Help me choose my first new tub!

[MarkV]

Hi guys,
Ive done my online research and visited all my local reputable dealers.
In Kingston Ontario Canada, so dealing with Cdn dollars, and a cold winter climate, will be running tub all year.

Local dealers I trust (somewhat anyway) are limited to Artesian, Coast, and Beachcomber.  I also have access to Master Spas and they say they sell and service lots in my area, but there is no showroom within 2 hours of me, so they must contract out warranty work.

Artesian
South Seas 748B with full foam pkg, lighting pkg, and S/S jet pkg $8299
Island Captiva 52 $10,699
I like all the upgrades that the Captiva gives, and it did seem to fit me better, but an extra $2400 seems like a lot.

Coast
Element or Apex in the same $ ballpark....havent researched them as much as Artesian
On my local dealer website it says they have the Freedom 40 on clearance for 10k.  I assume thats a model from last year, as it's no longer on the Coast website.  Is this a killer deal if they still have them?

Beachcomber
Seem very pricy in store.  Could order from Costco in Canada as well.  I called, and Beachcomber assured me the Costco tubs are built to the same quality as the store models, and are all full foam.

Nobody around here seems to wet test, so I am limited to dry testing what is on the small showroom floors here.
Anything jump out at you guys?
Thanks!

[ratchett]

58 minutes ago, MarkV said:

Nobody around here seems to wet test, so I am limited to dry testing what is on the small showroom floors here.

Well now that's strange!  You need to wet-test to determine which spa you like.  What about Jacuzzi, Sundance, HotSpring, Caldera, Arctic, Viking, Marquis, or Bullfrog dealers? Any around you?

Note that most brands sell multiple "tiers" or product classes of spas (not always simple bells and whistle changes, sometimes they're internal construction changes to increase product lifespan).  Just because they don't have the *exact* spa you want filled with water isn't important, instead you need to wet-test something from that tier to determine if you like the jets and water pressure. Tubs don't feel the same dry as wet so it's important to wet-test to know if you really like it.  A dealer which won't let you wet-test would be a red-flag to me personally.

Dry-test isn't very useful because you can't feel how easy it is to "glide" from one seat to another.  Moreover seats like loungers vary greatly from brand to brand - many people with an high BMI or short height tend to float out of loungers (so if you cannot wet-test a lounger from the brand you want, do not get a lounger!).  I haven't found the actual study to cite a source, but I have read other dealers state 80% of repeat customers buying a second spa opt for a non-lounger spa because people often float out of loungers.  Personally the wife and I fight over the lounger seat, so I enjoy soaking alone to fully enjoy the lounger most of the time haha. 

 

Although what do I know - I'm just a newbie who waited twenty years to buy my first spa.  I "soaked" up as much knowledge as I could before visiting a dozen different spa dealers around my rural area (driving my wife nuts wasting hours a day driving around the county haha).  I don't know enough to tell you which spa might from your current list might be the best "deal".  But I do know that many first-time buyers underestimate the importance of the dealer in their investment.  This dealer is going to be your single point of contact for all warranty service for the first few years of ownership. You cannot call another nearby dealer for warranty service after your purchase simply (well maybe depending on the situation, but it sounds like in most cases you'd have to pay for labor to use an alternative dealer/tech for warranty service). If you haven't  yet, research online reviews and pay attention to reviews about a dealer's service techs, as well as asking the dealer questions about service call-out fees for warranty service (the industry standard seems to be one to three years no-callout-fees, but some vendors offer more - my dealer offers five years).   This will vary from dealer to dealer.  I personally ended up with a Hotspring Jetsetter for my first spa so naturally I could be a fanboy and gush over my spa, but I really plan on trading that in for a HS Envoy as soon as I finish rebuilding my backyard with a proper space for a full-size spa lol (luckily my dealer does trade-ins on Highlife class spas due to their lifespan). 

Hope that helps! 

 

 

[MarkV]

Of the brands you listed, I only have HotSprings in my area, and I've dealt with that store before for pool related stuff, and I do not care for them. 

I dont have any experience with the Beachcomber dealer here, but they have great web reviews.  Both the Artesian and Coast local dealers I like and would buy from. 

I wouldn't be interested in a lounger seat at all. 

[RDspaguy]

Definitely wet test before buying. I have never heard of a spa dealer, even a used spa dealer, who will not fill the tub you want to try, if they have one on the floor.

I work on all brands and have run into each of your selections. All are good spas. That being said... All spas have issues, sooner or later. The thing you need to be concerned with is the dealer and warranty. That will make the difference between " I am getting another..." and" I will never own one again."

The best advice is to watch your water chemistry, whatever you get. Most problems in spas can be traced directly back to water chemistry.

[CanadianSpaTech]

Kingston, ON is kind of an Island. Half way between everything but close to nothing and not large enough to support more than a few stores. I suggest you check out http://www.thehottubpeople.com/ in Peterborough. They have a large selection of different spa brands. Bit of a trip but might be worth it to get what you want and they should have a service connection for your area.  Ask for Zorro and tell him Kurt @ hottubmovers sent you. PM me if you have questions on the brands they offer.

[Alicatt]

We still LOVE our Coast Spa and would highly recommend. Ours has a 5HP and a 7HP and this past winter the 5HP gave up the ghost. Fortunately my husband is a millwright so was able to repair it (not easily in the winter - many set backs!) so it did save us the $750 for a new one. Overall - the spa is still awesome & we did buy a new cover for it this year. Other than the cover, pump & one new headrest - that's it for maintenance so far after all these years!! We are really happy with our purchase & when the time comes to replace it will be Coast #1. It has been zero aggravation and works as promised even with the huge temperature swings we get here in Ontario, Canada. It has far exceeded our expectations. Purchased November 2012 - Coast Radiance Curve. Still looks like new - water changes every 3 months (seasonally).