sheerer

Thanks for the advice, I looked at Sundance today and they seemed nice, really need to get back to the showrooms and "wet test" them. I think you are right that sitting in them dry is a waste of time. I probably will hit all the major brands and test them wet, then compare features and prices and just make a decision. Who knows, maybe while I'm waiting, a good used one will come up, as I'd much rather get a huge discount from someone who purchased it new. Any other thoughts out there? I'd still like to hear others chime in. One of the dealers also carried "Nordic" - he did state it was lower quality, but very reliable. What do you think about that brand?? Thanks for your feedback.

I too have been researching, and reading about a hot tub purchase and am also very frustrated about the negative lashing between the brands. I am looking for an affordable, quality product that I wont have to sink alot of time, money or energy costs into to operate. (I want the Toyota or Honda of the brand).. dont want the Kia, and dont need the Mercedes. I live in the NE so, insulation is an important factor in my decision. Since this is my first tub purchase, I am unsure how much I will actually use it. Somewhat concerned that if I make a poor decision, I will use it less too. We previously owned a home with an inground pool and always wished we could turn make it hotter at night.. I love being in the water, so I think I will really enjoy it. Both my husband & I get sore muscles from manual work we do, so I think the therapy will be very inviting to use. We know we don't want a lounger due to the space they take up looking for a 6-8 seater so we can also enjoy with family or friends. We've looked at HotSprings, Caldera, Artesian, & Beachcomber. Many of the sales people we've spoken with said be warry of the expense of owning a Hotspring from a maintenance standpoint. They change all their parts slightly so you can't replace them with "standard", but have to use their proprietary parts which tend to cost 4x as much. Not sure if that a scare tactic or the truth? Also heard they are now not being manufactured in the USA anymore? Again, not sure if that is true? I really liked the feel of the Artesian, with different seat configuration and molding on each corner.., but I haven't been able to find a lot about them on line or on a forum as far as how happy people are with them? We sat in a used Saratoga Spa and were a bit surprised by how much we "floated" away from the seat... since this was the only full tub we've sat in, I was a little worried about how a tub feels full vs empty. The show-rooms tend to only show them empty. The last obstacle we are trying to get through is whether it's worth it to by new vs used? There seem to be an ample supply of used tubs, so does it make sense? My fear is buying some junk used and then hating the whole experience.. or worse yet, spending $8K on one new and having the same. Only issue with used ones seem to be they don't have that many jets - how important is that really??? Will that just make me float away more? Any advise or help would be greatly appreciated, I really want this investment to be something I do right and enjoy for 10+ years! THANKS!