Please Help! Need Pricing Advice On Hot Spring Envoy

[elysium]

Hi, I'm new on here but have really enjoyed reading all the information on this board.

I think we have decided to go with an Envoy, but the dealer's price seems to be higher than other prices people have been quoted on here.

I am in Oklahoma, the dealer has quoted me $10,295 for an Envoy with the new display and lights. This price includes the delivery, set-up, plastic stairs, and "deluxe" cover (without lift) and is discounted for a Thanksgiving Sale. (This price doesn't include tax).

He quoted us a price for upgraded wood stairs at $199 and the lift cover at $299 (the Lift 'n Glide).

I want to offer him $10,000 for the total deal (including tax) with the upgraded stairs and cover lift thrown in.

Does this sound like a reasonable offer to anyone else who has purchased an Envoy or has experience in the market, etc?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[spatech (the unreal one)]

Hi, I think we have decided to go with an Envoy, but the dealer's price seems to be higher than other prices people have been quoted on here.

I am in Oklahoma, the dealer has quoted me $10,295 for an Envoy with the new display and lights. This price includes the delivery, set-up, plastic stairs, and "deluxe" cover (without lift) and is discounted for a Thanksgiving Sale.

He quoted us a price for upgraded wood stairs at $199 and the lift cover at $299 (the Lift 'n Glide).

I want to offer him $10,000 for the total deal (including tax) with the upgraded stairs and cover lift thrown in.

Does this sound like a reasonable offer to anyone else who has purchased an Envoy or has experience in the market, etc?

Thanks in advance for any help!

It sounds like a reasonable approach. He'll respond with "OK" or "No but I can go to 10,XXX" or "No, that's the best I can do". The only way to know which way he'll respond is to counter-offer, politely yet confidently. Try to as think about what you'll say to each of the possible responses you might hear ahead of time.

One thing to add after he responds, if you want to re-counter again to make the deal a little better yet but think asking for a lower price won't work anymore you can say "OK, I'll give you the 10,YYY you're asking but I'd like ZZZ in store credit". A dealer will almost always prefer to give you maybe $150 or $200 in store credit than to lower the price that same amount and for you it should be fine cause you'll be needing chems and maybe some accessories anyway.

[great white]

Not sure what it's like for dealers or prices in your area, but I just paid 10400 Canadian for a Hot Springs Grandee with a set of basic steps and a pivoting cover lifter.

11,600 taxes in, delivered and set up in the back yard.....

[elysium]

Thank you both for your replies. It sounds like 10k USD would be comparable to the deal you got on your Grandee (According to my calculations 11,600 CAD equals about 10,800 USD so we'd be paying only $800 less for a smaller tub, but with the upgraded steps added in).

Any additional input would be greatly appreciated!

We are going for a wet test tomorrow and I'm hoping to make the deal at that time, if we decide we want the tub.

[DavieP]

What part of Oklahoma are you located in?

[elysium]

Well, we went for the wet test today. Really like the Envoy, but the dealer seems stuck at his price of almost 12k out the door, which I think is too much judging by other posts I've seen on here, so... we're off to look at other brands! (Only 1 dealer w/ 2 locations for HS tubs around here). I am a fan of the Envoy for sure, but I am convinced we will find a tub that we like at a price we feel is a better deal.

Thanks for the replies thus far, any additional input is certainly appreciated!

And to answer your question DavieP, we are in the Tulsa area.

[great white]

You said in your Pm (and a few others have also) your dealer wouldn't believe it without seeing an invoice.

Show him this for my grandee:

image removed

Then show him the quote for a vanguard:

image removed

Then tell him that's a Canadian price. The Cdn and US dollar is pretty cose right now, but not equal (ie: USD is worth more so Cdn cost is more than US)

And we didn't play hardball with the dealer. They gave us what we thought was a fair deal for the model, then threw in a couple free and discounted things, we stalled a bit, we left with a quote, came back the next day and the dealer knocked a bit more off the price. But we had the distinct impression we could have gotten a small bit more off if we pushed hard. However, there comes a point where you trade off a little bit of intital purchase price for better customer service (relationship) down the road.

Then tell you dealer to put up or shut up.

[gman]

Since you are considering looking at tubs other than the HS Envoy, may I suggest you look at Sundance. I am not a dealer or in any way connected to any hot tub manufacturer or dealer, other than as a consumer. My wife and I just ordered a 2009 Sundance Optima after many, many weeks of research and wet-testing spas. We checked out HS, Sundance, Artesian, Jacuzzi, and Dimension 1. We would have tested more but the distance to/from available dealerships was a limiting factor (and we already traveled farther than I would have recommended for service calls. Being limited by distance was a good thing or I'd still be wet-testing tubs). Below are some of the reasons we chose the Sundance Optima over other manufacturers, but first, my disclaimers...

***I know spa designs vary and features that are important to me may not be important to you. For example, we did not get the stereo option.

***Ultimately, the wet-test should be the deciding factor for whatever tub you finally choose.

***The Grandee we tested is not the same as the Envoy that you like.

***I'm also not saying that Sundance is any better or worse than Hot Springs as tub manufacturers go. There are plenty of dealers for both manufacturers who can debate that. I know both companies make comparable quality tubs and are highly recommended by experienced tubbers.

We chose the Sundance Optima because (and these are listed in no particular order of importance)...

1. We thought the hydrotherapy in the Optima was better for us.

2. The Optima has foot jets (two for each corner seat) which we just loved.

3. I also like the foot well design. Some spas with foot jets have a dome design, which makes walking around the spa awkward.

3. With regards to HS, I did not like the fact that HS uses a corner seat for its filtration system. Corner seats are always the preferred location when the spa starts collecting bodies. I am surprised HS does not have at least one design with all four corners available for seating. Space does not seem to be an issue for you since you want a lounger. However, if space is a consideration and you're not married to the idea of a lounger, I found the corner seats designed in the Optima were reclined somewhat, so they served to some extent like a lounger. I don't think we sacrificed too much by foregoing the lounge feature (Cameo model).

4. Overall, I liked the placement and variety of jets in the Optima.

5. I like the controls in the Optima better than those in other manufacturers, although the differences are not huge.

6. I was able to get a better price on the Optima than I could get on the Grandee. In fact, the price I got on the Optima is lower than you were guoted on the HS Envoy, although you may have ordered yours with a stereo. My package included lights, spa cover, cover lifter (covermate III), steps, ozonator, minerals, delivery and placement. (As mentioned above, we did not get the stereo.)

BTW, during my spa search, I added my name to some manufacturers email lists so I could be notified of sales. I just received an email yesterday announcing a Holiday Sale from Sundance (Sale started yesterday) with a discount of $3,000.00 off of MSRP. This may be useful information when you are trying to negotiate a price on your tub, regardless of the manufacturer. You may be able to shake any dealer's money tree a little bit if they learn or know there's another quality manufacturer with a significant discount going on. I do not know if HS is currently having a sale.

Just thought I'd throw in my $.02 worth...okay, maybe $.25. Good luck with your search. I hope you find the tub you want at the price you want.

[Don@LOP]

I'd like to 2nd what gman had to say.....I had it narrowed down to the HS Envoy & Sundance Cameo, which are very similar in seating configurations - the Cameo has the same outer dimensions as the Optima, but has a lounge like the Envoy - in my case, the only way I can enter the spa is from the side with the main controls - that meant I'd have to climb over the lounge in the Envoy, as opposed to a flat seat surface in the Cameo - that coupled with the fact that the Cameo had more jets, and is detailed better in my opinion, I chose the Sundance Cameo - I've only had it for less than 2 weeks, but my wife & I love it!! I can't imagine a better spa experience.....I was quoted $9,400 + tax for the Envoy including steps, cover, lifter, chemicals, - Sundance was originally about $600 more, but they matched the HS price to make the sale (Northern CA).....

[mcw53]

Hi, I'm new on here but have really enjoyed reading all the information on this board.

I think we have decided to go with an Envoy, but the dealer's price seems to be higher than other prices people have been quoted on here.

I am in Oklahoma, the dealer has quoted me $10,295 for an Envoy with the new display and lights. This price includes the delivery, set-up, plastic stairs, and "deluxe" cover (without lift) and is discounted for a Thanksgiving Sale. (This price doesn't include tax).

He quoted us a price for upgraded wood stairs at $199 and the lift cover at $299 (the Lift 'n Glide).

I want to offer him $10,000 for the total deal (including tax) with the upgraded stairs and cover lift thrown in.

Does this sound like a reasonable offer to anyone else who has purchased an Envoy or has experience in the market, etc?

Thanks in advance for any help!

See this thread for a recent HS Envoy price discussion. I paid $9500 for a Q2 2009 Envoy including 9.5% sales tax, a cover lift, SmartSteps, delivery and installation. An offer of $10,000 is very reasonable. I know there are dealers out there that would not refuse a $10,000 check. You just need to be firm, it's a buyer's market.

[borisV]

My advise is to check "Baja" Spas - www.hottubs.com

We are importing their products for eastern europe