1st time buyer...narrowed to 3 choices...help please

[cstew74]

First of all, long time lurker and I have been doing extensive research and shopping hot tubs of multiple stores. The hot tub will be for my wife and I 90% of the time with 2 teenage boys that will be in it from time to time. I have not wet tested any of these, but will be doing so before purchasing.

All 3 of these hot tubs are from a store that is locally owned by a husband/wife team and have been extremely helpful in the store and even texting me pics of hot tubs and installation jobs they have recently completed. We feel very comfortable with them. (I actually taught the husband in high school:). He is offering me a 5% for being a teacher, which helps out quite a bit.

Our budget is $8,000, but willing to stretch a little if needed.

Here are my 3 choices and after lots of research know these companies are all very reliable in regards to performance and longevity: (all prices are cash OUT THE DOOR and include steps, E-Z cover lift, start up chemicals, delivery):

D1 Aurora (Ultralife shell w/vintage cedar cabinet)(2018) - $8,000
D1 Wayfarer (sand shell w/driftwood gray cabinet)(2018) - $6,300
Caldera Reunion (with Fresh Water Salt System)(2019) - $8,100

We really like the features, power, and overall specs of the D1 Aurora over the Wayfarer, but not sure if its worthy of the $1,700 price difference. Trying to justify if the Aurora is a MUCH better hot tub than the Wayfarer.

The Caldera is really nice too and doesn't have a lounge which creates more open space and also includes the Salt System.

I would appreciate any feedback and opinions. Thanks!

[castletonia]

That price on the Caldera is so low it’s almost not believable.  While I haven’t seen a D1 in years, both a considered good brands.

As a Caldera dealer, I am biased.  The Reunion is a really nice layout imo and I’m a huge fan of salt water.  I’m just curious how this dealer plans on staying in business when they sell at these prices?  I would be at least $1,500 more without the Freshwater Salt System.

[Hottubguy]

Agree with you castletonia. I just sold that exact package (steps, lifter could be different) for $11,200 yesterday. So you are getting a great deal on that one. D-1 is also priced real low. Sounds like the guy is doing you a real solid in pricing. You must have been his favorite teacher! 

[d00nut]

Decision is easy, the Caldera.  Agree with the other two posts.  The Hot Spring Flash and the Caldera Reunion are so similar in price, and we would at least be$1500-$2000 more without the salt system

[cstew74]

Wow, thanks for the responses. Again, like i said we feel like they are all 3 great deals. After discussion, we at least narrowed it down to the D1 Aurora and caldera reunion. Just more info on these 2:

The caldera feunion is a 2019 model and it doesnt have a lounger which obviously makes the tub more open. We are going back and forth on lounger vs. Non-lounger (wet testing will help with this decision). Also ive heard from some how unimpressed they were with the power of calderas jets. Also we would be able to get this in any color.

The D1 aurora does have the lounger and seems there hydrotherapy jets seem better with the aurora (i could be wrong but just my 1st impression). The aurora's control panel is all touch screen so i would assume its a 2018. Also, the liquid fx is a pretty slick feature also.

Pros/cons:
Aurora: touchscreen panel...lighted cup holders....liquid fx....perhaps better hydrotherapy (neck) jets....different seating levels.

Reunion: caldera brand is very SOLID...getting a awesome deal from what others have said...no cup holders...all seating is the same level for the most part...ability of the salt water system.

Again, this husband/wife team is very nice, salt of the earth type of people. Super comfortable with them and they arent pushy in any way. 

So i keep going back and forth..i dont want to end up with buyers remorse.....and this is a huge investment for us.
I guess i just need you guys to tell me which of the 2 to buy....LOL.

Im off to do more reading and research....

[Hottubguy]

As far as lounge versus no lounge everybody is different. I personally have a lounge in my tub (Caldera Geneva) and had one in my last tub as well (Marquis Resort). I would say I sell more non lounge tubs then I do I lounge tubs. The lounge tub check out the Caldera Seychelles. As far as pure power D-1 is probably more powerful but I haven’t had any complaints about lack of power in any Caldera’s. They are very comfortable tubs to sit in. That tub I believe has either 38 or 43 jets (Seychelles is the other jet count) with 2 2.5 HP pumps so it
Moves  the water pretty good. I think they are both solid brands. I think factory support from Watkins manufacturing is second to none. Think he have two good choices. The freshwater salt system is a very low maintenance chemical system if that matters. If not let the wet test determine for you.

[cstew74]

Also, like said before both D1 and Caldera are excellent with Caldera getting more reviews it seems as I do more researching.

I am extremely torn. In regards to power (pumps)reliability, warranty, manufacturer(parts), bells /whistles, its really all overwhelming....etc....

Anymore input from others is greatly appreciated. Thank you

[Hottubguy]

Did you try any of the tubs out yet?

[cstew74]

I have been texting the owner and they are super busy this week. We set up a wet test for Monday.

[Tman122]

The D1 aurora does have the lounger and seems there hydrotherapy jets seem better with the aurora (i could be wrong but just my 1st impression). The aurora's control panel is all touch screen so i would assume its a 2018. Also, the liquid fx is a pretty slick feature also.

Thats a nice powerful tub at a good price. I owned a 8-10 YO Aurora for a year or so. Good power, good massage.

[Spatech_tuo]

So i keep going back and forth..i dont want to end up with buyers remorse.....and this is a huge investment for us.
I guess i just need you guys to tell me which of the 2 to buy....LOL.

I know EXACTLY which one you should buy! Whichever seems like the winner after the wet test, (all other things being relatively equal of course).

Wet tests are very important yet more opt out of that step than follow through.

If any of the spas you are considering are lounge spas its 3x as important to wet test them because lounges are not for everyone, take up a lot of space and you won't know if they work for you until you are in it filled up (dry testing only means so much)!

[cstew74]

Went a wet tested the D1 Aurora. Here is what  my wife and I took away from it.

Great jets. Very powerful.
Seats are comfortable
Able the control each jet and amount of power it produces is nice (similar to a radio volume knob)(i assume most hot tubs have this feature these days )
Foot well is nice. Again, nice power.

Did not like the lounger. It is called an Ultra lounger and it really lays you down quite a bit. Almost horizontally.
The adjustable head rest at the lounger is just not well designed in my opinion. It doesn’t easy go up or down. And when the head rest is all the way up the Jets coming out of the head rest will splatter and splash water all over your face, which obviously is very annoying.
I really wanted to like the lounger with the Jets coming out of the head rest, but it just doesn’t feel right to me or my wife. I feel like we would end up not even using the lounger and therefore cutting half the tub away and not using it.

The touchscreen panel is really nice but if there is any water on there you must dry it off in order for it to work. Nothing that a towel couldn’t solve really quick when needing to operate it.

We are wet testing a Caldera Seychelles Monday. It is the same as the Caldera Reunion but it has a lounger. The lounger on the Seychelles is way more upright than the lounger on the Aurora and we think we will like this lounger a lot more. If we don’t like the lounger on this Seychelles, then obviously we will go with the caldera reunion (non-lounger version)...(same price)

Cash price for the Seychelles (with fresh water salt system)-$8,100

[bebopdeluxe76]

Went a wet tested the D1 Aurora. Here is what  my wife and I took away from it.

Great jets. Very powerful.
Seats are comfortable
Able the control each jet and amount of power it produces is nice (similar to a radio volume knob)(i assume most hot tubs have this feature these days )
Foot well is nice. Again, nice power.

Did not like the lounger. It is called an Ultra lounger and it really lays you down quite a bit. Almost horizontally.
The adjustable head rest at the lounger is just not well designed in my opinion. It doesn’t easy go up or down. And when the head rest is all the way up the Jets coming out of the head rest will splatter and splash water all over your face, which obviously is very annoying.
I really wanted to like the lounger with the Jets coming out of the head rest, but it just doesn’t feel right to me or my wife. I feel like we would end up not even using the lounger and therefore cutting half the tub away and not using it.

The touchscreen panel is really nice but if there is any water on there you must dry it off in order for it to work. Nothing that a towel couldn’t solve really quick when needing to operate it.

We are wet testing a Caldera Seychelles Monday. It is the same as the Caldera Reunion but it has a lounger. The lounger on the Seychelles is way more upright than the lounger on the Aurora and we think we will like this lounger a lot more. If we don’t like the lounger on this Seychelles, then obviously we will go with the caldera reunion (non-lounger version)...(same price)

Cash price for the Seychelles (with fresh water salt system)-$8,100

I am not a dealer, but I worked my you-know-what off to get a Martinique - with everything (cover, lifter, stairs, delivery/removal, etc) for $9,000 cash.  Getting a Seychelles - which is probably $1000-1200 more than a Martinique - for just over $8,000 cash sounds ridiculous.

Is that $8,100 include EVERYTHING (cover, lifter and everything else), including tax?

[Hottubguy]

Went a wet tested the D1 Aurora. Here is what  my wife and I took away from it.

Great jets. Very powerful.
Seats are comfortable
Able the control each jet and amount of power it produces is nice (similar to a radio volume knob)(i assume most hot tubs have this feature these days )
Foot well is nice. Again, nice power.

Did not like the lounger. It is called an Ultra lounger and it really lays you down quite a bit. Almost horizontally.
The adjustable head rest at the lounger is just not well designed in my opinion. It doesn’t easy go up or down. And when the head rest is all the way up the Jets coming out of the head rest will splatter and splash water all over your face, which obviously is very annoying.
I really wanted to like the lounger with the Jets coming out of the head rest, but it just doesn’t feel right to me or my wife. I feel like we would end up not even using the lounger and therefore cutting half the tub away and not using it.

The touchscreen panel is really nice but if there is any water on there you must dry it off in order for it to work. Nothing that a towel couldn’t solve really quick when needing to operate it.

We are wet testing a Caldera Seychelles Monday. It is the same as the Caldera Reunion but it has a lounger. The lounger on the Seychelles is way more upright than the lounger on the Aurora and we think we will like this lounger a lot more. If we don’t like the lounger on this Seychelles, then obviously we will go with the caldera reunion (non-lounger version)...(same price)

Cash price for the Seychelles (with fresh water salt system)-$8,100

I am not a dealer, but I worked my you-know-what off to get a Martinique - with everything (cover, lifter, stairs, delivery/removal, etc) for $9,000 cash.  Getting a Seychelles - which is probably $1000-1200 more than a Martinique - for just over $8,000 cash sounds ridiculous.

Is that $8,100 include EVERYTHING (cover, lifter and everything else), including tax?

It is a crazy price. You did good on your Martinique price. 8100 for that tub is stupid low. After paying shipping and guys to deliver there is practically nothing left in that tub to make any money. On that tub he’s about 3k lower then most dealers will even think about going with all those accessories he’s getting

[cstew74]

Here is the breakdown of the price including my discounts:
Caldera seychelles
Sale price : $9,700
10% off - paying cash ($970)
5% off - teacher discount ($485)
Rebate if purchased from may 31-june 10 - $500
No tax - wife has Rx from her doctor for medical purpose. She has a titanium rod from back surgery ($530)

So total discounts equal $2,485

This price includes EZ cover lift , cover , steps , startup chemicals.

We are wet testing it monday and 95% sure we are going with the Seychelles

Went a wet tested the D1 Aurora. Here is what  my wife and I took away from it.

Great jets. Very powerful.
Seats are comfortable
Able the control each jet and amount of power it produces is nice (similar to a radio volume knob)(i assume most hot tubs have this feature these days )
Foot well is nice. Again, nice power.

Did not like the lounger. It is called an Ultra lounger and it really lays you down quite a bit. Almost horizontally.
The adjustable head rest at the lounger is just not well designed in my opinion. It doesn’t easy go up or down. And when the head rest is all the way up the Jets coming out of the head rest will splatter and splash water all over your face, which obviously is very annoying.
I really wanted to like the lounger with the Jets coming out of the head rest, but it just doesn’t feel right to me or my wife. I feel like we would end up not even using the lounger and therefore cutting half the tub away and not using it.

The touchscreen panel is really nice but if there is any water on there you must dry it off in order for it to work. Nothing that a towel couldn’t solve really quick when needing to operate it.

We are wet testing a Caldera Seychelles Monday. It is the same as the Caldera Reunion but it has a lounger. The lounger on the Seychelles is way more upright than the lounger on the Aurora and we think we will like this lounger a lot more. If we don’t like the lounger on this Seychelles, then obviously we will go with the caldera reunion (non-lounger version)...(same price)

Cash price for the Seychelles (with fresh water salt system)-$8,100

I am not a dealer, but I worked my you-know-what off to get a Martinique - with everything (cover, lifter, stairs, delivery/removal, etc) for $9,000 cash.  Getting a Seychelles - which is probably $1000-1200 more than a Martinique - for just over $8,000 cash sounds ridiculous.

Is that $8,100 include EVERYTHING (cover, lifter and everything else), including tax?

It is a crazy price. You did good on your Martinique price. 8100 for that tub is stupid low. After paying shipping and guys to deliver there is practically nothing left in that tub to make any money. On that tub he’s about 3k lower then most dealers will even think about going with all those accessories he’s getting