East TX Spa

"Everything I Ever Wanted to Know About a Spa Company, I Learned by Looking at Their Delivery Methods" Duct tape and trash bags do not instill consumer confidence. Terminator

To all the fine folks that frequent this board, I would like to say this: It is very obvious to anyone with common sense that there is a poster that lurks on this forum who is not credible. It is easily documented who he is and what he does. In order to try and eke out a meager living by selling his re-branded generic spas to unsuspecting customers that fall prey to his self-created propoganda-laden website, he is reduced to spreading half-truths and outright lies about companies that are infinitely more successful than his. This is the typical "scare the sheep into buying from you" approach. Some unfortunate people will actually overpay for these run-of-the-mill spas that can be purchased for half of what he is selling them. These are the same people who see conspiracies lurking on every grassy knoll. His sole mission on this board is to act as an agent provocateur. There is at least one on every board. His modus operandi is to project lies, fabrications, exaggerations, rhetoric in the hopes of eliciting a reaction from the professionals who have established themselves as leaders in the spa industry. The only way he can receive any acknowledgement is to do what infants do: cry at the top of his lungs while making a mess in the hope that someone will pacify him and engage him in mindless cooing and babbling. When adults present facts to him, he holds his breath and regurgitates the same drivel over and over and over and over..........ad nauseum. I am going to adopt the same approach as I would towards any child that is manipulative, ill-tempered, immature, and deceitful: ignore him while laughing at his silly little antics while denying him the attention he craves. Sometimes you just have to hope that they can eventually grow into a trustful, honest, upstanding citizen. Terminator

You're welcome ClayC, I'm glad to be of assistance. Yes, the Tri-X Filters can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Run them through a rinse cycle and DO NOT use soap or you will have bubbles out the wazoo! The Tri-X Filters have been designed to last 7-10 years and possibly up to 20 years, depending on how often you clean and degrease them with filter cleaner. We charge $1800 for the SpAudio, I have seen it on the net as low as $1500. The water does not muffle the sound at all, it is crystal clear even with the jets running. Is it worth it? In my opinion, no. You are much better off placing outdoor speakers around the spa. For the money you can get a much nicer set-up. Terminator

OK, once again, I'll try to make it as simple as possible without all of the jibber jabber. Answer this: Is it better to filter out hair, skin, dirt, toenails, etc. before it enters the pump, heater, and plumbing? Is it better NOT to filter out hair, skin, dirt, toenails, etc. before it enters the pump, heater, and plumbing? It really is so simple. Even a child could answer this question. Can you? Terminator

There is some information here which might interest you. It's probably the only information you will find on this company that isn't generated by the company itself. Caveat emptor! http://www.selberg.org/~speed/spa.html Terminator

In 2000, we had an ice storm come through NE Texas. Power lines went down and the electricity went out. This was on a Sunday. I have a customer that owned a HotSpring Sovereign (Full-Foam) running off of a 110v outlet. His water temperature was set on 102*. On Thursday, he took a thermometer out and checked the water temperature of his spa. It was 94*. After 4 days of below freezing temperatures and no electricity, his fully-foamed HotSpring Spa only dropped EIGHT degrees. His family bathed in it as it was the only hot water they had available. This is a real-world customer experience, not some theoretical hypothesis cooked up in a testing laboratory. That should put this to bed once and for all. Terminator

Thank you, ClayC, I appreciate the compliment. Believe me, I do have an agenda to promote what I believe to be the best spa made. I sure don't try to hide that! But I don't believe in bashing the competition. That is poor salesmanship and is best left to the bottom feeders that abound in this (and every other) industry. To answer your questions: Pricing- those seem to be very competitive. They are about $600-800 less than what you would pay for the same thing here in East Texas. I seriously doubt you could find better pricing on those 2 spas. Vista or Envoy- I actually prefer the less expensive Envoy and here is why. In the Vista, the captain's chair in the corner is set at an angle. The very powerful JetStream foot jet actually pushes my feet and body sideways (and I weigh 250 lbs). I find it somewhat annoying. The Envoy's captains chair has the foot jet facing straight on. I find this to be much more comfortable. It's a small thing but it might make a huge difference in your spa enjoyment. What do you get for the $900 price difference? I more seat and a 2" deeper spa. In my opinion, not worth it. Unless you want the extra seat, I would get the Envoy. It outsells the Vista 7 to 1 in my store. Be sure and try them both and see which one fits YOU the best. I wish you well in your endeavor! Terminator To answer your new questions (as well as one of your first ones I overlooked): Best time to buy? Based upon the price you quoted me, I would say now. Those are excellent prices. Dirty Filters- The Tri-X Filters do a great job. Since they do a great job, they get extremely dirty (huh, imagine that, dirt in the filters instead of your pump). No problem, put them in the dishwasher once or twice a month and you're good to go. Water Flow- If the filters become too clogged to allow water to pass, the spa will shut itself off and the red and green lights on the front control panel will flash. That way you will definitely know that the filters need cleaning. Pump Longevity- We have sold HotSpring Spas for 20 years. We have had to replace a total of 8 (EIGHT) jet pumps during that entire time. Chas (another HS dealer on this forum) stated on another board he has had to replace 6 jet pumps in 20 years and another 9 year HS dealer stated he had replaced 3. I can safely say that you will probably never have to worry about replacing your jet pumps should you get a HS. Terminator

He is selling something. He is selling the most overwhelmingly popular spa on the planet. He has been selling them for 20 years. He has several thousand happy customers that own a product that does exactly what it is designed to do: provide years of relaxation and enjoyment with the peace of mind in knowing that the product is fully supported by the manufacturer. I do the same thing. While others quibble and obfuscate and try to eke out a living through subversive methods, Chas has a thriving and successful business based on these principles: Selling a quality product and taking care of his customers for the duration of their spa ownership. He should be congratulated for being a successful businessman and appreciated for his efforts on this and other forums for his willingness to help others. I applaud him. Terminator

For anyone that is interested in why 100% No-Bypass Filtration is a superior method of filtering the water, here it is, plain and simple. Ask yourself this: Is it better to filter out hair, dirt, dead skin, toenails, etc. before it enters the spa's pump, heater, and plumbing? Yes or No Is it better to have bypass valves that allow hair, dirt, dead skin, toenails, etc. into the spa's pump, heater, and plumbing? Yes or No It really is simple. Some unethical salespeople try to flim flam customers into believing that it is better to suck garbage into your spa's internals than to filter it before it ever gets into the spa's internals. Again, don't allow yourselves to be victimized by the rantings of online predators. Use your good common sense when making expensive purchases. Terminator

Don't worry, it's not my gun. It's my 7-year old daughter's gun. I bought it so she can protect herself from internet predators. Terminator

Guzz, I misread the sentence to state that 100% of the water is discharged through the jets. The dealer that ClayC spoke with was 100% correct. I just can't "reed tu guud." My bad! Terminator

Yes, what he told you was partially true. HotSpring is the only spa manufacturer that utilizes 100% No-Bypass Filtration. The major befefit of doing so is that every single drop of water is filtered BEFORE it enters your spas pump, heater, and plumbing. This will prevent the buildup of debris inside the spas equipment and greatly extend the lifetime of the major components. HotSpring and Sundance are both excellent choices. You can't go wrong with either brand. Good luck in your search efforts. Terminator

To answer your question seriously (and it is a good topic, BTW), I have a 42" plasma TV in the showroom. If the kids don't seem to be enthralled with my melifluous, dulcit-toned sales presentation, I pop "Finding Nemo" into the DVD player and pop them some popcorn. That usually does the trick! Terminator

Amanda, you are obviously a very nice lady with a lot of patience. I just lock the kids in the broom closet and use them as bargaining chips when dealing with the parents. They're kind of starting to pile up in there and they sure are noisy. It does save the parents some money as they don't have to buy as big of a spa. Terminator

CLAYC, WHY ARE PEOPLE YELLING AT YOU? DID YOU MAKE SOMEONE MAD OR ARE YOU HEARING IMPAIRED AND I WASN'T AWARE OF IT? Just kidding, hope your search is going well. Terminator

stl-rex is a consumer and has been frequenting the various boards. He asks astute questions, gathers info, and is very thorough. He is a proponent for Arctic as he believes them to be the best spa for him, but I don't believe he is associated with them in any way other than as an excited customer. I've never read any posts from him to indicate he is anything other than what he is, a valued and well-informed consumer. Terminator

Here you go, my friend: HotSpring Sovereign HotSpring Envoy HotSpring Vista Everything on your list except the fiberglass backing. HotSpring uses ABS backing. This will eliminate any problems that can occur with 1970's technology (fiberglass) such as bubbling, warping, and delamination. Any of those 3 spas are the finest in the world in their class with the Sovereign arguably being the best selling spa of all time. The prices should run between $7,500-$11,000 depending on your location. Wet test them to find out which is best for you and your family. Good luck in your search! Terminator

Never, ever buy a "spa" from someone: A. Selling spas on the side of the road B. Selling spas from a rented storage building C. Selling rebranded spas on the internet D. Selling spas from a "factory direct warehouse" E. Selling "$8,000 spas for $3,700" Use your God-given good sense when shopping, the same as you would do if you were looking for a car or house. Don't expect to get a top-of-the-line product at bargain basement prices. Your blood pressure will thank you. Terminator

Again, the Moto-Massage costs approximately $80 to repair. Anyone that knows how to use a Phillips head screwdriver can do it. The Moto-Massage lasts around 10 years or more, longer than most BRANDS of spa will last. Beware of dealers that compete with HotSpring who will try to spread disinformation in an effort to scare consumers into purchasing their brand of spa. When you are the world's most popular spa and own overwhelming market share in the industry, everyone is gunning for you. Nothing wrong with that, it is capitalism at work. However, sell your products based on IT'S merits, how is IT better than HotSpring, what do YOU offer the customer that no one else does. That is good and ethical salesmanship. Running down the competition makes you nothing but a used-car salesman. Terminator