Evolution Csxi80 Or Calspa Majestic From Costco

[KeithFranklin]

Were going to order a New Hot Tub from Costco.

The Evolution (Strong) CSXi80 and the Majestic 60 jet 6 person spa seem very similiar?

We are replacing a Sundance Cameo that froze up last winter and requires considerable repairs to fix leaks. Was 7 years old. Just feel that the continued repairs over time make it best to replace and my wife doesnt want to spend more than $5K.

[cpuKEN]

Were going to order a New Hot Tub from Costco.

The Evolution (Strong) CSXi80 and the Majestic 60 jet 6 person spa seem very similiar?

We are replacing a Sundance Cameo that froze up last winter and requires considerable repairs to fix leaks. Was 7 years old. Just feel that the continued repairs over time make it best to replace and my wife doesnt want to spend more than $5K.

Sorry I don't have an opinion on your problem but I'm curious to hear what you decided.

I'm looking at a used/refurbished Sundance Cameo vs a new CSXi80 from Costco.

You know what the Sundance dealer recommended even though he only provides

a 6 month warranty while I can feel I'm really covered with the Costco purchase for 2 years!!

Can't wait to hear from you.

Ken

[ChaiSTi]

Were going to order a New Hot Tub from Costco.

The Evolution (Strong) CSXi80 and the Majestic 60 jet 6 person spa seem very similiar?

We are replacing a Sundance Cameo that froze up last winter and requires considerable repairs to fix leaks. Was 7 years old. Just feel that the continued repairs over time make it best to replace and my wife doesnt want to spend more than $5K.

Does Sundance offer a re-plumb?

[cpuKEN]

Were going to order a New Hot Tub from Costco.

The Evolution (Strong) CSXi80 and the Majestic 60 jet 6 person spa seem very similiar?

We are replacing a Sundance Cameo that froze up last winter and requires considerable repairs to fix leaks. Was 7 years old. Just feel that the continued repairs over time make it best to replace and my wife doesnt want to spend more than $5K.

Does Sundance offer a re-plumb?

Not sure exactly what you are asking (noobe) but was told by the dealer with the used Sundance that they go

over all the components and replace everything that needs replacing. Are there specific components

that for sure should be replaced (since this was about 6-7 yrs old).

Thanks

Ken

[hot_water]

Were going to order a New Hot Tub from Costco.

The Evolution (Strong) CSXi80 and the Majestic 60 jet 6 person spa seem very similiar?

We are replacing a Sundance Cameo that froze up last winter and requires considerable repairs to fix leaks. Was 7 years old. Just feel that the continued repairs over time make it best to replace and my wife doesnt want to spend more than $5K.

There are some significant differences between the Evolution CSXi80 and the Calspa.

The Calspa is full foam, while the CSXi is perimeter insulated. There are differing opinions on which works better, but the serviceability of the Evolution is outstanding. I have not experienced huge electric bills with my CSXi80.

The Calspa has seating in each corner postion. The CSXi80 uses one of the corners for the ingress steps. I would much rather have the corners used for seating. It's nice to have 4 corner seats, especially if you're entertaining another couple.

The CSXi80 has more jets. But 60 jets is also a lot. It looks like you get fancier jets with the Calspa. The jet performance on the Evolution is acceptable but not great -- if you're looking for very powerful jets, the CSXi80 is not for you. I can't comment on the Calspa jet performance.

The Calspa advertises 6 hp motors. Don't be mislead. This type of motor can put out excessive power, up to and even beyond 6 hp. But this is not the actual continuous operating power of the pump. The continuous amperage rating of the Waterway Executive 56 used on the the CSXi80 is 12 amps. I am thinking about changing out the pump in my CSXi80 to get stronger jet performance, so I called Balboa to see if their controller could handle the next larger size pump (16.4 amp). Balboa told me that their controllers worked with a maximum of 12 amps. The moral of the story is that since Calspa is also using Balboa, their pump probably has the same continuous current rating, 12 amp, as that of the CSXi80 -- unless Calspa is having something s"special" made by Balboa. If you're interested, I would call them and ask what the continuous current rating of the motors are. This doesn't mean necessarily that the Calspa has weak jets, or that the jets don't deliver more umph than the CSXi80. There is more to the question than just pump motor power.

The Calspa looks to, and almost certainly does, have more interior room. The CSXi80, due to its design of cabinet and shell, results in the internal space in the tub being more like what you would get in an 86 x 86 spa, even though it measures 91 x 91 (or threabouts). But the CSXi80 is not cramped - it's just a little smaller than you might expect from a spa of that external dimension.

The Calspa has a foot dome. I had one before, but my current spa, the CSXi80, doesn't have one. It's not an essential feature for me, and it does get in the way of moving around in the spa. But if tired or sore feet are a concern, the dome is very nice.

The CSXi80 has a really outstanding cabinet. It's rugged, exceptionally good looking, rugged, provides outstanding service access on all sides, is rugged, carries a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser - oh, and did I mention it's rugged? There is no wood in the structure, therefore it is unlikely to ever deteriorate. The Calspa apears to have a traditional cabinet design with a wood frame and synthetic simulated wood panels on the outside. I imagine it's probably a fine cabinet as far as traditional cabinets go. But I really like the CSXi80 cabinet - much more than I thought I would.

The CSXi80 has LED perimeter lighting in addition to the underwater spa light. I use it about 30-50% of the time. It's a nice feature, but probably not something you'll miss. The Calspa has just the underwater light.

The CSXi80 has a waterfall, I don't see one on the Calspa. Personally I don't see much value in waterfalls, but that call all depends on what you prefer.

The Calspa has 2 filters; the CSXi80 has one. I have had a spa with 100 square feet of filter and two filters, and as long as you service your filters regularly (rinse every one to two weeks, soak every month) either is fine. I woudn't be surprised if the Calspa, by virtue of its larger filter area, has less pressure drop to the pump inlet... and possible a little better jet performance. But this is just speculation on my part.

The CSXi80 is a very nicely made product and I am tremendously impressed with the responsiveness and support given by the company. I can't speak to the Calspa on this topic one way or the other.

Good luck! I like my CSXi80 a lot, and it looks to me like the Calspa you're looking at is also pretty nice. I think it looks better to me than some of the spas they've offered through Costco in the past.

[DK117]

The Calspa has seating in each corner postion. The CSXi80 uses one of the corners for the ingress steps. I would much rather have the corners used for seating. It's nice to have 4 corner seats, especially if you're entertaining another couple.

The CSXi80 has LED perimeter lighting in addition to the underwater spa light. I use it about 30-50% of the time. It's a nice feature, but probably not something you'll miss. The Calspa has just the underwater light.

This is really an excellent write up. But I have to add my opinions on two of the items ... all others I compeltely agree.

1) Stairs for corner seating. Crazy I know ... but it's turned out to be a plus. My girls (3 and 6) use it as "their" seat. It also provides a good cooling seat. So even this perceived negative, could be positive from a certain point of view.

2) I use my lighting 99% of the time. I would have been disappointed with just the underwater light. I'm shamlessly superficial in this instance, the LED's are an essential aspect of my tubbing experience.

DK117

[cpuKEN]

The original post was comparing the Costco Evolution vs a CalSpa...

I was actually comparing the Costco Evolution vs an 8 yr old Sundance.

The more I read the more I'm leaning toward the Costco route, my biggest

concern (since I'm new at this) is two things:

1) getting the tub from the curb to the back of my house and then getting it properly

set in place, checked, hooked up and setup. (things normally taken care of by

your local dealer, assuming you bought that way).

2) Finding a local spa guy who will do the above task and go over the basic

new owner stuff to get us off on the right foot. I want this person

to be a professional and not just me and a few friends trying to move and connect

it then wonder why something isn't working.

Strong provided us with one contact that will service the unit, I will certainly try

and use them (here in Indianapolis) but I cannot find any reviews concerning their

work. So, if they work out it's a matter of moving the behemoth from curb.

Thanks for all the good info.

Ken

[hot_water]

The original post was comparing the Costco Evolution vs a CalSpa...

I was actually comparing the Costco Evolution vs an 8 yr old Sundance.

The more I read the more I'm leaning toward the Costco route, my biggest

concern (since I'm new at this) is two things:

1) getting the tub from the curb to the back of my house and then getting it properly

set in place, checked, hooked up and setup. (things normally taken care of by

your local dealer, assuming you bought that way).

2) Finding a local spa guy who will do the above task and go over the basic

new owner stuff to get us off on the right foot. I want this person

to be a professional and not just me and a few friends trying to move and connect

it then wonder why something isn't working.

Strong provided us with one contact that will service the unit, I will certainly try

and use them (here in Indianapolis) but I cannot find any reviews concerning their

work. So, if they work out it's a matter of moving the behemoth from curb.

Thanks for all the good info.

Ken

Check the yellow pages or craigslist for "spa movers". I paid $200 to get it moved from the curb to the yard. They set it in place, but you do have to be ready to tell them what orientation you want it placed and where. You also need to know the local codes - for example, in my area the spa has to be at least 5 feet away from the property fence, measured at the water line. THe mover will put it where you tell them to put it, if it violates code or not.

Lacking that, I bet in tough times the dealer will be happy to send his people to move your Costco spa. He might not be happy that you didn't buy from him, but what the heck business is business.

Not sure if most movers will do the electrical hookup. I do my own electrical, so it's not an issue for me. In any case, if I was not electric-capable, I would call a licensed electrician - wiring and grounding is pretty important and you don't want to do it incorrectly for obvious reasons.

The spa mover I use (off of craigslist - I have used the same people for two spas now) was also a repair technician and former owner of a dealership. I imagine there are many such persons around that move and repair spas and would thus be able to get you going.

I would make sure that whatever mover you use is bonded, and it's also a good idea to ensure that they have liability insurance and an in-force Worker's Comp policy if required in Indiana. Here in CA, if they don't have Worker's Comp and one of their people get injured on your property, it can get ugly for you the innocent purchaser of the services. Insurance is needed becasue, even if they do this for a living, the spas are most often moved tipped up on one side and it is possible that the spa could get dropped or even fall on your fence or...

Since you're replacing a spa, you probably won't need much (I would think none) startup support. Read the manual so you know what the modes of the Balboa are, fill it from the hose, balance the chems, and go - just like a refill on your old spa. If you do need support, you get a dvd that runs you through the new spa fill/chem business with a Leisure Time start up kit, should you want to do that. I can't speak for Calspa but I can tell you that Strong (manufacturer of the CSXi80) is very customer friendly. Call them, Chad will most likely answer and he's great to deal with.

Good luck!