wildwindcollies

[wildwindcollies]

We are in the market for a new Hot Tub.  I am seeing a fabulous price on one of the big clearance sales on a couple of Catalina Hot Tubs.  My question for anyone with experience is - are these insulated well? Do they hold up well? And are the jets and pumps strong?

Thank you for any input!

 

[RDspaguy]

They are insulated as well as any mid-range spa, most heat loss occurs from the top anyway and insulation is largely about marketing.

They use standard equipment and will hold up as well and be as strong as any other mid-range spa.

But these are not the questions you should be concerned with. Is the big clearance sale from a local dealer? Does the great price include a great warranty from a reliable dealer?

As I have said many times, a good dealer is more important than a good deal. Clearance sales are often not affiliated with a local service provider, but set up in a parking lot under tents by out of town distributors. Good luck finding anyone to work on one of those under warranty, or even at all.

I have worked at and done work for many dealers, and repaired countless "good deals" in my 25 years in this business. Believe what I say. Do your homework on who you are buying from.

[wildwindcollies]

Thank you so much!  We are beginning our search.  Should I ask them if they can tell me who would be servicing the warranty?  So you don't think there is a ton of difference in the overall quality as far as jets, cabinet, insulation, etc. as long as the SERVICE is there?  There is SO MUCH difference in price between these guys and the big stores with Hot Springs, Jacuzzi, etc.  like HUGE.

 

[RDspaguy]

Now you are naming top brands. Catalina is a mid-range spa, and there is definitely a difference. You're comparing a Saturn to a Cadillac.

[ratchett]

9 hours ago, wildwindcollies said:

So you don't think there is a ton of difference in the overall quality as far as jets, cabinet, insulation, etc. as long as the SERVICE is there?  There is SO MUCH difference in price between these guys and the big stores with Hot Springs, Jacuzzi, etc.  like HUGE.

Not all tubs are built to the same standard.  Although it is true there are *some* industry standard parts used by many different brands.  But that isn't true for every manufacturer - some brands like to make their own proprietary components for various reasons.  Moreover many brands like Hotspring build multiple tiers of products, not all of these changes across tiers are simple bells/whistles.  Sometimes there internal changes to things like insulation or framing/cabinet construction, plumbing, electronics, etc. 

A dirt cheap junk tub might only last 3-5 years before major components wear out and rust or leak, while by the inverse a top tier flagship spa from the top brands in the industry might be built to last over twenty years with proper service/care (there are even a few users on this forum with tubs dating back to the 80's and 90s so it's not *that* uncommon heck even my neighbor has a Hotspring he bought new in 1989 which is still running).    You're dealing with a heavy body of water and pushing high flow pump powered water through plumbing all around the tub then tossing in an electric heater to the mix - of course there are a LOT of things which can and do go wrong with a tub over it's lifespan.  The old saying "buy cheap, buy twice" rings especially true in the Hottub industry.