Fix or buy a new hot tub

[davidgator]

I have a Hot Spring Grandee hot tub.  It is about 12 years old.  In the past 2 months, I've replaced the thermostat and 2 neaters.  This past week it developed a leak which led to it turning itself off which led to it freezing solid.  Our technician defrosted the hot tub and it is up and running again.  The leak is not massive, but it will need to be fixed.  I'm told the cost to fix the leak is at least $600 and could be much more.

So, do I invest another $600 or more to fix the leak in a 12 year old hot tub or is it time to spend $8,000 or so on a new hot tub?

Is it possible to just keep replacing parts and have a Hot Springs Grandee run for many more years?

Please share your advice.   Thank you.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

A lot of this is going to depend on your own financial situation, if you can swing the 7-10k and you and/or your family absolutely love the hottub then it might be something to look into, but if your not comfortable dropping that kind of money at this point I would look at fixing.  I know you said he had fixed the leak, but sometimes when a tub freezes solid pipes could have been damaged therefore causing more leaks to show up down the road, so that is something to consider, your $600 could turn into another $600 a couple weeks from now, or your tub could stay leak free and last another 10 years.  These are just a couple things to think about, I am in no position to "tell" you what to do.  good luck

[soak-king]

The answer really depends on your position and preferences.

Replacement parts for your current tub are available and I'm sure you will get many more years of enjoyment from it. If you can afford it and you like the newer spa designs and tech advancements then I say go for it! The newer spas have a lot to offer that the older ones didn't.  

Again, it really depends on what you want to do and what you are willing / able to do. If $ is not a problem, I would jump into a new one without hesitation.  

[davidgator]

Thank you for your replies.  Maybe some more information will help other forum members provide me their opinions.  The hot tub is at a rental property that I rent on a daily basis (about 200 days a year).  I personally do not get much of an opportunity to enjoy the hot tub (maybe 10 times a year max).  Therefore, updated features, new designs and and new bells and whistles are not important to me at all.

I simply need a hot tub that runs so that my renters are not disappointed and my management company is not terribly inconvenienced by repeated breakdowns. 

My decision really comes down to whether (i) fixing a hot tub this old after freezing and getting more good years of it operating is possible and (ii) how long can I realistically expect a 12 year old Hot Spring Grandee to last.

Thank  you!!

 

[soak-king]

This is a pretty difficult question to answer.

If it had not been for the freeze I would say you could just replace the needed parts and keep on going, but like TwinCitiesHotSpring said you might find that more repairs are needed in short order after the initial repairs are made. 

If the spa has been maintained properly (not always the case in a rental) I have seen 20+ year old HotSpring spas working just fine.

I wish you the best of luck whichever way you decide to go. 

[davidgator]

I just received great news.  My hot tub is no longer leaking.  My technician beleives that when one of the new heaters was installed it was not installed properly and that this led to my leak, which led to the low water level, which led to the hot tub turning off, which led to my hot tub freezing. 

It has now been 3 days since the hot tub was defrosted and it is running perfectly.  So now my question changes.

My Hot Springs Grandee is about 12 years old.  The thermostat and 2 heatesrs were replaced in the last 6 weeks. 

Does any one have any estimates I may be able to expect this to last.  I mean is 15 or more years reasonable if I simply keep replacing parts?   If not, I'll start shopping for a new hot tub and plan to replace it in March when I visit the rental property.

Thank you.

[TwinCitiesHotSpring]

Thank you for your replies.  Maybe some more information will help other forum members provide me their opinions.  The hot tub is at a rental property that I rent on a daily basis (about 200 days a year).  I personally do not get much of an opportunity to enjoy the hot tub (maybe 10 times a year max).  Therefore, updated features, new designs and and new bells and whistles are not important to me at all.

I simply need a hot tub that runs so that my renters are not disappointed and my management company is not terribly inconvenienced by repeated breakdowns. 

My decision really comes down to whether (i) fixing a hot tub this old after freezing and getting more good years of it operating is possible and (ii) how long can I realistically expect a 12 year old Hot Spring Grandee to last.

Thank  you!!

 

knowing this I fix the grandee before even considering something new.  Also when it does come time to replace I'm def. not putting an 8k+ spa at a rental property, I would look at some "budget" offerings in the 4-7k range, just my opinion...and as far as how long it should last? well tough question to answer, we have plenty of customers with Hot Springs that are 20+ years old

[Spatech_tuo]

Does any one have any estimates I may be able to expect this to last.  I mean is 15 or more years reasonable if I simply keep replacing parts?   If not, I'll start shopping for a new hot tub and plan to replace it in March when I visit the rental property.

Thank you.

If its running now go with it. That kind of spa lasts 15+ years regularly and it sounds like you had little trouble until lately which should have been a simple fix if done propelry the first time.

[watzup]

If it ain't broke...don't try to replace it.    I would continue on until the next problem, determine the cost for that fix and then decide to replace or fix. 

[wmccall]

Factor in operating costs of a 15 year old HS design, which I know nothing about, vs a smaller tub (my assumption since you said 7 or 8 grand).