I was directed here from another forum .... and I like the way you're set up here much better! But I'm a sucker for graphics.
My husband and I are really excited about buying our first spa. But we are lousy consumers! We've tried to gain some knowledge - but the spa market is quite confusing! We're both actors - so we really can't go crazy and buy the Mercedes of all Spas. But we do want to make a smart purchase.
So anyone who can comment on my questions -- jump in please!
1. Like I said, we are easily influenced by bells and whistles so we thought the Bullfrog was fun and interesting. But I hear a lot of neagtive talk about this brand. Can you tell me what the specific issues with this brand are? What are its drawbacks and problems?
2. What is the best round spa for 5-6 people?
3. Does anyone have suggestions or knowledge of good dealers here in Minnesota?
4. Are there brands we should avoid because of our FREEZING COLD winters? (We're planning on installing our spa in a new 3-season porch ... but there are still dreadful windchills here.)
Nice to meet you all ... and thanks in advance for any info you wanna pass along.
Red
1) I'm not completely sold on the Bullfrog idea but I'm not sure anyone is saying they are to be avoided. Check them out as well as others who may be in your area.
2) Are you sure you want a round spa. I know mnay like teh look but ergonomically, that is not the best weay to go which is why there are very few mid sizes round spas let alone the few that seat 5 to 6.
3) There are many manufacturers out there but here's a list I found on another post of many of the larger makers out there (sure, there are others as well) and they each seem to have good reputations. I'd check out the dealer locators on their websites to see if they have someone nearby:
http://www.arcticspas.com
http://www.calderaspas.com/Locator/index.html
http://www.colemanspas.com/content/show/home/
http://www.dimensiononespas.com/findadealer.asp
http://www.hotspring.com/index_spas_hot_spring.html
http://www.jacuzzi.com/products/
http://www.marquisspas.com/locator.asp
http://retailer.sundancespas.com/Retailers/index.php
4) Visit your local dealers, ask how long they've been around, how long they've carried the product, wet test, etc. All the above should be able to handle those mild Minnesta winters. ;)
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Welcome Redwright,
I am absolutely not wise, but that has never stopped me in the past from offering my opinion.
Why "round"? As mentioned, they're not as popular as they once were. I know that Nordic still makes some round tubs. Nordic is considered to be a lower end/entry level spa, but for the money, you could do worse. However, I would shop around first. (I had older used nordic and the insulation was non existent, and wouoldn't recomend them for cold weather).
IF you are open to other tubs that aren't round, you'll find many decent brands to choose from. do you have a price? I currently own a Tiger River hot tub, and although not round, it's a great unit, and a bit more affordable than some of the other tubs. :)
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An actor???
"Alas, poor Yorkie, I knew him well." I always wanted to be a Shakyspearin actor but couldn't master the accent nor discontinue the use of the word "tain't" during my soliloquy. Welcome to the forum!
This is the nicest round spa I have ever seen:
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b206/EastTexasSpa/roundone.jpg)
I tain't seemingly able to recall the brand, but it 'tis mighty loverly to beholden.
Terminator
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*laughing* I ASSUME that's a Hot Springs (see I'm smart enough to look at people's tags!) I'll check in with our dealer here. Although I'm bettin' it is out of my price range! We're trying to stay around 6K. Although that may be tough.
I'm also looking into the Marquis 520ML and the Dimensions Arena (thank you, Stuart.) Both of those dealers have been around a while too! (She can learn!)
Thank you for all the feedback.
Yes, we are both actors. And I'm actually DOING some of that Shakespeare next October (the SCOTTISH play) if anyone is in the neighborhood.
Red
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*laughing* I ASSUME that's a Hot Springs (see I'm smart enough to look at people's tags!)
I come to bury the competition, not to praise them! Forsooth, the aforementioned vessel wouldst not make the grade as a HotSpring Spa due to the nefarious placement of vile and deceitful bypass valves throughout thine footwell! And wherefore art the drain, my love? 'Tis not in thine bottom where it shouldst dwell. Far be it for me to endorse such a travesty.
Farewell, farewell, parting is such sweet sorrow....
Terminatorpus Rex
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I come to bury the competition, not to praise them! Forsooth, the aforementioned vessel wouldst not make the grade as a HotSpring Spa due to the nefarious placement of vile and deceitful bypass valves throughout thine footwell! And wherefore art the drain, my love? 'Tis not in thine bottom where it shouldst dwell. Far be it for me to endorse such a travesty.
Farewell, farewell, parting is such sweet sorrow....
Terminatorpus Rex
Hey Term, I'll be in Longview tomorrow and might stop by. Will you be in?
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There's a lot of HotSpring people around here, but go talk to some dealers. See if they have a fat book of thank you notes and "I love you's" from present owners. Start with their website first. The dealer makes the spa. I just opened a new store in an area next to me where the EX-HS dealer had been porking its customers for the last 8 years....so the dealer makes the difference, they make a spa easy to use. Or you end up finding a nice forum like this where everyone will help make the spa fun and easy to use.
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Hey Term, I'll be in Longview tomorrow and might stop by. Will you be in?
'Tis but a song upon the wind as to where I may alight. My soul in all it's frailty leads me to other shores, but for you, my undying love will restrain my flight from this prison and I shall await your arrival with a warm heart and cold beer.
Yep, I'll be here. :)
Termeo
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Alot of people on this forum will tell you to buy this or that, and generally they are looking out for your best interest and steering you to good, well known brands (hotsprings, arctic, D-1, jacuzzi, etc.), and these good, well known brands are great tubs but are usually on the higher priced side.
I think there are smaller companies who are overlooked but still make great tubs at great prices. Look into Viking Spas, they are in Grand Rapids Michigan, your neck of the woods. We have one here in PA that I feel is well built, has enough bells and whistles, and even though it's their top of the line model it is probably well within your price range. Mine is not round, but they have several round models well below $5K, maybe below $3K.
After buying mine last summer and then listening to endless conversation on here about how "off-brand" tubs will cost you more due to poor insulation I was scared to open my last electric bill. Through the last "month" in PA we were below freezing average temperature for 35 consecutive days, many days only single digits, and my electric bill was only up like $50 over normal, I was jumping for joy.
I think my tub was a steal, well-known brands with the features I got would have cost me nearly double what I paid. I don't deny that the commonly recommended tubs are great tubs, but don't automatically discount the "off-brands" such as Viking or Bullfrog or whatever.
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Dear Gawd ... I've opened a can o' shakespearian worms! ;D
HTPB, I hear what you're saying about the dealer -- and I will definitely bear that in mind as we begin this journey.
And NittanyLion, I'm not discounting that Bullfrog until someone gives me a sturdy reason not to continue to keep it on the list! We did look at Viking and CalSpa already. But both dealers turned us off REAL fast.
Thanks! What fun.
Red
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I would have several concerns over Bullfrog but the biggest on in your area would be that in order for that system to work you have a "trunk line" feeding the jetpacks along the top of the shell where the shell tapers into the cabinet. This line is more likely to fail than any other part of the spa due to the fact that it has movable unions at several points. The problem here is that it has less insulation and is harder to get to than any other piece of plumbing in the spa.
My estimate is that you won't see a failure in that hose until the month after the warranty runs out! ;)
You also won't get nearly the performance overall in that system as you will most other systems due to the fact that you need to share several manifold processes in the same line.
I'm also intrigued by that round spa Term...What brand is it?
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http://www.aqua-whirlpools.de/aqua_whirlpool/whirlpool_universum_spa/whirlpool_universum_spa.html
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http://www.aqua-whirlpools.de/aqua_whirlpool/whirlpool_universum_spa/whirlpool_universum_spa.html
Das ist sehr interessant!
[size=9]Massagebad Techniker t.u.o.[/size]
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THANK YOU! That's exactly what I was looking for on the Bullfrog. Makes total sense. I will spout all that information back at Himself (and act like I'm REALLY smart.)
[size=9]he sent me the photo of a german spa??? [/size] ::)
*grumble*
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Gunter glieben glauchen globen!
Terminachtung!
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geeeeeeeez......ask a simple question and wow what a headache from reading all the convolutions. As a dealer mind you......the California Cooperage # 103 is a tight round spa. could run you high high 3's to mid 4's......freeze protection ask your local dealer.....as i am in fla. and am happy to be clueless about that. tornados, hurricanes, gators v. buckeyes...those are issue i can help you with.......
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I would have several concerns over Bullfrog but the biggest on in your area would be that in order for that system to work you have a "trunk line" feeding the jetpacks along the top of the shell where the shell tapers into the cabinet. This line is more likely to fail than any other part of the spa due to the fact that it has movable unions at several points. The problem here is that it has less insulation and is harder to get to than any other piece of plumbing in the spa.
My estimate is that you won't see a failure in that hose until the month after the warranty runs out! ;)
You also won't get nearly the performance overall in that system as you will most other systems due to the fact that you need to share several manifold processes in the same line.
Stuart,
I normally agree with most of your posts but this one really lost me. If you think about it, all tubs share the same manifold ie. the pump volute. Any tubs water/jet pressure is reliant on the pump volute design and the impellors ability to move water. That being said, our tub has 4 jetpacks with one 4.8 hp pump and provides a more powerful massage then alot of other tubs I have been in.
Redwright,
Bullfrog makes a very good tub, they use the same high quality components as the other guys. Bullfrog uses Aquaflo pumps, Balboa controls, Dell ozone generators, Waterway jets, etc. etc. they also come with a very good warranty. We have had ours for about a year now and are very happy.
In the past Bullfrog may have had a problem with the water behind the jetpacks not being properly circulated, they have corrected this with the addition of a 3/8" line in behind the jetpack to keep the water there circulated and chlorinated. I personally would include Bullfrog with the likes of Caldera, Coleman, Marquis, Epic etc. They are not in the same boat as Hot Springs, Sundance and high end Jacuzzi but they are cheaper!
As far as the insulation goes, our tub has added about $20 to $25 per month to our electric bill over this winter and I'm sure that is lower than alot of other peoples. We were told to expect $30 or $1 per day and have been pleasantly surprised. We are located in Southwestern Ontario, so our winters are simalar.
Some of the best advise you can get is to wet test the tubs you are looking at, make sure you fit and that your comfortable, then you can determine what is best for you
Good luck in your search
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My husband and I are really excited about buying our first spa....we do want to make a smart purchase.
So anyone who can comment on my questions -- jump in please!
1. Like I said, we are easily influenced by bells and whistles so we thought the Bullfrog was fun and interesting. But I hear a lot of negative talk about this brand. Can you tell me what the specific issues with this brand are? What are its drawbacks and problems?
2. What is the best round spa for 5-6 people?
3. Does anyone have suggestions or knowledge of good dealers here in Minnesota?
4. Are there brands we should avoid because of our FREEZING COLD winters? (We're planning on installing our spa in a new 3-season porch ... but there are still dreadful windchills here.)
Nice to meet you all ... and thanks in advance for any info you wanna pass along.
Red
Welcome to the forum; we wish you happy spa shopping.
Arctic Spas has dealers in Burnsville and Dundas, MN, and if one of those is convenient you might take a look at the new Coyote line. Not much for bells and whistles, but there are some nice models--including some round ones--that offer good thermal efficiency in the price range you've quoted.
Other readers are invited to check out the new line too. I think they're pretty snazzy, but I'll admit to being biased!
http://www.coyotespas.com
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(http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r165/tileman_photos/rthrthrthrth.jpg)
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Another Minnesotan joins the board!!! Welcome Redwright!
I can't comment about the other brands, but I can comment about Valley Pools and Spas.
Which location are you looking at? I bought from Andover and the people over there are great, they've been in business for 25+ years. They are always very helpful when I call with questions and the times that I've needed service, they were out promptly. Dennis and Rich are the service techs and Rich also sells at the Andover location on Sundays. (at least he did the last time I saw him) They are awesome! You can't go wrong with Valley or the Marquis brand.
Good Luck!
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Ruby! I just talked to Valley Pool yesterday! And, yes, they were adorable and very helpful. We're heading over there once my husband gets his current show open this weekend.
And I love the photo, WN!
Good morning everyone. :D
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As far as Bullfrogs spas, I can recall a few posters who had Bullfrog spas saying overall they were happy with them, but as far as the jet packs, they found that they never changed them out. So if you are thinking you'd buy a BF because you can change and upgrade the packs, I've nerver heard of anyone actaully doing that.
Just a data point to consider.
By a spa that fits you and has a nice variety of jets and seating options.
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In_Canada
I'm glad that we share viewpoints on other things...Just about everyone here has agreed with me once in awhile and disagreed with me probably just as much. Seeing someone else’s reality is one of the hardest things to do in life especially when their reality challenges you personal choices.
Putting a Circ pump on to get circulation around hoses that will get stagnant floating in the stew is nothing more than a bandage for a design flaw. Why would you add more systems to fail like extra pumps and plumbing? Doesn't that go against the philosophy of exterior plumbing? Do you honestly believe that with all that plumbing floating in the water a circ pump will get to every nook and cranny?
If an auto manufacture suggested that we start putting the hoses inside the engine where the fluids could cause deterioration on both sides we would laugh at them.
If you've been around the service end of the industry long you will see that when you have to replace plumbing the wear is not on the outside that is exposed to air and foam but it deteriorates from the inside where the water and chemicals can corrode it over time. That "outer shell" on a plumbing line is many times the one thing that extends the life of the hose. fully immersing it in the medium that causes corrosion when you don't have to is poor engineering.
Again that trunk line is very difficult to get to up under the lip and again it is much closer to the outside cold on top than it would be down in the cabinet area. That can add to cost of operation and even freezing at times.
Anyone that owns a spa in a cold climate has turned on the jets once in awhile and gotten a short blast of cooler water on really cold days from water in the pipes closer to the outside that sat for a few hours.
BF knocked on our door for 2 years and gave us thier pitch then begged us for a year to help them on service. It's rare that we turn down a mass service oppertunity but we didn't want to go there.
It's a great salespitch and the benifit of being able to customize the spa at the time of purchase is cool but the design has to many long term variables open to failure for me to ever endorse it.
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Does Bullfrog even make a round tub?
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Oh I almost forgot! Every JetPack requires a manifold to opperate. In fact the top of every Jetpack is a manifold that is more subject to movement and corrosion than most other systems.
Not only are the manifolds subject to the movement of the water in the hoses attached but now unlike a manifold with hoses attached that is held firm by foam the hoses are "flopping" in a stew of chlorinated water creating more movement at the manifold joint than just about any other system. All in all it sounds more like a marketing design than an engineering design.
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Stuart, I have read enough of your posts to know that you are trying to offer an honest assesment on a product in hopes of helping people make a good purchase decision. It is obvious that you aren't impressed by Bullfrog:o, but I have to wonder if it has been around long enough for your concerns to be proven valid? I don't have any skin in this discussion, but I have counseled folks in the past not to take criticism of the brand they purchased personally. I realize that InCanada brought some of this on by comparing Bullfrog to Caldera and Marquis, and implying that HS, Sundance, and Jacuzzi were a cut above those other respected brands. I appreciate your knowledge, experience and input... but in this case, this much negative discussion of a brand (that doesn't appear to even make a round tub, which was the original request) seems a little like going out of your way to tell someone that their child is ugly.;)
As far as the design "flaws", couldn't they also be viewed as "compromises" necessary to give the benefit of changeable packs? To me, each manufacturer/design has some compromises built in. For example:
- FF tubs with the equipment compartment more exposed to the elements vs TP tubs with motors in a hot working environment.
- 100% no-bypass limiting water flow and perhaps jet pressures bypass tubs with unfiltered water moving through the system
- Neckflex pillows and Motomessage jets with movable parts and hoses exposed to water much as your bullfrog manifold example, but unique massage.
- Pumps for individual seats vs diverters and the issues with each.
- Disposable filters that may restrict water flow and cost more, but provide convenience and perhaps better filtering.
The list could go on and on, but in each case a proponent of one feature could view the other as a design flaw driven by marketing.
IMO, people shopping for a tub need to decide what is important to them, consider what the compromises are, and decide what best fits their needs. If seating flexibility/customization is a major concern, perhaps the other design concerns are worth living with.
Just my 2 cents. :)
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"Again that trunk line is very difficult to get to up under the lip and again it is much closer to the outside cold on top than it would be down in the cabinet area. That can add to cost of operation and even freezing at times."
This is kinda HUGE to us Northerners. Our spa will be on an enclosed porch with only a corn stove for heat. So the idea of freezing things ..... yeah ... that's pretty high on the list of worries.
Right now (Wet tests may change my mind) the Marquis is the most attractive for our project!
But I am learning TONS just listening to you guys!
Red
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REdwright,
Is a round tub critical to your design? That's really limiting your choices. Why round? Esthics? If so, there are sights showing some stunning installs with square tubs...some mounted flush to a deck, some slighty abouve it...
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I would suggest,don't get locked into 1 brand/spa etc. I would do some research,and most importantly,WET-TEST!!!
The bells and whistles are just that,and I personally could live without em. I have a 2 speakers mounted on our wall by the pool,and it gives us more than ample sound while using the spa.
Take your time,and try to check out any and all dealers in your area. Don't rush the buyer process,as you will be living/stuck with your choice...for 7+ years or longer.
Lastly,did I mention WET-TEST? Dry test at the very least,if you're shy bout being in a tub at a showroom.
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Doi. As Tex is my witness, we won't buy ANYTHING without getting in it first. Cross my heart!
And no ... we LIKE the round tubs purely for aesthetic reasons. But y'all are right. Not many to be found and very few jets in the ones I have located. The porch we are adding is only 11.5' x 14' -- so I need a fairly small footprint.
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It's a great salespitch and the benifit of being able to customize the spa at the time of purchase is cool but the design has to many long term variables open to failure for me to ever endorse it.
Stuart,
I'll take your critisism but will respectivly disagree on some of your points. However, I do admit that Bullfrog is a new company and only time will tell if your points are valid.
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Hi:
We are new to tubbing, got ours in July '06.
Definately not an expert, and didn't do alot of comparison shopping as we are in norhtern Wisconsin and not many dealers here.
The tub we bought was Pacific Spa, made by Aber Mfg. in B.C. Canada.
So far we are absolutely pleased with this tub.
I was concerned about how it would do in really cold weather, it has been great!
The coldest I've tubbed in so far was -14 F. (actual temp. not wind chill).
Have not had any problems with our tub so far.
There aren't a lot of Pacific dealers in the U.S. but I think there is one in MN.
They have a Web Site at Pacific Spas
Good luck and happy tubbing.
Orangepeel
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Doi. As Tex is my witness, we won't buy ANYTHING without getting in it first. Cross my heart!
Verily I say unto thee, a joyful witness for you...I'll be. Tempt not the fates of discord pure...my love, my love, of this be sure. Beauty lies within thine eyes...er' round or square, pick thine own prize. 'Tis you and yours to simply please...my love I serve from humbled knees.
Check this critter out:
http://solanaspas.com/showroom_rx.html
The Merchant of East Texas, Act IV, Scene 1.5
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Verily I say unto thee, a joyful witness for you...I'll be. Tempt not the fates of discord pure...my love, my love, of this be sure. Beauty lies within thine eyes...er' round or square, pick thine own prize. 'Tis you and yours to simply please...my love I serve from humbled knees.
Check this critter out:
http://solanaspas.com/showroom_rx.html
The Merchant of East Texas, Act IV, Scene 1.5
WOW! I just had a vision of Term dressed up as Hamlet, Shakespearean tights and all :o I think I need a drink ;D
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The Shakespeare is KILLING me! ;D
Just wanted to stop in and say -- WE'RE DOING OUR FIRST WET TEST TONIGHT!!
On a Tiger River Bengal.
The first of many! I'm gonna check out Pacific Spa too now....
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The first of many! I'm gonna check out Pacific Spa too now....
There are happy owners of just about every brand. With all due respect to Orangepeel and Pacific, I wouldn't search out a spa just because of one positive post. Previous threads of "Which brand should I look at?" have brought out laundry lists of spas, all of which are worthy of consideration. IMO, you are much better off to look at the dealers/brands in the area, and narrow it down from there. What part of the Twin Cities are you located in?
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We are true inner-city dwellers. Suburb distainers.
You know ..... I've been looking online at spas and THEN if I see one I think would suit I look for dealers. And I look for dealers who have been in business for some goodly amount of time. So far both dealers with whom we are scheduled to do a wet test have been in business for over fifteen years. And their brands are tried and true as well.
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Doi. As Tex is my witness, we won't buy ANYTHING without getting in it first. Cross my heart!
And no ... we LIKE the round tubs purely for aesthetic reasons. But [glow]y'all[/glow] are right. Not many to be found and very few jets in the ones I have located. The porch we are adding is only 11.5' x 14' -- so I need a fairly small footprint.
There must be a tear in the universe. Term is talking like a thesbian and our thesbian is talking like Term. Redwright I hope you don't come down wif' da fidgets. ;D
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We are true inner-city dwellers. Suburb distainers. You know ..... I've been looking online at spas and THEN if I see one I think would suit I look for dealers.
Well, I live in the suburbs west of you-- but don't have any "distain" for you folks in the city. ;) The only reason I asked where you live was because I personally wouldn't be interested in a dealer 40 miles away. It is amazing how poorly distributed dealers are in this area, with some major brands with only one dealer located in a far corner of metro, and others with several shops but only on one side of town. If you are interested in a specific dealer in the western suburbs, I may be able to offer some insight.
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... thesbian...
Sometimes I wish this software included a spell-checker -- but it wouldn't be nearly as funny! ;D
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Well, I live in the suburbs west of you-- but don't have any "distain" for you folks in the city. ;) The only reason I asked where you live was because I personally wouldn't be interested in a dealer 40 miles away. It is amazing how poorly distributed dealers are in this area, with some major brands with only one dealer located in a far corner of metro, and others with several shops but only on one side of town. If you are interested in a specific dealer in the western suburbs, I may be able to offer some insight.
I was totally being tongue in cheek too! Everyone knows that artists are notoriously poor. (OR cheap?) Hence the faux snobbiness!
I was kind of taken aback about the lack of certain brands around here too. We're going to the Hot Springs on HWY. 101 and 7 tonight. And to Valley in Andover to look at the Marquis soon. Any info on either of those dealerships would be WELCOME! (And any others that you think are good/bad -- spill, baby!) I chose those two because they've been in business 4-ever.
:)
Red
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The Pacific Spa dealer is in Maple Grove on 16445 County Rd Second Wind Exercise
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The Minnetonka store is not far from me. It used to be a branch of an Iowa HS dealer, I don't know if it still is (haven't been there since we last shopped for a tub, a couple of years ago). I assume their east Metro store is the main location, because the Minnetonka location didn't appear to have much service capability, but the manager at the time was a nice, low pressure salesperson. They have access to a lot of used tubs through their Iowa franchise, if money is an issue and you are interested in going that route. I had the impression that their prices were on the high side, but didn't negotiate to find out what the bottom line was. Valley also has a store in Burnsville, or at least used to. I've heard good things about them, and I really like the product they carry, but I don't have any personal experience to report. There are only a couple of dealers that I came across that I would steer you away from, but I'd just as soon not do that in the public forum, nor take the time to talk about brands/dealers that aren't of interest to you. Feel free to PM me if your search widens.
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There are happy owners of just about every brand. With all due respect to Orangepeel and Pacific, I wouldn't search out a spa just because of one positive post. Previous threads of "Which brand should I look at?" have brought out laundry lists of spas, all of which are worthy of consideration. IMO, you are much better off to look at the dealers/brands in the area, and narrow it down from there. What part of the Twin Cities are you located in?
With all due respect Reese, Pacific has been producing tubs for over 30 years and will match the quality of any tub on the market. Just because you havent heard of them is no reason for others not too try them. pacificspas.ca
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The Pacific Spa dealer is in Maple Grove on 16445 County Rd Second Wind Exercise
They were a Jacuzzi dealer the last time I was in six months ago. I don't know if Pacific is an additional line or a replacement.
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With all due respect Reese, Pacific has been producing tubs for over 30 years and will match the quality of any tub on the market. Just because you havent heard of them is no reason for others not too try them. pacificspas.ca
Sorry Pathfinder, I wasn't dissing Pacific, rather suggesting that if Red expands her list every time a single recommendation comes in, she will never get to the end of the shopping experience. :-/
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I do see your point that respect
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Well, we wet tested two spas last night and now I know what we DO like and what we don't!
We tested the Hot Spring Envoy (No Prodigy filled) and the Tiger River Caspian. And both of us were under-impressed with the lounger and both of us adored the foot dome in the Caspian. A.Lot.
We were also quite happy with the dealer. Informative and not pushy. He seemed genuinely concerned with what we were looking for. Talented guy.
Back at it tonight ... I'll report back (although I know this is only exciting to me!!) What a blast!
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What's on the line up for tonight? :)
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Well, here's the skinny. :)
Tonight we are testing the Vita Spa Nuage and Fontaine.
After that -- I have the following earmarked:
Coast Spa - Bahama
Sundance - Chelsee
Marquis and Bullfrog have no foot domes and the Pacific "dealer" is no longer carrying spas. Hm. CalSpa has a model with a foot dome .... but the dealer here really put us off. So that will be last.
And just so no one shouts at me ;) we are evaluating the dealers along with their spas! Time in business, service, attitude. FUN!
That will be it until the weekend. The hubby goes back on stage after two dark days each week.
Red
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Marquis doesn't have a foot dome (at least not the Epic) but it does have 2 seats where you can enjoy a very good foot massage.
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With the Minneapolis Homeshow this weekend, stop by and look at everybody, but beware, it's like a feeding frenzy in there.
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Oooooooooh. Home Show! Eeeeeee. I've never been. I may just brave the crowds -- and not just for the spas!
We sure were not impressed with the Vita Spas (or the salesman) We wet tested the Nuage (TOO BIG & NOISY!!) And then we tested the Fountaine - which seemed to have all this undirected power but no real comfort. And although they both had the foot dome, theirs have a "volcano" on top. We didn't like it.
And they were "foamy." Can anyone explain that phenomenon to me?
The salesman was not very informed, a little vague and then at the end he pushed. And ...... we are mules.
Next is Sundance. But they're gonna have a hard time getting our focus off the Caspian. We really liked that spa. Quiet, clear, powerful enough ... but also easily modulated. And the sales & service at that dealership seems great.
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Rightwing, did you get a chance to test the Chelsee last night? I'm curious on how you liked it compared to the Caspian. :)
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We're in the middle of a snow storm here. >:( And now the husband's show is back up and running ... so we won't get a chance to do any more *research* until the weekend during the day. Unless performances get cancelled! (I'm horrible -- he gets paid either way!)
Is it kosher to ask about price on here? I think the Caspian is being offered at a really decent price .... but what do I know.
:)
GOOD MORNING!!
Red
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We're in the middle of a snow storm here. >:( And now the husband's show is back up and running ... so we won't get a chance to do any more *research* until the weekend during the day. Unless performances get cancelled! (I'm horrible -- he gets paid either way!)
Is it kosher to ask about price on here? I think the Caspian is being offered at a really decent price .... but what do I know.
:)
GOOD MORNING!!
Red
Talking price is legit. Although sometimes frustrating. Dealers report different prices by region and thier overhead and operating exspenses differ greatly. So a Caspian in Boston might be different than a Caspain in Baton Rouge. And ...are you ready for a shock? Even different dealers in the same area can vary. So it's wise to shop around. When comparing tub prices keep in mind the whole deal
-lifter, cover, steps, delivery, ozinators.
I picked my 05 Caspain for 7000 +tx. That includedsteps. cover lifter, delivery and O3. I was shooting the crap with my dealer the other day, and she mentioned the 07's are going out her door for around $7500. So, for what it's worth, there are some data points for you.
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Well, I did call another dealership that is slightly outside our area (like around 2 hours) and his price was just a little higher. But we LIKE these guys in town. And they've been in business for a long time. HUGE points in their favor. They are asking $7,250 ... and that includes everything. This is an '06 model.
The Sundance is really the only one we are still set on testing. The others we'd talked about do not have the options we have discovered we like. The Coast dealer didn't even know his Bahama spa HAD a foot dome. But two things -- its too expensive AND the "volcano" feature in the foot dome (Vita had this) was not to our liking either. The dealer actually said, "Well, you only buy one spa in your life ...." Huh? :o Wow ... and that's a reason to hock the kids?
Anyone in the area..... go see "Act a Lady" at Illusion Theatre. My old man got great reviews this week. He's a 6'3" pure-d HAM!
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Well, I did call another dealership that is slightly outside our area (like around 2 hours) and his price was just a little higher. But we LIKE these guys in town. And they've been in business for a long time. HUGE points in their favor. They are asking $7,250 ... and that includes everything. This is an '06 model.
The Sundance is really the only one we are still set on testing. The others we'd talked about do not have the options we have discovered we like. The Coast dealer didn't even know his Bahama spa HAD a foot dome. But two things -- its too expensive AND the "volcano" feature in the foot dome (Vita had this) was not to our liking either. The dealer actually said, "Well, you only buy one spa in your life ...." Huh? :o Wow ... and that's a reason to hock the kids?
Anyone in the area..... go see "Act a Lady" at Illusion Theatre. My old man got great reviews this week. He's a 6'3" pure-d HAM!
I do understand what the dealer is saying as far as "you only buy one spa in your life", as a quality spa will be with you for many years, and it's legitiamate to consider that when making your choice. Upgrading here and there can be a nice investment, that you will enjoy for years to come...but on the flip side, a budget is a budget and it's easy to go over board, and the next thing you know, your $7500 budget is closer to 9K. PErsonaly if you are on a tighter budget, don't pony up for fancy lights, steroes, waterfalls, and remotes. But if tub X fits you and hubsand like a glove, and it something you think you will truely enjoy for years to come, spending the extra $500 is worth a few minutes of seriouus discusion about it.
Pay attention, take your time, be comfortable with your choice. :) just don't be caught doing this:
(http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j61/GodlikeMoron/brain.gif)
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But we LIKE these guys in town. And they've been in business for a long time. HUGE points in their favor.
Absofrigginlutely. It shouldn't be at the very top of your list of importanace but it should be up there and you should also take into account how long they've sold the particular brand you're considering.