ThermoSpas - Page 6

ENFIELD, ILLINOIS -- I'm a disabled vet. Had 24 years in the Navy demolition team, 20 years a cop and three years with the CIA. I got knocked down by a suicide bomber in Iraq and he nailed me four days before I left and I was in bad shape. I needed something to help out with the pain. One of ThermoSpas' representatives called me. He was good. I like the product and he gave me a real good price and I couldn't turn it down.

The tub has been great. I was special ops so I jumped out of good planes and got bad shoulders, elbows and knees. Between the hydrocortisone shots, the tub also helps my joints. Every night before I go to bed, I hop in the spa, take a shower then I could sleep better. It limbers me up. I got it at 104 and I like it hot that way. I like to sweat and I really enjoy it.

However, I made a tactical error in judgement about a week ago. I was cleaning the top, the vinyl, and I used Murphy's oil soap. I thought that was a great idea but it dripped down into the water. I jumped in and had a bubble bath. I emptied the spa completely, washed it out real good, put new water in it and I'm doing fine now. No more Murphy's oil on the vinyl.

FATE, TEXAS -- We have had ThermoSpas since November. The only thing we've had trouble with is getting the panels back up. We never have been able to put the trim back up. Two weeks ago, I called the place that came out and put the spa together to see if they were in this neighborhood and if they could stop by and help me get this stuff back together. The lady I spoke to gave me the cell phone numbers to her husband who owns the company and also to the man who came out here and put our tub together. She said I should call them and see if they can walk me through the process over the phone because they won't come to my home.

Also, the lady said she'd check with her husband, and that they may have to put a work order in or a ticket. In other words, we would have to pay to have somebody come out and put the sides back on. I would love it if somebody could come over and put it back together because it doesn't look very good for one thing, and we've tried turning it upside down, sat there for hours and different people tried, but nobody could get it back together. Other than that, we've had a fine time with our tub.

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA -- I don't doubt completely that Thermospa makes a good spa and they even have quite a few nice designs to choose from. But 5 and a half hours later of listening to their salesperson bash the "unnamed" competition for their faulty designs, while boasting the superiority of their product and a 20 year warranty, is a bit much. Throw in the sleazy discount tactics "only if you purchase the product today" that you're pressured with for a supposedly top of the line product.

Once we decided on a model, our salesman took forever to calculate a price, which he changed twice due to "coupon", "special promotion", and have to call for approval, while still pushing for that same day sale. There's a reason they want that same day sale. Do your research and you will find that there are plenty of other companies with great designs that don't match the poor quality rumored by Thermospa and can easily quote you a price without all the smoke and mirrors. You will find no positive reviews anywhere on service, product or sales.

Read the fine print on the 20 year warranty they use to support their great product and you'll find out it's a tier warranty that only offers 100% coverage for a year after which you should be prepared to pay 100% on service and delivery fees for the partially covered parts costing 25%, then 50% then 75% of their retail cost throughout the 20 year period. We called to cancel our order within the 3 day cancellation period and was offered another $2K discount to reconsider. All the above makes us highly suspicious of the service and quality we're really purchasing. We've completed our research and are heading out to buy a Bullfrog sauna, no bull, just sauna.

I met with a Thermo Spa sales representative at my home in 2007, and after much deliberation over the excessive cost of their hot tubs, was made to believe that their brand was top of the line (a "Cadillac", as the salesman put it) and it would be the best for my medical condition. I chose the model I wanted and told the representative that I needed the EXACT dimensions as my deck was being custom built to fit the hot tub (so it would sit below deck). He provided me with the dimensions, which I gave to the construction workers. Finally, it was delivered and it was immediately apparent that the hot tub was NOT the size I ordered.

They said it was custom built and there was nothing they could do about it! I had to pay construction workers to come back and alter the size and depth of the hole in the deck so it would fit, including removing and resetting posts that were in concrete. If that weren't bad enough, I when I met with the salesman, I was specifically told that this "latest/greatest" Thermo Spa tub was low maintenance and required NO changes of filters or cleaning of them, which would save me a lot of money of the long run as compared to other hot tubs. I was thrilled as that was my main complaint with other brands. WRONG!

The delivery guys said there was no such thing and they had no idea where the salesman came up with that. You have to purchase only the Thermo Spa brand filters (that are expensive), which must be replaced several times a year. I was also told that the hot tub I ordered came with an ozonator. When I inquired about this, the delivery guys told me that it would cost an additional $700 and that mine didn't come with one! I called the supervisor of the representative and informed him of all the lies I was told and that the hot tub was built to the wrong dimensions as was shown in the brochure.

After much arguing and yelling, they managed to throw in the ozonator to make up for it. This did little to please me in the end though. Since it was custom built, I was stuck with it (or they'd contact their lawyers). And get this... there is NO DRAIN! I called customer service and, while on the phone, they described where the drain should be located, but I couldn't find it. I had 2 plumbers come out to look at it and both said the same thing: NO DRAIN. I have to use a pump or buckets to empty the thing! So, I called customer service again, and they said we're obviously all blind...but I could pay to have a technician come out and look at it!!

If you are thinking about buying a Thermo Spa, keep this in mind: My parents purchased a hot tub that same year, for HALF THE PRICE... and theirs has lights that change colors (mine has 2 plastic light covers that you have to remove by hand - 1 red and 1 blue), theirs has twice as many jets, and holds 4 more people... and it has yet to break down. As for my overpriced Thermo Spa, 2 of the jets have NEVER worked, and the rubber gasket dry rotted and caused the entire tub to drain and flooded my basement area. Now, the place I ordered my tub from is out of business and there is no one in a 100-mile area to service it!

Deceptive sales techniques, poor quality product, and expensive parts/accessories. That sums up my experience with Therma Spa! I made a promise to the supervisor that I would make sure I told thousands of people what a lousy product they sell. I hope others out there will do the same!

We have owned our hot tub for several years now. We love the spa we love having the hot tub itself. Our problem is 2 times our circuit board has gone out. The first time we were told several times we had a repairman coming to fix it. They would never show up. Then it was well they can't show up we don't have the part in stock. This went on for about 3 months. Finally a very nice guy came out fixed it and we were back in business. We chalked it up to well they helped in the end it was a bad experience but all companies have issues sometimes. Well here we go again.

Our circuit board went out we have been waiting for over a month already and guess what they don't have them in stock again. I was told you will have the board ship on the 19th. I called today and guess what it didn't ship they still do not have the part. WHAT!!!! how can you own a hot tub company and not have circuit boards. They think they might get them on the 1st of December but they are not sure and then it will ship hopefully the same day but we really don't know.

Please they tell you something get you off the phone I am not really sure I am even calling a company. I think they have one guy answer the phone and make up names so it looks like they are a big company. I can't wait to see if "Terell" will really get me my part on the 1st or what the next excuse will be.

WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT -- I bought a Manhattan model spa from ThermoSpas in late May 2010. I can only sum up my experience with them as poor workmanship, poor customer service, and non-responsive. I would never buy a spa from them again and I hope you will all help me spread the word so that others do not get trapped paying a premium price for a bargain basement spa. Here is what has happened in the less than the two months I'€™ve had the spa:

Poor Workmanship: LED lighting causes the breaker to trip intermittently. Water line had missing clamp causing flood after 15 minutes of use. Blower stopped working because main line from blower to check valve was not cemented in place. Spa initially delivered with used cover. Direction that came with spa lifter were completely wrong and kit was missing parts.

Poor Service: Initial service call to get used cover replaced was "lost"€. Had hassle getting new cover. Delivery service promised was not provided. The first time I needed service I had to wait 1 week and the service technician never showed.

The second and third times I needed service I had to wait 3 weeks for the earliest appointment. On the most recent service visit, the technician didn'€™t have any of the 3 parts needed to properly diagnose the problem with the LED. He had to order all the parts which he said will take 1-2 weeks. Once I receive the parts I will have to call to set up another appointment which will probably be another 3 weeks. They do not have any "local" service technicians. The ones who have come to my house have driven 4 hours to get here.

Non-Responsive: I initially brought these issues up to my salesperson who said "We take this seriously and someone will get back to you in a few days." Two months later I'€™m still waiting. I sent an email to their customer service manager (based on her comment in the blogs I saw) a month after sending my concerns to the salesperson. I never got an acknowledgement from her and it'€™s been over a month since I sent the email. I sent a snail mail letter to the president of the company and have not gotten any acknowledgement on this either.

PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS -- I bought my Park Avenue Elite in 2001 for $8,000. The hot tub cost 30% more than other alternatives I considered but made the decision to go with Thermospa because I believed I was buying a well made, low maintenance product. This was important because I was locating the hot tub in a fully finished, porch and leaks could damage the carpet and floor. I have had leaking nozzles replaced twice under warranty at no cost. I just had the nozzles replaced for the third time due to leaks.

This time it cost $250. My tub has developed twenty blisters / bubbles some as large as 3" in diameter that will eventually compromise the shell integrity. It will cost me $2,500 to Thermospa, under the depreciated warranty, plus $7,500 out of pocket to remove an exterior wall to support replacing the shell. Legal action seems to be my only recourse. I regret having purchased Thermospa.