66Cuda

Thanks for the info. The only local Bullfrog dealer is Watsons. They have 804 google reviews. this is a store that sells a lot more than just hot tubs though. They do all sorts of outdoors patio sets, theater room seating and other stuff. It looks like about 100 or so of the reviews mention a hot tub. quite a few complain about service. The most recent review is negative about their hot tub experience. I went into the store on a Tuesday afternoon at 3pm. The sales guy seemed knowledgeable but did say there are wait times on tubs and parts. the Master Spa only has 169 reviews. Most are positive with only 6 reviews being 3 stars or below. That's a lot less than Watsons but per number of reviews they are probably the same. I did want to run by two other places. one is a Jacuzzi dealer. I'm not sure what brands the other place carries as their website is pretty vague. I also do see a Hot Springs dealer but I am not super familiar with them. I am not in any rush. I wonder if it would be better to wait till winter when they do the local home and garden show and go look at all the dealers then and pick one out. Thoughts on that approach?

I am a first time buyer looking for advice. I took a lot at several models from several different stores and have it somewhat narrowed down, pending visits to two other stores. I'm located in West Michigan near Grand Rapids. The two current models I've worked down to are the Master Spa Clarity 8 and the Bullfrog X8. The Master spa is being quoted around $10K to $11K depending on options. The Bullfrog is $9 to $10K. They seem pretty comparable with both having foam insulation and similar layouts. I noticed that the Master Spa is about 150lbs heaver than the bullfrog. I'm not sure if that really makes a big difference. it may just be the difference between wood and composite. What I like about the Master Spa is that is the only thing the dealer sells, they pride themselves on service and taking care of the clients (so they say) and he says he has parts and techs they are responding quickly. The Bullfrog is a Watsons which deals in "outdoor" stuff. The sales guy seemed good, but it sounds like parts could be delayed and service could be delayed. I started reading reviews about Watsons on google (there are a lot) and it seemed like a lot of people were complaining about after sale service being horrible. I also saw a lot of complaints about new tubs leaking as soon as they arrived/were set up. with my location and cold winters what are peoples thoughts?