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WHAT GOES AROUND...
January 29, 2010
BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE/FAULTY EQUIPMENT
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>STEAR CLEAR OF CAL SPAS<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
I REALLY WISH I HAD REAL ALL OF THE REVIEWS/COMPLAINTS about CAL SPAS BEFORE I BOUGHT ONE. It might have saved me a lot of time, money and heartache. We bought from the dealer in Bakersfield 3 years ago. After much trouble, our first spa (leaking and faulty) was replaced. The new spa worked for a few months, then it too quit. This time it was due to problem with the control panel/circuit board. After multiple calls to Bakersfield with no response, I became very frustrated and called corporate, who told me to call Fresno. I called Fresno and it was the same thing. I left multiple messages for them to call me back, to no avail. Finally, after having to get quite irate, they called me back and said that I would need a new circuit board & top controller. Of course enough time had passed that they said it was out of warranty, so I would have to buy it to the tune of $650. They charged my credit card, but I didnt receive it. Being a business owner myself, I have an extemely hard time understanding why it is so hard to return a call, and certainly when you take money, you are obligated to preform as agreed. After many phone calls, I finally received my parts. I had the controller installed and found it was defective and also that they had given me the wrong top controller. I got the same run a round when called the dealer back about this problem. It took a couple of months just to get a call (and yes, I did call Corporate also...not helpful like they claim to be). They replaced the 2nd part finally, but it only ran for about 10 minutes and IT FAILED TOO. I kept calling both Fresno and Bakersfield (Fresno has since went out of business) and could not get anyone to help, even after I offered to pay for service parts/whatever..I JUST WANTED TO USE MY SPA!
At this point my spa was down for 18 months. I had back surgery 9/08 and had not been able to use my spa, so I was getting quite frustrated. If I didnt have so much invested in my spa, I would have junked it and bought another from a reputible company.
As it is, I never got the controller replaced, so I was not only out the $7k plus for the spa, but another $650 for useless parts. I finally gave up on Cal Spas and ordered all new parts from "spa guts". My spa finally works after 3 years of frustrating dealings with CalSpa, no thanks to CalSpa.
BOTTOM LINE: I bought a new spa 3 years ago, and have only used it for about 3 months of that time. Your dealers DID NOT back up your products, and obviously they don't get enough pressure from corporate to do so.
I would tell anyone to STAY AWAY FROM CAL SPAS. The product was inferior, and after the sales service was deplorable. Its too late for me...but if I can save anyone from going through what I did- I will.
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KarD11
November 5, 2009
Bad service
I purchased a spa from my local dealer - Spa Warehouse - in Houston, Tx in December '06. The low speed pump failed in the first year and Spa Warehouse replaced it - I think.
The second year the same problem occurred and they replaced it again - I was told. Now in '09 the same thing has happened again. I called Cal Spa directly this time and talked to a customer service (disservice) rep.
I described the problem and told them the warranty would run out soon on the pump. I don't want to be stuck with a broken tub and there must be a final resolution to the repeated failure of this pump. She says the factory has no techincal support, but she can transfer me to her supervisor.
The phone rang for over 40 minutes with no answer or voice mail. I know because I put it on speaker and just let it ring. I can only assume they have a special line for customers who's questions they don't want to address.
It looks like I'm stuck with the local dealer who seems to be a good guy, but I have to wonder what he's doing to nurse this thing along. He's always repaired (?) the tub when I was as work. So I can't verify if he has replace the pump or not.
I'm very unhappy with Cal Spa for dodging the issue. It looks to me like they have no confidence in their product to leave consumer problems unanswered like this. Apparently their supervisors don't mind a phone ringing for 50 minutes now. I guess it must happen all the time!
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HimD43
October 22, 2009
Horrible quality
Well in June of 2008 I purchased a Cal Spa Victory Extreme Lounger L-08-VX869LG-60 which was manufactured Feb 08. The spa is terrific works fine no major failed parts yet... BUT we had to have the waterfall fixed 3 times it kept leaking around the side of the fall. The 3rd time the service tech put clear caulk in it to keep it from leaking now I do not know if that is the way it should be but at least it isn't leaking God forbid it go again cause now its caulked in there.
My other major concern is the access door or service door on the skirting itself. I am no rocket scientist but even i could have come up with a better design then this, they took 6 inch x 4 foot slats that have a tongue and groove side together to form approx 4' x 4' access door now how they did this is on the back side of the slats they glued on plastic pieces of 1x wood to form a square reinforced that with some staples into the plastic and screwed the door to the frame of the cabinet.
Hey wonderful if I never have to take it off, but I like my water fresh and change it every couple months so to do that I have to remove the door.
So over the winter yes ONE Season the wood warped glue failed and staples came out of the door. THE WHOLE THING fell apart.
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Jason S.
July 15, 2009
Warranty work
I purchased a Hot tub from Cal Spas of Minnesota on 10-4-04 and it got delivered on 10-16-04. After I had received the tub it always had water in the back left corner. I called Cal Spas of Minnesota and they sent out a tech to tell me that it was moisture coming from the cover. I just accepted that fact for years, and after about 3 year it started really leaking. The Cal spa tech came out and fixed it and he told me it had been leaking since day one. After he fixed it we have had 1o more leaks in the next year, so then the dealer and I decided that the best solution was to have them come and pick up the tub and fix it in the warehouse. This was winter so in the March they came and picked up the spa and tried to repair it. After they fixed 6 more leaks in there warehouse they gave up on it. Myself and Cal Spas of Minnesota decided the best solution was to replace the spa with a new one.The only catch was that they wanted me to Cal spas Corporate to complain so they could get reimbursed for the tub. I called Jon Nelson at Cal spas Cooperate and he said he need more info and the next thing I know, Cal spas of Minnesota said that Jon called them and told them they wanted the tub to fix it in California and the customer would have to pay freight cost. I called Jon Nelson and asked why the customer should pay freight costs on a product that is under warranty. He explained to me that it is in the Warranty performance section in the owners manual. I then called Cal spas of Minnesota and they told me that all the "H904" models they sold in 2002 have the same problem. The Service guy at Cal spa of Minnesota said that "AST" seat didn't have enough room for all the hoses. so in turn they can re plum the tub but in a few years it will start leaking again.n I then called Jon Nelson at Cal spas and informed him of the problem. He told me that he would contact Cal spas of Minnesota to get the info they need to see what is going on with the problem. That was 4 weeks ago, so I called Jon Nelson at Corporate again and he told I needed to send the spa back and he would guarantee that it would not leak again. I asked if he would put a extended warranty on the tub for leaks and he said NO. When the factory warranty is up it is up no exceptions. I guess I don't understand why I need to pay for shipping a tub back to the factory when there dealership has given up on fixing he problem and it is still under warranty. The other thing is if I send it back are they just putting a band aid on the problem so that my warranty runs out. Then I get to pay for the repairs. If I was buying another hot tub I would read this and think twice about Cal Spas.
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