eBay's ridiculousness

[scubafanatic]

Buying used requires patience. Check often, know the price of the item brand new and buy when the time comes. Don't rush. Also, don't buy used regulators.

...why not buy used regs ??? ...I will say that I definitely don't buy 'fixer-uppers'......I buy NIB or very good-great condition/recent model used regs that, worst case scenario, might need an 'annual', but that's it.

 

[jiveturkey]

...why not buy used regs ???

Parts and service for regs is expensive. A used reg should be serviced before you dive it and then of course you need to pay for parts...with every annual service. By buying a new reg from a company that offers "parts for life" you'll save yourself between $80-150 per year depending on the reg. Many companies offer this perk now, not just the high end ones. After a couple years you'll have compensated for any savings you might have found by buying used.

 

[mustang_5l]

I just snipe the auctions to get what I want.

 

[scubafanatic]

Parts and service for regs is expensive. A used reg should be serviced before you dive it and then of course you need to pay for parts...with every annual service. By buying a new reg from a company that offers "parts for life" you'll save yourself between $80-150 per year depending on the reg. Many companies offer this perk now, not just the high end ones. After a couple years you'll have compensated for any savings you might have found by buying used.

1) annuals are not required 'annually' if you buy quality regs and treat them well

2) the NON-free labor charge you pay ANNUALLY to keep your reg in warranty GREATLY exceeds the $ you save with the 'free' parts kit.

3) personally, my favorite, experienced reg tech is a private individual who works on pretty much ANY reg brand/model out there, and who's quality of work GREATLY exceeds anyone else I've encountered, doesn't do warranty annuals/repairs, so those charges are out of my pocket anyway.....I'd rather pay him for the modest parts kit charges and get quality work done, than get 'free annual parts' and have the average LDS work on my regs.....I've had some bad experiences with authorized dealers messing up my regs.

4) free "parts-for-life" isn't always the case.....some dive shops DON'T participate in such programs !

5) if you somehow miss your annual servicing once, you have forever voided your right to "free parts-for-life"...game over!

6) some retailers REFUSE to honor the warranties/free parts programs if you bought the reg from another dealer...even if the selling dealer is also an authorized dealer for the brand.

 

[redacted]

Parts and service for regs is expensive. A used reg should be serviced before you dive it and then of course you need to pay for parts...with every annual service. By buying a new reg from a company that offers "parts for life" you'll save yourself between $80-150 per year depending on the reg. Many companies offer this perk now, not just the high end ones. After a couple years you'll have compensated for any savings you might have found by buying used.

Could you put some real examples to the range of parts costs - it seems quite high to me. I dive Scubapro regulators. Service kits cost me around $15 for a 2nd stage kit and around $20 for a 1st stage kit, with the standard 100% retail markup. After the initial service of a used regulator i usually get 3 to 5 years before another service is required.

 

[D_B]

service kit Mk18 ...................... $28.95
service kit G250 ...................... $23.95
various O rings and one lever ..... $17.95
labor...................................... $55.00

One thing .. if you do your next annual within one month of doing your last one, the parts for life thing is good again. (SP)

Ebay .. yeah, stuff goes nuts there! .. I use a program and give it my highest bid .. then I'm less tempted by the bidding war thing

Used regs on ebay ... I was patient in waiting for a good deal on a SP Mk18/G250HP like the one I got when I first learned and bought gear at LDS ... prices seem to be through the roof though, only once did I see one go for less than I payed for a brand new one .. but ... I finally got one, unused, in the box (you can tell it's brand new) and I payed a very (very) good price for it

 

[Garrobo]

"Auction Fever" is what it's called. I got a buddy of mine who just can't go to an auction without buying 'something'. Last year he paid WAY too much for an El Camino and an inboard boat w/trailer which he figured that he could resell for a profit. Bragged about the bargains he'd gotten. He's still got them in the back of his barn. Couldn't even get his investment back. You better know what you are bidding on and it's value before shucking out your hard-earned. As far as used regs go, I did alright at it for a while 'till I found out that you can buy a new set of first and second stage from Leisurpro for about what a yearly service costs. I guess they are last years models but still good for rec diving.

 

[jiveturkey]

1) annuals are not required 'annually' if you buy quality regs and treat them well

Service is required to keep your warranty. They are recommended by manufacturers and most industry professionals. You can choose to blow this off but you increase your risk. O-rings dryout and moving parts wear.

2) the NON-free labor charge you pay ANNUALLY to keep your reg in warranty GREATLY exceeds the $ you save with the 'free' parts kit.

No. This is not true. If you have a buddy that gives you parts at cost, you are lucky. Not all of us have this kind of hookup.

3) personally, my favorite, experienced reg tech is a private individual who works on pretty much ANY reg brand/model out there, and who's quality of work GREATLY exceeds anyone else I've encountered, doesn't do warranty annuals/repairs, so those charges are out of my pocket anyway.....I'd rather pay him for the modest parts kit charges and get quality work done, than get 'free annual parts' and have the average LDS work on my regs.....I've had some bad experiences with authorized dealers messing up my regs.

Nice deal. Stick with the guy you know but not everyone "knows a guy".

4) free "parts-for-life" isn't always the case.....some dive shops DON'T participate in such programs !

Don't buy your regs here. Pick a good shop.

5) if you somehow miss your annual servicing once, you have forever voided your right to "free parts-for-life"...game over!

No, with most manufacturers, you have to pay for the parts for they year you missed and then you are back on the program as long as you are the original owner.

6) some retailers REFUSE to honor the warranties/free parts programs if you bought the reg from another dealer...even if the selling dealer is also an authorized dealer for the brand.

Don't buy your regs here. Pick a good shop.

 

[jiveturkey]

Could you put some real examples to the range of parts costs - it seems quite high to me. I dive Scubapro regulators. Service kits cost me around $15 for a 2nd stage kit and around $20 for a 1st stage kit, with the standard 100% retail markup. After the initial service of a used regulator i usually get 3 to 5 years before another service is required.

All my prices are Canadian. The prices you're quoting are cheaper than we got them for at cost in the shop I used to work for. We were an authorized SP dealer. In US dollars a customer pays something like $70US after local sales taxes for a complete scubapro overhaul (parts only). So you save a few bucks on the exchange and taxes over us socialists but it's not that much. Waiting 3-5 years is a long time between services. I don't trust my regs that much.

 

[redacted]

All my prices are Canadian. The prices you're quoting are cheaper than we got them for at cost in the shop I used to work for. We were an authorized SP dealer. In US dollars a customer pays something like $70US after local sales taxes for a complete scubapro overhaul (parts only). So you save a few bucks on the exchange and taxes over us socialists but it's not that much. Waiting 3-5 years is a long time between services. I don't trust my regs that much.

$70 for parts is reasonable, dollars or dollaretts.

I go 3 to 5 years between service with no problem. I do inspect my regs at least every 6 months and before every trip. If physical condition looks good and seals, IP, and cracking pressure is good, I'm reasonably confident the regulator is good to go. Much more confident than I ever was with a freshly serviced regulator from some unknown shop tech.

I still have the occasional symptom (leak, noise, or breathing difficulty) which is usually easy to deal with. Sure, an o-ring can fail anytime (even a new one) usually resulting in a very small leak initially. Easily accessed o-rings I repair during the trip. I also carry a complete spare rig with me on all trips for more complex problems or more immediate repairs. In almost 10 years, I have used it once for a leaking hose connection when we were about to splash. Other divers have gotten to use it to make their dives on a number of occasions.