Thanks for your comments. I have heard a lot of negative (unsolicited) things about Jacuzzi in general (ie you are just paying for a name)- however that is why i am on this forum- to hear feedback. As to the warranty-- yes, when i mentioned that the factory 3yr warranty wasn't "apples to apples" like the other spas listed, the store mentioned it would extend the warranty for a total of 5yrs for an additional $299. Also, yes all of the tubs listed, with the exception of the Maax spa is Fully foamed (they tried to convince me that their "thermolock" was better)- however after some research i also learned that the manufacturer is based in SoCal so not sure that would fly with the Chicago winter.
One constant i have found, and is why I am leaning towards the great Limelight deal, is that Hot Springs (Watkins) makes a fantastic product.