Caren Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I am considering-A Catalina neptune II, LA spas Oasis, D1 wayfarer or Californian(a bit bigger than I want). I also am going to check out Vita spas. The D1 dealer, also has HS-charges $89 trip fee for warranty service-did agree to give me 1 year free of trip charge-they are the closest-claim of course to be the best, but put down any other spa I mentioned. They were helpful-explained a lot, their prices seem to be higher, but it may be their lines. Help-any input is appreciated. Caren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wantaspa Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I owned two catalina spas before purchased in 99 and 2000. I purchased a D1 in Nov 2005. While I did not consider a catalina spa this time because of poor dealer support before, I am very satisfied with my D1 spa. I had to deal with the trip charges on my catalina spa. In fairness, the dealer was at least 1 hour away. When I purchased my D1, I checked into trip charges and was quoted a fuel surcharge fee that I thought was fair for the distance. Additionally, the dealer said that if my issue/repair wasn't urgent, they would schedule with other repairs/work to be done in the area and not charge me a trip charge at all. Again, this seemed fair. The dealer has only had to stop by once since the install in Nov. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkman009 Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 I am considering-A Catalina neptune II, LA spas Oasis, D1 wayfarer or Californian(a bit bigger than I want). I also am going to check out Vita spas. The D1 dealer, also has HS-charges $89 trip fee for warranty service-did agree to give me 1 year free of trip charge-they are the closest-claim of course to be the best, but put down any other spa I mentioned. They were helpful-explained a lot, their prices seem to be higher, but it may be their lines. Help-any input is appreciated. Caren Caren, Make sure you really check the Catalina out. First thing to do is ask for a copy of their warranty on paper. I think you'll find they probably wont have one to provide. The other thing is as you shop dont just look at the spas from the outside. Make the salesman open the doors of the spa and look underneath. There are cheaper ways to build a spa and as you are finding out prices are going to vary. Dont be afraid to pin a salesman down on the price issue. If the spa costs more ask them why its more any knowledgable salesman should be able to tell you. I think you will find the Catalina is not insulated very well so your operating costs are going to be higher also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caren Posted March 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Caren, Make sure you really check the Catalina out. First thing to do is ask for a copy of their warranty on paper. I think you'll find they probably wont have one to provide. The other thing is as you shop dont just look at the spas from the outside. Make the salesman open the doors of the spa and look underneath. There are cheaper ways to build a spa and as you are finding out prices are going to vary. Dont be afraid to pin a salesman down on the price issue. If the spa costs more ask them why its more any knowledgable salesman should be able to tell you. I think you will find the Catalina is not insulated very well so your operating costs are going to be higher also. Sharkman-I am just curious-what brand do you sell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I am considering-A Catalina neptune II, LA spas Oasis, D1 wayfarer or Californian(a bit bigger than I want). I also am going to check out Vita spas. The D1 dealer, also has HS-charges $89 trip fee for warranty service-did agree to give me 1 year free of trip charge-they are the closest-claim of course to be the best, but put down any other spa I mentioned. They were helpful-explained a lot, their prices seem to be higher, but it may be their lines. Help-any input is appreciated. Caren When looking into warranties I think you'll find Catalina has a prorated warranty. As long as you know that going in there is nothing wrong with it but often people don't realize this as it is not common practice in the industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkman009 Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Sharkman-I am just curious-what brand do you sell? Caren, I sell Hotspring spas and we service all brands. You had said the Hotspring was not your favorite and I am not here to try to sell you on them. There are a lot of things to consider when buying a spa and the spa is only one of the things to consider. You do want a good spa with a good warranty but you also want a dealer that has a good history of service and stocks parts for his product , The spa needs to be comfortable and you should wet test the spa to find out as sitting in a dry spa is different than when it has water in it. You can have the best built product out there and if you cant get good service you are not going to be happy with it. This forum is for dealers and service techs to help customers with their questions and I try very hard not to bring the brand I sell into these discussions because people will take that as promoting what I sell. I try to give my customers as much info as I can and then I encourage them to do their homework and shop to learn as much as they can about the spas. I have been in the repair end of this business for 21 years and we work on everything out there. When looking into warranties I think you'll find Catalina has a prorated warranty. As long as you know that going in there is nothing wrong with it but often people don't realize this as it is not common practice in the industry. I've been repairing Catalina spas for 15 years and I have never seen a printed warranty other than what a dealer has printed. Spatech have you seen one? I would be interested in seeing one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I've been repairing Catalina spas for 15 years and I have never seen a printed warranty other than what a dealer has printed. Spatech have you seen one? I would be interested in seeing one. No I haven't actually seen the waranty but I've spoken to a few who've bought and know a person who sold them so I know the warranties are (or were) prorated. That is 100% fine as long as the customer knows that up front but often they are just old how many years it is warranted for and you can't expect that the typical person would think to ask "Is that 100% covered for that time frame or prorated" since that is not the norm in the industry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caren Posted March 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 No I haven't actually seen the waranty but I've spoken to a few who've bought and know a person who sold them so I know the warranties are (or were) prorated. That is 100% fine as long as the customer knows that up front but often they are just old how many years it is warranted for and you can't expect that the typical person would think to ask "Is that 100% covered for that time frame or prorated" since that is not the norm in the industry. I did ask the dealer for a copy of the warranty. She says she will have to find it as it comes with each spa. I looked in their brochure and on the web and it doesn't say anywhere. If the warranty is prorated andnot as good as the others it may be a deal breaker. I am also still looking at other spas. I am still sooo confused. Caren Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guzz Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 I did ask the dealer for a copy of the warranty. She says she will have to find it as it comes with each spa. I looked in their brochure and on the web and it doesn't say anywhere. If the warranty is prorated andnot as good as the others it may be a deal breaker. I am also still looking at other spas. I am still sooo confused. Caren Sounds like your salesperson is confused if they do not even have a copy of the warranty, or maybe they just don't want you to see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spalover Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 We have a Vita Caberet, which we purchased after lots of shopping around/wet testing. We were torn between that one and a Caldera, but the Caberet won in the wet test. We LOVE it! Our dealer has been great with follow-up too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brulan1 Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 We have a Vita Caberet, which we purchased after lots of shopping around/wet testing. We were torn between that one and a Caldera, but the Caberet won in the wet test. We LOVE it! Our dealer has been great with follow-up too. If it is prorated and you weren't told that is crap. That really is an important part of buying a spa. I wish you the best and enjoy everysecond of the hot tub. Vita is a nice spa. The only problem I noticed with the vita is the controls on the tub break but besides that it looks great and you will get many years out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spalover Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 If it is prorated and you weren't told that is crap. That really is an important part of buying a spa. I wish you the best and enjoy everysecond of the hot tub. Vita is a nice spa. The only problem I noticed with the vita is the controls on the tub break but besides that it looks great and you will get many years out of it. Nope, not pro-rated. By controls breaking, do you mean the diverter knob? We learned via friends and the saleperson's advice that it can get stripped if you don't turn down the pump when turning it. So far no problems with ours; our friend needed to replace it once, and the store just gave him a new one. I think they have two pumps as their tub is older than ours, so there is more pressure. Ours has three, so I don't think it will be as much of an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brulan1 Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Nope, not pro-rated. By controls breaking, do you mean the diverter knob? We learned via friends and the saleperson's advice that it can get stripped if you don't turn down the pump when turning it. So far no problems with ours; our friend needed to replace it once, and the store just gave him a new one. I think they have two pumps as their tub is older than ours, so there is more pressure. Ours has three, so I don't think it will be as much of an issue. I actually meant the electrical control panel to turn the pumps on and off. If you have a non-prorated warranty dont even worry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spatech (the unreal one) Posted March 6, 2006 Report Share Posted March 6, 2006 Nope, not pro-rated. It's the Catalina warranty that is prorated from what I know, not Vita (don't know much about them). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda Posted March 7, 2006 Report Share Posted March 7, 2006 Caren, It can be a very confusing thing to sort out all the information that you are going to receive about spas. You may want to take a second and organize your thoughts. When you visit a showroom with a knowledgeable salesperson, they will be able to answer all of your questions very easily without "bashing" another brand. That is unprofessional and I would shy away from that kind of behavior and not purchase a spa from someone like that. You may want to let the company know how they are being represented to allow them the chance to redeem themselves. You should have a plan of attack when you enter the sales environment. Take a moment and think about the most important things to you. How are you going to use your spa and where are you going to put it? Socially, theraputically, relaxation... how many people to comfortably fit, any space constraints. That's the surface stuff to help you select the model. Then think about what concerns you may have... water care, performance, warranty, labor charges, dealer longevity and or reputable representation of themselves and the product. If a salesperson is unable to answer basic questions fairly quickly (getting the information if they don't know instead of making it up), what does that tell you about their ability to continue their service to you and the company that puts them on the front lines? Write down some of things that are important you and make sure they are addressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brulan1 Posted March 8, 2006 Report Share Posted March 8, 2006 Caren, It can be a very confusing thing to sort out all the information that you are going to receive about spas. You may want to take a second and organize your thoughts. When you visit a showroom with a knowledgeable salesperson, they will be able to answer all of your questions very easily without "bashing" another brand. That is unprofessional and I would shy away from that kind of behavior and not purchase a spa from someone like that. You may want to let the company know how they are being represented to allow them the chance to redeem themselves. You should have a plan of attack when you enter the sales environment. Take a moment and think about the most important things to you. How are you going to use your spa and where are you going to put it? Socially, theraputically, relaxation... how many people to comfortably fit, any space constraints. That's the surface stuff to help you select the model. Then think about what concerns you may have... water care, performance, warranty, labor charges, dealer longevity and or reputable representation of themselves and the product. If a salesperson is unable to answer basic questions fairly quickly (getting the information if they don't know instead of making it up), what does that tell you about their ability to continue their service to you and the company that puts them on the front lines? Write down some of things that are important you and make sure they are addressed. If you get a good salesman do you think he will be able to pull it from you naturally without even letting him know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guzz Posted March 8, 2006 Report Share Posted March 8, 2006 If you get a good salesman do you think he will be able to pull it from you naturally without even letting him know? ???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkman009 Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 I did ask the dealer for a copy of the warranty. She says she will have to find it as it comes with each spa. I looked in their brochure and on the web and it doesn't say anywhere. If the warranty is prorated andnot as good as the others it may be a deal breaker. I am also still looking at other spas. I am still sooo confused. Caren Caren, Not to bad mouth the Catalina dealer but that is exactly what they tell customers is that it comes with the spa. If they have spas sitting on the showroom floor it ought to take about two minutes to pull the packet out of one of the tubs and photo copy the warranty. I'll bet you they dont ever show you a copy. There is a reason no warranty is on their web site the manufacturer does not give a printed warranty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brulan1 Posted March 20, 2006 Report Share Posted March 20, 2006 Caren, Not to bad mouth the Catalina dealer but that is exactly what they tell customers is that it comes with the spa. If they have spas sitting on the showroom floor it ought to take about two minutes to pull the packet out of one of the tubs and photo copy the warranty. I'll bet you they dont ever show you a copy. There is a reason no warranty is on their web site the manufacturer does not give a printed warranty. Good point. Is there something to hide? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artic Cub Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Well, I own and arctic, and I felt like I bought a high quality spa, but the dealer has not been very customer service oriented, and they are hour away with no others nearby. I just had a service rep out 3 weeks ago to fix a light...and just saw yesterday I have an inch of water in my tub!!! He didn't say any water existed then! The dealer says it's most likely from a connection from the pump to a hose and they don't cover that...so she told me to fix it myself or she can send a guy out who will charge me $100 for a service call and maybe more due to the drive. They don't even know the exact issue, what happened to the 5 year warranty? I'm told all spa companies know this is a common issue and the dealer said she wishes when the tubs are delivered, the tech's would tell new owners where/how to figure out a leak is from the pump/hose so we can fix it ourselves! I can tell you this, and I wouldn't have thought this before since I believed in the product I was buying....The dealer does matter, and I won't buy my next tub from anyone who isn't located locally! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soakerman Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 if you google " Arctic spa problems" you will find this is not a isolated issue for Arctic, According to the info I saw. I would talk with the manager of the dealership or perhaps go directly to Arctic customer service about this problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_The_Jim Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 I am considering-A Catalina neptune II, LA spas Oasis, D1 wayfarer or Californian(a bit bigger than I want). I also am going to check out Vita spas. The D1 dealer, also has HS-charges $89 trip fee for warranty service-did agree to give me 1 year free of trip charge-they are the closest-claim of course to be the best, but put down any other spa I mentioned. They were helpful-explained a lot, their prices seem to be higher, but it may be their lines. Help-any input is appreciated. Caren Buy the Costco spa and save a lot of money for the same quality. http://www.soundclick.com/havenhead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebeing Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 if you google " Arctic spa problems" you will find this is not a isolated issue for Arctic, According to the info I saw. I would talk with the manager of the dealership or perhaps go directly to Arctic customer service about this problem. Check out "Infinity Hot Tubs" you will have great success and support with infinity + plus it will cost you less then 6k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powernoodle Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 Vita does not have a prorated warranty. There warranty is printed on there brochures so anyone can see whats included. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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