Deposit On Used Hs 2000 Grandee

[xvtwin]

Is $4500 a fair price? I'm new to hot tubs so please excuse my ignorance. I put a deposit down with a large dealer in Michigan and have five days to decide if I want this tub. It is in great condition and has been serviced by the dealer for resale. It has a 30 day warranty. It had a service "check list" that listed items that were checked or serviced. Some of the jets had been replaced and the heater was replaced. The control panel display was cloudy but otherwise in great condition. There was no water in it but the salesman said that when they receive the tubs they are filled and checked. They had many tubs in a huge warehouse that they had taken in from various locations around the state. Most were HS and several looked almost new. Energy effiency is important to me as well as reliability. The price includes delivery and cover.

Thanks for your informed opinions.

[Raeven]

Well... only you can decide what the tub is worth to you, but here are my thoughts:

I just spent $3,325 for a 2005 HS Envoy from a private party. The price included cover, cover lifter, steps, chemicals, a little vacuum and some other accessories (extra headrests, etc.).

I had to purchase a GFI panel (which is unusual, it should have come with the spa) for an additional $175. I paid $250 for professional spa people to move the spa about 25 miles. I had to replace the auxiliary control panel on the spa, which I found for a great price thanks to a very helpful person here, and I did the replacement work myself. So for about $3,850, I have a nearly-new spa which should give me at least 15 years' worth of excellent service.

There are folks here who would feel I still paid too much, but to me, this spa was worth what I paid as it was one I would have been happy to purchase new had I felt like spending that kind of money. It had every single feature I was looking for.

I don't personally feel your 30 day warranty is worth the $650 difference in price for a spa that is 5 years older than the one I bought. I do realize the Grandee is a larger model, so perhaps you feel differently. But in terms of a comparison, I thought you would be interested in my experience.

Best of luck with whatever you decide!

Rae

Edited to add: I don't think it's a good idea to purchase ANY spa without test-soaking first. I wet-tested several spas I thought I wanted, and I was wrong in each instance. By wet-testing both new and used, I was able to narrow down my search for a used spa considerably. It's a little weird to wet-test someone else's spa, but with a little grace and a good sense of humor, it can be extremely educational. And hey, $4,500 is a lot of money -- make sure you are getting something you really want!