spawn

Newbie36 - Sounds like you have been doing your homework. I have never tested a Flair, nor priced them but I think they are well regarded. Five minutes from the dealer is great but do what you can to find out how well they take care of their customers. If there are other dealers of good brands near by it would be worth taking a look at their offerings in your price range. But I would think if the dealer is sound, you would not regret your purchase of the Flair, assuming the wet test goes well and the lounge works for you.

Good decision to stay on track and not get distracted by this curveball. I have to wonder why a dentist would "have to sell" an un-used, not yet delivered hot tub". Suddend drastic change in finances? Buyers remorse? I am sure he has an explaination but nonetheless... You have gone through a thoughtful process and will end up with the right tub at a fair price if you stay the course.

<p style="margin-left: 40px">They are all quality tubs so I would base the choice on other factors.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px"> </p> <p style="margin-left: 40px">Ideally you will find that one of the two nearby dealers will have a tub that works for you but if the tub from two hours away really seems to be the one you want and the dealer is solid I would go for it. Just make sure that you and the dealer have a clear understand about service, if needed. Discuss cost, timing - get it in writing. Paying a service charge is fair for the that 1/2 day round trip but maybe the dealer will feel that the rate can be relaxed. Hopefully the trip won't be needed, with a good tub. Maybe he can arrange with a local tech to do it and avoid the travel charge - might get quicker service too.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px"> </p> <p style="margin-left: 40px"> </p>

Here is what I use, a 1/4 HP utility pump I ordered from Amazon for about $50 (price is always changing): http://www.amazon.com/Superior-Pump-91250-Thermoplastic-Submersible/dp/B000X05G1A I don't even bother to use the drain valve - I just use this pump and connect it to a garden hose and it takes about 1/2 hour. I usually spend that time wiping down the tub as the waterline drops. If you really are in a hurry you can connect it to a 1-1/4" hose, rather than use the garden hose adapter. As for getting every last drop - you don't really need to, but there is very little remaining with this pump - could soak up the rest with a towel if you are concerned. The quick drain time is nice. I have a second filter so I can drain in the morning, fill, adjust chems and be ready to tub in the evening.

Not sure that I understand. Are you saying that if you have a problem with your new tub you will be on your own to do the repair? Did you ask Master how warranty repairs will be handled (who)? You're thinking is that if they just send you the parts after you troubleshoot it that you'll do the fix, and Master agrees? You must be pretty remote. How far are you from the dealers Apollo217 mentioned? A friend of mine has a Master tub he bought at a show that he has been satisifed with. I think the general consnsus is that Master makes a decent tub. Just a comment on opinions on Master. When you say "I dont see why people hate Master so much on this forum (strictly from a design perspective)" - I don't thnk people do. I think the negative opinions are not about tub design or quality. I note that you believe that you got a bit of a deal on your tub. I would bet that everyone who buys a Master tub at a show feels that he got a good deal. If everyone gets a good deal, does anyone get a good deal? Did you look at what you could buy for that price from other dealers? Sorry if my thoughts / comments are not helpful, just knid of "thinking out loud". Bottom line - you seem to know what to expect with regard to service. Tub quality, if not top tier, is not to be feared.

Congrats mhaleusa - enjoy your tub!

Not sure where you live johnnyb60 but using the tub in cooler weather, even snow, is one of the most enjoyable times to use it. Of course it varies from spa to spa, utility costs and how much you use the tub, but if you have a well insulated tub the cost for heating is not a major percentage of the cost of ownership. It could be different for you but where I live in Seattle, a mild climate with very reasonable electricty rates, I estimated before purchasing that my cost for electrcity would be about 15% - 25% of my cost of ownership over the life of the tub. I realize tha most people will pay a higher percentage. If you eliminate the winter use you will save $ on heating, but you will have to winterize when you shut it down, decontaminate when you start it up and you increase the liklihood of of problems. I am just a consumer but if that 60 in your name means what I think it might I think that spending a bit for enjoyment would be a good move, unless $ are tight. Great place to do a little stretching too - its good for physical health and mental health. Well my wife will argue with me on this but the last time I looked, it cost me about $200 to $250 per month to operate in the winter. She says it was a lot less and I can’t say for sure because she pays the bills. Our winters are not extremely cold, but it does drop below freezing and once in a while it snows for a day or two. I myself can’t take the shock of jumping out of hot water and running through freezing temps to the house although everybody else around here seems to enjoy it. My wife wants the tub and is willing to compromise on shutting it down in the winter. I admit I defiantly need it myself. I don’t have that many more years before retirement and with the economy today my retirement is going to hurt so I’m trying to save as much as I can now. If I did leave it operating all winter, I definitely need to buy the best cover they make and somehow insulate the bottom. Maybe I can fill it with foam or add 2” ridged foam insulation around the bottom of it for the winter. johnnyb60 - Well, if your wife wants a tub, it's a slam dunk - you have to get her a tub! But seriously, the extra cost to heat it through the winter should not be a huge amount more with a well insulated tub in a climate where you only get snow a couple of days per year. I would be very surprised if the difference in your electric bill for January was $200 more than your bill for July, so I am siding with your wife on that debate. If in doubt, look at the old bills, although that doesn't necessarily tell the whole story. There may be some things that you can do to provide extra insulation for the winter months but there are some precautions to take - there have been other threads about this. I agree with Roger - no problem with the cold when I get out in winter. In fact I sometimes sit with a robe in a chaise lounge (we have a covered area near the tub) for awhile before heading in. One caveat - I usually don't wear a suit in the tub but when I do and get out in winter it seems that it gets cold almost immedaitely. Getting in is the tricky part - we have learned to coordinate our actions and get in the tub as fast as possible.

That's a great tub mhaleusa. I know it's a bummer now but once you get through this, it will be worth it. FWIW I have about 3/4" difference in my tub and it works fine with my jetting layout and filter location, which I was aware of when I designed the vault that it sits in and choose the tub. I had to be sure that I could drain to a low spot to get water out of the cavity. Hang in there - you have gotten some good input here and soon all will be well.

Not sure where you live johnnyb60 but using the tub in cooler weather, even snow, is one of the most enjoyable times to use it. Of course it varies from spa to spa, utility costs and how much you use the tub, but if you have a well insulated tub the cost for heating is not a major percentage of the cost of ownership. It could be different for you but where I live in Seattle, a mild climate with very reasonable electricty rates, I estimated before purchasing that my cost for electrcity would be about 15% - 25% of my cost of ownership over the life of the tub. I realize tha most people will pay a higher percentage. If you eliminate the winter use you will save $ on heating, but you will have to winterize when you shut it down, decontaminate when you start it up and you increase the liklihood of of problems. I am just a consumer but if that 60 in your name means what I think it might I think that spending a bit for enjoyment would be a good move, unless $ are tight. Great place to do a little stretching too - its good for physical health and mental health.

I am not a repairman but I would guess that the temperature variations that an empty spa experiences contribute to the problem. It is common in many areas to have daily temperatrue swings of 20 degrees, 30 degrees or more. Annual temperature extremes may vary by 100 degrees. A filled tub wtih a heater will stay at 102 degrees year around. Further, if not properly winterized and exposed to freezing temperatures, water in the plumping could freeze, expand and cause problems,

You are wise to consider other options and if you end up with the Grandee you will know that you made the right choice. Two months isn't too long to wait, by the way, to get the color your wife likes - keeping the wife happy is always a good idea. Another way to look at is you have two months to get bids for the electrical work, choose an electrician and get the work scheduled and installed. Same with you concrete contractor. If you can get the salt system thrown in on the deal that is great but I think for most people it is an expensive addition that is not needed. It is nice if you are going to be out of town for a long time, but there are work arounds and/or inexpensive alternatives for that situation too.

johnnyb60 - I am not familiar with Diamante and I don't know how long you have had the spa, but it sounds like it may be time to move on. While some enjoy some of the more exciting features on some tubs, I didn't decide to buy a hot tub because I wanted to see light shows and waterfalls or listen to poorly reproduced music - so I favor simplicity. A smaller tub will save you $ but a moderately sized, well insulated tub won't cost much more than a two seater. It is usually just two people in our tub but it is nice to have an option to sit elsewhere rather than remain in one spot or just swap to another seat, but some are okay with that. As for sharing body fluids with another person - that can actually be a good thing - you just may be gong about it the wrong way (agree that the tub may not be best place for this).

I would prefer US made simply to keep more jobs and $ here. If quality, cost, dealer and fit are comparable I would pick the US tub.

Very good advice from spatech...

I am not familiar with the Aqua Finesse product and do not use it. You may get better feedback in the Spa chemistry section of the forum as there are some very knowledgable people who frequent that forum.