what a fantastic idea to be able to own and enjoy the benefits of a portable Jacuzzi Style Hot Tub but perhaps you are just not able to justify the purchase of a brand new one.

Perhaps you should consider the purchase of a second hand or a previously used unit and whilst this is not as yet a large specialist market there are some second hand units for sale.

If you look in the local papers or local advertisers like the Friday add you might find a used hot tub for sale.

Perhaps these might be located close to where you live in which case you can view the item and there is no way you should buy this kind of product second hand with sight of the actual item. If you do consider buying second hand there are many points that you need to consider in order to avoid paying over your proposed budget or perhaps buying a pig in a poke or what I might call a dog fish spa basically one that does not work and is defective.

Also you should be aware that Modern Hot Tubs have progressed by leaps and bounds in their use of Heat efficient technology. Also the green view is one that is very much listened to by the hot tub industry resulting in much more ecological friendly Hot Tubs.

Obviously you will not find the latest technology on an older second hand unit. The latest hot tubs have superior ozone systems resulting in the use of much less chemicals.

If you do locate a used hot tub within your area, you must go and view it and by so doing you will have a very decided advantage because you can then physically inspect and test and check out the spa before you decide to buy. When you can you must always go and personally view and inspect a used hot tub for sale and you need to give it a very careful look over and see if you are able to spot any obvious failings.

You should look very carefully for any signs that indicate a lack of care or regular maintenance. This could include say a permanent water mark line at the high water line (which may suggest infrequently or poorly treated water), perhaps filters which have not been cleaned or changed regularly, and some form of buildup or residue which may be left inside the floor of the tub.

These signs should make you a lot more cautious about buying that particular hot tub, although more often than not a lack of treating the water will not harm the performance of the spa. However in later years you may find emerging issues arising in many cases the "damage" isn't necessarily an indication of how the spa will perform for you or how long it will last in your care. If for example excessive calcium has been allowed to build up in the spa then the jets may get stiff and not spin so easily. Also calcium build up will effect the efficiency of the heater and sensors built into the electronic control pack of the Spa.

A cracked or damaged shell of a hot tub can be very costly or impossible to repair. So one should carefully inspect the second hand hot tub shell closely for minute hairline stress cracks or perhaps gouges that may turn into cracks.

Bring along somebody who already has a Hot Tub or has experience of using a hot tub if you are at all unsure of what you should be looking for when evaluating the possible purchase.

The best advice is that you should see any used hot tub jacuzzi in full working action before you agree to buy it. If, when you go to see it and it is empty of water or is disconnected from the electricity then you should obviously arrange for another visit or wait for it to be reconnected and filled up with water, and turned on.

You should always check that all the pumps and blowers are working and that the heater control lights indicate that the heater is on when the spa is calling for heat. Indeed you should make a note of the temperature at the time it is turned on and see that it rises at least a half a degree centigrade with in say 15 to 20 minutes. The spa may have an independent circulation pump and possibly one or two other main Jet pumps and you need to see that they all work properly.

Also you should never take the vendors word or advice with out verifying -as after all it's a very large commitment and investment, even for the purchase of a used tub.

If you do buy a second hot tub you will not of course have the many advantages that come with buying a new unit but you should perhaps ask for a limited guarantee from the vendor and if buying from a second hand dealer in Hot Tubs then you certainly in my view should get a limited guarantee of some kind.

So whilst there could be may be some savings initially over a reasonable period of time the running costs and indeed the overall costs may be similar. Second hand hot tubs tend to still command reasonably high prices even after allowing for their age.

In summary you should remember that when considering the costs of a Brand New item or a second hand purchase which whilst cheaper initially they will possibly suffer from :-

• Increased running costs - Due to old technology and lack of energy efficiency.

• No guarantee so a major failure will prove to be expensive.

• Other problems could be found in obtaining spares which for an older used product could be more problematic.

In closing always remember the old adage Caveat Emptor buyer beware.