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Best Thing I could have done to this spa! The controls are SO much better with the new topside panel. I'm sure this will be safer, more efficient, more reliable alternative; and perfect solution for the problematic old equipment I used to have. So far the new Balboa kit is working great. Tricky to configure at first. After a Youtube video of someone installing and configuring one it was a poc. It did take me all day though, had to replace a blown breaker to top it off. I'm a low voltage technician... I probably shouldn't screw with some things but I do... But what can I say. Just glad I didn't screw up the equipment! Thanks for all the help and input from everyone here.

Out of the 3, if you want a proven quality tub, buy the Artesian. The Catalina of old, which was a decent tub is not the Catalina of now. It is a low end tub, made by Leisure Products, Inc. LPI makes the Dr Wellness brand. Both have poor insulation and weak shells. LPI is also not known for their customer service. There is a reason that it's $8495 base and has extra cost extras. I actually considered a LPI tub when I first started comparing tubs. The final straw was when I went to the local dealer. High pressure to buy, high pressure to finance, nothing included with the deal, not willing to let me look under the hood and really unwilling to answer anything more than basic questions. The only hot tub called a mykonos that I found is a Euro tub that has either Gecko controls or Balboa controls. Gecko is better than the no name stuff but I would consider Gecko not as good as Balboa. If it's truly a private label, it's more than likely a Chinese tub and not worth what they are asking.

Beachcomber's are great until you get a leak that is NOT in the equipment area then you are in for big repair bills. Side panels don't come off so you have to stand up the spa $$ and remove the bottom and dig out soaking wet foam $$ until you can hopefully find an obvious leak and that can be difficult with all the wet foam. Often it will have to be dug out and then laid back down onto jack stands $$ and fill it with water to make it leak. To do this all the equipment has to be disconnected $$ and plugs made up to cap all the plumbing so you can fill it. Once you have located the leak you then have to stand it back up $$ and make the repair. Then you have to re insulate it somehow with Roxul bat or some other type insulation $$ because you can't put the wet foam back in. Once that is complete then it's often back onto stands to fill again and test or you can take the risk you got it all and reattach the bottom and lay it back down and reconnect everything and fill $$. As an independent tech I have to call in movers to do the lifting and laying it back down and they charge for each trip out. Now the leak could be a $2 fix but you are in for a $1000 plus repair in most cases and not uncommon for $2-$3K bill... Arctic has it's own set of design problems that take them of my recommend list. There are some snakey salesmen out there so spend as much time researching the dealer as you do the brand name. JMO

That's on the high side for that age. I would only offer as high as $3500 IF you can see it fully running (heated to temperature, jets running etc) and look behind the access panel for any leaks while it's running. I'm a hotspring highlife fanboy, but they are not the most DIY weekend warrior friendly to repair. If that tub is leaking or not working, it could be expensive to fix

Can you see the hot tub running?