Down to two

[Skellman]

After 3 years I've narrowed it down to two. I'm in southeast Wisconsin.

2005 Marquis Euphoria SA Floor Model
$7500.00 w/cover, cover lift, steps, delivery and one year free chemicals. Verified good service record for dealer. Great seven year full warranty. I've wet-tested in neigbors 05 Euphoria.

2005 Cal Spa C36 Bel Air Still in wrapper.
$4700.00 w/cover, cover lift, steps, delivery and start-up chemicals.
Dealer verified last night the five year full warranty. It's not pro-rated either. They do service themselves and he vowed to put in writing on invoice all of the above.

My body is aching my friends. Your opinions?

[RPG]

Hands down, the Marquis.  I have seen very, very few customer complaints about Marquis.  I have heard very, very little good about the other company.

Chaka

[J._McD]

After 3 years I've narrowed it down to two. I'm in southeast Wisconsin.

2005 Marquis Euphoria SA Floor Model
$7500.00 w/cover, cover lift, steps, delivery and one year free chemicals. Verified good service record for dealer. Great seven year full warranty. I've wet-tested in neigbors 05 Euphoria.

2005 Cal Spa C36 Bel Air Still in wrapper.
$4700.00 w/cover, cover lift, steps, delivery and start-up chemicals.
Dealer verified last night the five year full warranty. It's not pro-rated either. They do service themselves and he vowed to put in writing on invoice all of the above.

My body is aching my friends. Your opinions?

Well, if you have any loose change in your pocket, pick a coin, heads = Marquis, tails = Cal.

Otherwise it is pretty difficult for us to help you decide.  There is a $2,700 price spread, yet you still consider both.  The dealer seems to be sincere and is interested in your business, and you neighbor is obviously happy with his Marquis.  

Considering that you will own YOUR decision for a very long time, I might lean toward the Marquis based on the company's reputation and status in the industry.

Which one are YOU leaning toward and why?

[Spatech_tuo]

After 3 years I've narrowed it down to two. I'm in southeast Wisconsin.

2005 Marquis Euphoria SA Floor Model
$7500.00

2005 Cal Spa C36 Bel Air Still in wrapper.
$4700.00

Your opinions?

Definitely an odd pairing. If price matters get the Cal Spas and hope the holds up well, if it doesn't get the Marquis since it's gererally considered to be the better quality of the two and from a more reliable company.

[Tatooed_Lady]

I'm thinkin'.......the Marquis. Several members on here have them, and love them.....I've read MAYBE 2 satisfied comments about Cal Spas.....and far too many complaints about the lack of quality....

It's an investment, and with the amount you're about to put into it, I'd go with the tub with the better customer satisfaction.....but that's just me and my $.02.....

[Skellman]

The hold up is indeed the large discrepancy in price between the two. I can go in and pay cash for the CalSpa. The Marquis will require me to take the 1 year no interest no payment. So, in one year I'll need to come up with about 3k. From my research I believe both are great deals.
But, I believe the Marquis is the better spa. I was hoping to hear from actual owners of both tubs. But, I do value all your opinions. I'm leaning toward the better product (Marquis) and pray my wife increases my allowance.
Another question to ponder about the spas. What's the deal with a Wisconsin resident purchasing in Illinois? I was told I don't have to pay the sales tax from the dealer in Illinos.
Thanks to all who have responded. I do appreciate it.

[Snyper]

Being bias since I own a Marquis, I can only say that I have been extremely satified with my tub and my dealer.

FYI - The dealers are also owners of the company, hence the vested interest and great service.

[Chas]

You mentioned the warranty on the Cal. The problem I have seen over and over again is that the dealer says one thing about the warranty, but trying to get coverage under the warranty seems to reveal new and exciting reasons why that warranty isn't the one YOU got on your spa. And here in SoCal it is often not the dealer's fault - they really thought they had a unit with a warranty on their hands.

Hope I'm making sense here: I have met many nice folks who thought they had warranty coverage only to discover that the particular Cal Spa they purchased was a blem, a special model, a floor model, a leftover model, or some crazy other thing which negated the warranty they assumed they had.

In your case the Cal is so much cheaper (I'm sure they know what the product is worth) that you could afford to get it with NO warranty and after replacing pumps and heaters you would still be money ahead.

Something to think about.

[Micah]

  Take the $2,700 and put it in some sort of investment. At the end of the five year warranty it could be worth 5k. Worst case you have to pay a $75.00 trip charge each year for the next 5 years for a total of $375.00 (that is if something goes bad EVERY year. It won't happen)  If the price of the two units were 1k apart I would say go for the marquis, but for $2,700, GO CAL.  
 

[drewstar]

 Take the $2,700 and put it in some sort of investment. At the end of the five year warranty it could be worth 5k. Worst case you have to pay a $75.00 trip charge each year for the next 5 years for a total of $375.00 (that is if something goes bad EVERY year. It won't happen)  If the price of the two units were 1k apart I would say go for the marquis, but for $2,700, GO CAL.  
  

I would like to meet your stockbroker.  

[Spatech_tuo]

In your case the Cal is so much cheaper (I'm sure they know what the product is worth) that you could afford to get it with NO warranty and after replacing pumps and heaters you would still be money ahead.

Something to think about.

True, if you know that ahead of time you can factor it in but as you noted too often the Cal Spa owner is blindsided down the road that their warranty isn't what they assumed (or were led to believe) it to be. Therefore, he should almost assume an added out of pocket expense on the Cal Spas for this comparison and then compare.

[jim97219]

The obvious question:  how does a potential Cal-Spa buyer verify what his warranty is?  From what Chas says, the dealer isn't always the best source. Is there someone at Cal-Spa Skellman can call before buying?

Jim

[Mendocino101]

Speaking only of the Marquis ...The Euphoria is a great therapy spa....If Therapy is what your after be sure to wet test. I think if you do your choice will be much easier.....

[MarKee]

SA Euphoria hands down

[Chris_H]

One thing I noticed was that when I went to Cal’s website, I could not find a model named C36.  I found others with 36 in the name, but none named C36.  Could someone post the link to its description?

One thing that I don’t understand is typically when there is this type of discrepancy in the price typically the consumer is comparing apples to oranges.  For example, a consumer may compare a $9,000 dollar Hotspring Grandee to a $6,000 dollar Sundance Bahia and wonder why there is such a price discrepancy.  Obviously, the best comparison would be the Grandee to the Sundance Optima.  Just wondering if I made any sense.