Bull Frog how do they compare

[hottbpete]

I went to Bull Frog's website today.  The best I have seen.  Check out the buiuld a spa program.  Great site.  I now wonder about the tubs?
Do they compare to Hotsprings, Caldera, Jacuzzi?  are they a mid tier or high end ?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.  The dealer is 1 hour away and I do not want to go down and see them if they are a small player that may be out of business next year.

Thanks

[BIGPOPPA]

the theory behind the interchangable packs is awsome but the reality of it is the are the packs are run in series so the first pack (whatever it may be) will be strong while the last pack in the series (whatever it may be) is weaker.  The packs are expensive and im not to sure how many people in 20-30 degree weather are going to want to be changing packs and storing them.  The website check it out, when you start adding packs notice the power output meter they drop enormously as you add packs and that is comming from the bullfrog website.

BigPoppa

[Reese]

There have been a few threads about BullFrog.  Do a search and check them out.  The few owners that have posted like theirs, the most recent being "In Canada eh" has one and is happy with it.  Competing dealers fault the jetpacks a gimmick, and repeat rumors about problems with stagnant water behind the packs, and whether upgrades have addressed it adequately.  As far as the longevity of the company, they don't appear to be a fly-by-night operation, but I haven't reviewed their financials.  A reputable dealer in my city sells them.  I doubt they'd bother with a line that is likely to be out of business tomorrow.

[Utah]

I've wet tested about 10 tubs and, so far, my family feels the Bullfrog 682 is the most comfortable.

My personal opinion is that the tubs are built well enough for their use but they are not overengineered or overbuilt like the Arctic and a few other brands.  This is not necessarily a bad thing.  They are built adequately for the task.

I did notice a slight decrease in jet pressure the further I got from the pump but nothing that bothered me in the least.  Their tubs are deep and we found their shell to be very comfortable.  They were candid about past issues with stagnant water behind the jetpacks and explained what they have done to address it (positive pressure line to "push" water out.  Sounded reasonable to me.

It is an acrylic/abs shell.   Personally, I'd prefer a fiberglass one but their warranty is good which is a sign to me that they believe in their shells.

Financially, I think Bullfrog is in good shape.  They are a privately held company so there are no public records to verify this.  I use to live about 5 miles from their factory and their location always seemed well tended and attractive.

Right now they are a front runner for my family.  They may end up being the tub we purchase.

[Mendocino101]

There have been a few threads about BullFrog.  Do a search and check them out.  The few owners that have posted like theirs, the most recent being "In Canada eh" has one and is happy with it.  Competing dealers fault the jetpacks a gimmick, and repeat rumors about problems with stagnant water behind the packs, and whether upgrades have addressed it adequately.  As far as the longevity of the company, they don't appear to be a fly-by-night operation, but I haven't reviewed their financials.  A reputable dealer in my city sells them.  I doubt they'd bother with a line that is likely to be out of business tomorrow.

I must say I strongly take offense to your comments about competing dealers and rumors. I shared what I knew about the product in the other thread but my source was dealers who sold the product. It is amazing but if someone does not like the message just blame the messenger as they must surly have some kind of an ax to grind. Bigpoppa is also someone who has sold the product so why do you choose to slander those who are 100 times more involved with the product than you are....

[Reese]

I must say I strongly take offense to your comments about competing dealers and rumors. I shared what I knew about the product in the other thread but my source was dealers who sold the product. It is amazing but if someone does not like the message just blame the messenger as they must surly have some kind of an ax to grind. Bigpoppa is also someone who has sold the product so why do you choose to slander those who are 100 times more involved with the product than you are....

Simmer down there big fella!  How did I slander you? :-? If I did, I certainly apologize and retract whatever I said that was not true.  In hindsight, perhaps I should have left the phrase "competing dealers" out of my post, but it seemed to me that most of the negative comments on BullFrog that I have seen come from dealers.

As far as "not liking the message" or "blaming the messenger", I could not care less about BullFrog or you.  I was simply sharing what I had seen on the topic.  It seems to me that you are the one with a problem with a message.  I wasn't even referring to you, but I went back to look at your posts to see why I upset you so.  IMO your posts on Bullfrog were clearly identified as rumors (to your credit, by the way).  You heard from a former dealer, and truck drivers told you.  Are we to take that as "fact"?

If BigPoppa said he has sold Bullfrog somewhere, I missed that.  If your comment about "100 times more involved in the product than you" means that a lowly spa owner doesn't have the right to question or comment when a dealer posts opinions... this will be a pretty useless site.

Again, I am sorry I offended you -- Obviously, that's just my nature.

[Mendocino101]

First off the only reason I mentioned the drivers were they get to see how different plants are run and their feedback was postive so no slandering of the product there or in my post...also not all the dealers were former some were current. but the real issue is that while they have some unique ideas and options  the real practical usefulness they seem to be less than really beneficial.  the issue that you mentioned as rumor with build behind the jets packs...it is not a rumor but a real world problem as Bullfrog has made changes to attempt to address the issue...they certainly would not try to fix a problem that existed only as rumor....and dealers told me that they felt that while helping it still did not fully correct the problem.....I went out of my way to mention that as a company they were highly thought of by THOSE who did business with them and that it means something to hear that.....but when you say that the only things said are rumors posted by competing dealers it is false....also Bullfrog has a very small dealer base....at this time I am really unsure to how many dealers really compete with them...

[BIGPOPPA]

I actually dont sell nor have sold BullFrog, but i am very familiar with them.  It's not a bad spa.  a couple more years of design improvments im sure will make up for there shortcommings right now.  

BigPoppa

[Reese]

the issue that you mentioned as rumor with build behind the jets packs...it is not a rumor but a real world problem as Bullfrog has made changes to attempt to address the issue...they certainly would not try to fix a problem that existed only as rumor....and dealers told me that they felt that while helping it still did not fully correct the problem.....but when you say that the only things said are rumors posted by competing dealers it is false....

:-? I'm still not clear on my slander, but I guess your problem is with my definition of rumor.   I believe that when someone passes something along that they have been told, but do not have first-hand knowledge of -- that is a rumor -- whether it is true or not.  Perhaps you would you have preferred "gossip" or "hearsay"?

Just so I can be clear on slander:  When did I say "only"?  Did you just slander me? When you implied BigPoppa sold BullFrog, was that slander? 8-) By the way, does something false posted on the internet constitute slander or is it libel? :-/

[BIGPOPPA]

[
Just so I can be clear on slander:  When did I say "only"?  Did you just slander me? When you implied BigPoppa sold BullFrog, was that slander? 8-)
[/quote]

  ;DEHOLA CHINGATHA  That was funny

[Mendocino101]

my mistake to mention Bigpoppa as having sold bullfrog.....what I took as slander was you said only competing dealers spoke about issues that may or may not be true....and that again is not true the issues that were mentioned were genuine and in the minds of some who are still involved with the line not fully resolved.....but if you go back reread the thread that most of this taken from you will see that my comments while not being overly supportive of the product were far from saying they were a poor unit and in fact I made sure to mention the positives about them....Bullfrog is a line that is smaller in scope than some others and there is not a lot of feed back for them so when they get asked about they are few replies.... if you can offer something that may be useful to those seeking information you ( I) try and do so....

[hottbpete]

Let's get back to the original issue if we can.......any additional input on Bullfrog

By the way, I spoke to Bullfrog and they will sell direct and drop it at your house ....no tax!

The standing water issue must be around due to the fact when I called and talked to a rep, one of the first issues they brought up was the standing water issue.  Talk about bringing up an objection.....sales 101 goof  Anyway.  She told me that each set of jets also have a recirculationg tube that continously changes the water behind the set.

Any input?

[BIGPOPPA]

Well you know to change the jet packs you have to unscrew unions, in my experience screwing and unscrewing unions all the time causes failure of unions.  

[Mendocino101]

Yes...first off they knew they had real problem with the standing water and that was the point, that some of the dealers I have spoken to did not have full confidence that it is has been solved by the adding of the tube....as for them selling direct this would seem to be supportive of what I shared about them having such smaller dealer network....

[Reese]

Let's get back to the original issue if we can.......any additional input on Bullfrog

What, you didn't find the discussion of "rumor" and "slander" helpful?