As I said in the post, the warranty info came direct from Master. If I were to buy that spa, I would ask that they provide that in writing, but I'm not, so I won't. This particular spa does not have a circ pump, no doubt because it is 5 years old.
As I've been told, the big service issue with Master is that they sell via the shows in areas where they do not have a dealer set up to provide service. They make arrangements with someone which long term often doesn't work out. Then the customers have a problem. I have not experienced this myself, just passing along. I did hear this identical story from several sources, whatever that is worth. I would think that if you have a solid local dealer for Master, one that is concerned about reputation and repeat business, this would not be an issue. In this area, the local Master dealer appears less than dedicated. Certainly the fact that his inventory is very old should be an indication that something is up.
The L.A. Spas dealer seems very good. While in the store, two people stopped in to pick up supplies and he greeted them by name. There are multiple "thanks for the great service" letters on the wall, dating back several years. He quoted what seems like a competitive price on a 2008 that's in stock. Two days later he called and offered an additional $500 discount and free delivery. After extensive negotiation, I'm giving him a little guitar amp. It's a long story. Considering I live in a rural area, down a dirt road, about 35 mins from town, free delivery is good.
So that's my story. It's the Solera model. I bought it. All we need to do now is finish building the house.....