Certification Prices

[jlcnuke]

You are absolutely correct about it being your opinion. And there’s nothing wrong with having an opinion. Doesn’t make it a fair comparison though. Still new vs used.

We can agree to disagree

 

[Geobound]

Sorry I've been away or somehow missed this, but that's no the same comparison.

I'm sure I could do much better than what I paid were I to go used too, but that's not what I wanted to do.

Your pricing is also speculating on getting the E-Bay auctions without a battle (which could happen), but then there is still the shipping charges that have to be added in to all that pricing. I didn't look, but I'm guessing an additional $150.00?

That puts your price at around $2200.00 US or about $2800.00 CDN.......for used. So you saved roughly $500-$600 by going that route. Its a far cry from half, and mine was new.

I don't doubt for a minute that there are some good deals to be had buying used products, but unless you know what to look for in used equipment, then you are taking a few too many chances for my liking.

Perhaps on my next go around of purchases I would look at the used market, but new is almost always the way for me to go.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, but I still think my deal is a better deal for my personality and pocketbook.

 

[jlcnuke]

Sorry I've been away or somehow missed this, but that's no the same comparison.

I'm sure I could do much better than what I paid were I to go used too, but that's not what I wanted to do.

Your pricing is also speculating on getting the E-Bay auctions without a battle (which could happen), but then there is still the shipping charges that have to be added in to all that pricing. I didn't look, but I'm guessing an additional $150.00?

That puts your price at around $2200.00 US or about $2800.00 CDN.......for used. So you saved roughly $500-$600 by going that route. Its a far cry from half, and mine was new.

I don't doubt for a minute that there are some good deals to be had buying used products, but unless you know what to look for in used equipment, then you are taking a few too many chances for my liking.

Perhaps on my next go around of purchases I would look at the used market, but new is almost always the way for me to go.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, but I still think my deal is a better deal for my personality and pocketbook.

My choices, without your added assumed costs on the things I've actually bought and not had to add those costs on because I bought smartly, put it at about half of your original $4k statement (the post after which I stated I could probably get things for 1/2 that price). That you ended up spending much less than that original estimate is great, congrats.

If you choose to spend more because you'd rather have new, that's your choice. If it makes you feel better and you are happy with it, great. I prefer money over having "new". I could have bought my car for $43k new, I chose to buy it 1 year old for $28k instead. I'm happy to have kept the extra $15k and I'll apply that same rationale to purchasing other things which provide great savings buying used without having detrimental effects on their performance or my enjoyment of those things. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[Geobound]

@jlcnuke Your logic isn't flawed on buying used and in fact I've applied that same logic many times on various purchases, but anytime I've bought something for the first time (car, snowmobile, ATV, scuba and so forth), I've always bought new so I understand how it works.

The second time around after gaining the experience and knowledge of what to look for, or to spot potential problems, then I often buy used.

I have a family friend who has been diving for 60 years, and even he recommended new over used for my first kick at the can. He likely would have changed his mind and helped me sort things out if he didn't live on the other side of the country, but that's life.

My thought is that this is life safety equipment, so why mess about.

As you say different strokes for different folks.

Now if I can only get some of them folks to buy my 2011 Chrysler 200 convertible rather than a new one, then I'd have it made.

 

[runsongas]

lots of places will take that chrysler off your hands, they are called junkyards

 

[Geobound]

Theres always one fanboy in every crowd.

 

[JEEP PIRATE 08]

yikes, I think I may have been ripped off my local dive shop charged $3000 for both my new gear and for the open water certification and they want $700 just for the advanced certification through PADI

Everything cost more in NY. I paid 495 for my OW but it included everything but personal gear(mask fins boots and snorkel) and I have to say the instruction was top notch! plan to continue training with them for a few more classes after I work my way thru Xmas. To clarify, all of the other gear was rental and those prices were included in that price. I have since begun to purchase all of my own gear.

 

[JEEP PIRATE 08]

kg13, it almost sounds like they sold you a gear Package, for 3k it better be good stuff!

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

@kg13 ,

For $700, if it is a stringent program where you earn your certification (I.e., won’t be completed in 5 dives, but rather 5 days or more), then it isn’t do outrageous when you factor in the instructor’s time.

If they are just selling certifications, then $700 is a rip-off

 

[jlcnuke]

@kg13 ,

For $700, if it is a stringent program where you earn your certification (I.e., won’t be completed in 5 dives, but rather 5 days or more), then it isn’t do outrageous when you factor in the instructor’s time.

If they are just selling certifications, then $700 is a rip-off

Location really does matter for prices. Where I did my first OW course back in 2005 it included 3 days of classroom training, much of which was the instructor expanding upon the book material, plus all the pool work and the open water dives. Great training and much more thorough imo than just doing the elearning and then going to a resort and doing the rest of the OW course like I did the second time I got my OW cert. The place I got certified the first time charges $325 for the entire course these days (dive shop located on a coast town just outside of Florida), while my local dive shop here outside Atlanta charges $950 and uses elearning for the classroom portion. No way could I recommend anyone spend that much for an OW class. Surprisingly, my LDS prices for specialty courses etc are all actually reasonable.