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Costco Infinity Sun Peak Spa


mcpetran

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we ordered the sun peak on 7/2/07 & it was delivered yesterday 8/9/07.

We leave in a old summer community with narrow- hilly roads so we had issue with the large tracker trailer truck delivery & opted for the smaller truck for $300 & a promise to deliver to our desired spot- the delivery occured as promised & on time- our yard is hilly & it took the 3 guys & my husband & son to get it up the yard especially since it was soft from rain the day before. But the spa is where we want it- initially upset when we were told last week that this was the way it would be delivered- but figured it would have cost us to move it ourselves from the bottom of our driveway and it got there in one piece.

We haven't had a chance to connect the electric today- raining but are anxiously waiting for tomorrow

it looks great and was very comfortable when I sat in it last night- I have been monitoring these boards during our decision process as well as awaiting deliver- and was nervous regarding our decision to buy the spa without seeing first- but this appeared to be the best deal for the money available. I can"t wait to be able to let the naysayers know how good a deal this was.

Would like to know if anyone is using Nature 2 or one of the other alternative cleaning systems- I don't particularly want to use alot of chlorine.

I don't think anybody here WISHES bad luck on your spa purchase or anyone else that buys from a box store.

My point in all of this is that VALUE can not be determined by the final number on the bottom of your invoice. Value is determined by a number of things such as comfort, therapy, low maintenance, energy efficiency, dealer support, support for watercare issues, prompt service, a good warranty, knowledgeable staff, proper comparison shopping, wet testing to determine comfort and therapy and if it's right for YOU, not having issues that YOU have to fix, and many other aspects not necessarily relating to just price.

I just don't know of too many items that I can purchase that is far less expensive than a comparable item and it has far greater overall value and quality for me as the end user.

I do wish you much enjoyment with your new spa as this purchase is made to eliminate stress and not cause it. Some buying decisions just tend to increase the possibility of more stress, less enjoyment and the box store spas tend to lead the way in that dept.

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Here is the scoop - I did my research and decided on purchasing the Sun Peak from Costco. I waited until the first day(order date 07/01/07) of the sale and purchased the spa online for $2999. Unfortunately, I really thought that the spa would be deliverd by now. Just wanted to check and see if anybody else has received this spa or waiting on this spa. Thanks for any info!

Tubless in Indiana!

MFP

I recently purchased this spa via COSTCO. Living in Southern California, it took all of four weeks for delivery. NOT due to distance - Due to the incompetencies of the freight companies involved. STI got it from Tennessee in about a week. From there, a North American Van Line affiliate took over and things went to crap.

After finally accepting delivery (UNDAMAGED), the SPA installed quickly with no problems. This is a replacement and I am VERY pleased with the performance and quality. I haven't had to make a Warranty call (and hopefully I don't) so I'll reserve comment on service.

John R in So Cal

When our electrician did the electrical work, filled the spa, and turned it on, one of the jets in the lounge area kept popping out. I called Infinity customer service and they sent me a new jet. They also used our zipcode to locate a local spa place that would come out if the problem was with the housing rather than the jet itself. They called the local place and told them about the possible service. The replacement jet arrived in about 4 business days and snapped right in so we didn't need to get a technician out. Nevertheless, an in-town dealer couldn't have handled the problem any better. Only time will tell if those of us who bought Costco spas made a good investment but for now, I'm perfectly satisfied with our purchase.

Sandi

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Here is the update on the tub that I ordered July 2nd -On Friday August 10th, I received a call from the shipping company stating my tub was being placed on the truck. I should be receiving a call from the driver in the next couple of days to obtain an estimated time of delivery. :D Updates and pictiures will follows.

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I would say a new Cal and this unit would compare up pretty well with Cal taking a slight edge. Just my opinion.

Cal Spa is just an over marketed underbuilt tub, so saying it would compare or slightly take an edge isnt saying much.

Yep.....took you a while to figure it out though. I am married to several Cals.

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Hi kengorman --

Please add me to the ordered, delivered, filled and running without issues catagory :)

Ordered 07.06; delivered 07.29 and happy as a clam since! It's a great tub--especially at that price!

My next door neighbor and got his on the same day -- so actually make that two in the ODFRWOI column. :)

add another happy sun peak spa from costco user-

we connected the electric yesterday & it was more than what we expected.

powerful jets, roomy - meant to take a picture when the panel was open- sorry-

happy tubbing- I'll be in the tub

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My neighbor just got his orderd from Costco says about four weeks.

We went to the local H.S. dealer and Sundance dealer which couldnt even come close at thousands more. I heard a dam I hate Costco from one salesman from Sundance and the Hot springs dealers best shot was" I wouldn't buy a spa where I get my toilet paper" MMMMMM that was stupid but ok.

Anyhow, Gene is anxiously awaiting his spa and we will see if it is as nice as my Platinum/ Costco spa, it looks great on paper!

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My neighbor just got his orderd from Costco says about four weeks.

We went to the local H.S. dealer and Sundance dealer which couldnt even come close at thousands more. I heard a dam I hate Costco from one salesman from Sundance and the Hot springs dealers best shot was" I wouldn't but a spa where I get my toilet paper" MMMMMM that was stupid but ok.

Anyhow, Gene is anxiously awaiting his spa and we will see if it is as nice as my Platinum/ Costco spa, it looks great on paper!

Would you rather buy a tub from a company that spends bucks on their dealer network or would you rather buy a tub from a penny-pinching company who sells to lowball outfits like Costco? The answer is obvious. Costco offers flashy junk at an apparent great deal but people will get smarter about it and recognize the value of dealers rather than just a low price and then they will beat a path to the dealer's door.. Wait til your neighbor has a problem and then trys to get the dealer to fix it. Not a chance. He'll have to call the factory and talk to some disinterested factory customer service rep by long-distance. Good luck with that. And then if he needs a part, he'll have to wait for the part to be shipped to him by dogsled. And then who'll install the part? Your neighbor? Not likely unless he is handy with tools and doesn't mind getting his hands dirty. Those thousands of dollars of savings won't look so good when his hot tub is a broken down wreck sitting there waiting to be returned to Costco. What would he rather have, the thousands of dollars in savings or the peace of mind in having the support of a good dealer and service department? The same thing happens with appliances and computers at Costco. People go buy the flashy junk at the apparent great deal and then when something goes wrong, where do they turn? If you buy a computer at CompUSA, you can take it back and they'll fix it if something goes wrong. If you buy a computer a Costco, you have to go find service from someone or fix it yourself.

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Would you rather buy a tub from a company that spends bucks on their dealer network or would you rather buy a tub from a penny-pinching company who sells to lowball outfits like Costco?

I think that's an unfair characterization. There are many manufacturer's who use Costco as one of their distributors. I've seen items from high quality companies at costco, including HP computers, Sony Television sets, Dewalt power tools, Levis clothing, etc. I wouldn't characterize a manufacturer who sells to costco "penny-pinching".

Regarding spa manufacturers, Costco has sold spas from Backyard Keys, HydroSpa, Infinity, and a few others. The assumption that a company makes low quality items is not a function of whether or not they sell to costco.

Costco offers flashy junk

Another unfair characterization. Sure, there are some items Costco sells that are junk, including spas, however, selling junk is not the exclusive domain of Costco. There are dealers who sell "junk" as well.

Wait til your neighbor has a problem and then trys to get the dealer to fix it. Not a chance. He'll have to call the factory and talk to some disinterested factory customer service rep by long-distance. Good luck with that.

There's no guarantee that a dealer will fix or service a spa they have sold. This board is littered with unhappy consumers who bought spas from dealers who couldn't get their spas services properly.

And then if he needs a part, he'll have to wait for the part to be shipped to him by dogsled. And then who'll install the part? Your neighbor? Not likely unless he is handy with tools and doesn't mind getting his hands dirty.

Just more scare tactics. There are many satisfied tub owners on this board who purchased their spas from Costco who didn't need a part. There are some that did and there are local service companies who are glad to service tubs, irrespective of where they were first purchased from. Infinity Spas and HydroSpas use local service reps to service tubs that do have issues.

Those thousands of dollars of savings won't look so good when his hot tub is a broken down wreck sitting there waiting to be returned to Costco. What would he rather have, the thousands of dollars in savings or the peace of mind in having the support of a good dealer and service department?

Those thousands of dollars of savings look great when the spa doesn't need service or when the service is completed quickly. This thread alone has already had 8 different people reporting in indicating that their spa is up and running.

What would he rather have, the thousands of dollars in savings or the peace of mind in having the support of a good dealer and service department?

I'd rather have thousands of dollars in savings and the peace of mind that I have a quality tub that probably won't need service, and if it does, the manufacturer will dispatch a service tech to quickly resolve the problem. I also would rather have the peace of mind knowing I can return the tub to costco anytime, for whatever reason, if I'm ever not pleased with it. Try returning your over-priced tub to your high-margin dealer.

The same thing happens with appliances and computers at Costco. People go buy the flashy junk at the apparent great deal and then when something goes wrong, where do they turn?

They turn them back into costco and get a full refund, however, chances are the computers are from HP or Sony and rarely have issues. The small percentage that do are returned - no questions asked.

If you buy a computer at CompUSA, you can take it back and they'll fix it if something goes wrong. If you buy a computer a Costco, you have to go find service from someone or fix it yourself.

This is flat-out wrong. Compusa, after 21 days, refers defective computers to the manufacturer for warranty repair service.

http://www.compusa.com/help/terms.asp#warr

Why so anti-costco?

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I'd rather have thousands of dollars in savings and the peace of mind that I have a quality tub that probably won't need service, and if it does, the manufacturer will dispatch a service tech to quickly resolve the problem. I also would rather have the peace of mind knowing I can return the tub to costco anytime, for whatever reason, if I'm ever not pleased with it. Try returning your over-priced tub to your high-margin dealer.

I can t understand why this assumption is always brought up. Others have inquired about the policy and there is a time limit and the tub has to have failure. 1 yr down the road you cannot return your tub because you dont like it anymore or its costing you too much to heat. After a year if you have a problem it gets fixed, they wont take the tub back. Im not sure what the time frame is but I think its 90 or120 days to return a deffective tub. Yes, dealers do offer returns most are inside of 30 days.

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I'd rather have thousands of dollars in savings and the peace of mind that I have a quality tub that probably won't need service, and if it does, the manufacturer will dispatch a service tech to quickly resolve the problem. I also would rather have the peace of mind knowing I can return the tub to costco anytime, for whatever reason, if I'm ever not pleased with it. Try returning your over-priced tub to your high-margin dealer.

I can t understand why this assumption is always brought up. Others have inquired about the policy and there is a time limit and the tub has to have failure. 1 yr down the road you cannot return your tub because you dont like it anymore or its costing you too much to heat. After a year if you have a problem it gets fixed, they wont take the tub back. Im not sure what the time frame is but I think its 90 or120 days to return a deffective tub. Yes, dealers do offer returns most are inside of 30 days.

Here is the Costco return policy copied directly from Costco.com. There is no stated time limit on most merchandise including spas. Also, I was told by a Costco Customer Service rep that Costco will pick up the spa from in front of my home if I can't return it to my local store. It would be my responsibility to get it from the backyard to the curb.

Returns

Membership: We will refund your membership fee in full at any time if you are dissatisfied.

Merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund. Exceptions: Televisions, projectors, computers, cameras, camcorders, iPOD / MP3 players and cellular phones must be returned within 90 days of purchase for a refund.

How to Return: Simply return your purchase at any one of our Costco warehouses worldwide for a refund (including shipping and handling). If you are unable to return your order at one of our warehouses, please email customerservice@costco.com or call our customer service center at 1-800-955-2292 for assistance. To expedite the processing of your return, please reference your order number.

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I can t understand why this assumption is always brought up. Others have inquired about the policy and there is a time limit and the tub has to have failure.

Pathfinder - please provide more substantive proof other than "Others have inquired about the policy".

1 yr down the road you cannot return your tub because you dont like it anymore or its costing you too much to heat.

Sure can. I asked the manager at Costco. I was referred to their return policy which Bob64111 has quoted below. If I'm not satisfied - for whatever reason, at any time, I can return the merchandise.

This policy was starting to cost Costco on computers and electronics - people were buying big screen TVs, using them for a year, and then returning them when something bigger and cheaper came out. Costco has limited their return policy on electronics, but all other merchandise has the same excellent "guaranteed satisfaction" return policy.

Bob summed it up quite nicely below.

Here is the Costco return policy copied directly from Costco.com.

Merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund.

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Ok going to add some gas to the fire. As you all know I returned a Hydrospa. I went for the savings and it didn't work out good for me. It was a stressfull experience. I don't draw any conclusions to tubs other than the hydrospa. My first call to hydrospa was about a radio and lights not working. The girl on the phone told me to open up the spa pack and start wiggling wires looking for a bad connection. hmmm i asked her about the 220 line in there and asked if she knew what she was suggesting. After a few call they gave me the number of the service guy. He had no interest in coming out. Now I get into a battle with them trying to make him come out. Here's where I get Costco involved and i'll tell you they pulled out some heavy guns to get me service. This couldn't even work. It got me alot of parts. They sent me everything that It may have been. Now the parts are sitting here with nobody to put them in. Now I start getting bills for 1000 bucks worth of parts. I make a deal where I get someone else to do the repair. As it turns out i was able to do the repair. I return the parts most unused. I keep getting bills 60 days and so on. I am set to snap. Now my tub starts leaking. I made a deal to fix some electrical not a leak. I somehow managed to get the repair guy out. I'm not sure what happened behind the scene but keep in mind I have some big help from costco going on (not helping much but still impressed with the level they took it to) The repair guy looks and says its at the bottom and he will not flip the tub over to fix it. This was it. Costco and I made a arrangement to have the tub leave my yard. It was two months of hell.

Now keep in mind I bought the tub becasue I found some of the local dealers to be not worth doing business with to put it nicely and thought I try this out.

The money was an issue no doubt. The costco tub had alot to thing I likes like the stereo and the lights. My new tub does no have this. I just wouldn't pay what they wanted for these options.

The insulation in the hyrospa was sad to say the least. First there was a 1 inch gap around the whole rim of the tub. If I do the math that adds up to over a 2 square feet for heat to escape. The tub had a foil bubble wrap. There was some thin foam panels that were cut to small for the areas they were intended to fill. The dealer tub I bought would be alot cheaper to run. There is no doubt about this. I live in Canada.

Now I'm not happy by some dealers sale process of making everything an add on. To me synthetic sides should be free and so should a plastic bottom. I feel this would be a cheaper option than a cedar body.

I have my ass firmly planted in the centre of this debate. I wish the best to everyone with a tub from anywhere. I think there is good points on both sides. I'm not doing this to sell tubs for anyone. Just sharing my experience with those who are looking for input.

One thing I didn't think about was parts. I checked who was the repair guy was before I bought and thought I had everything covered. This guy has no parts. If something died in the winter I'm not sure what I would have done. I guess i would have to drain the tub. I think the best situation to get parts would be a week. I doubt they would be here in a week.

My dealer tub has more warranty and I have friends who has done business with this place for years. There are bad dealers. You have to find out who they are.

Remember I know nothing about the other tubs sold at Costco and have no issues with Costco. I was impressed by how far they will go to keep little old me satisfied. They are few places that do this. Just like I am impressed with guys like pathfinder who try to help as many people as possible. If I lived in his market area he would be a guy I would do business with because he helps the little guy.

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I can t understand why this assumption is always brought up. Others have inquired about the policy and there is a time limit and the tub has to have failure.

Pathfinder - please provide more substantive proof other than "Others have inquired about the policy".

1 yr down the road you cannot return your tub because you dont like it anymore or its costing you too much to heat.

Sure can. I asked the manager at Costco. I was referred to their return policy which Bob64111 has quoted below. If I'm not satisfied - for whatever reason, at any time, I can return the merchandise.

This policy was starting to cost Costco on computers and electronics - people were buying big screen TVs, using them for a year, and then returning them when something bigger and cheaper came out. Costco has limited their return policy on electronics, but all other merchandise has the same excellent "guaranteed satisfaction" return policy.

Bob summed it up quite nicely below.

Here is the Costco return policy copied directly from Costco.com.

Merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund.

Returing a tub as an option. It is a last option. I swallowed my pride a few time in hopes that somebody would just make it right for me. I know if I returned it the neighbours would see and whats if my electrical had to be redone. If you have problems chances are you will try to stick it out past the point of reason. I'm glad the policy was there. I wish I never needed it. I'll tell you when a hot tub starts giving you hastle its not like a car breaking down. you need to spend money on cars but you don't need a hot tub. It bugs you more. I wish you the best cheers

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...The repair guy looks and says its at the bottom and he will not flip the tub over to fix it. This was it. Costco and I made a arrangement to have the tub leave my yard. It was two months of hell...

Great insights Saskman. Thank goodness you've finally come to your senses and seen the light. You buy a hot tub at Costco and it's a broken-down piece of junk and what do you do then? No hot tubbin...no sir. Instead, you have to go through the endless round-and-round on the phone, wait for the parts, deal with the surly customer service reps, and the incompetent repair techs, all the while with no hot tub even though you paid for one. Now, with a good dealer, the dealer will 'deal' (heh) with the service issues that come up and you will be free to enjoy what you are paying for in the first place...hot tubbing. Sure, you might save the thousands of dollars on the costco tub but you will be getting a lesser-quality tub with no dealer support. Is it really worth it? The answer is obvious. It's great that you were able to return the tub to Costco and get y our money back. I don't see how Costco even stays in business selling a lot of flashy junk at an apparent good price and then having to refund the money when the customer returns the trashware. Well, you're done with that. Your hot tub journey starts now! I can't tell you what tub I like the best or the moderators will delete my post like they did the last 10 or so. Otherwise, I would. Good luck!!

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My neighbor just got his orderd from Costco says about four weeks.

Wait til your neighbor has a problem and then trys to get the dealer to fix it. Not a chance. He'll have to call the factory and talk to some disinterested factory customer service rep by long-distance. Good luck with that.

Maybe I live in a unique part of the world, but there are lots of independent pool and spa guys that will work on any spa you can name. I used to own a CalSpa and prior to buying my Costco Inifinity Spa I called up the service guy and asked him if he only worked on CalSpas and he said "heck no, I'll work on anything- HotSprings, Sundnace, D-1. etc..." he had never heard of Infinity brand but he said there were lots of spas out there and a lot of them use the same companies for controls and motors so it was not a problem... So, in my area, your warning that no dealer will service my spa if anything ever goes wrong with it, is not an issue....maybe in other areas of the country one needs to consider this, but it was not an issue for me. Is this a big concern for buyers, or just a dealer whining because he may have to start selling at lower margins to be competitive?

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My neighbor just got his orderd from Costco says about four weeks.

Wait til your neighbor has a problem and then trys to get the dealer to fix it. Not a chance. He'll have to call the factory and talk to some disinterested factory customer service rep by long-distance. Good luck with that.

Maybe I live in a unique part of the world, but there are lots of independent pool and spa guys that will work on any spa you can name. I used to own a CalSpa and prior to buying my Costco Inifinity Spa I called up the service guy and asked him if he only worked on CalSpas and he said "heck no, I'll work on anything- HotSprings, Sundnace, D-1. etc..." he had never heard of Infinity brand but he said there were lots of spas out there and a lot of them use the same companies for controls and motors so it was not a problem... So, in my area, your warning that no dealer will service my spa if anything ever goes wrong with it, is not an issue....maybe in other areas of the country one needs to consider this, but it was not an issue for me. Is this a big concern for buyers, or just a dealer whining because he may have to start selling at lower margins to be competitive?

I don't own and never researched on getting a spa from Costco, Home Deport etc. But if I were I would ask the service tech if they will service my spa will there be extra charges such as a charge just to come out to my house, a charge for time & labor, if spa is under warranty will they work with spa company or do you have to pay the tech and work with the spa manufacturer to get reimbursed. Also, when I place a service call, when can I expect service? Do I have to wait until they have serviced any of their customers that bought from them first? Since I live in climate where it gets below zero, if I have a complete failure when can I expect a service tech to be dispatched to my house and at what charge?

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The insulation in the hyrospa was sad to say the least. First there was a 1 inch gap around the whole rim of the tub. If I do the math that adds up to over a 2 square feet for heat to escape. The tub had a foil bubble wrap. There was some thin foam panels that were cut to small for the areas they were intended to fill. The dealer tub I bought would be alot cheaper to run. There is no doubt about this. I live in Canada.

Good catch on this, Saskman. I think you meant to say it was a 2 inch gap which would be four square feet of cold air rushing through. Can you give us a rough estimate of the amount of money you have saved on heating costs by getting rid of your poorly insulated hydrospa and replacing it with the Pacific Spas tub? I would expect the savings would be enormous, maybe a ballpark of $500 per month?

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