Real word on Jacuzzi Spas

[Wisoki]

On a side note, here in middle America, you're better off selling products built and assembled in the good ol' US of A. I liked the Beachcombers, a lot, but every dealer here hollers about that made in the USA label. Royal shouts it the loudest because they are made here in Indiana.

[Lori]

Ultimatly it came down to what I thought was a great product being presented to me be an individual that I liked.  

Isn't that what we all look for, even as consumers?

Your welcome, Wisoki!    I wish you every success with Catalina!!

[johnnythunders]

Called a Spa repairman and asked a few questions and he told me don't buy a Jacuzzi because of their problems.Until I told him it was a Jacuzzi Premium and he tod me they are good spas and don't have much trouble with them.He thought i was going to go to home Depot or lowes and get one lol.I asked him about American Pools in Allentown and their Diamante spas and he said they are JUNK.People should call a few repair guys up and see what they say about a spa that you might buy in the future.Johnny Thunders

[superted]

I just had a panel open on a 2004 J-365. It has 2-2.5 hp continuous duty motors made by Emerson (4.2 bhp) and a large wet end that does not say Jacuzzi on it nor does it say sundance. Possible they both use the same? Jacuzzi does now have fluidix jets like sundance.

[johnnythunders]

Thanks for  the infro Superted,,,,,,I looked at them too and they say Jacuzzi on them.maybe they are useing a few different brands.naaaaaa JohnnyThunders

[Chas]

Back when I sold "Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath" portable spas, they had a very unique pump. It was built for volume, not pressure. The whole spa was built for volume: 2" plumbing, doubled 45 degree elbows instead of 90 degree fittings (better flow), 2" heater housings with a full 2" bypass, huge suction fittings, multiple filters in open-front boxes, etc. etc.

And the jets worked like nothing else on the market - it took the rest of industry a while to catch up, and in some folk's minds, they never did. Why do you think the Watkins brothers worked so hard to create the Moto Massage jet? To offer something close to these monster jets that moved so very much water, quietly, and without poking or prodding.

At the same time, there was another division of the great Jacuzzi empire which was building filters, jets, pumps and other fittings to be sold to other tub makers. They simply said "Jacuzzi" on them, and the company behind these generic parts was "Jacuzzi Brothers."

There were even HotSpring spas built with Jacuzzi pumps, (the Jetsetter, Personal and Home spas to be exact) and some Jacuzzi jets back then. But those pump were not of the same high-volume configuration found under a "Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath" spa. They were fine parts, and did a fine job, but they were more directly comparable to an AquaFlo or Hayward pump - not at all like the special high volume jobs under the skirts of the JWB tubs I had on my showroom floor.

So when Wisoki tells you that they have changed pumps, don't go peek under a new tub, see a "Jacuzzi" sticker somewhere and surmise that he's lost it. He hasn't. And I fully understand why he has made the switch he has made, and I honor him for it.

And if you could have wet-tested a spa before the change and after the change, you would do the same.

[windsurfdog]

Wisoki,

You may not want to elaborate and I certainly respect that but my curiousity has the best of me........
What did the Coleman sales manager do to turn you off so abruptly?  Sounds like he really went out of his way to spoil your relationship.

[spahappy]

Wisoki,

You may not want to elaborate and I certainly respect that but my curiousity has the best of me........
What did the Coleman sales manager do to turn you off so abruptly?  Sounds like he really went out of his way to spoil your relationship.

 Wisoki,
     I'm kinda afraid to ask but I'd like to know too. Sounds like Coleman lost out on this one. With your experience you would have been a great spokesman.
     I"ve been reading your posts for awhile and feel your fair and well versed in this industry. So sorry things went South.

                           Spahappy

[Wisoki]

OK, here's the deal. The area rep sold me on the Coleman product. I liked a many of the features. The Galvalume story, with the abs base, which was a Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath innovation that LOTS of companys used to sell against but are now employing. I liked the brand name recognition of Coleman as well. Who doesn't know coleman camping goods. So I signed a contract and ordered my first 10 Coleman spas. About 2 days later they fired my rep. This means nothing to me, as I've been selling spas for 12 or so years. I have yet to see a rep stand on a sales floor and take a check for a spa. They all say the same thing."Oh, there WENT a buyer, they'll BE BACK." Yeah right WHATEVER. I digress. They (Coleman) already had a new rep in place, so this was obviously (to me anyway) planed. So the "eastern reigon sales executive" (nice title, huh?) brought the new rep in to meet me, both of them for the first time. They made an appointment to meet at 4 o'clock. At 2 o'clock I had a customer in the store at a time in which I was manning all posts! Well, lo and behold, look who's 2 hours early for their appointment. No biggie right, except we all know a spa presentation can take about 30 to 60 or more minutes. So instead of saying, "hey, were gunna get some lunch see you in a while" they procede to make themselvs at home and begin going into rooms in which they have no authority to enter unless escorted. Well, I finised with my customer, and addressed them. We sat and talked very politly. They said they were not comfortable giving me such a large teritory. Being all of Indianapolis, and points N, S, E and W. "Mind you" they say, "we are not activly seeking other dealers for this area, but we can't tie up that much territory with one dealer. I said, "I understand that, lets see what you've got for me." They showd me my new territory, which basicly cut INdy in half and gave me the northern and eastern quadrant. I said "OK" to be polite, because at this point my blood pressure was at about 199 over 150. Signed another contract shook hands and said adios. At the very second they left my store, I called the factory and canceled my order, stating " if those spas show up, I will refuse the shipment." And now they have NO representation in this area, and let me tell you, nobody in Indiana is looking to open up ANOTHER spa store, or take on another line. The sundance dealer has been selling sundance here for almost 20 years. The HS guy has 2 stores, I dont think he's switching. Then we've got Watsons, who with their multimillion dollar advertizing budget, sells Artesian, Calspas, exSPAdition (LMAO) and Viking, and Spa Depot (again LMAO) and Royal (ROFLMAO) who builds their spas here in Indy with technology that is 25-30 years old. You know push button pnumatic controlls and mechanical relays. This market is saturated. Not enough people for all these brands and stores. So, I called back the Catalina rep, he came back in, we went over the product some more and heck, I like them. Good looking units with options from a basic spa to every bell and whistle thought of in the industry. I also happened to like the rep. A no bullshit straight forword guy. So, now I am a Catalina dealer. Catalina has some brand name recognition of their own, anybody into boats has probably looked at a few Catalina boats, same company. I'm still waiting on my first shipment, come on guys IM READY, but still have a few of thos other spas I used to sell LOL.

[Chas]

Wow - I have had amazingly similar experiences over the years.

Best of luck with Catalina: and I have to admit I never knew that they were the same company as the boats: I have owned a Catalina!