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Best Costco Spa


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DT, I’m from south east MA. I was also looking at Costco and Sam’s club. I found dealers around here to be arrogant and way overpriced. I also looked at used spas and almost bought one off of ebay. I happened to find a dealer (four season) that had really good prices for Hydro Spa tubs. They where actually lower then online retailers. Anyway, I had a really good experience with them and recommend them to everyone.

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I like the piece of mind that if I have a warranty issue that I can walk into a dealer and speak face to face. Calling 800 numbers and wondering what crazed lunitic wielding a screwdriver is coming to my house is not my idea of a bargain. If you don't have dealer support with your spa, most likely your spa is WAY more overpriced than at any dealer.

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I don't make any money on chemical, filter or parts sales.

Your'e missing the point.

DT, I’m from south east MA. I was also looking at Costco and Sam’s club. I found dealers around here to be arrogant and way overpriced. I also looked at used spas and almost bought one off of ebay. I happened to find a dealer (four season) that had really good prices for Hydro Spa tubs. They where actually lower then online retailers. Anyway, I had a really good experience with them and recommend them to everyone.

You should thank your lucky stars that you did'nt buy online.

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Hello!

My opinion is to ignore all of these nay-sayers and buy the Costco one that is made by Watkins. Report back after a few weeks,months, etc. and let us know how it went.

As a buyer, I'd be interested in knowing if you found a high-quality, low-priced product.

Go for it. The worst thing that could happen would be you will be out a few hours of effort in installing and removing the spa.

I would definitely buy a watkins spa from a dealer. A dealer will gives you service with that warranty which means they order the parts and repair any problems you may have. . You get it delivered, not many people want to take a spa home themself. you get all the extras like chemicals, cover, GFCI subpanel etc... and yes you can pick from several different colors.

Everyone - thanks for all the great information. I can get any of the fitst 3 for about the same price so it is decision time. All come with delivery, cover, lift, steps, start-up chemicals, etc. What would you do?

1. Highlife by Hotspring from Costco. Hotspring quality with Costo lifetime satisfaction warranty. Unknown Question is the cost to convert to 220. Warranty is only 1 year, but service comes from local dealer.

2. Tiger River Bengal from local dealer. Quality spa from Watkins that makes Hotsprings. Local dealer support and 5 year warranty.

3. Caldera Martinique from a different local dealer. Quality spa from Watkins that makes Hotsprings. Local dealer support and 5 year warranty. 2 pumps (will I notice?)

4. Pay about $500 additional and get a Hotspring Prodigy. Smaller spa, more money, possibly better?

Suggestions?

I reccomend the Caldera Martinique. I like the quality and seating in that spa

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I might personally lean toward the Caldera because it has two pumps [but] the lounger appears very short, it looks suited for a lady or smaller person.

The Caldera Martinique was actually the runner-up in my own extensive search that just ended the day before yesterday. As the knowledgable people on this forum suggested might happen, I found loungers to be quite different even among very similar-appearing spas. A lounge seat that one person likes, other people might find less comfotable. I'm about 5' 10", 155 pounds, and the Martinique lounger was fine for me. The only real way to know, however (and if you read this forum often you can see this coming!) is to do a wet test.

As to the number/power of pumps, a wet test should also tell you whether or not you will be happy with what each spa has. If you're the only one in the spa, turn on all of the jets to whatever positions you think will normally be used, then move around and try each seat. All of the spas I tested seemed to have enough power, even ones with less powerful or fewer jet pumps.

-Craig Haggart

Sunnyvale, California

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I just realized that I had read in other posts on this forum that you usually cannot wet test a Costco spa. If that's the case, and if the one you're considering is in the same cost ballpark as the Caldera Martinique, I'd go with the Caldera myself (assuming that you also find it comfortable).

I understand the Costco lifetime satisfaction policy, but is seems a bit risky to buy something huge like a spa without being able to try it out first. You need a foundation of a particular size and shape, and having a spa delivered/removed is a pretty big deal compared to, say, a television set. My own spa delivery is going to involve having a crane hoist it over my house into the backyard. But if your delivery/removal situation is very easy, maybe that wouldn't be as much of a factor as it would be with me.

-Craig Haggart

Sunnyvale, California

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Maybe you could give one of these Home Depot hot tubs a try!

IPB Image

Where are the redneck babes!

I am in sales. I am losing a commision. I work for a living. How does the salesperson benefit from such an idiotic idea?

I have been in sales and sales management for over 30 years. Nobody likes a threat to their commissions and potential loss of business, however, the better salespeople are constantly changing and adapting. The most recent example was the introduction of internet sales. Change is a fact of life.

If you have a superior product and superior service, you should be able to sell against a low priced Costco option. There is a good possibility that it may even help you increase sales by creating awareness. If you are a professional salesperson you should be positive.

DT, I’m from south east MA. I was also looking at Costco and Sam’s club. I found dealers around here to be arrogant and way overpriced. I also looked at used spas and almost bought one off of ebay. I happened to find a dealer (four season) that had really good prices for Hydro Spa tubs. They where actually lower then online retailers. Anyway, I had a really good experience with them and recommend them to everyone.

Good points. I'm glad you are happy with your new spa.

Nobody likes arragant salespeople. And some of the spa salespeople I have met over the past few weeks have been very arragant and sold like timeshare salespeople - "...you need to buy today because this deal will not be available if you come back, ...just put down a deposit, ...inventory is low and you won't be able to get another spa for months and months."

I wish all salespeople were professionals - provide a good product at a fair price, offer your experience and be honest, don't lie, treat everyone with respect, follow-up, do what you say you are going to do.

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Good points. I'm glad you are happy with your new spa.

Nobody likes arragant salespeople. And some of the spa salespeople I have met over the past few weeks have been very arragant and sold like timeshare salespeople - "...you need to buy today because this deal will not be available if you come back, ...just put down a deposit, ...inventory is low and you won't be able to get another spa for months and months."

I wish all salespeople were professionals - provide a good product at a fair price, offer your experience and be honest, don't lie, treat everyone with respect, follow-up, do what you say you are going to do.

Good advice, a lot of sales people I know, just like the sound of their own voice.

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About the Costco tub..... As I had mentioned a month or so ago I had investigated the possibility of purchasing one. During my investigation of cost I found a hot tub moving company that would haul the tub from Costco to my house and set it in place for aprox. $250 (20 mile drive from Costco to my home). Wiring the tub would still have been the same cost, but I would not have had a dealer trained delivery person to show me how to load the chemicals and such.

The Costco is a do-it-yourself tub. For those who like to tinker or do their own work its not a big deal. There are always going to be spa dealers out there who would come service a tub no matter who makes it if that need ever occured. Working on a hot tub would be much easier then working on my Nissan Quest......its not like it takes a college degree.

As stated, I ended up buying the HS Vanguard mostly because its what the wife wanted. The Costco tub was in the running though because I'm a do-it-yourself kinda guy.

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Watkins has really screwed this one up!! The Highlife should be on a HotSpring showroom! Not on the internet! HotSprings spas are too super high end for that nonsense!!

What does super high end mean? Shouldn't Internet shoppers have opportunities to buy quality spas?

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The super high end was a playful joke. The reason a consumer would buy from a dealer is because they want dealer support. I let consumers buy spas off my showroom that are made off the same assembly line as the Highlife. As a salesperson, I don't benefit at all from a HotSpring spa being sold online at Costco and the consumer doesn't benefit either. When it comes to buying a spa, the only way to shop is actually getting in a showroom and seeing, feeling and experiencing the different spas out there. This fear of salespeople is absolutely absurd. If you don't like what a salesperson is saying, just walk out of the store.

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Hopefully, the HotSpring dealer in your area wont service your spa!! B)

Why would I want to deal with those jokers? I'm perfectly capable of maintaining and servicing my own spa.

I'm never going to be a potential customer for a dealer. You aren't missing any sales by me going to Costco.

NightRyder

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Why would I want to deal with those jokers? I'm perfectly capable of maintaining and servicing my own spa.

I'm never going to be a potential customer for a dealer. You aren't missing any sales by me going to Costco.

NightRyder

You're the perfect customer for Costco because you understand you're going to be the one to care for your spa and you understand that's part of the deal. There are tradeoffs to buying over the net or from the mass merchants and it's all about understanding that going in. Not all Costco/internet buyers realize that and those are the ones that aren't always so happy after the sale.

You are also the type of person that was maybe never seriously going to consider the dealer. That is why the Costco/HS thing makes sense to me. I doubt that all that many sales will be taken from the HS salespeople. I gotta believe most will be people who were looking to buy fom Costco or similar merchants in the first place.

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You're the perfect customer for Costco because you understand you're going to be the one to care for your spa and you understand that's part of the deal. There are tradeoffs to buying over the net or from the mass merchants and it's all about understanding that going in. Not all Costco/internet buyers realize that and those are the ones that aren't always so happy after the sale.

You are also the type of person that was maybe never seriously going to consider the dealer. That is why the Costco/HS thing makes sense to me. I doubt that all that many sales will be taken from the HS salespeople. I gotta believe most will be people who were looking to buy fom Costco or similar merchants in the first place.

Agree. I have friends who were considering going the Costco route because they liked my spa, but because they aren't like me (DIY types), and I really don't want to spend my free time baby sitting someone elses spa, I encouraged them to go to a dealer instead. They bought a nice refurbished 2003 Marquis from the factory outlet store and are very happy with it.

NightRyder

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The way consumers make purchases is changing. The internet is a huge source for purchases and manufacturers have to take that into account or get left behind. I preffer top help customers face to face but the reality is there are more and more consumers making purchases this way and that isnt going to stop. I believe that this is a good thing for Hotsprings to be a part of. Years ago a friend of mine that was in the travel industry was telling me how funny it was that some companies were advertising to plan a vacation on the internet and he said, "who in their right mind would buy a trip over the internet?" I wonder how many travel agents went out of business because of that same mentality. Technology is changing very fast and so is the way consumers buy. Why shouldnt there be quality products available over the internet? I know there are bugs that will have to be worked out but I believe if we can offer the product as well as customer service there are customers out ther somewhere in between Nightryder and the ones that would purchase from a retail dealer that may otherwise end up with a bad product. My opinion.

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