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Well it seams to me wooden base and frame would last much shorter than plastic. I also read this between the lines of the warranty. Caldera's structural warranty is 10 years whereas Sunbelts is a lifetime. Do not get me wrong its not a statement it is a question.RegardsAlexander
Ok.. I think i have got the idea about the wooden parts. Thanks for setting me straight. In the case of Sunbelt All parts are from very well known manufacturers like Balboa, Aqua-Flo and Waterway. Alexander
Hello everyone,We are currently deciding between a Sunbelt Spa and the Caldera Tahitian. In response to an earlier post i was told that (You bether go for te real deal if the price difference is small) we are now seriously thinking of buying a Caldera Tahitian. However I understand that Caldera still uses wood in its frame and possibly as a base. Can anyone tell me if this is true and could this pose a potential problem in a wet climate? Regards,Alexander
ndabunka Thanks for your comment. I get your point. And because whe just did some investigation into the Dutch dealers and asked them all about their prices we got the price down about 3500 dollars US. I think it is a lot of difference because the Caldera and Sunbelt we are comparing are now in the same price range only a 750 dollar difference. This is good and makes our choice a lot easier. However it worries us as well because The Netherlands is a small country and the difference between the four dealers is as much as 2500 Euro's (about 3750 dollars). Sunbelt however is priced the same everywhere. It is very good to hear everyone being so possitive about Caldera. We Thank everyone on being so concrete. The only thing remaining is that we would like to hear some expereance with te Tahitian model.Regards,Alexander
Alexander, There is a LOT of difference between a Sunbelt and a Caldera. As you read these internet forums more and more you will begin to realize that there is a distinct difference between these two products and therefore they each have a different market value. The Caldera is made by the same company that makes Hot Springs, Watkins whereas the Sunbelt is made by...well, a MUCH lower end manufacturer who uses fairly common industry parts (i.e. Balboa). It's like you are comparing a Lexus to a Scion. Are they both cars? Sure . Are they equal? No. Does a Scion use the industry-acceptable parts that are used in a majority of cars? Sure, like GM it uses Delco radios but their use of such industry standard radios does not (by inference) lend any credibility to the Scion line. The Scion is a "decent" cars and is worth every bit of the $15K that manufacturer is asking for it. On the other hand, the Lexus GS is also a nice car but it's going to cost you about twice or even three times as much. Is there a reason it cost more? Certainly, and some people pay it while others are fine with a Scion. Now, the only problem here is if they were tryign to charge you Lexus prices for a Scion product. That is what you have with your comparison. These two products (Caldera vs. Sun Belt) are NOT in the same league and therefore should NOT be priced the same. However, Hot Tub dealers are a predatory bunch and will try to tell you that they are comparable when in fact, they are not (features, function, quality, warranty, etc).As far as a wood base goes... Most Mfg's use a wood base (including Sun Belt). The only mfg that I am familiar with that uses any thing else is Coleman (who uses metal structure). This may be both good and bad. The good is that metal doesn't deteriorate like wood "may". However, metal can rust and rusting makes the joints weaker. Sure, the metal peices themselves may be galvanized but what about the welds? Additionally, loose metal can make noise and in the end may not provide you what you are expecting (longer life) and often don't have a warranty to protect you 10 or 12 years down the line. Now, if they are both wood (SunBelt & Caldera), they may not be the same protections for both. I've seen a ten year old Sunbelt that simply fell apart when we tried to move it (a friends) and then I've also seen a 10 year old Caldera that we were able to flip on it's side and move it with no problems what-so-ever (Helped a neighbor buy a used one). So, just being wood vs. wood is like the prior posters stated... it may be a similar material but there is a significant difference in the quality of the materials.
Chrisi,Have you looked at Sundance? I have liked Jacuzzi and Sundance the best so far.Scott
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Topic: Caldera v.s. Sunbelt (Read 14950 times)
