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kaseykent

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About kaseykent

  • Birthday January 24

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    http://www.theSpaSyndicate.com
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    www.theSpaSyndicate.com

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  1. Thanks waterbear! I will let the Pristine user know what your thoughts are.
  2. Does anyone have any experience with Pristine Blue? What do you think of it? This person recently converted from Soft Soak and now has some green water, wondering if they made the right decision to switch. I am sure any help would be appreciated. This topic was started in another hot tub forum, but I am trying to find some answers, feel free to reply in either forum. The post was originally started here.
  3. This general topic of warranty length vs quality comes up fairy often. People always mistakenly think there is a direct link between warranty and quality but that's not how it works. All the major manufacturers (Caldera, D1, Hot Spring, Jacuzzi...) have multiple spa lines. Their top of the line spa will have a certain warranty length, their next line with have a shorter length and the next line still shorter. Those spas have the same shells, pumps, plumbing (sometimes same controls) yet have differing warranties. Warranties are NOT free; they are "included" with their cost built into the price of the spa. The secondary lines have shorter warranties for one major reason, to keep a lower price tag. The Hawaiian warranty length is undoubtedly shorter than it is on Calderas top of the line models so they can offer a better price point spa for someone who likes Caldera but doesn't think they can afford the price of something like the Niagara. If the Hawaiian came with the same warranty then the price would probably be $500 more. Ask the dealer what the actual differences are with the Hawaiian versus the Niagara or one of the other spas above it with the longer warranty. It should be mainly "bells and whistles" more than anything. If its the same pumps, controls, shell, siding, etc. then you know the difference is just about length of time vs $$. SpaTech is absolutely correct. They are knocking some time off of the Paradise Series warranty, just to differentiate from the Utopia Series and allow it to be at a better price point. The Hawaiian is constructed with the same quality and materials as the Niagara, just minus a couple bells and whistles. In the end, I too would go with what spa is the most comfortable and the best fit for your needs.
  4. I would definitely agree, the Hawaiian is a great buy for that price and it is great tub as well. I am a Caldera dealer and the Niagara is my favorite tub to sell, but personally, I would buy the Hawaiian because you get so much spa for the money. The only real differences are the size, lighting, and a few more jets. It even has the air blower, which the Utopia series boasts as well. Plus, if it is a 2009 it will have the 5 year warranty on the heater, pumps, etc. They are changing the Paradise series to a shorter warranty period for 2010. Hope this helps. Good Luck :-)
  5. We sell Spa Purge for that very purpose and it works great! Many customers have commented on how well it works and they often use it once a year for a really good cleaning. I am sure you can find it at your local hot tub dealer or online.
  6. These comments and suggestions have been awesome so far, keep 'em coming. This is so helpful for the dealers to hear what the customer is saying; now, if we can only "listen" and not just hear.
  7. I agree with the previous comments, a spa doesn't drop from nearly $10k to the $5,000 price range simply to move it off the floor to make room for newer models. Like spatech said, "I think there are better options out there." I think you could find a spa from a much higher quality manufacturer for not much more than the price of this one and it would be a much better investment as far as longevity and quality.
  8. As a concerned "dealer" in the hot tub industry I would love to hear feedback on this question: What would be the ultimate experience for buying a spa? Or what would you, as a customer, want to see happen to this industry? Any feedback is greatly appreciated. I would really like to see things change for the better.
  9. Reeffreak, I agree with what you are saying; it is about education. Educating those in the industry and those who are shopping in it. Nothing is going to be solved by simply saying "the dealers are right and the customers are wrong." This posting started out as a customer looking for some answers and feedback, but turned into proof of what is wrong with the spa shopping experience. As Dasher has logged another comment talking about his experience, it feels like we missed a great opportunity to help someone and instead, just furthered the opinions and stereotypes of the hot tub industry. Sorry Dasher, I wish you the best.
  10. Yikes! Let's just say that the "Voice" is not the voice of the entire industry. I don't think joining a forum anonymously and complaining about customers is going to get too many people to jump onboard for the "hot tub revolution," but hey, that is just my opinion. All dealers feel these same woes, but we need to be proactive about it and not just fan the flames of discontent. We all hate losing sales to Costco, or other dealers for that matter, but trying to simply compete on price is signing a death warrant in any industry. We definitely need to step up the service aspects and the quality of our interactions with customers in order to keep our heads above water and eventually regain the market. You said it yourself, "over the past 3 years all Costco's hot tub company's have gone out of business." When they are all gone, we are going to be the ones who are still standing, so let's make sure that we build those relationships now with future prospects and not tarnish our good reputations in the process.
  11. It seems to be a common topic amongst this forum, if the dealer stinks, the whole experience is not what you'd hope it to be. I have been in the industry for a little over two years and I hate that we are often compared to used car salesman; I hate that many dealers bash other dealers and their brands. That is something that I have worked hard never to be a part of and people have taken notice and commented on the fact that we/I do not participate in that kind of thing. We have also found success in posting our pricing on each spa, which alleviates a lot of the initial concerns about trust. It's going to take a big group effort to change the consumer outlook on the industry, but it is something that needs to happen. I hope this post doesn't come off as preachy or anything, I just want readers to know that we, in the hot tub industry, are aware of these problems and concerns from consumers and I think the good people who care enough to read and post in these types of forums are the ones who get it, they are the cream of the crop and the ones who can change the industry for the better. As for this post, I think if you find a dealer that you like and are comfortable with, test out the spa and make a decision.
  12. There really shouldn't be a gap, you could easily be losing heat out of it. Most covers should create kind of a vacuum seal after sitting on the hot tub and fit pretty snugly. If you just purchased it, I would talk to the manufacturer or dealer and tell them the problem, because a quality cover should not do that. Good Luck!
  13. I would look at the Covermate line. We give one to each customer who purchases a new hot tub, plus we sell them in the retail stores as well. They are very easy to install and are very good quality. Each version of the Covermate attaches and rests the cover differently, so you should be able to find one that suits your needs. You can view the different Covermate styles here: http://www.sunplay.com/spaaccesories.html
  14. I too have never heard of the South West brand of spas, and I am a dealer in Kansas, but I have never heard of them. But, the HS is a quality brand. If you are looking for other quality brands of spas to compare with the HS spa, I would look at Arctic Spas, Jacuzzi, Sundance, Marquis, and D1. Those are some of the best made spas on the market today, imo. It seems since nobody has heard of Southwest Spas, it may not be the best choice. I would also add looking into Caldera Spas for something very similar to a Hot Springs, which may actually cost less.
  15. We use Fix-A-Leak and it has worked great for our customers.
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