Ultramax II Alternatives?

[hvcubed]

My wife wants to replace our two 2-piece Kohler toilets with 1-piece models. Based on my research on this site, the consensus is to get the Toto Ultramax II. However we live in Hawaii so everything is way more expensive and deals are usually lacking. The cheapest I could find the Ultramax II for was around $650/toilet after taxes, which is out of my price range. The Toto "dealerships" appears to be only a little bit less than MSRP.

I can get a 1-piece Compact Cadet 3 FloWise from a local plumbing supply store for around $400 after taxes so I was thinking of going that route. Many of the reviews for that toilet are from a few years ago. Has it held up? I'm hoping that by getting it from a plumbing supply store rather than the Home Depot model I can side-step the QA issues that American Standard seems to be known for. I'd rather stay away from Kohler just because the parts are proprietary, expensive, and hard to find locally.

 

[WJcandee]

I wouldn't shop at Toto dealerships. Check out places that call themselves Plumbing Supply in the yellow pages, regardless of whether they say they carry Toto. Call with the exact model number and color you want and ask for their price if you came in and ordered today. Try at least 5 (maybe more in Hawaii) and you will usually find one with a high price, one with jerks, and at least one nice one with a good price. Let your fingers do the walking. Yes it sucks to have to speak to people, but you'll be shocked the variation in price that you find when you call around. If that doesn't work,, do some research and see if you can't find a channel that will get it to you with free or minimal delivery.