La Spas, Should I Purchase?

[hotpod]

So I am brand new and I have learned lots of good information already on this forum. Thank you! One thing that I noticed, (as did someone else in these forums) is that there is very little information on LA Spas brand. I am considering the LA Spas Palomar for my first purchase of a hot tub/spa. I only saw a forum of people debating the aqua clean filter system that comes with the LA Spa, I like this feature and plan on using chlorine as my sanitizer so i belive I will be good. But does anyone have any advice to this brand? Is it true that it is up there in quality as the Hot springs and Sundance brands? I have considered other brands and still keep coming back to this particular spa, (i think I have fallen in love) so Im just looking for some stories on quality or past repair stories to get a little more information in what to expect for future ownership? I think I have a good dealer to buy from, they have come down 2,000 off the sticker price, included steps, easy lift bar for cover, the cover, 1 year supply of chemicals and a 5 year warranty on parts, labor, and travel of any repairs. It is now being offered to be for 6,000. Thoughts? warnings? advice? Should I take the lack of people talking about this spa that it is a great spa? I mean to say is...if the only topic i can find on LA Spa brand on this forum is a few people aggravated that the filters might wear out sooner than 3 months becuase they are using bromine a good sign? Thank you so much for your time and advice!

[Larry K.]

I have one and like it. I think that it is a fine mid grade tub.

As far as the filters go, you can use "normal" filters in them - they fit and work just fine.

[hotpod]

great! so I think I am going to go ahead with the LA Spa Palomar. Im so excited...I have actually been reading owners manuals online for fun... Do you have the ozone mixing chamber on yours? Do you have any thoughts or ideas on that particular feature on some of the LA spas? Mind wont have the mixing chamber but it will have the ozone. Do you have any experience with the mixing chamber?

[Larry K.]

I do have Ozone, but not the mixing chamber. As far as "features" such as lights and stereos, you will find that you really don't use them after the initial infatuation wears off...

I highly recommend the "BBB" water treatment as discussed on this board, and get a good test kit, not the strips!

[spatech (the unreal one)]

I do have Ozone, but not the mixing chamber. As far as "features" such as lights and stereos, you will find that you really don't use them after the initial infatuation wears off...

I highly recommend the "BBB" water treatment as discussed on this board, and get a good test kit, not the strips!

If you don't have a mixing chamber don't get the ozone.

[hotpod]

Thank you all!

so you really think the mixing chamber is really that influential in the effectivness of the ozone?

as far as the little "perks" (stereo and lights) I wanted mine without the stereo just becuase I saw a good suggestion on this board just to get bose weather resistant speakers mounted outside so that way it wont go out after a year or so. As for the lights im getting the big one and the 3 smaller ones just so that I can see better, plus I might be in the mood to make it different colors depending on the evening.

What does BBB stand for? Is that the bromine method? I have read about it in the chemistry section and I am still kind of confused but I will read about it more closely. If that is what that stands for.

Again thank you so much for your all advice!

P.S. I ordered the test kit made by taylor off of amazon...I hop I got the right one...

[ChaiSTi]

hotpod, you may want to ask the dealer about the spa's warranty. LA Spas list the Palomar as a "Mid-Range" model. The warranty you stated is for the "Premier" models. Are they providing you a warranty beyond the factory warranty?

[spawn]

so you really think the mixing chamber is really that influential in the effectivness of the ozone?

The intent of the mixing chamber is to prevent ozone from entering the main tub area which is undesirable for many reasons.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

so you really think the mixing chamber is really that influential in the effectivness of the ozone?

The intent of the mixing chamber is to prevent ozone from entering the main tub area which is undesirable for many reasons.

Yes, if the spa is not set up with some type of mixing chamber and just sends the ozone almost directly into the main body of water I say definitely don't bother getting an ozonator. Not only will it not be worth it but it will be more detrimental since most all of it will be offgasing in the main tub and cause more harm than good.

[hotpod]

Thank you all for your respones!

As to the question of the warranty...yes the dealer extended it for me from 2 or 3 to 5 becuase I think they are hungry for a sale.

I am glad you all mentioned the ozonator mixing chamber becuase I have seen a couple hot tubs running and it always seem to have little bubbles coming up from the floor and every time I ask what that is coming from they always say "its the ozone cleaning your tub". So I will be asking more questions in the future about that...could that be one of the reasons why some peoples inside of their cover gets "eaten" away over time?

I also found another dealer and I will be visiting their showroom Friday evening...They have Catalina, D1, and Jacuzzi. And they too are having a big sale, they did say however that their floor models need to go...any advice on purchasing a floor model? Should I be worried that it is not totally brand new?

Also I wanted to ask, since many of these other spas i have been considering come with "air blowers" is it true that they only serve a purpose of cooling down water as one salesman told me? He said that it was used back in the 80's to give the jets more power...but now days people just think of them as a waste becuase they cool down your water...especially if it is in the winter? I would like to know your thoughts on what he said... Thank you!

[hotpod]

So I went today and tested the Catalina...My very first experience with the sales guy was to get into the hot tub...now mind you I am 6'2 tall man and I wont lie, people liken me to a football player...(we will just say im broad shouldered) well this particular seat that I was trying to squeeze into was the seat with the shoulder jets. Needless to say sitting 4 inches off the bottom was difficult...I tried to sit down gracefully, but it didnt happen, I slamed my back into the stupid shoulder jets and screamed like a banshee it hurt so bad, LOL the sales guy had a hard time covering from that (as im sure it was funny to not only me but to everyone else). I then preceded to act like it felt so good. (it didnt) mainly becuase I had to scrunch my back to fit under the shoulder jets and then I thought Ok I cant stand this im going to move to the other seat. I then tried to get up again...as always i tried to be graceful about it, however I ended up slipping trying to claw my way out of the seat and falling face first into the water. Now if that didnt show how new I was i dont know what would. I then got into another seat and realized I was so tall that just having my feet in a sitting position my toes were slammed up against the other seat. I then promptly got up and said...I have had enough thank you for your time. Well as Karma would have it on my way out of the tub, I slipped on the stairs and stradled the edge of the hot tub (im a guy) so yet once again I screamed and then promptly left. Now...If i had needed a sign if I should buy that tub...I think I got it. thank you for listening I just wanted to share my story.