1st Time Spar Buyer - Calspa, Royal, Gulf Coast Or Other ?

[Vinces00]

I am new to the forum and about to purchase my first Hot Tub. What I realized was, wow, they are expensive and how you can not get a straight answer from any dealer. Its worse than buying a user car. Everyone says they are the best. My goals were to get a big, decent hot tub, with some nice lighting and that is an energy efficient. I really dont care alot about the number of jets or pumps, etc. I absolutely dont want to spend more than 8K. I was initially thinking I could spend 5K and meet my requirements but I now rethinking that.

With that being said, I have narrowed it down to 3 Hot tubs.

-A Calspa Avalon that is from a major Hot Tub retailer in my city that tends to have slimy, slick talking salespeople. They were offering my this for 7500 (which they said is a "killer deal") and is the best waranty out there.

-A Gulf Coast LX11000 that is much cheaper and is sold out of a wharehouse for 5500.

-Or a Royal Spa Emperor which is sold from a small Hot tub Store which has carried them for years and been around for years that I tend to trust more. I know someone who knows the owner and they knocked off 700 of the sale price. So I can get if for 7700 with everything. (They claim it is extremely efficient and doesnt do alot of fancy stuff (2 speed pumps, computer controls, etc) which keeps the maintenance down and longevity up. This sounds good and I was just about to go this route but I saw some comments on the net that bashed them. For example they dont have skimmers, insulation method is bad, etc. So now I am wondering if it is just a small outfit and is not a really good spa design and just more puffery.

Does any one have any thoughts or experience they can share?

[FLANATIVE]

There seem to be a lot of Newbies doing empty posts lately. Are people having posting problems? - Tom

[H2O Bear]

Something that people do not tell you when you are looking for a spa is the problems you face when one breaks down. You need to find a spa that has an alternative foam insulation. Full foam encased spas like "Calspa" is full foam encased. What that means to the buyer, is that when the tub does spring a leak, have a pipe burst or break, or something wear out, the repair person that you have to hire is going to spend countless hours chipping away foam. It is mindless work, and creates a huge mess not to mention the hourly cost. We charge $75 an hour to go out to the customers house to chip away foam. When the tubs are full foam encased, you also have to guess where the issue is and might not be correct all the time. Be careful when you purchase this , like I said, the dealers will not tell you about the problems before it happens and will cash in when the problem does happen. QCA makes a great spa and discovered an alternative to full foam encasing. I sell QCA just for that reason, nice tubs, affordable, and easy repair. Hope this helps

Do not go with Gulf Coast. It is a horrible company, we do repair warranty work for them in MN and it is a horrible experience every time. their tubs are cheap, they fall apart, they get blisters badly, and their customer service will not accept responsibility for their own mistakes. RUN FAST AWAY FROM GULF COAST!!!

I am new to the forum and about to purchase my first Hot Tub. What I realized was, wow, they are expensive and how you can not get a straight answer from any dealer. Its worse than buying a user car. Everyone says they are the best. My goals were to get a big, decent hot tub, with some nice lighting and that is an energy efficient. I really dont care alot about the number of jets or pumps, etc. I absolutely dont want to spend more than 8K. I was initially thinking I could spend 5K and meet my requirements but I now rethinking that.

With that being said, I have narrowed it down to 3 Hot tubs.

-A Calspa Avalon that is from a major Hot Tub retailer in my city that tends to have slimy, slick talking salespeople. They were offering my this for 7500 (which they said is a "killer deal") and is the best waranty out there.

-A Gulf Coast LX11000 that is much cheaper and is sold out of a wharehouse for 5500.

-Or a Royal Spa Emperor which is sold from a small Hot tub Store which has carried them for years and been around for years that I tend to trust more. I know someone who knows the owner and they knocked off 700 of the sale price. So I can get if for 7700 with everything. (They claim it is extremely efficient and doesnt do alot of fancy stuff (2 speed pumps, computer controls, etc) which keeps the maintenance down and longevity up. This sounds good and I was just about to go this route but I saw some comments on the net that bashed them. For example they dont have skimmers, insulation method is bad, etc. So now I am wondering if it is just a small outfit and is not a really good spa design and just more puffery.

Does any one have any thoughts or experience they can share?

[Roger]

Something that people do not tell you when you are looking for a spa is the problems you face when one breaks down. You need to find a spa that has an alternative foam insulation. Full foam encased spas like "Calspa" is full foam encased. What that means to the buyer, is that when the tub does spring a leak, have a pipe burst or break, or something wear out, the repair person that you have to hire is going to spend countless hours chipping away foam. It is mindless work, and creates a huge mess not to mention the hourly cost. We charge $75 an hour to go out to the customers house to chip away foam. When the tubs are full foam encased, you also have to guess where the issue is and might not be correct all the time. Be careful when you purchase this , like I said, the dealers will not tell you about the problems before it happens and will cash in when the problem does happen. QCA makes a great spa and discovered an alternative to full foam encasing. I sell QCA just for that reason, nice tubs, affordable, and easy repair. Hope this helps

The problem I have with this is that 95% or even more of the leaks I repair in any tub are in the equipment area and full foam or Thermal Pane makes no difference. I have done about 200 repairs in 2007 and only 1 was in foam. And it didn't take me countless hours or make a huge mess. It took 2 hours and the customer could not even tell I was there. And I to get 75 bucks per hour. But I never guess where a leak is. I am always real real close before I remove foam, and I never chip it, I use a hot knife or my hands when it is wet.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

The problem I have with this is that 95% or even more of the leaks I repair in any tub are in the equipment area and full foam or Thermal Pane makes no difference. I have done about 200 repairs in 2007 and only 1 was in foam. And it didn't take me countless hours or make a huge mess. It took 2 hours and the customer could not even tell I was there. And I to get 75 bucks per hour. But I never guess where a leak is. I am always real real close before I remove foam, and I never chip it, I use a hot knife or my hands when it is wet.

The problem is that what you're saying doesn't fit into the fear based sales story used to try to scare away people from quality full foam spas with this "fear the leaks" story.

If someone wants to avoid issues dealing with leaks and the cost attributed to them what they need to do MORE than anything is concentrate on buying a quality made spa like those made by Hot Springs, Sundance, Jacuzzi, Marquis, Caldera, D1, Coleman, Arctic, Beachcomber, etc. because they seldom have issues with leaks.

[Roger]

The problem I have with this is that 95% or even more of the leaks I repair in any tub are in the equipment area and full foam or Thermal Pane makes no difference. I have done about 200 repairs in 2007 and only 1 was in foam. And it didn't take me countless hours or make a huge mess. It took 2 hours and the customer could not even tell I was there. And I to get 75 bucks per hour. But I never guess where a leak is. I am always real real close before I remove foam, and I never chip it, I use a hot knife or my hands when it is wet.

The problem is that what you're saying doesn't fit into the fear based sales story used to try to scare away people from quality full foam spas with this "fear the leaks" story.

If someone wants to avoid issues dealing with leaks and the cost attributed to them what they need to do MORE than anything is concentrate on buying a quality made spa like those made by Hot Springs, Sundance, Jacuzzi, Marquis, Caldera, D1, Coleman, Arctic, Beachcomber, etc. because they seldom have issues with leaks.

So are you saying ST that what H2O bear is saying is a sales pitch like we have heard countless times before?

[spatech (the unreal one)]

So are you saying ST that what H2O bear is saying is a sales pitch like we have heard countless times before?

Absolutely, that may also be his belief (and I'm not commenting at all on the product he sells as I don’t know it) but that false scare tactic is straight out of thermopane sales 101.

It pales in comparison to Brulan's comical theory that full foam spas can have issues because the foam holds the flex hoses in place firmly and somehow that causes them to become brittle while thermopane spas allow them to flex and they avoid becoming brittle. Now that is a real spa fairy tale.

[TinyBubbles]

Call people that service spas and ask them about this issue. I did. I was told that it is very rare to have a leak in a foamed area, but if it happens, it's no big deal. I was told that they poke a stick in the foam, I think that is what they said, to easily find the leak area.

[Tom]

theory that full foam spas can have issues because the foam holds the flex hoses in place firmly and somehow that causes them to become brittle while thermopane spas allow them to flex and they avoid becoming brittle.

Oooh, I like that one! Fexing their little plastic muscles makes them stronger.

Back on topic - has anyone anything specific and factual to say about the three brands in question?

[Dr. Spa]

All three contain the letter "A" in their name............. This, is a fact.

[lwrd81]

I am new to the forum and about to purchase my first Hot Tub. What I realized was, wow, they are expensive and how you can not get a straight answer from any dealer. Its worse than buying a user car. Everyone says they are the best. My goals were to get a big, decent hot tub, with some nice lighting and that is an energy efficient. I really dont care alot about the number of jets or pumps, etc. I absolutely dont want to spend more than 8K. I was initially thinking I could spend 5K and meet my requirements but I now rethinking that.

With that being said, I have narrowed it down to 3 Hot tubs.

-A Calspa Avalon that is from a major Hot Tub retailer in my city that tends to have slimy, slick talking salespeople. They were offering my this for 7500 (which they said is a "killer deal") and is the best waranty out there.

-A Gulf Coast LX11000 that is much cheaper and is sold out of a wharehouse for 5500.

-Or a Royal Spa Emperor which is sold from a small Hot tub Store which has carried them for years and been around for years that I tend to trust more. I know someone who knows the owner and they knocked off 700 of the sale price. So I can get if for 7700 with everything. (They claim it is extremely efficient and doesnt do alot of fancy stuff (2 speed pumps, computer controls, etc) which keeps the maintenance down and longevity up. This sounds good and I was just about to go this route but I saw some comments on the net that bashed them. For example they dont have skimmers, insulation method is bad, etc. So now I am wondering if it is just a small outfit and is not a really good spa design and just more puffery.

Does any one have any thoughts or experience they can share?

[lwrd81]

Whatever You Do...DON'T Buy A GULF COAST SPA......They will not stand behind them. They're Warranty is a Big Lie........The Nice Looking Wooden Shell Will Fall All Apart in less than 2 Years.

I've been waiting since May for A Part that was originally warranty but now they say it only had a 30 Day warranty. I'm on my second cover that they did replace after I drove to Florida & swapped it out

( and its sinking just like the 1st one did )....The jets pop out, the areators covers come off, Majority of the Stain Came off the cabinet after 1 year the the top boards started warping & pulling apart.

They Will not Stand Behind Their Product !!!!!!!!!

[Roger]

Does any one have any thoughts or experience they can share?

OK...on topic sorry. Gulf Coast has a less than steller reputation here and on several forums an in indepemdemt customer ratings on several sites. Although I have never serviced one ya gota think there is some validity to the rumors and words. Royal I have never heard of or seen. Calspa also HAD a reputation for being mediocre at best with some huge longevity issues 6-8 years ago, but they seem to have made some improvements to there product and only time will tell if there improvments help with there past service issues.

[Got-soaked]

[

The problem is that what you're saying doesn't fit into the fear based sales story used to try to scare away people from quality full foam spas with this "fear the leaks" story.

If someone wants to avoid issues dealing with leaks and the cost attributed to them what they need to do MORE than anything is concentrate on buying a quality made spa like those made by Hot Springs, Sundance, Jacuzzi, Marquis, Caldera, D1, Coleman, Arctic, Beachcomber, etc. because they seldom have issues with leaks.

Spatec

I couldn’t agree more.

I guess I’m missing something because I have a Master Spa LSX1050 which is a thermal "pain" insulated tub and it is costing me big time in electric bills ($100 - $200+ per/month) and the dealer nor the manufacture cares “not their problem". Once you have purchased the tub they will throw every excuse at you about the energy consumption of the tub. The onus is on the buyer to prove the tub is defective. If I bought a fully insulated tub and the tub leaks water guess what “not my problem” dealer fix it. Now the dealer is on the hook to fix the leak no matter what the cost is. I don’t care if they have to cut it out with a hot butter knife or poke it with a stick, I don’t care. It needs to be fixed and then closed cell foam reapplied or the tub is being returned.

When purchasing a hot tub, shop around for a credit card (Master Card or Visa) that will give you ZERO percent interest for one year. If you are not satisfied with the tub within that yeart call the credit card company and register a dispute against the Dealer. Let the credit card legal department decide who is at fault. That is a major advantage of using a credit card to make major purchases.

You purchase a thermal “pain” insulated tub you are gambling that it is sealed tight and will work. You purchase a fully insulated tub, no gamble, if it leaks dealer fix it. Just make sure the tub has a good warranty and if you get past the warrant I would bet with proper use the leaks are almost non-existent.

[lwrd81]

Whatever you do Stay Away from the Gulf Coast............They start falling apart after about a year & a half (boards warping,jets & returns always falling out).........There warranty isn't worth the paper it's written on

[Ajenka]

I have owned a Gulf Coast spa, ZX11000, for over 1 1/2 years and have had no complaints with the tub or customer service. I called them at 10:30 pm on a Saturday night after owning it for a month, got served right away and was talked through my problem (operator error). Last month a small crack developed in the shell above the waterline and I called GCS again, at night, and was given an email address to send pictures, which were confirmed received by CGS at once.

I was called a couple of weeks later saying a shipping company would be calling to arrange delivery of my new tub, an updated LX11000 the same color as my old one (I was worried about that, it's an uncommoTonyn color and I had forgot to ask) which was delivered today.

I paid nothing, I don't think I talked to GCS for more than 10 minutes.

The tub is wired and full, all pumps, the heater and ozinator are working and I am a very happy spa owner.

[aquarius]

Don't get suckered into that 24 hr customer service bs. Gulf coast is a cheap spa. If you live anywhere near cold weather stay away! Buy a spa from a local dealer witha a SERVICE dept. Make sure that they have parts available. How can you make sure? Call them with a part number you can find from a manual that you can download online. Why do this? so when you need a part in the middle of winter, you don't end up with a spacicle. service dept is very important. Any hot tub is great the first year or so. then things break. How long has the dealer been in business? If a long a time, that dealer had a choice of the prime spa company. I would think that a dealer whos been aroound for 20 years would carry a line that is reputable and have a quality line.

Cal spa is the budweiser of spas. Gulf Coast is Schlitz.

[Chas]

I will say that I have heard many folks having trouble with Cal spa warranty service.

I did Warranty repair for the local factory Cal store many years ago. It was very tough to get parts, the same thing broke on lots and lots of the tubs - , and I was met by upset customers EVERY single time I showed up at the house. That was because I seemed to be called only after the customer had waited for months to get their tub fixed. Often, it was a four-month-old spa which had failed in the first month....

Those are facts.

Cal claims that is all history, and I will say that I have 'met' (here online) a Cal dealer who vows that his customers do not have any of these issues. I know that a good dealer can, in fact, make that kind of difference.

[spatech (the unreal one)]

Cal spa is the budweiser of spas. Gulf Coast is Schlitz.

... or maybe Cal is Old Milwaukee and Gulf Coast is a generic black/white label beer.