Aqua Lung Legend LX Supreme what would you do?

[garyfotodiver]

I have a problem with the term "Grey Market" with dive equipment.

This term derived from the electronic industry when companies copied brand name products with inferior parts (resistors and capacitors) and in some cases placed the other brand name products on the merchandise.

Grey market equipment started with the retail photo industry. Items are directly imported by the retailer, not purchased through the US distributor. Therefore, since the importer did not make a dime on the merchandise, they will not offer a warranty.

Log onto the Helix or the Adorama website. Often there are both US and grey market prices listed for the same item.

I have purchased from LP. I have not used their warranty, but have had a LP-purchased regulator serviced at a LDS. There were no problems.

Additionally, if a critical item fails at 60fsw, what good is any warranty? It won't get you back to the surface; your training will.

 

[JS1scuba]

Didn't mean to suggest taking advantage of the LDS. The suggested extras to make up for a $200.00 difference was an either/or, not both. And I'm still paying $4.00 a fill without paying in advance for a card. Maybe it cost a dollar more because your supply is a bit thinner to begin with. I'm just trying to make it clear that a good LDS will work to find ways to compete with LP within the limits of what they can do. Not just fall back and use their "dealer agreement" as a shield.

Dealers, like us will make accomodations to complete a transaction. And we also thrown in lots of goodies along the way. We include regulator bags with all our AL/Apeks regulators etc. I just think asking a dealer to compete with a price for a fully warrantied product against one that does not have a full warranty that is being sold by an unauthorized dealer is a bit much.

BTW --- $5 for ultra pure oxygen compatible air with fills that are perfect, dont get your tanks hot, and are always complete to the working pressure of the cylinder regardless of external temperature I think is pretty reasonable. But then I've got that $50k invested in my air plant.

Regards,
JDS

 

[MaresMan1]

Grey market equipment started with the retail photo industry. Items are directly imported by the retailer, not purchased through the US distributor. Therefore, since the importer did not make a dime on the merchandise, they will not offer a warranty.

Log onto the Helix or the Adorama website. Often there are both US and grey market prices listed for the same item.

I have purchased from LP. I have not used their warranty, but have had a LP-purchased regulator serviced at a LDS. There were no problems.

Additionally, if a critical item fails at 60fsw, what good is any warranty? It won't get you back to the surface; your training will.

While I cannot comment on when the "Grey Market" was used in the photo industry, I can say that it was in the early 60's for the electronic industry. It basically began when Japanese knock offs were beginning to make their way into the US market. The charge was that they were using inferior components and in some cases slapping on US manufacturer labels on their products.

My point here is that as far as I know in the diving industry, you are getting the real thing, not a knock-off. If LDS' are selling equipment without warantees (because of manufacturer minipulation) and you decide to purchase from them for the substantial discount, then so be it. I have simpathy for the LDS as it's getting really hard to stay afloat ( and it will get harder with internet companies).

However, my sympathy will not change reality. LDS' have to do whatever they can to compete. I guess that I am lucky to have an LDS that does not care where you bought your equipment, they will support you, and I will do what I can to support them.

Dive Smart; Dive Safe
Enjoy the ride
:14:

 

[Scubaroo]

"Parallel import" is a more apt term than "grey market". Same product, different route to the consumer.

 

[MaresMan1]

"Parallel import" is a more apt term than "grey market". Same product, different route to the consumer.

Scubaroo, I like your term much better, thanks

Dive Smart;Dive Safe
Enjoy the ride
:14:

 

[pwraudio1]

As long as it works like the one that is over $300 more what does it matter? I know I'll have to pay for service... But I should get a few years before it is over $300...

PS: Larry does not sell Aqua Lung... For the people that told me he does!

thanks,

 

[DiveMaven]

After working a large train wreck a few years ago, my husband found out that all goods being shipped that are involved in a wreck are considered a total loss by the railroad company and insurance pays for them. It nearly broke my husband's heart to see the hundreds of boxes of Makita products being thrown into a truck.

The insurance adjuster then informed my husband that those goods are sold by the insurance companies to "grey market" companies, who then sell them without manufacturer's warrantees for any price they choose. It was because of this experience that we chose not to buy any electronic or life support equipment from LP, and instead sucked it up and bought his Legend from the LDS. If we don't know where it came from, we're not trusting our lives to it. And frankly, if it fails from a manufacturer's defect, at least we can sue the company and have a leg to stand on.

 

[bigredbill]

After working a large train wreck a few years ago, my husband found out that all goods being shipped that are involved in a wreck are considered a total loss by the railroad company and insurance pays for them. It nearly broke my husband's heart to see the hundreds of boxes of Makita products being thrown into a truck.

The insurance adjuster then informed my husband that those goods are sold by the insurance companies to "grey market" companies, who then sell them without manufacturer's warrantees for any price they choose. It was because of this experience that we chose not to buy any electronic or life support equipment from LP, and instead sucked it up and bought his Legend from the LDS. If we don't know where it came from, we're not trusting our lives to it. And frankly, if it fails from a manufacturer's defect, at least we can sue the company and have a leg to stand on.

You have exactly the same leg to stand on regardless of the source of the equipment. A warranty covers only the usability of the product and does not generally cover the suitability of the product - i.e., if your fully warrantied Scubapro reg breaks on your trip to Fiji due to manufacture defect, Scubapro owes you for the regulator, not the trip. They might be liable for the cost of the trip, but you would have to convince a court in the proper jurisdiction that they were mainly culpable, no other reasonable alternatives existed, etc etc, in other words, you are screwed. Conversely, if they have manufactured a defective product and have chosen to use a "gray market" scheme to distribute the product without warranty, they are still liable for the damage their product caused to your body if you can convince a court, but the lack of warranty means they will claim they do not need to replace your defective equipment.

 

[Hoosier]

I am confused. So, you charged $90 only for the part (1st & 2nd stages) of annual kit? It is a lot compared to SP ($75=1st/2nd/octo).

In addition, in what brands are you an authorized dealer for the regulator service?
Best,

Under the AL warranty system will provide parts for life on any regulator as long as the regulator is serviced by an AL dealer once a year. We recently serivced an AL reg that was not under the warranty program and parts alone were close to $90 plus the service charge. And this reg was just a few years old.

Keep in mind i am a happy PDC owner with an Online store as well. We sell lots of things that the average PDC wont stock on line http://www.techdivinglimited.com but when it comes to certain products that require hands on help for set up / instruction. service and warranties you need to work with your PDC.
Regards,

 

[JS1scuba]

I am confused. So, you charged $90 only for the part (1st & 2nd stages) of annual kit? It is a lot compared to SP ($75=1st/2nd/octo).

In addition, in what brands are you an authorized dealer for the regulator service?
Best,

No thats not what i said -- what is said was we recently service a non-warrantied AL unit and the parts alone were $90.00. There were parts far and above the standard service kits that needed to be replaced, but had the unit been under warranty it would have qualified for free parts.

FWIW the rebuild kits for most AL products is only about $35.00 depending on the model. which is about 1/2 that of the scuba pro. Keep in mind that each manufacuter has a different view of what is required to be replaced in thier regulators. Some require just orings, others seats and seals, others popets .. etc ... so one kit may be 2x the price of another -- this is not uncommon.

Regards,