Can I demo a dolphin?!?

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IMason

IMason

0
Sep 23, 2016
40
Clayton/CA
Good day.

I have been a pool owner for just 1 season and already I hate my side suction cleaner and want to get a robot. Pretty set on a dolphin but not sure if I should go with the M or S series. I don't have a large pool but there are bends and steps and I'm not sure which would perform better in those circumstances. I was hoping to demo them but I can't seem to find a local place that does that. Is this even a thing? What does a return look at if I get one of them and it doesn't perform the way I want it to? Given that it is a large price point I want to make sure I'm making the correct choice.

Thanks in advance for any advice!!
 
I've only heard about loaning robots out for testing in pool shops that sell them. Nothing online, I'm pretty sure.

I've been very happy with my Dolphin Discovery. It can only do steps up to the point where the robot is actually more out of the water than in. In my pool it goes up the bottom 2-3 steps and can't make it up 4th or 5th. We just grab the brush and push anything on those steps down to the floor of the pool if necessary.

Maddie :flower:
 
It depends on the shops in your area. In my area, two of the shops have a "loaner program" so that if a repair customer is going to be out a robot for a few days while waiting for parts, the shop will give them an equivalent unit (as best they can) to get by. If the loaners are not being used for repair customers, they will demo them for interested potential owners.

But again, it's a local thing and up to the shop owner.
 
YippeeSkippy said:
I've only heard about loaning robots out for testing in pool shops that sell them. Nothing online, I'm pretty sure.

I've been very happy with my Dolphin Discovery. It can only do steps up to the point where the robot is actually more out of the water than in. In my pool it goes up the bottom 2-3 steps and can't make it up 4th or 5th. We just grab the brush and push anything on those steps down to the floor of the pool if necessary.

Maddie :flower:
Click to expand...

Thanks Maddie!
I noticed you have straight edges. I have lots of curves and bends and I'm wondering if all robots can maneuver around these or will only certain models perform best on them.
Happy to hear you are happy with your purchase!
 
My S300i rocks my pool! It climbs walls, will sometimes make it up in the sun shelf and has no problems with curves in my pool. My signature (as viewed on the website) has my S300i thread in it. Like you, I ditched my suction side cleaner after nearly 4 years and I couldn't be happier. I used to run my VSP at high RPMs to get my cleaner to work properly, now I run at A LOT lower speeds and save money. I've got a full 2 year bumper-to-bumper coverage (includes wearable components) and my only concern is hoping that I get 4+ years of use out of it before any major components fail.
 
JoyfulNoise said:
My S300i rocks my pool! It climbs walls, will sometimes make it up in the sun shelf and has no problems with curves in my pool. My signature (as viewed on the website) has my S300i thread in it. Like you, I ditched my suction side cleaner after nearly 4 years and I couldn't be happier. I used to run my VSP at high RPMs to get my cleaner to work properly, now I run at A LOT lower speeds and save money. I've got a full 2 year bumper-to-bumper coverage (includes wearable components) and my only concern is hoping that I get 4+ years of use out of it before any major components fail.
Click to expand...

Thanks JoyfulNoise!
I too have to run my RPMs that I don't like. I can't believe you lasted 4 years as I'm already fed up and it's only been a few months. Did you look at any other Dolphin cleaners? If I may ask, why did you settle on the s300i. I ask because I am contemplating this versus the M500.

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YippeeSkippy said:
I do have straight edges, but at the base of those edges sits a ledge. I was sure that was going to complicate a robot climbing up the wall but nope!! It does just fine!

PoolDV here has one also, with a very curvy pool. Go to this thread, the very last page and check out the curves on post #366
pooldv pool build - Page 8

Maddie :flower:
Click to expand...


Wow! that is curvy. I feel better now :)

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Can someone also tell me why these cleaners that look exactly the same are called different things? Why is that? Does it matter? Are there price differences? And speaking of price, is it better to purchase a product from a brick and mortar store or is online ok? Thanks again so much to you all!! Where would I be without you!
 
IMason said:
Thanks JoyfulNoise!
I too have to run my RPMs that I don't like. I can't believe you lasted 4 years as I'm already fed up and it's only been a few months. Did you look at any other Dolphin cleaners? If I may ask, why did you settle on the s300i. I ask because I am contemplating this versus the M500.
Click to expand...

I talked with 3 different shops in my local area. I wanted to buy local because I did not want shipping costs to become an issue if warranty repair was needed. Some of the shops in my area have exclusive policies regarding repairs - they'll only do warranty work on units they sell (don't know why they choose to be that way, but that's what I ran into).

Anyway, I spoke at length to the shop owner and head repair dude that I bought the S300i from and we went over all the differences between the S series and the M series. At the end of the day, the S300i gave me lots of features that I wanted at a slightly lower prices than an entry level M series. I showed them my pool and while they did say that the M series would get my sun shelf more frequently than the S, they really thought that the M series was overkill for my pool. I do not have a lot of complex shapes to deal with (like submerged benches, etc) and they felt that the S series would give me all the coverage I needed.

Turns out they were right on the money and, honestly, they could have pushed the more expensive M series to make a bigger sale but did not. So I gave them credit for being honest. There was absolutely no high pressure sales tactics employed and they offered to give me a demo any time. Their shop has a full stock of S series repair parts and they guaranteed they could get parts overnight from Dolphin if needed. So, between the features in the S300i and the nice folks at the shop, I was happy to pull the trigger on the purchase. And the price fit perfectly into my IRS Refund check ;)
 
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