Chapters:
Chapter 4 Topics
4-P: Long-Term Cost of Ownership
As I mentioned earlier (3-K: Maintenance, Parts & Labour), some people only consider the initial purchase price without giving any thought to what it might cost to keep something running long term. If you plan to own a hot tub for any more than a couple of years, you might want to consider more than the showroom price tag.
Funny thing is when it comes to this issue, the most problematic brands are actually at opposite ends of the spectrum. The very exotic brands and the cheapest brands are the ones that tend to depreciate quickly and cost the most to maintain, service and repair in the years to come.
Let’s use Maserati (Italy) and Pyeonghwa Motors (North Korea) as examples. One is an impressive car, the other is about as bad as can be. One is very expensive, the other is dirt cheap. However, I’ve heard that both depreciate quickly and are equally unreliable once the miles pile up. Parts are hard to get, they’re difficult to fix, and they end up being a money pit. Neither is a good long-term investment.
If the long-term cost of ownership matters to you, I suggest you invest in a quality product that’s uses standard parts and is inexpensive and easy to repair down the road. Stay away from the really cheap stuff and avoid the super exotic models.
But if you just don’t care, then go for it! That’s fine too, as long as you know what you’re in for.
