3Rd Tub...need Some Advice

[jlcpremier]

My father originally had a 2003 Hot Springs Landmark, so I was very happy with that spa. We used it probably 3-4 times/month on average. It wasn't until 5 years in that we had a problem with the electrical system. I think it was some kind of short in the heater. But only cost a couple hundred to fix.

When it came time for me to get my first hot tub, I had to be a bit more budget minded, so I started looking at the Softubs. Eventually I decided to spend a bit more money and went with a used 05' Dreammaker 110V which was a nice spa, but the heating method, just didn't work out for my needs. I live in a townhouse, so having that pump running for most of the day, wasn't kind to my neighbors nor my electrical bill.

So here I am looking at my options for my 3rd spa. I started looking around on Craigslist some more and found a couple Sundance Marins which look like a perfect fit in price, size and seating/jet needs. I've seen 3 or 4 over the past week and they all seem to go for around 1-2 grand which really is where I would LIKE to stay budget wise. I also found a 02 Sundance Altamar which looks to be in really great shape, aside from needing a new cover from sun fading/damage. The guy is asking $1000 but my concern is the tub is 12 years old.

This leads me to another concern of buying used vs new or used from a dealer with a warranty. With my townhouse, anything besides the smallest softtub needs to be craned in over my garage, so with the Dreammaker, I paid $1200 (actually thinking it was a 2010, but the guy lied) plus $250 to transport it and another $300 to crane it. When I sold it I had to pay another $300 to crane it out. So $1200 ultimately became $2050 So this time around that's in the back of my mind, because if I buy another used spa and it ends up being a nightmare electrically or mechanically, I would have to pay to get it out again.

Now back to the used vs new argument. Do I have the money or means to buy a new spa? Yes. Should I be spending that kind of money...no. I do need a spa though as I suffer from high anxiety and need it solely to combat the ongoing stress in my life. That said, I noticed my last spa, actually caused me more stress, so that's why I needed to get rid of it.

Sorry for the incredibly long back story but I feel the more info you have about my situation the better advice I can get.

So my questions are, if I decide to go used, what would be a year cutoff I should consider...say don't bother looking for a spa if it's older than 5 years? Would this still apply if I went through a dealer or place that sells used spas but includes warranties? If I were to go new, I doubt I want to spend any more than 5-6 grand tops, and that would have to be financed to a point where I'm paying less than $30/month

As far as the type of spa specifically, Sundance/HS or any of the Watkins are at the top of my list just based on past experience, but I've also looked at the Marquis, D1and Bullfrog Spas as well.

hot tub models I'm considering...

Hot Spring: Sovereign, Aria, Flair (limelight)

Hot Spot: Relay, Tempo

Sundance: Peyton, Montclair, Certa, Hamilton, Marin, Altamar, Cameo

Marquis: 425, 545

Bullfrog: R6L, R7L

D1: Latitude, Wayfarer, Aurora

I have no idea how many of these fit into my price range, but based on the size and look, those are what I'm looking at

Thanks for taking the time to read through that, and your help is most appreciated!

[Roger]

You listed a lot of good brands. You need to spend the 5-6 grand unless..........you can find a no more than 3-4 year old tub in any of the good brands you listed. A value brand at 4-6 years is just about done. 12 years is fine but you may only get another 2-5 trouble free years out of it. And you may only get 1. Go look at some tubs that are in your price range to narrow your list down first.

[Hot Spring Official]

My father originally had a 2003 Hot Springs Landmark, so I was very happy with that spa. We used it probably 3-4 times/month on average. It wasn't until 5 years in that we had a problem with the electrical system. I think it was some kind of short in the heater. But only cost a couple hundred to fix.

When it came time for me to get my first hot tub, I had to be a bit more budget minded, so I started looking at the Softubs. Eventually I decided to spend a bit more money and went with a used 05' Dreammaker 110V which was a nice spa, but the heating method, just didn't work out for my needs. I live in a townhouse, so having that pump running for most of the day, wasn't kind to my neighbors nor my electrical bill.

So here I am looking at my options for my 3rd spa. I started looking around on Craigslist some more and found a couple Sundance Marins which look like a perfect fit in price, size and seating/jet needs. I've seen 3 or 4 over the past week and they all seem to go for around 1-2 grand which really is where I would LIKE to stay budget wise. I also found a 02 Sundance Altamar which looks to be in really great shape, aside from needing a new cover from sun fading/damage. The guy is asking $1000 but my concern is the tub is 12 years old.

This leads me to another concern of buying used vs new or used from a dealer with a warranty. With my townhouse, anything besides the smallest softtub needs to be craned in over my garage, so with the Dreammaker, I paid $1200 (actually thinking it was a 2010, but the guy lied) plus $250 to transport it and another $300 to crane it. When I sold it I had to pay another $300 to crane it out. So $1200 ultimately became $2050 So this time around that's in the back of my mind, because if I buy another used spa and it ends up being a nightmare electrically or mechanically, I would have to pay to get it out again.

Now back to the used vs new argument. Do I have the money or means to buy a new spa? Yes. Should I be spending that kind of money...no. I do need a spa though as I suffer from high anxiety and need it solely to combat the ongoing stress in my life. That said, I noticed my last spa, actually caused me more stress, so that's why I needed to get rid of it.

Sorry for the incredibly long back story but I feel the more info you have about my situation the better advice I can get.

So my questions are, if I decide to go used, what would be a year cutoff I should consider...say don't bother looking for a spa if it's older than 5 years? Would this still apply if I went through a dealer or place that sells used spas but includes warranties? If I were to go new, I doubt I want to spend any more than 5-6 grand tops, and that would have to be financed to a point where I'm paying less than $30/month

As far as the type of spa specifically, Sundance/HS or any of the Watkins are at the top of my list just based on past experience, but I've also looked at the Marquis, D1and Bullfrog Spas as well.

hot tub models I'm considering...

Hot Spring: Sovereign, Aria, Flair (limelight)

Hot Spot: Relay, Tempo

Sundance: Peyton, Montclair, Certa, Hamilton, Marin, Altamar, Cameo

Marquis: 425, 545

Bullfrog: R6L, R7L

D1: Latitude, Wayfarer, Aurora

I have no idea how many of these fit into my price range, but based on the size and look, those are what I'm looking at

Thanks for taking the time to read through that, and your help is most appreciated!

Hi JLCPremier,

We are happy to hear you are considering a Hot Spring spa! We are actually currently running a Financing special through September 30th (http://www.hotspring.com/in-the-water), which may make for the perfect time for you to look for a new hot tub. It looks like you're looking at a 5-6 person spa, and if price is a concern I encourage you to talk to your local Hot Spring dealer about the best Hot Spring model for your budget (http://www.hotspring.com/find-a-dealer). If you have any additional questions please send a private message and we can assist.

Thank you,

The Hot Spring Hot Tub Team

[Bullfrog Spas Support]

Hi jlcpremier,

Glad to hear you're considering a Bullfrog Spa. You can't go wrong with the R Series spas like the R7 and R7L you mentioned. All the quality of our premium A Series, just a few less features and fewer JetPak massages.

We're the fastest growing company in the industry for a reason. Several reasons in fact.

​If you have any questions whatsoever feel free to contact us directly via private message here or locate your nearest dealer here: www.bullfrogspas.com/locator

All the best in your search for a fantastic 3rd hot tub,

Bullfrog Spas

@@bullfrogspas

info@bullfrogspas.com

• 100% wood-free spa support structure means no wood to rot or warp. Our spas last.
• Patented JetPak Therapy System allows you to personalize your spa with the massages you like and run all jets at once.
• Best energy efficiency in our class. Bullfrog Spas are engineered with up to 90% less pipe and pipe fittings. It's a more efficient system and is full foam insulated on top of that.

[jlcpremier]

Well back to the drawing board. Had a relative of mine who's an electrician come check out my panel. Turns out my panel can't take a 50 amp breaker, though I have 220 available, it just won't take the draw he said, unless I can find such thing as a 220/20 amp tub, but I don't recall seeing any of those. So now I guess I'm stuck with 110. Luckily I'm in LA where the climate is pretty mild so hopefully heating time won't be too much of an issue.

Anyone know of any good 110 tubs out there that have a heater? Definitely not going the pump-waste route again. Learned that mistake. Also what's the typical heat rate of a 110 vs 220 tub? It's gotta be better than what I was getting on my old Dreammaker Odyssey right?

I know a common recommendation is to just upgrade the electric panel as I think I have a 100 amp right now, but being in a townhouse complex, I'm not sure 1. The HOA will allow me to do it and 2. The cost may be a bit more than I'm willing to spend right now

[Markee]

Marquis makes some really nice 110v models that can fit 4-5 people. You might check out these:

The Mirage-
http://www.marquisspas.com/hot_tub/models/the-mirage.asp

The Spirit-

http://www.marquisspas.com/hot_tub/models/the-spirit.asp

The 425-
http://www.marquisspas.com/hot_tub/models/425.asp

The Broadway-
http://www.celebrityhottubs.com/broadway-hot-tub.asp

_{If you're in the LA area, there is a Marquis factory store in Camarillo just north of you in Ventura County. Good luck in your search.}