From: denised@pogo.wv.tek.com (Denise DiGiovanni)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Advice sought on Spa/Hot Tub Purchase
Date: 21 Jul 92 21:22:32 GMT
Reply-To: denised@orca.wv.tek.com
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville,  OR.

In article <HOGAN.92Jul20172627@cujo.csl.sri.com> hogan@csl.sri.com (Emmett Hogan) writes:
>I am in the process of looking for a "spa" (I am still getting used to
>not calling them "hot tubs").  I have looked at a few brands:

>	- What brand (why did you choose that brand)?

I had an Oregon Hot Springs spa at my last house, and I bought a Jacuzzi
brand spa for my current house. I really like them both. Oregon Hot Springs
on some models has a "moto-massage" feature which I really liked, because
I have back trouble, and it feels like a back massage. I bought the Jacuzzi
for several reasons: it was the most comfortable for both me (5'3") and my
fiance (6'); it's technology has been used in physical therapy for years
and is well proven; and it has excellent features and reputation.

I wouldn't buy a spa from CalSpa even if it only cost $1.00. The people
I dealt with here in Oregon were, as you put it, slimely car-salesmen
type. They had no interest in helping me, as I wanted to test out the
model I was interested in buying. I'm not going to spend $3-5K without
testing it first, and they said they would not "go through all the bother"
for me to test.  I told them that I wouldn't bother giving them my money.
I also know of someone who bought a CalSpa and could not get any help 
from them in how to take care of it, how to run it, etc. Their only
interest appears to be $$$.

>	- How large a spa ?

My Oregon Hot Springs was the Jetsetter model, which is a two-person
and it was a bit small for the two of us. We bought the Tirage model
of Jacuzzi, which is their top of the line, and it's plenty big (but not
too big) for us both to be very comfortable. It has two recliner seats
as well as two sitting seats, and we can move around from one seat to
another without getting in each others way. I think the Tirage is 
advertised as a 4-5 person tub. It was the only model that had two
recliners, and that had the sitting positions with upper and lower
jets.

>	- Do you use chemicals (bromine or chlorine) or did you pay
>	  extra for the new "ozination systems"?

We use bromine now. I like it better than chlorine, as it doesn't smell
like chlorine does, it can be used in a floater device where you fill
it once every two weeks or so, and it doesn't dry out my skin and make
it itchy. I have noticed, however, that my black bathing suit is now
brown. Not sure it that's a function of the bromine or cheap material :-)

We did not get the ozination system. The dealer (of all people) talked
us out of it. I honestly don't remember the reason why.

>	- How expensive is it to run?

About $8 per month. And we have it programmed to turn on the filters
for at least two hours per day. We keep it at about 103 degrees. And
we are not even using the thermal cover; just the hard cover.

>	- Anything else you can think of.

Try to test out the spa you want WITH WATER IN IT. Spas that are 
comfortable empty are not necessarily comfortable with water, or
vice versa. Our dealer (The Waterway in Seattle Washington) set up
a Tirage model for us and filled it. He went out of his way to help
us out, so that's why I bought it from a dealer 4 hours away from me.

Good luck,
Denise DiGiovanni

****************************
*   Denise DiGiovanni      *
*    Tektronix, Inc.	   *
*   CGG Field Training     *
*    (503) 685-3019)       *
* denised@orca.wv.tek.com  *
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Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house,misc.legal