Buying A Hot Tub?

[lorinjer]

We are finally looking into getting a hot tub but we are really confused by all the bad/good things we are reading about each one. We live close by St. louis mo. My hubby stopped by Watsons today and they had a Cal spa Avalon 857 L for about $6000 or so on clearance. But as I was reading this forum, I saw that Cal Spa is not a good spa??? Friends of ours just bought a hot tub online but since we are new owners, I would like to buy locally in case there is problems. We bought our pool two years ago from Watsons and have had great service there.

Must for a hot tub:

6 seater

lounger

neck jets

Does anyone have some good suggestions for where to buy one?? Things that are a must???

Thanks

[spatech (the unreal one)]

We are finally looking into getting a hot tub but we are really confused by all the bad/good things we are reading about each one. We live close by St. louis mo. My hubby stopped by Watsons today and they had a Cal spa Avalon 857 L for about $6000 or so on clearance. But as I was reading this forum, I saw that Cal Spa is not a good spa??? Friends of ours just bought a hot tub online but since we are new owners, I would like to buy locally in case there is problems. We bought our pool two years ago from Watsons and have had great service there.

Must for a hot tub:

6 seater

lounger

neck jets

Does anyone have some good suggestions for where to buy one?? Things that are a must???

Thanks

I gotta believe you have many options in the St Louis area. I'd go to the websites of the major manufacturers and see who is local to you. They'll each have a "dealer locator" on their website for you to simply enter your zip code into and viola!

http://artesianspas.com/main/dealer_locator.asp

http://www.hotspring.com/index_spas_hot_spring.html

http://www.calderaspas.com/Locator/index.html

http://www.arcticspas.com

http://retailer.sundancespas.com/Retailers/index.php

http://www.jacuzzi.com/products/

http://www.marquisspas.com/locator.asp

http://www.dimensiononespas.com/findadealer.asp

There are more certainly out there (some maybe good some maybe not) but those above make more than half of the spas sold in the US and have good reputations from most of what you'll read/hear.

[lorinjer]

Has anyone here bought from Watsons???

We are finally looking into getting a hot tub but we are really confused by all the bad/good things we are reading about each one. We live close by St. louis mo. My hubby stopped by Watsons today and they had a Cal spa Avalon 857 L for about $6000 or so on clearance. But as I was reading this forum, I saw that Cal Spa is not a good spa??? Friends of ours just bought a hot tub online but since we are new owners, I would like to buy locally in case there is problems. We bought our pool two years ago from Watsons and have had great service there.

Must for a hot tub:

6 seater

lounger

neck jets

Does anyone have some good suggestions for where to buy one?? Things that are a must???

Thanks

I gotta believe you have many options in the St Louis area. I'd go to the websites of the major manufacturers and see who is local to you. They'll each have a "dealer locator" on their website for you to simply enter your zip code into and viola!

http://artesianspas.com/main/dealer_locator.asp

http://www.hotspring.com/index_spas_hot_spring.html

http://www.calderaspas.com/Locator/index.html

http://www.arcticspas.com

http://retailer.sundancespas.com/Retailers/index.php

http://www.jacuzzi.com/products/

http://www.marquisspas.com/locator.asp

http://www.dimensiononespas.com/findadealer.asp

There are more certainly out there (some maybe good some maybe not) but those above make more than half of the spas sold in the US and have good reputations from most of what you'll read/hear.

[queenwench]

Watson's is also a retailer in our area. (Nashville). Check the local Watson's BBB rating in your area. The Watson's here has a good rating, considering that they sell large quantities of not just pools & spa's but pool tables, tanning beds, etc. I can't speak for your area.

Many of the other stores, in the Watson's chain stores, sell at least two to three other brands of spa's. The one here sells Cal Spa, Atesian, and Viking. Different stores in the Watson's chain may have other's, than their main brand, the Cal Spa, which Watson's consider the middle brand. So, I would suggest, look into other brands that they may sell. Wet test them and purchase what you feel is the best fit and price for you. That is, after you have checked out other dealers in your area. You live in a large metro area, there must be other spa dealers to check out with other good brand names of spa's

Watson's does have a good "bring it in, and will test your water free for you". The tech dept (and I can only speak for my area) is okay. They sub out Artesian to Artesian tech repair folks but, all other's are with their in house repair tech's. I asked why the difference and the reply was, "It's part of our agreement with Artesian". Artesian is the Watson's higher end spa here.

Anyway, I hope this helps you out. Good Luck.