Burned on Ebay

[Paladin]

Well, it finally happened. After a string of successful purchases of vintage diving equipment from Ebay, I got snookered. I bought a US Divers Aqua Lung Calypso depth gauge that the seller claimed was in good condition. When it arrived, it was missing the plug that goes into the side of the casing and holds everything together. I called my LDS and was told that the plug is not replaceable. Oh, well. Live and learn, I suppose.

 

[Couv]

Hello Paladin,

I'm sorry this happened to you. I like to buy (and sometimes sell) stuff on eBay too. Try contacting the seller and tell him your gauge is not as advertised and ask for a refund. He may give you a refund even if it was sold "as is." If no joy, then I don't think you would be wrong to post his seller name here at Scuba Board.

About your depth gauge. Was it a capillary gauge? I would bet you could clean it out and fashion a plug out of a small piece of plastic or just use it as it is. A capillary gauge is basically just a tube with one end open where the water enters or pushes on a small plug. When the tube is half full you are at 33 feet etc.

Good luck,

Couv

 

[8dust]

I'm running about 85% positive lately...
two most recent issues were a USD horsecollar that had issues, and a steel 72 that was shipped UPS in one thickness of loose cardboard with 3-4 crumpled newspapers. As it had no padding whatsoever, it arrived dammaged wich is a real loss as it would have been perfect otherwise.
Seller will not respond and I paid little enough it isn't worth my paying to shop back, so oh well. I'll give them 0 stars... that'll fix 'em! but not really.
Have got some really nice stuff lately at good prices by just by being a semi-regular watcher.

 

[Paladin]

The gauge is a mechanical Bourdan tube type. I contacted the seller and she has agreed to a refund.

 

[Nemrod]

Well, it finally happened. After a string of successful purchases of vintage diving equipment from Ebay, I got snookered. I bought a US Divers Aqua Lung Calypso depth gauge that the seller claimed was in good condition. When it arrived, it was missing the plug that goes into the side of the casing and holds everything together. I called my LDS and was told that the plug is not replaceable. Oh, well. Live and learn, I suppose.

Just for future reference, I would not ask "my LDS" anything in regards vintage SCUBA gear. They usually cannot fix or repair new gear much less be familiar with and have the knowledge to fix and repair something a few decades old. Of course they told you it could not be fixed.

N

 

[Paladin]

The owner of the LDS I go to has been in business since the mid 1960s. He has always been willing to help me with my equipment and doesn't care where I get it from. If he can fix it, he does, and for a very reasonable price. For example, to service my Conshelf XIs, with new parts, is $45. I have come to trust his judgement. I still service my Aquarius regs myself from parts he supplies.

 

[halocline]

I had a real problem one time, a particular seller was posting photos of absolute mint condition regs and then shipping much more dinged up ones. I checked ebay's policy, and unless the seller specifies that the photo is NOT the same item being sold, it's implicit that the reg in the ad photo is the same one sent. I made a stink to the guy and he eventually gave me my money back, including shipping and the cost of sending the reg back to him. Soon after he changed his seller name. I think he was calling himself "blissdiving" or something like that.

Other than that I've never had a problem, usually the regs are in better shape than I expect. In fact I'm about to give away one of my 109s as a Christmas present, so I suspect I'll be on the hunt for one in January. It's important to have back ups for the back up.

 

[Paladin]

Same here. Usually the stuff I've bought is actually in better condition than I expected. Just not this time.

 

[Slonda828]

I got burned on a mask on Ebay. It said it was new in the box, but what they meant was "in a new box, but mummified." You just have to think that while other people are paying 600 bucks for a regulator, we are getting ours for 20-50 bucks. So even if we get burned once and a while, we are still up in the scheme of things.

 

[herman]

Hello Paladin,

I'm sorry this happened to you. I like to buy (and sometimes sell) stuff on eBay too. Try contacting the seller and tell him your gauge is not as advertised and ask for a refund. He may give you a refund even if it was sold "as is." If no joy, then I don't think you would be wrong to post his seller name here at Scuba Board.

About your depth gauge. Was it a capillary gauge? I would bet you could clean it out and fashion a plug out of a small piece of plastic or just use it as it is. A capillary gauge is basically just a tube with one end open where the water enters or pushes on a small plug. When the tube is half full you are at 33 feet etc.

Good luck,

Couv

So far I have been lucky on eBay...although I am waiting on something now that I am wondering about...is it really a RAM or is it a DA...time will tell. On the other hand I have also gotten lucky a time or 2. The 58 DA that showed up with Royal Master (not RAM) guts in it made my day... just wish I had to label to go with it.

In any case, cap gauges are easy to fix. I have the tubing (McMaster-Carr) and a plug of Aquaseal works nicely. I have restored a good many of them back to almost new condition. I sent Palidan some tubing a while back.