The Great Debate: Master LSX/800 v. SD Optima/Cameo

[Paul]

I am torn between the Master LSX or 800 (could not wet test LSX) and Sundance Optima/Cameo. The price is about the same. The Master 800 felt better on my bad back that requires lots of pressure (I could only wet test the 800 so I couldn't try the extreme therapy seat, but what power!), but my local SD dealer is established and I feel like they will be here to help out, whereas w/ Master I would be on my own (brand new dealer, rented some space in a warehouse, etc, does not seem to be an ongoing business).

I am NOT a handyman, have no patience to try to fix things myself, and leave maintenance to my girlfriend, who is no handyman herself. I feel like, if there is a problem, the local Sundance dealer will be there to help, If I have questions or problems with the Master and the dealer diasappears, does such an established brand have warranty service people available (I am told Sundance has one where I live), so that the dealer continued existence really doesn't matter?

[Jim_The_Jim]

I am torn between the Master LSX or 800 (could not wet test LSX) and Sundance Optima/Cameo. The price is about the same. The Master 800 felt better on my bad back that requires lots of pressure (I could only wet test the 800 so I couldn't try the extreme therapy seat, but what power!), but my local SD dealer is established and I feel like they will be here to help out, whereas w/ Master I would be on my own (brand new dealer, rented some space in a warehouse, etc, does not seem to be an ongoing business).

I am NOT a handyman, have no patience to try to fix things myself, and leave maintenance to my girlfriend, who is no handyman herself. I feel like, if there is a problem, the local Sundance dealer will be there to help, If I have questions or problems with the Master and the dealer diasappears, does such an established brand have warranty service people available (I am told Sundance has one where I live), so that the dealer continued existence really doesn't matter?

I would call Master Spas and ask for a written guarantee of service. In their video they say that you can move your tub and still get service. Ask them how? If the spas feels like what you want, then why go for something that is not as good? The warranty is from the manufacturer and if they can take care of you if this guy goes out of business, then so what if he is new.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

I would call Master Spas and ask for a written guarantee of service. In their video they say that you can move your tub and still get service. Ask them how? If the spas feels like what you want, then why go for something that is not as good? The warranty is from the manufacturer and if they can take care of you if this guy goes out of business, then so what if he is new.

Paul,

Don't underestimate the benefit of buying from a local experieinced dealer who'll be there long after the sale to care for your needs. Jim doesn't feel this way simply because he sells spas over the net and is up against the whole idea of people buying from local dealers and wants you to believe having the local dealer is overrated. It is NOT. If Master can service your needs with a good local dealer, great, go for it. If you don't think they can then it's hit and miss as to whether you'll get good service.

[Jim_The_Jim]

Paul,

Don't underestimate the benefit of buying from a local experieinced dealer who'll be there long after the sale to care for your needs. Jim doesn't feel this way simply because he sells spas over the net and is up against the whole idea of people buying from local dealers and wants you to believe having the local dealer is overrated. It is NOT. If Master can service your needs with a good local dealer, great, go for it. If you don't think they can then it's hit and miss as to whether you'll get good service.

Most all of the complaints about bad service, including the ones that involve law suits are from local dealers who don't do what they say they are going to do.

Do a search on the net and tell me how many complaints you see for warranty service from internet catalog order spas.

It is not that difficult for a manufacturer to find a service company to do warranty work. Our service company in Colorado has done warranty work for many spa manufacuturers, simply because the dealer went out of business. Did you know that all, every single one of the spa dealers that started out in business in the Denver metro area the same year we went into busines are now out of business? The longest lasting one filed bankruptcy last year. Being in the spa business is a tough of a business as there is. I can verify that.

There are no guarantees in life, and the Sundance dealer could have a heart attack tomorrow. I used to sell spas from the oldest company in the Spa industry that built spas: at 41 years, they went out of business. We have hundreds of their spas across the country, and managed to take care of all of them, even after the factroy was gone. I can no longer get parts for the control system, but we manage to rebuild the existing circuit boards.

The old timers with only brick and mortar are not liking the nature of the now and the future.

Did you know that all of the children are taught to use computers from kindergarten? It is a natural extension of their life and being able to order on line without having a salesman breathing down your neck or constantly calling you, is a nice way to shop.

I buy all of the supplies that I can over the net; I order all my industrial parts over the net. I order my plumbing supplies and tools over the net. I order all my computers and computer parts over the net. We even order our office supplies over the net. It is such a nice convenient way to shop.

Having a local dealer is overratted for sure, but it is not bad to have a local dealer. We are both.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

Having a local dealer is overratted for sure, but it is not bad to have a local dealer. We are both.

Having a dealer is NOT overrated. If someone in your area in Colorado wanted a spa, buying from you is certainly a viable option. I'm sure you know how to service the spas you sell (heck, you alter the Phoenix design, rebrand it and resell it so you must know how the spa works) and you're right there to service them quickly as the need arises. However, when you sell a spa to someone remote to you there is no way for you to properly service them in person the way a local dealer could and we've seen the consequences of just that with the Eric and Andy sagas (I'll refrain from posting the site that chronicles that, most are aware by now). You clearly have shown you can't service people in other states the way you can if you sell a spa to a guy 15 miles away and it's understandable.

[Veronica]

Having a dealer is NOT overrated. If someone in your area in Colorado wanted a spa, buying from you is certainly a viable option. I'm sure you know how to service the spas you sell (heck, you alter the Phoenix design, rebrand it and resell it so you must know how the spa works) and you're right there to service them quickly as the need arises. However, when you sell a spa to someone remote to you there is no way for you to properly service them in person the way a local dealer could and we've seen the consequences of just that with the Eric and Andy sagas (I'll refrain from posting the site that chronicles that, most are aware by now). You clearly have shown you can't service people in other states the way you can if you sell a spa to a guy 15 miles away and it's understandable.

If I had to do it again, I would and (probably will, after a long awaited refund on the Hydro Spa I bought online), pay twice the price to have a local dealer. Especially, if you are prudent enough to consider service issues that might arise before you buy. Believe me, it will be a nightmare to deal with the out-of-state manufacturer, when you can go to the local vendor who also must legally stand behind their product. Let them deal with any headaches, it's your rights as a consumer and part of what you pay for.