$80 "overhaul" needed every other year?

[PvtStash]

Heyhey, while looking at the LDS vs Internet debate on gear purchases I had pretty much come to the decision that I would by my equipt (the Reg at the very least) from my LDS for service/repair issues, thinking that with the "parts for life" deal and the convenience of proximity would override the higher upfront cost involved...

but now I'm not so sure....

to qualify for the "parts for life" deal I need to pay for annual service through my LDS , the inspections are only $25 so I cant be too upset about that, but the "overhaul" on the off year is $80 .... 80 bucks? and why does this AL reg even "Need" an "overhaul" every other year?

If the annual service costs cost as much as a New reg every 4-5 years then I Really dont see ANY reason to buy through my LDS; especially when I hear stories here on SB about how "I've had this conshelf 20 years and its NEVER been serviced an works like a charm!" (now this may be a bit of hyperbole, but I think the base point is valid, ie that Most regs today simply dont Need servicing and that with proper cleaning after use you could save yourself some serious cash...

I mean, even if I bought a reg and jus' totally treated it like crap I'd still be ahead of the game jus' buying a brand new one in 5 years as opposed to playing the annual service ripoff game with my LDS...

And just how long does it take to "overhaul" a reg thats been in service Less than 2 years? whats he going to find when he takes that cover off that could Possibly justify that $80 he's charging me? (oh but this is the Loyal Customer Rate since I bought through him... he Says the the overhaul would be Double if the reg were bought somewhere else [ridiculous])

How long do these "overhauls" take? seeing as how the majority of the engineering for has stayed the same for the last 20 years I'm guessing its not rocket science, does it take an hour? 20 minutes? In any case I think 80 bucks is too much and I dont think I'm going to play that game. I'll learn how to inspect/"overhaul" myself, or just Skip it until I Need to send it in (and then send it to ST where they only charge $50 for an "overhaul" even if I Didnt buy it from them)

 

[TennInstr]

I used to work as a dive shop techinicain for a number of different brands of regs. From my experience of the condition of the regs I rebuilt I do recommend having a rebuild done every couple of years in less you dive a lot. Then maybe more often. They do get pretty nasty inside. How much someone should charge or if you should try and do it yourself I'll leave for someone else to reply. But I will say that if you do a rebuild properly it takes somewhere around 2 hours. At least it did for me. Be safe and happy diving.

 

[namabiru]

Plus you have to look at it this way: take care of your gear, and it will take care of you. I now live in an extremely sandy environment, and no matter what preventative measures are taken, gear still gets sandy. So I'm definitely thinking that even with nice Aqualung stuff, I'm going to have to find someone who will service. (Dubai, maybe? Nobody in Doha, unfortunately).

 

[shellbackdiver1]

Never mind

 

[InkDiver]

I was talking about this with my LDS the other day. I really think that OW training should include some basic info on the cost of diving. For example, if you buy tanks, expect to pay $x for annual VIP, and $x for hydro every 5 years; if you buy regs expect to pay $x on average for annual service. I've been in the shops more than once when people come in to pick up regs from the 1st annual service and can't understand why they are paying $x for the servicing, especially if the reg has a free parts for life warranty. My LDS was good enought to tell me that I would be responsible for labor costs and certain basic parts that were not covered in the warranty when I bought my regs.

I really feel like OW instruction should not only focus on the diving part of diving, but on the business of diving as well. Many people finish OW having no idea what it really costs to rent or own gear, and that is a shame.

 

[redacted]

I mean, even if I bought a reg and jus' totally treated it like crap I'd still be ahead of the game jus' buying a brand new one in 5 years as opposed to playing the annual service ripoff game with my LDS...

And just how long does it take to "overhaul" a reg thats been in service Less than 2 years? whats he going to find when he takes that cover off that could Possibly justify that $80 he's charging me? (oh but this is the Loyal Customer Rate since I bought through him... he Says the the overhaul would be Double if the reg were bought somewhere else [ridiculous])

How long do these "overhauls" take? seeing as how the majority of the engineering for has stayed the same for the last 20 years I'm guessing its not rocket science, does it take an hour? 20 minutes? In any case I think 80 bucks is too much and I dont think I'm going to play that game. I'll learn how to inspect/"overhaul" myself, or just Skip it until I Need to send it in (and then send it to ST where they only charge $50 for an "overhaul" even if I Didnt buy it from them)

If you treat a reg like crap, it will not serve you for 5 years. It may not even serve you for a year. So step #1 to reducing service costs is do take good caro of your regs.

$80 for service labor is on the high side but not unreasonable. I do my own service (and I'm pretty slow and careful) and it usually takes well over an hour to do a thorough job. If the reg is have any problems, it may take quite a bit longer. Servicing a "new" used reg from ebay will usually take most of an afternoon as it is an unknown and often has corrosion problems. The shop does not know how well you did with step #1 so you are probably paying a bit for the guy who does a poor job.

Depending on step #1, I believe annual servicing is excessive in most cases. Every other year is more reasonable, with intervening inspections but still may be excessive. I service my regs when they show a problem (small leak or performance degradation). OK, sometimes I get bored and service it just for fun. Often, simple repairs or minor adjustments are all that is needed. I estimate that my regs tend to go 5 years or more before I have to do a complete ($80) service.

If you could count on a good job for the $80 labor charge, it might not be too bad. Unfortunately, my experience (which got me to DIY) is you sometimes get half-azzed service at full price. And it can be real hard to tell.

IMHO, parts-for-life conditioned on annual service is primarily a way for the mfgr to support LDSs. I prefer to save the $$ up front in the initial acquisition and the save it some more donw the road with DIY service.

 

[PhilEllis]

Heyhey, while looking at the LDS vs Internet debate on gear purchases I had pretty much come to the decision that I would by my equipt (the Reg at the very least) from my LDS for service/repair issues, thinking that with the "parts for life" deal and the convenience of proximity would override the higher upfront cost involved...

but now I'm not so sure....

to qualify for the "parts for life" deal I need to pay for annual service through my LDS , the inspections are only $25 so I cant be too upset about that, but the "overhaul" on the off year is $80 .... 80 bucks? and why does this AL reg even "Need" an "overhaul" every other year?

If the annual service costs cost as much as a New reg every 4-5 years then I Really dont see ANY reason to buy through my LDS; especially when I hear stories here on SB about how "I've had this conshelf 20 years and its NEVER been serviced an works like a charm!" (now this may be a bit of hyperbole, but I think the base point is valid, ie that Most regs today simply dont Need servicing and that with proper cleaning after use you could save yourself some serious cash...

I mean, even if I bought a reg and jus' totally treated it like crap I'd still be ahead of the game jus' buying a brand new one in 5 years as opposed to playing the annual service ripoff game with my LDS...

And just how long does it take to "overhaul" a reg thats been in service Less than 2 years? whats he going to find when he takes that cover off that could Possibly justify that $80 he's charging me? (oh but this is the Loyal Customer Rate since I bought through him... he Says the the overhaul would be Double if the reg were bought somewhere else [ridiculous])

How long do these "overhauls" take? seeing as how the majority of the engineering for has stayed the same for the last 20 years I'm guessing its not rocket science, does it take an hour? 20 minutes? In any case I think 80 bucks is too much and I dont think I'm going to play that game. I'll learn how to inspect/"overhaul" myself, or just Skip it until I Need to send it in (and then send it to ST where they only charge $50 for an "overhaul" even if I Didnt buy it from them)

The decision to service a regulator on a regular basis is a personal one, made by being mindful of the "real" care and cleaning your regulator gets on a continuous basis. I will tell you the EVERYONE says "I take really good care of my regulator". When we rebuild them, customers are sometimes surprised at what we show them in their regulators that have "only been used a few times" and are "always cleaned really good after use".

A regulator overhaul, done PROPERLY, takes a skilled technician about an hour. There is a little more required than just "removing the cover". You are correct, it is not rocket science, but it does require a level of skill and experience. Then again, nothing is rocket science except rocket science. Electronic repairs on an appliance isn't rocket science, but it requires skill. Rebuilding a automobile engine isn't rocket science, but it requires skill. Plumbing isn't rocket science, but it requires skill.

Free parts programs aren't a scam....they are designed to offer you some motivation to have your regulator serviced on a regular basis, keeping you happy with the brand and the people who handle it. We could argue that this motivation has completely backfired in the face of the scuba companies, but that is a totally different discussion.

In the end, YOU decide what the proper maintenance routine is for YOUR equipment. While that are plenty of anecdotal stores of a regulator "working for 20 years without any adjustments or service", that maintenance plan is not the best strategic one. You should decide what is right. Thanks

Phil Ellis
Discount Scuba Gear at DiveSports.com - Buy Scuba Diving Equipment & Snorkeling Equipment

 

[halocline]

I was talking about this with my LDS the other day. I really think that OW training should include some basic info on the cost of diving.

Good idea, just watch as half the class bolts for the door after being told how much it will REALLY cost to be a diver.

 

[Blackrock]

I will tell you the EVERYONE says "I take really good care of my regulator". When we rebuild them, customers are sometimes surprised at what we show them in their regulators that have "only been used a few times" and are "always cleaned really good after use".

So I guess the question is...How do you properly clean and care for a reg after each use so you can prolong its life and decrease the frequency of costly service/rebuilds??

 

[DeputyDan]

I have mine and my kids BCs and regs fully serviced every single year.

Don't want to save $85 bucks per kit (in my case) and have a reg. fail on my kid coming out of calvin's crack at 85 feet!