Sundance Optima Vs Caldera Niagra

[Willis]

Have been researching a Caldera Niagra and Sundance Optima. Looking for any feedback people may have on these tubs. I've wet tested the Niagra, haven't gotten in the Optima yet, but plan to soon. I got a quote of about $9200 for the Niagra, haven't received one on the Optima yet. I live near Sacramento California.

I've been reading a lot of threads here, very helpful information, but is difficult piecing together the threads about each kind, so thought I'd just open one up for this.

There is also a Jacuzzi shop real close (right by the Sundance place actually), but haven't really looked into them yet.

Would appreciate any and all opinions on these tubs.

Thanks

[pg_rider]

Both are known as quality tubs for sure so you probably can't go wrong with either. When that's the case, you should really base your decision on 1) how comfortable is the tub for you and how is the therapy (based on a wet test, not dry), and 2) how do you feel about the dealer?

That said, I can tell you that the Optima will provide more thorough leg therapy compared to the Niagara. If that's important to you then perhaps that will be a discriminator. I have an Optima and can tell you that the foot dome is truly incredible. That, paired with the 2nd whirlpool jet on the side, allows you to hit your entire leg with some intense therapy. And of course, you get excellent back therapy with the Optima from the AccuSage seat, although the Niagara looks like it has some excellent back jets as well.

Just gonna have to wet test them both to decide! Good luck either way...

[spatech (the unreal one)]

Have been researching a Caldera Niagra and Sundance Optima. Looking for any feedback people may have on these tubs. I've wet tested the Niagra, haven't gotten in the Optima yet, but plan to soon. I got a quote of about $9200 for the Niagra, haven't received one on the Optima yet. I live near Sacramento California.

I've been reading a lot of threads here, very helpful information, but is difficult piecing together the threads about each kind, so thought I'd just open one up for this.

There is also a Jacuzzi shop real close (right by the Sundance place actually), but haven't really looked into them yet.

Would appreciate any and all opinions on these tubs.

Thanks

1) You've wet tested one model so you have the right idea. The wet test may point in one direction or another.

2) You'll find people that love the Optima and others that love the Niagara. It's great to get feedback from others but in reality you can't rely too much on what others purchase because it's such a personal thing. What is just right for me may not be for you but it often helps you understand teh spa itself at least a bit better.

3) Maybe one of the most important things is your trust in the dealer and manuacturer. Both manufacturers are top notch so that's not an issue but go ahead and ask a lot of questions of the dealer realtive to their product, who services it, how long in business, etc.

[Jim_The_Jim]

One of the biggest things that the spa industry is going through is that the Internet and Mass merchants are pretty much taking over the industry. There have been many hundreds of local dealers go under and about 50 spa brands that have vanished from the planet in the last five years. If all of their customers had bought from a modern well positioned Internet spa company, they would still have service today. You simply get better value from quality Internet stores with less overhead and a huge market, or mass merchants that are now stocking products that in my opinion are just as good as Sundance, Jacuzzi, Watkins in quality.

The only thing that is missing is the sales man.

Jacuzzi who also owns Sundance was recently sold to Apolo Managment because the company was showing losses that were not recoverable. It was sold for 980Mil with about 600 mil in debt. This is the number two spa company, so you can understand that the idea of "stability" in the spa industry is an illusion. I once sold a spa brand that was made by a company with over 41 years in the pool and spa industry. They went out of business becasue of mistakes in the plumbing. The point is the security of a local dealer and a large company with many decades in business is not any guarantee of anything. If you are going to buy a product from a not so stable industry, you may not want one with exclusive parts.

The things that are important for spa owners, are a bit different than what the spa professionals will tell you.

1/ Don't buy a full foam spa, because it is out of date and much more costly to repair when it leaks. Save yourself the frustration of high repair bills down the road.

2/ Don't buy spas with lots of small jets in the backs of the seats, at premium prices. These are called "bullet jets" and are cheap, and do not belong on the human back if you are paying for a premium products the get premium jets. One of those models you talk about has about 39 of them.

3/ Don't buy spas with "exclusive" and expensive replacement parts. The more the word exclusive is used, the higher the price of the parts and the more expensive the repairs are when the spa is out of warranty. From repairing many thousands of hot tubs and doing warranty work for 16 different brands, I can tell you that you do not want exclusive parts. If or when that spa company goes under, changes hands, or stops using those parts, you can't buy them any longer. A $25 part becomes a complete equipment replacement for $1600. I have personally had that happen at least 6 times to customers who bought spas with exclusive parts and the company is no longer.

4/ Don't buy spas with tiny circulation pumps. Most spa companies have abandoned that bad idea and are going with 48 frame circulation pumps.

5/ If you don't research hot tubs and spas and only listen to sales people on message forums you may not get a good value. Most likely you won't. Do a search for hot tubs online and read as much as you can.

Go to places that have rip off reports, and consumer frustrations and read about hot tubs and brands.

Most pool and spa forums are run by specific brands of hot tubs, or they are controlled by spa sales people with sales agendas. That does not make forums the best place for open discussion. This forum is an exception. This one actually allows posting on the actual design of spas and details of construction.

They offer other sources of information.

This is a link to nothing that is related to spas at all. It is where you can hear free downloads of our music.

http://www.soundclick.com/havenhead

[flibotte]

"Jacuzzi who also owns Sundance was recently sold to Apolo Managment because the company was showing losses that were not recoverable. It was sold for 980Mil with about 600 mil in debt"

Who would pay 980 million for a company that has losses that are not recoverable?

[Jim_The_Jim]

"Jacuzzi who also owns Sundance was recently sold to Apolo Managment because the company was showing losses that were not recoverable. It was sold for 980Mil with about 600 mil in debt"

Who would pay 980 million for a company that has losses that are not recoverable?

Back in about 2000 Jacuzzi Sundance was worth at least 2 bil with all the combined spa companies. After you go down so far, there is no place left but to sell at way below market value.

[Dr. Spa]

Who would pay 980 million for a company that has losses that are not recoverable?

No one Hot tubs and spas are only a small division of the Jacuzzi corporation