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Who Owns An Arctic Spa? Happy With The Tub?


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Would like to hear from Arctic spa owners on why they chose Arctic and how happy (or unhappy) they are with their purchase. Pros and cons. Do you have winter snow and cold temps where you live and how energy efficient the tub is? We live in upstate NY and have narrowed our choices to TP spas. Will have to travel over 100 miles to find the closest dealer but thinking it may be worth it. Also, would be interested in ballpark price/price you paid on the "Cub" model, 4-5 person with a lounger. Thanks.

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Would like to hear from Arctic spa owners on why they chose Arctic and how happy (or unhappy) they are with their purchase. Pros and cons. Do you have winter snow and cold temps where you live and how energy efficient the tub is? We live in upstate NY and have narrowed our choices to TP spas. Will have to travel over 100 miles to find the closest dealer but thinking it may be worth it. Also, would be interested in ballpark price/price you paid on the "Cub" model, 4-5 person with a lounger. Thanks.

There is a member named"arctic cub". look them up.

John 104 degrees

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Cub is in the house.....

I've owned the cub for about 2 years now. I believe I paid about $6500, if you're range isn't close, let me know and I'll double check for the exact price. I paid about $1k extra to get all the electric stuff and leveling done by other contractors.

If you look at some of my posts, you'll see lots of ranting, complaining, etc. All of my frustration has been with an inept dealer and their service issues, and not the tub itself. Make sure you're dealer has been around for a while and has in-house service reps.

I did lot's of comparison shopping as I'm *** about far too much that's not that important in this world.....Here's what I thought and still think about my tub from day 1.

I hate water issues, so I refused to even give full foam 1/2 a chance when it came to final tubs......I live in between "small" mountains in West Virginia near Viriginia/Maryland. It's windy quite often where I am, and I've noticed virtually no electric bill increase due to my tub. It maintains 104 year around, even when the weather was is in the teens.

I have a 5 and 3 year old, they learned to swim in the tub, it's been great, now they both swim underwater in the pool! We use our tub 4-5 days a week most of the year, and 2-3 a week in freezing weather.

I have the Ultra; one level higher than what I wanted; due to dealer throwing it in due to someone else canceling their order late, I'd go with all the jets available in the model, but the blower for air bubbles isn't worth extra money unless you just have to have it (which then would be one level below the Ultra).

I love my tub - through whatever issues I've had or are still working through (my original dealer just closed up shop), I would buy another Arctic and recommend it to friends. It has been wonderful....we've had 4 adults and 2 kids sit in it comfortably - albeit the wading seat/step is perfect for kids. I have a cedar tub with starry blue interior.

Make sure when you buy it, you don't get stuck with the "old" black jets..the newer ones are gray/black and are much better quality. The northern lights, steps, chemicals, basic ozonator, cover and lifter should all be part of the price, don't let them nickel/dime you on these....

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I am a new owner of a Tundra Legend. 1 month

My spa is very great. Large seated place. Lot of place to move. Great body massages jet. Good quality.

Ask me in 8 months for my impression of the winter time.

Some small annoying bug:

1) The ON/OFF turning mechanism is too loose on the single 5" rotating jet and some other jet. Each time you enter in the spa, you need to check all the jets to be sure they are all open.

2) I have a loose jet that cannot stand in place. I need to exchange at my dealer. (Free of charge)

3) Some time I like to be in my spa without the motor ON. Silence and peace. But sometime, the motor #1 starts for the filtration sequence and I cannot stop it (Except to cut the breaker). Is there some way to stop it with the control panel?

I am a happy custumers

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For pricing background, you may want to review and/or post at this specific

ARCTIC PRICING topic.

Just to agree with 104 Degree's advice -- spend some time with SEARCH on this forum -- it is a very capable tool and will "catch you up" very quickly with the discussions on things that matter to you...

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Some small annoying bug:

1) The ON/OFF turning mechanism is too loose on the single 5" rotating jet and some other jet. Each time you enter in the spa, you need to check all the jets to be sure they are all open.

I am a happy custumers

My buddys Master spa you need to do this.

John 104 degrees

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3) Some time I like to be in my spa without the motor ON. Silence and peace. But sometime, the motor #1 starts for the filtration sequence and I cannot stop it (Except to cut the breaker). Is there some way to stop it with the control panel?

I am a happy custumers

Cub here - There is a button on your spa control that turns off the tub completely. This feature should be in your manual and I use it to change my filter without turning the breaker off. The tub must be off, otherwise the suction is too strong to move the filter basket....

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3) Some time I like to be in my spa without the motor ON. Silence and peace. But sometime, the motor #1 starts for the filtration sequence and I cannot stop it (Except to cut the breaker). Is there some way to stop it with the control panel?

I am a happy custumers

Cub here - There is a button on your spa control that turns off the tub completely. This feature should be in your manual and I use it to change my filter without turning the breaker off. The tub must be off, otherwise the suction is too strong to move the filter basket....

It's right.

I check my French manual and I found something I miss. But...

The said to press the #3 button 5 seconds to put the spa in "wait mode" for 30 minutes. In the French guide they said the heater; filtering process can start during this period??? "Si le chauffe-eau est en marche lorsque le système est mis en veille, le cycle de filtration, le mode antigel et le chauffe-eau peuvent démarrer pendant cette période d'interruption."

But I check the English version on the Arctic web site, and they said "... Heater, filter ... can't start during this period."

The French guide is not well translated!

TOM! You have a job to do! :rolleyes:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi. We have owned a Frontier Ultra model for 4 months now, and LOVE the spa. Even though we have not gone through a winter yet, the efficiency of the spa seems great. Had a bad heater in the first month, but the dealer replaced it in a day and all has been great since. Good luck in your search, but from what I have found, you will not be sorry for buying an Arctic.

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In the French guide they said the heater; filtering process can start during this period??? "Si le chauffe-eau est en marche lorsque le système est mis en veille, le cycle de filtration, le mode antigel et le chauffe-eau peuvent démarrer pendant cette période d'interruption."

But I check the English version on the Arctic web site, and they said "... Heater, filter ... can't start during this period."

The French guide is not well translated!

TOM! You have a job to do! :rolleyes:

I will pass your note on to the people who look after our manuals. Thank you for spotting that and drawing it to my attention.

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  • 2 years later...

Hi All,

I have a Kodiak SE Arctic spa. This cost £10,000 ($14,000) two years ago. All three headrests look like a rottweiler has been chewing them (not covered by the 10 year warranty LOL) The heating element failed a week ago, this is covered by the parts and labour warranty, but they still charged me an £80 call out fee to fix it. To be honest If you spend this amount of money you expect the best of everything....be warned you don't get it (in the UK at Least!!)

Kind Regards

Paul

UK.

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Hi All,

I have a Kodiak SE Arctic spa. This cost £10,000 ($14,000) two years ago. All three headrests look like a rottweiler has been chewing them (not covered by the 10 year warranty LOL) The heating element failed a week ago, this is covered by the parts and labour warranty, but they still charged me an £80 call out fee to fix it. To be honest If you spend this amount of money you expect the best of everything....be warned you don't get it (in the UK at Least!!)

Kind Regards

Paul

UK.

Hi Paul,

firstly i just want you to know that you got a fantastic deal on your tub because the price for a Kodiak LSE was £12,645 back in 2008 for the tub alone not including delivery, steps coverlifter etc. so you did really well to save over £2500.

On the subject of warranty the pillows are covered under warranty so not sure why you had to pay for these. If you message me your details i can look into this for you if you want. Unfortunatley customers do need to pay a call out fee if they want an engineer to come out and carry out repairs away from the workshop or showroom and this is clearly stated in the warranty. I think this is the same throughout the industry it isnt just an Arctic Spas charge.

Apart from this I hope you are having a great time with your tub.

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Hi All,

I have a Kodiak SE Arctic spa. This cost £10,000 ($14,000) two years ago. All three headrests look like a rottweiler has been chewing them (not covered by the 10 year warranty LOL) The heating element failed a week ago, this is covered by the parts and labour warranty, but they still charged me an £80 call out fee to fix it. To be honest If you spend this amount of money you expect the best of everything....be warned you don't get it (in the UK at Least!!)

Kind Regards

Paul

UK.

Hi Paul,

firstly i just want you to know that you got a fantastic deal on your tub because the price for a Kodiak LSE was £12,645 back in 2008 for the tub alone not including delivery, steps coverlifter etc. so you did really well to save over £2500.

On the subject of warranty the pillows are covered under warranty so not sure why you had to pay for these. If you message me your details i can look into this for you if you want. Unfortunatley customers do need to pay a call out fee if they want an engineer to come out and carry out repairs away from the workshop or showroom and this is clearly stated in the warranty. I think this is the same throughout the industry it isnt just an Arctic Spas charge.

Apart from this I hope you are having a great time with your tub.

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Hi All,

I have a Kodiak SE Arctic spa. This cost £10,000 ($14,000) two years ago. All three headrests look like a rottweiler has been chewing them (not covered by the 10 year warranty LOL) The heating element failed a week ago, this is covered by the parts and labour warranty, but they still charged me an £80 call out fee to fix it. To be honest If you spend this amount of money you expect the best of everything....be warned you don't get it (in the UK at Least!!)

Kind Regards

Paul

UK.

Hi Paul,

firstly i just want you to know that you got a fantastic deal on your tub because the price for a Kodiak LSE was £12,645 back in 2008 for the tub alone not including delivery, steps coverlifter etc. so you did really well to save over £2500.

On the subject of warranty the pillows are covered under warranty so not sure why you had to pay for these. If you message me your details i can look into this for you if you want. Unfortunatley customers do need to pay a call out fee if they want an engineer to come out and carry out repairs away from the workshop or showroom and this is clearly stated in the warranty. I think this is the same throughout the industry it isnt just an Arctic Spas charge.

Apart from this I hope you are having a great time with your tub.

Having checked the invoice it was £11500....a bargain eh!

I do accept that the warranty states this in the small print, but come on, this is supposed to be a high end spa. I bought an Audi A8 last year with a 3 year warranty, did i read it? no..because I don't have to, its an Audi warranty. I bought an expensive spa with a 10 year warranty and foolishly perhaps I didn't read it (for the same reason). There is definately room for another spa supplier if this is as good as it gets.

Anyway I have managed to wrestle some headrests out of blue falls, but its not been easy. As for the £80 call out Its non negotiable. I just want other people to be aware that spending £11500 does not mean a thing when it comes to arctic spas.

Thanks

Paul.

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Unfortunatley customers do need to pay a call out fee if they want an engineer to come out and carry out repairs away from the workshop or showroom and this is clearly stated in the warranty. I think this is the same throughout the industry it isnt just an Arctic Spas charge

I live in England and I have called out the dealer and have not been charged, I suppose it depends on how far he has to travel. In my case less than 10 miles.

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Paul, does Audi send a service tech to your house??

Drive your spa over to the dealer, no service charge.

Actually I own an Audi, and yes they will come get the car. No service charge. And they would leave a comp car while it's being fixed. That's part of a luxury ownership experience. So the analogy is a bit soft. If anything, Paul should have expected a "courtesy" tub. Arctic has done that you know.

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Yes, audi did indeed come to my house to fix A leaking fuel pump. The guy then drove 40miles on a Friday night to a different dealership to collect a new part, came back and fitted it in the rain. The spa dealer has gone bust but the fitter that they used still does the warranty repairs. He lives around 20miles from my house. So unless he arrived in a stretch limo £80 seems steep to me. I don't think this is necassarily because audi cares about the customer but because the customer is happy and comes back again and again(like me). If he charged £80 for the call out I'd have bought a BMW. Simple.

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  • 1 month later...

I got myself a used 2000 Cub SS, and so far I am enjoying it. Paid $1400 CAD, with repairs and delivery was around $2000. It's a nice tub, comfortable and seems pretty well built. It's 10 yrs old and appears to have had one pump replaced and the other original one rebuilt. The peak ozonator, according to the local Arctic dealer who did the repairs, is working. Seems so far to all be a go, having issues with sand in the tub, but that is obviously something caused by the previous owner. The cover appears to be the original one and it is still IMO still in fair to good shape. I am hoping to get at least a few years out of this tub unless I upgrade sooner than later.

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  • 1 month later...

I have a Kodiak tub, nothing but problems, the factory does not stand behind the warranty fully, offering only to band aid problems. They had a manufactures defect, all of the o-rings failed in the 3" jets. the company has refused to properly repair the tub. After years of arguing , they are finally picking it up today to do repairs. Then i find out the Factory is refusing to send the proper parts to permanently repair the tub. I have been dealing with Beau Boisvert [beau@goarctic.com] at their factory in Canada. He is very difficult to deal with and only wants to smear silicone around the leaking jet bodies.

I have had 3 pumps replaced, defective Ozonator, 100's of Jet Barrel replacements.

I DO NOT Recommend this tub

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£80 call out charge!!! that's like $150 !!! crazy man, Do they screw you in North America for that too??? call out charges and pro rated warranties are just a scam, got to love that small print. They can say it is a 100% coverage for parts and labor, then screw you for a call out charge that subsidies the parts and labor.

Just one more thing on top of the pile for Arctic.

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£80 call out charge!!! that's like $150 !!! crazy man, Do they screw you in North America for that too??? call out charges and pro rated warranties are just a scam, got to love that small print. They can say it is a 100% coverage for parts and labor, then screw you for a call out charge that subsidies the parts and labor.

Just one more thing on top of the pile for Arctic.

I would say that "call out charge" is a dealer charge and not an Arctic charge. My dealer is an hour away and doesn't apply a charge to me.

By the way I'm very happy with my Arctic Tundra and dealer. Had it since April 09.

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£80 call out charge!!! that's like $150 !!! crazy man, Do they screw you in North America for that too??? call out charges and pro rated warranties are just a scam, got to love that small print. They can say it is a 100% coverage for parts and labor, then screw you for a call out charge that subsidies the parts and labor.

Just one more thing on top of the pile for Arctic.

I would say that "call out charge" is a dealer charge and not an Arctic charge. My dealer is an hour away and doesn't apply a charge to me.

By the way I'm very happy with my Arctic Tundra and dealer. Had it since April 09.

This is exactly correct and Stuart(spagod) knows that he is just piling on. Lots of dealers of all kinds of brands charge service charges. I do kind of agree with him that it seems excessive, but lots of dealers charge trip charges even under warranty. But, I for one do not, at least at this point.

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Stateside owner of Arctic Frontier Ultra (I *think* that's the model). Purchased in December '05. Original dealer disappeared. In 2009 (as I recall) the heater crapped out. After some frustration found another Arctic dealer who ultimately solved my emergency and replaced the heater element. Been running fine since. I love the Arctic tub. BTW, we live in central Massachusetts.

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I have a Kodiak tub, nothing but problems, the factory does not stand behind the warranty fully, offering only to band aid problems. They had a manufactures defect, all of the o-rings failed in the 3" jets. the company has refused to properly repair the tub. After years of arguing , they are finally picking it up today to do repairs. Then i find out the Factory is refusing to send the proper parts to permanently repair the tub. I have been dealing with Beau Boisvert [beau@goarctic.com] at their factory in Canada. He is very difficult to deal with and only wants to smear silicone around the leaking jet bodies.

I have had 3 pumps replaced, defective Ozonator, 100's of Jet Barrel replacements.

I DO NOT Recommend this tub

Can you send me your serial number so I can review the issues with your spa and see if I can help? My email is james@goarctic.com.

Kind regards,

James

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