Question:
Hello! Has anyone had any experience with
> Catalina or Dimension One hot tubs or spas? We
> are looking for a good outdoor unit for home use,
> probably 4-6 person and have looked at these two
> makers. We like the shell material of the
> Dimension One better but are concerned about the
> totally encased in foam insides when repairs are
> necessary. I have read a lot of postings on
> HotSprings, but can't find any on Catalina or
> Dimension One.
Answer:
We looked at the market for several months and ended up settling on a
Catalina. So far we've been well-pleased. We ended up narrowing the
field to a Hot Springs and a Catalina. The Catalina had the longer
warranty, but most important of all (IMHO) was the dealer behind the
product. Our Catalina has had two minor problems with o-rings that were
defective from the factory: one in a bleeder, the other in a pump seal.
In both cases, the dealer responded within 24 hours and politely,
professionally repaired the problem without question. Based on our
conversations with other spa owners, it's not uncommon to have
"certified dealers" who have *NO* service department and *NO* experience
in repairing spas. You end up waiting days- or weeks for parts and/or
qualified repair personnel. So... in the final analysis (OUR final
analysis anyway) it wasn't nearly as much an issue of "which spa" as
"which dealer". Ours has 3 locations, a large service department and has
been in business for more than 20 years. Kind of like the 3
most-important issues in buying real estate: location, location and
location. Be sure you buy a quality spa from a quality dealer who can
repair it, maintain it and will *BE THERE* for the life of the spa!!
