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Newbie On Budget: Costco Or Cal Spa Classic? Or Other?


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Point well taken. What is Cotsco's Elite tubs warranty if you know by any chance. Just a return policy? How about if something goes wrong with it?

You can return A spa to Costco for ANY reason at Any time. But you have to take it back to them. They will give a full refund.

The thing is they have a high failure rate. We are seeing a lot of them with leaking plumbing right out of the wrapper.

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You can return A spa to Costco for ANY reason at Any time. But you have to take it back to them. They will give a full refund.

The thing is they have a high failure rate. We are seeing a lot of them with leaking plumbing right out of the wrapper.

So the consumer is stuck fixing the leak if they want to keep the spa?

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I find it amusing that the only people that knock the costco spa on here are the people in competition with them or people who don't own one. Not one negetive comment in this entire forum that I could find from people who actually own one. Odd don't you think.

There are very few people on theses sites that own Costco spas. I went to Doc's website along with the WTB site where between them there are hundreds of spa reviews from spa owners but not 1 for a Costco spa owner. I'm not sure if that’s saying a typical Costco spa owner doesn't come to these sites often to research before buying or why that is exactly. Any prospective buyer who does stumble in will have to weigh the comments of the couple owners who have been here versus the technicians who have experience with them in the field.

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I find it amusing that the only people that knock the costco spa on here are the people in competition with them or people who don't own one. Not one negetive comment in this entire forum that I could find from people who actually own one. Odd don't you think.

So I guess the guy that just wrote in about looking at them and decided it looked like a piece of junk doesnt count.

Or the three customers that I have been working with for the last three weeks that have brand new Costco spas sitting in their backyards right now that they cant even fill with water let alone use.

I dont consider them competition and When the GM of our local Costco comes in and buys a spa from me I think that by itself speaks for itself.

But as firstimer said its a good thing they have a good return policy because your going to need it.

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So I guess the guy that just wrote in about looking at them and decided it looked like a piece of junk doesnt count.

Or the three customers that I have been working with for the last three weeks that have brand new Costco spas sitting in their backyards right now that they cant even fill with water let alone use.

I dont consider them competition and When the GM of our local Costco comes in and buys a spa from me I think that by itself speaks for itself.

But as firstimer said its a good thing they have a good return policy because your going to need it.

No, I would say that they do not count because the first guy has only seen one and made a decision without trying it or wet testing it which all you insiders say is the untimate test, and the others are just reported by you. Maybe the reason no one is one here complaining about them is that they are better spas than you wish to acknowledge.

The other problem I have is that there are so many people with axes to grind on here, you never know what angle someone is coming from. I find it hard to believe that someone looking to purchase a spa would only find one that was a big enough piece of crap to take the time to knock it. What about all the other pieces of crap he ran into? What makes me believe he has an ax to grind is the statement that everything they sell in the entire store is also crap. Sounds like someone with a gripe against Costco.

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When I looked at the Costco Elite Spa I thought it looked pretty good compared to some others I had checked out. I'm suprised nobody ever posts pictures here, but here are a couple I snapped with my cell phone to send to my wife when I was checking them out. Sorry, my phone doesn't have the best resolution.

IPB Image

IPB Image

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I agree that this site tends to be a little over the top in attacking the lower end spas. I’ve seen posts recently that people who get the low end spas are just impulse buyers, or that they typically will only use the spas for a short time and then get bored with them, or that they don’t do any research before buying them. I’m sure that there are plenty of cases of people that buy any class of spa that is true. The notion that getting a high end spa is the only way to go for every single person just isn’t right. I personally decided on getting a low end spa (not a Costco) after weighing the pros and cons of a number of different quality spas.

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No, I would say that they do not count because the first guy has only seen one and made a decision without trying it or wet testing it which all you insiders say is the untimate test, and the others are just reported by you. Maybe the reason no one is one here complaining about them is that they are better spas than you wish to acknowledge.

The other problem I have is that there are so many people with axes to grind on here, you never know what angle someone is coming from. I find it hard to believe that someone looking to purchase a spa would only find one that was a big enough piece of crap to take the time to knock it. What about all the other pieces of crap he ran into? What makes me believe he has an ax to grind is the statement that everything they sell in the entire store is also crap. Sounds like someone with a gripe against Costco.

I'm glad that you mentioned that. wet testing is ONE important aspect of a spa purchase and one that is not available if you purchase through Costco.

The reason that you dont see many reviews on the Costco spas is there are not that many of them sold in comparison to all the other spas on the market.

And just so you know if those spas were such a great deal ANY spa dealer can sell Hydro spa but I have to look a customer in the eye when I tell them that what I sell is the best.

As for me reporting unhappy customers. What better source for info than the warranty service center. Oh I almost forgot we were the warranty station up until about two months ago whenthe manufacturer would not pay us in a timely manor and the poor customers I mentioned keep being told to call us.

More of the wonderful benifits you might get depending on your area.

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And just so you know if those spas were such a great deal ANY spa dealer can sell Hydro spa but I have to look a customer in the eye when I tell them that what I sell is the best.

I think you miss the point. Not everyone wants, or can afford "the best". Costco has its place, but its a "do-it-yourself" and those who purchase it know this because they have to take it home. I know when I go to Home Town Buffet I will not have anyone bringing me my food or bringing me napkins. I have to get my own food, the atmosphere is not so good but I only pay $7 for my meal. Its not a resturant for everyone but lots of people like it (including my 7 yr old daughter).

Not everything can be "the best" because not everyone can afford "the best". Costco does not pretend that these tubs are "the best", but they are affordable and many people enjoy them. I purchased a Howard Miller Grandfather Clock from Costco 2 years ago for about half of what I could find one at a dealer. Its still running great, looks great and we are still happy with it.....but I'd bet the dealer down the street would have recommended us not to buy it for numerous reasons...........anyway, enough of my ramble..

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I think you miss the point. Not everyone wants, or can afford "the best". Costco has its place, but its a "do-it-yourself" and those who purchase it know this because they have to take it home. I know when I go to Home Town Buffet I will not have anyone bringing me my food or bringing me napkins. I have to get my own food, the atmosphere is not so good but I only pay $7 for my meal. Its not a resturant for everyone but lots of people like it (including my 7 yr old daughter).

Not everything can be "the best" because not everyone can afford "the best". Costco does not pretend that these tubs are "the best", but they are affordable and many people enjoy them. I purchased a Howard Miller Grandfather Clock from Costco 2 years ago for about half of what I could find one at a dealer. Its still running great, looks great and we are still happy with it.....but I'd bet the dealer down the street would have recommended us not to buy it for numerous reasons...........anyway, enough of my ramble..

Ok then compare apples to apples not apples and oranges. When you bought your grandfather clock were you comparing the same brand from Costco and the dealer or was it two different brands. That makes a huge difference.

And I did'nt miss the point. The manufacturers that build spas that are (in my opinion) better built offer spas with different features and different price points because they know not everyone can afford the best.

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Or choose to spend money on the best regardless whether or not it is affordable. Lets face it, to some people a spa is much more important (ie those who need it for therapy) than it is for others(those of us who just wanna relax on occasion) regardless of imcome. I just chose to spend my money for other things, and I am perfectly capable of caring for the hot tub myself.

I completely understand that my hot tub is not as great as one that I could have bought for $12,000, but it works when I want it do, and feels good when I get in it, and thats all I care about. I can take my $8000 and spend it on something else, or buy two more of these when this one goes bad.

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Or choose to spend money on the best regardless whether or not it is affordable. Lets face it, to some people a spa is much more important (ie those who need it for therapy) than it is for others(those of us who just wanna relax on occasion) regardless of imcome. I just chose to spend my money for other things, and I am perfectly capable of caring for the hot tub myself.

I completely understand that my hot tub is not as great as one that I could have bought for $12,000, but it works when I want it do, and feels good when I get in it, and thats all I care about. I can take my $8000 and spend it on something else, or buy two more of these when this one goes bad.

It is a great beginners spa until you dont want to deal with any aggravation of when problems arise. As for return policy, heck why not bring it home have the electric ready use it for two months have parties in it and return it for say "700". That way you can rent the tub for two months to get the experience and make a decision for something with better back up warranties.

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I completely understand that my hot tub is not as great as one that I could have bought for $12,000, but it works when I want it do, and feels good when I get in it, and thats all I care about. I can take my $8000 and spend it on something else, or buy two more of these when this one goes bad.

How did we come to start a comparison to a $12,000 spa? I hope no one is trying to compare your spa to that which is unfair; no one should expect it to perform along those lines or have equal quality to an upper end spa like that . Most people who don't go the Costco route and buy from a local dealer spend another $1-4k for a spa depending on how much spa they're looking for, not another $8k.

Like you said, you're happy with it and that's great but at the same time if a someone like Sharkman says he's doing work for people with that type spa and isn't impressed with the quality you can't simply discount his experience either. This part of the industry is still in it's infancy and I think part of the issue is Costco looks at the industry and by nature makes decisions based on price and at some point I wonder if they'll look to upgrade their offerings to compete at a higher level as they evaluate the market.

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How did we come to start a comparison to a $12,000 spa? I hope no one is trying to compare your spa to that which is unfair; no one should expect it to perform along those lines or have equal quality to an upper end spa like that . Most people who don't go the Costco route and buy from a local dealer spend another $1-4k for a spa depending on how much spa they're looking for, not another $8k.

Like you said, you're happy with it and that's great but at the same time if a someone like Sharkman says he's doing work for people with that type spa and isn't impressed with the quality you can't simply discount his experience either. This part of the industry is still in it's infancy and I think part of the issue is Costco looks at the industry and by nature makes decisions based on price and at some point I wonder if they'll look to upgrade their offerings to compete at a higher level as they evaluate the market.

Well, I must disagree with your statement. As a consumer, and as someone who is currently looking for a spa with a budget under $4500 for the actual spa, I have not found a spa that can come close to the Costco Spa. ( I am looking for a spa that can seat at least 6.) All the Dealer spas are a good $3000 grand or more.

I actually contacted a couple of spa repair people through contacts of mine, I asked them about the Costco Spa, and they both said, "it is a very good spa, which no Dealer will be able to come close to in price." They also told me the markup on spas is much like furniture. So, I am going to give the Costco Spa a serious look. I have not bought yet. :D

As to a Dealer being able to service the spa. Well, that is not always the case, especially if you buy a spa with problems, which can happen with the best of dealers or brands. It has always been my experience, that when something has problems, the great service and standby your product mentality suddenly goes out the window. It is the very reason places like Costco have become a huge success. They actually stand behind the products they sell. In fact, they guarantee them completely, to the point where if you don't like it for any reason, bring it back at anytime for a full refund. Now, the aforementioned sentences says it all.

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Well, I must disagree with your statement. As a consumer, and as someone who is currently looking for a spa with a budget under $4500 for the actual spa, I have not found a spa that can come close to the Costco Spa.

And you're certainly welcome to disagree. The price is certainly right, I hope the rest goes well for you.

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And you're certainly welcome to disagree. The price is certainly right, I hope the rest goes well for you.

Well, as we see with the Topic on 2006 Cal Spa Warranty and the reply that most manufacturers have the same exclusions in their warranty, there is not a whole lot of "reality" basis to the "your local dealer will service your spa." It is going to cost you dollars. If something goes wrong with the Costco Spa I can do one of three things or all three: (A) I can use the Elite Warranty; B} I can hire a repair person; or C) I can take it back to Costco for a full refund. Now, there is nobody but Costco that will give you a full refund. :)

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Well, as we see with the Topic on 2006 Cal Spa Warranty and the reply that most manufacturers have the same exclusions in their warranty, there is not a whole lot of "reality" basis to the "your local dealer will service your spa." It is going to cost you dollars. If something goes wrong with the Costco Spa I can do one of three things or all three: (A) I can use the Elite Warranty; B} I can hire a repair person; or C) I can take it back to Costco for a full refund. Now, there is nobody but Costco that will give you a full refund. :)

Where is the applaud emoticon when you need one.

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Well, as we see with the Topic on 2006 Cal Spa Warranty and the reply that most manufacturers have the same exclusions in their warranty, there is not a whole lot of "reality" basis to the "your local dealer will service your spa." It is going to cost you dollars. If something goes wrong with the Costco Spa I can do one of three things or all three: (A) I can use the Elite Warranty; B} I can hire a repair person; or C) I can take it back to Costco for a full refund. Now, there is nobody but Costco that will give you a full refund. :)

Hold on 1 second. You can't fault the entire industry based on Cal Spas' reputation to try to skirt their warranty responsibility whether it's an item excluded or not. The customers of Sundance, Marquis, Hot Springs, etc. can atest to the fact their dealers/manufacturers stand behind their product often times even when they don't have to by the letter of the warranty.

If you want to compare your spa to another out there compare it to a Hydro spa is they're the ones who made it for Costco. BTW, if your choice is between Cal Spas and Costco I'd probably go with Costco too.

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Well, as we see with the Topic on 2006 Cal Spa Warranty and the reply that most manufacturers have the same exclusions in their warranty, there is not a whole lot of "reality" basis to the "your local dealer will service your spa." It is going to cost you dollars. If something goes wrong with the Costco Spa I can do one of three things or all three: (A) I can use the Elite Warranty; B} I can hire a repair person; or C) I can take it back to Costco for a full refund. Now, there is nobody but Costco that will give you a full refund. :)

Believe it or not there are some other brands out there tat are not built very well. That doesnt mean that all spas are equal. For you to look at a review for Cal Spa and lump all spa dealers into one group is not right and you want to remember IF you can get repairs done on the spa that you would be buying from Costco The repairs will be done by a local dealer or service company that has contracted with the spa manufacturer so make sure that you get the toll free number before you purchase and call the manufacturer to get the info on the warranty station. If they give you the info contact that company and ask if they do warranty repairs for Hydro spas and what the turnaround time is on a service call. This may save you from any surprises later on down the road.

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The attitude being put forth by some of the industry insiders here is exactly why I will never buy from a dealer. It's the same thing I experienced when shopping for my spa, and a big reason I ended up purchasing from Costco.

This all reminds me of the IBM, DEC and Compaq sales people's attitude towards Dell when they first appeared on the scene. First they deride the quality of the competitor’s products, and then shovel as much FUD as possible (You'll be lost without our service, forever lost! ;) ). Some things never change.

NightRyder

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