Sport Chalet

[mccabejc]

Dropped by a local Sport Chalet about 2 weeks ago for annual service for my regs. Was told 2-3 weeks turnaround. I gulped, but it's the only game in town. Rented a set of regs last weekend ($15, and 45 minute roundtrip to SC). Stopped by again tonight, hoping that they were finished (it's been 12 days). Was told no, and now they tell me it's been taking about a month turnaround. A FREAKIN' MONTH !!! So I figure the cost of reg rentals for a month will be $60, for a $45 service. Total of $105, and four 45 minute round trips to rent regs. Un freakin' believable.

Talked to the person in charge, and here's the deal:

All SC's send regs to the same place. And this particular SC only has two pickups a week, Wed and Fri. So if you bring your regs in on Sunday, as I did, they sit and gather dust for 3 days. The quoted turnaround is 8 days (from whoever services them), but with the infrequent pickups it can take a lot longer.

So if anyone knows of a good regulator servicing place anywhere east of LA, which does a good job and can turn it around in less than a week, I'd love to hear about it. This time, unfortunately, I'm stuck (they won't allow you to go pick it up and send it elsewhere), but next time I won't make the same mistake.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Dropped by a local Sport Chalet about 2 weeks ago for annual service for my regs. Was told 2-3 weeks turnaround. I gulped, but it's the only game in town. Rented a set of regs last weekend ($15, and 45 minute roundtrip to SC). Stopped by again tonight, hoping that they were finished (it's been 12 days). Was told no, and now they tell me it's been taking about a month turnaround. A FREAKIN' MONTH !!! So I figure the cost of reg rentals for a month will be $60, for a $45 service. Total of $105, and four 45 minute round trips to rent regs. Un freakin' believable.

Talked to the person in charge, and here's the deal:

All SC's send regs to the same place. And this particular SC only has two pickups a week, Wed and Fri. So if you bring your regs in on Sunday, as I did, they sit and gather dust for 3 days. The quoted turnaround is 8 days (from whoever services them), but with the infrequent pickups it can take a lot longer.

So if anyone knows of a good regulator servicing place anywhere east of LA, which does a good job and can turn it around in less than a week, I'd love to hear about it. This time, unfortunately, I'm stuck (they won't allow you to go pick it up and send it elsewhere), but next time I won't make the same mistake.

On your next drive down to Laguna you could stop by Scuba Toys in Cypress. Jim Hoffman is usually pretty reliable about repairs.

 

[DaFireMedic]

Dropped by a local Sport Chalet about 2 weeks ago for annual service for my regs. Was told 2-3 weeks turnaround. I gulped, but it's the only game in town. Rented a set of regs last weekend ($15, and 45 minute roundtrip to SC). Stopped by again tonight, hoping that they were finished (it's been 12 days). Was told no, and now they tell me it's been taking about a month turnaround. A FREAKIN' MONTH !!! So I figure the cost of reg rentals for a month will be $60, for a $45 service. Total of $105, and four 45 minute round trips to rent regs. Un freakin' believable.

Talked to the person in charge, and here's the deal:

All SC's send regs to the same place. And this particular SC only has two pickups a week, Wed and Fri. So if you bring your regs in on Sunday, as I did, they sit and gather dust for 3 days. The quoted turnaround is 8 days (from whoever services them), but with the infrequent pickups it can take a lot longer.

So if anyone knows of a good regulator servicing place anywhere east of LA, which does a good job and can turn it around in less than a week, I'd love to hear about it. This time, unfortunately, I'm stuck (they won't allow you to go pick it up and send it elsewhere), but next time I won't make the same mistake.

I live in Upland also, and I just took my reg to Roger over at Divers Outlet. He got it back to me in 2 weeks. He said his normal turnaround time is 1 week, but he is backed up right now. Nice guy but he has strange store hours, like 2 p.m - 6 p.m. He was recommended to me by someone else. I had mine done by Sport Chalet about 6 years ago, and it took 1 month and a half.

Divers Outlet is on Bonita in San Dimas.

On your next drive down to Laguna you could stop by Scuba Toys in Cypress. Jim Hoffman is usually pretty reliable about repairs.

I went by Scuba Toys yesterday for the first time, and talked to Jim for about 15 minutes. Real nice guy, helpful too.

 

[xSandman3]

I too took mine to SC...they told me a month, but I had them back in 12 days. If you don't mind the drive, Pacific Wilderness in Tustin or San Pedro advertizes about a 48 hour turnaround. I just bought a new Apex from them, which included 2 years of free service from them.

 

[Diver_Jan]

Jim, I agree with everyone, find a local dive shop to work on your regs. The trouble I have found, some dive shops only work on certain brands.

Pacific Wilderness, Scuba World, and Reefseekers are all reliable shops with good turn around.

I'm looking forward to getting my Equipment Repair 'Specialty' so that I can work on my own gear.

 

[mccabejc]

There's a www.scubatoys.com near Dallas Texas, and also a Scuba Toys store in Cypress? Is it a franchise?

 

[headhunter]

There's a www.scubatoys.com near Dallas Texas, and also a Scuba Toys store in Cypress? Is it a franchise?

They are not the same company and this store in Cypress is not a franchise.

The shop in Cypress has a website at www.scuba-toys.com is owned by Jim and Carole Hoffman. He's a great guy and the shop has been around for the last 25 years. I really enjoyed visiting with Jim about a month or two ago. We reminisced about "the good old days" and talked about some people we both knew back then.

I would definitely feel comfortable taking my gear to him for service and/or recommending him as a top notch instructor. I like that he'll teach the class in a basic backplate and wing. In fact, I have a friend that is currently taking a basic class with Jim. She has simply raved about the quality of his instruction.

Give him a call, I think you'll like him.

Christian

 

[saf_25]

It's a bit late now, but I believe that Sport Chalet will give you free rentals while your gear is tied up for servicing. At least, that was the offer I got from the Brea store last year when I had my gear serviced. They might not advertise it, but if you tell them that you're renting because they have your gear, they should waive the charges. I think it's the only way they can really compete with the 1-2 days turnaround their local competition offers.
That said, I agree with Jan's recommendations. Reefseekers or Pacific Wilderness are definitly stores focused on customer service.

 

[Scot M]

Some of the SC managers might waive rental fees if they are servicing your gear, but it would be a personal customer service effort, not a corporate policy.

 

[InspirationDave]

Scuba Schools of American in Montclair has turned around some of my regs in a day or two....