spatech (the unreal one)

You are certainly free to decide how to spend your own money but some have come to these sites thinking they should decide how much the dealer SHOULD be charging. There is nothing wrong with asking though.

The markup is an overall calcultion taking into account the costs of the spas + the cost of doing business for the owner + a certain profit margin the owner is attempting to make. It varies by area, brand, owner, etc. In other words, there is NO set answer. I have an idea of what a set of good tires for my truck should cost NOT because I know anything about that industry but because I see comparable pricing from many tire stores. I also know that all tires are not the same so I know the best value isn't necessarily the lowest price but I can get a feel for it by shopping around and asking questions. If I came from another planet and knew nothing about tires I would have no idea whether what I was seeing was a good value. I'd either have to ask what the margains for teh product were or I'd shop around so I think you need to take the latter route. There is no conspiracy going on in the spa world There is nothing driving up prices to an artificial high. If that were the case somone would break ranks and lower their prices to get business and someone else would follow and do the same etc. Just like everything else the market settles in as businesses compete so what you really need to do is to shop around and compare as that's the way to gauge what you're seeing.

If you need this quick I'd suggest you go to the websites of the major manufacturers and use their dealer locators to see where your nearest dealer is. Being in Dallas you probably have most everyone nearby. I keep a list of the top manufacturer websites so I will list what I consider to be my top 5 favorites (in no particular order) followed by a couple other well thought of spa makers that people own/sell that come to this site. These links will acutally put you at the dealer locator sections of their websites: http://www.hotspring.com/Dealers/index.html http://retailer.sundancespas.com/ http://www.calderaspas.com/Locator/index.html http://www.marquisspas.com/ http://www.dimensiononespas.com/findadealer.asp http://www.colemanspas.com/ http://artesianspas.com/main/dealer_locator.asp http://www.goarctic.com http://retailer.hottubretailers.com/form.php There are more certainly but those above make probably 80-90% of the spas sold in the US. Visit 3 or 4 or 5 of the closest and see what you like. It's always best to wet test to find the spa that fits and feels best to you (or your boss) but you at least want to listen to a few of them and compare rather than buying the first one you see. Good luck.

It is important to understand what can cause foam but once you know then it's up to you to decide how far you want to police the spa. Relax and have fun.

That's why we always say wet test. I've seen many people prefer the Caldera jet intensity and others say just the opposite. I've seen people complain about the Marquis tri-zone yet someone else will say that's what they like best. Same with Hot Springs, Sundance etc. yet they all sell a ton of spas and they all offer wet tests that end up selling their spas. I used to give my opinion more about what I think is best but have learned that you can't explain to someone what THEY are going to like because we all see things a little differently.

I'm a big fan of Marquis, Hot Springs, Sundance, Caldera, D1. They make quality, well insulated spas and back them well. I really don't have too much knowledge ofVita so I'm really not knocking them. Wet test those you like and get a feel for how much you trust teh dealer will be there for you after the sale.

Calling the dealer is your best bet (that's what they're there for) but if you tell us what brand and model you have we might be able to help you out.

I think they are both from good spa makers. Have you wet tested? I would go with the CD ozone over any UV option they may give you. The LED lights are nice, not completely necessary but defintiely nice. Both should be full foam and will be pretty good at insulating. Try them out, get a feel for the dealers and how well they'll care for your needs after the sale and good luck.

Did the other Master dealer turn that kind of behavior in. I know, the Manufacturer can't police that but they should know what their dealers are doing. then again, what about the shows Master the manufacturer puts on around the country where they deceive people into thinking it's a big show with lots of dealers but in the end it's a Master show run by corporate and maybe SotfTubs or some other small secondary players? Do the dealers complain about such Marketing tactics because it hurts the overall brand to a good degree?

and along those lines, if you an affford to apy it with a check you might ask your dealer if you can get a better deal that way because those programs cost $$ for teh dealer to use.

Now that's LOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

I can't imagine a lawyer admitting he fell for that rebate scam but there must be a couple somewhere hoping none of their fellow professionals find out he/she actually signed up for it.

If possible have it running with hot water (and state as much) and you'll find local people prefer to be able to check out a running spa. People in general don't like to hear "sure it works fine but I don't have water or power to it for you to see that for yourself". I'd advise anyone to skip out on a spa they can't see running unless it's priced with the idea where the owner simply wants it removed and isn't looking for much of anything in return.

I think you're saying about the same thing as the D1 dealer about his brand but that's not so unusual. You have to expect everyone has their own favorites. The reality is they're both very good as is the Hot Springs.

... and if you talk to the other dealers they'll say the same thing except the names of who is most innovative and who is behind whom gets switched around a bit. Skip all the sales rhetoric, wet test the spas, get a feel for your trust in the dealer and make a choice but in each case the spa should be a quality product.

Whether or not the spa overflow has to do with 2 things: 1) The length and width dimensions of the inside of the spa toward the top, not at the footwell. If you took that same spa and somehow made it 50 inches deeper it would have no bearing on whether it overflowed unless you changed the inside L and W. It's all about water water displacement which is a relation between that inside LxW of the shell and 2) The size of the individuals getting in who are displacing that water. At 76" x 84" the 4 people would have to be pretty good sized for you to have a problem.

Bullseye, give that man a prize.

I wouldn't be placing too much emphasis on the shell one way or the other.

It has a good warranty but there is some fine print to that "lifetime" warranty. After year 7 you are subject to paying the cost to ship the spa to D1 for them to repair it in house and you also pay for the return shipment. In other words it's a full 7 year warranty and then a limited warranty after that. After 7 years some may decide it's not worth the cost of paying to send it out and get it back if the spa is older. A good warranty it is but the"Lifetime" term should be used loosely.

Good thing you're an independent thinker Roger!

Craig, If you understand the difference between value and price then you're half way there. The reality is everyone in the industry has their own opinion (biased on not) and they certainly vary. My list of top spas is always Hot Springs, Sundance, Marquis, Caldera and D1. I don't have Coleman, Jacuzzi, Arctic and other notables in there but that doesn't mean I think they're necessarily inferior (your list can only be so big). In fact, I really think the most meaningful list is those spas which a spa professional (or educated customer) feels should be avoided. I have stated in the past that I would avoid Thermospas and Cal Spas as premium priced spas that don't have great reputations for Quality and service from what I know. Then there are the lesser priced spas that promise to give you better value but not all have a great reputation for Quality or service but some people feel if you get a good enough deal on they don't mind being the service guy (not everyone shares that thought). From that group I would avoid Hydro spas, Gulf Coast, internet spas that can't be seen or tested and require a leap of faith that they'll service them when issues arise and any of those infamous spas that sell in the Pennysaver touting that their spas are still wrapped and normally sell for $8,000,000 but they'll sacrifice one for $4,800 if you come to their storage facility today, etc. If the price is too good to be true you'll often regret you're the owner of the product down the line. I'm sure some will disagree with what I'm saying (especially if they sell/own the spas I refer to) and I completely understand that because after all, this is just my opinion.

It all depend on which spas you're comparing to that are "very similar". I've seen many second rate spas (IMO) say they're similar because they use equal parts, as if that's all it takes (assuming it's true of course). They'l say the difference is in the markup but I've also seen many older spas from major spa companies that last for many years because they're built to last while many bargain spas become huge planters far too often about 7 years down the line.

It has a good warranty but there is some fine print to that "lifetime" warranty. After year 7 you are subject to paying the cost to ship the spa to D1 for them to repair it in house and you also pay for the return shipment. In other words it's a full 7 year warranty and then a limited warranty after that. After 7 years some may decide it's not worth the cost of paying to send it out and get it back if the spa is older. A good warranty it is but the"Lifetime" term should be used loosely.

I do believe he was pulling your leg a bit.

That does seem high even with stereo (which I'd skip). I'm not a big Master fan but this simply seems like a reflection on the dealer. If you really are set on Master see where the next closest dealer is and see if you can get a quote from them to for local comparison.