Aqualung and gray markets...FYI

[bfw]

bfw ...

For the record, I do not know who you intended to quote here, but the quote you responded to was not posted by me.

Pasted without clearing the clipboard. It's been corrected.

 

[Splitlip]

All I need to know about a backplate is the dimensions, thickness, material, and whether the edges are radiused. As for the wing, all the relevant information is, again, online. Fit? I take care of that when I thread the harness. What else could I need to find out?


OR you could simply have ordered an APPROPRIATELY SIZED backplate and wing, and threaded it to fit her.

It's not about feelings, it's about function.

If you read my post completely, I said my daughter did not like the back plate and wing I set up for her.
Or perhaps you did.

In that case, once again you misjudge me. You think I slapped a BPW on my daughter without adjusting it properly? I used a 1 piece harness adjusted for her and an appropriately sized plate.

Not every body uses a BPW. Not every body will buy a BPW without having used one, So how better to purchase one of the dozens of "conventional" BPW's then to use one.

You are correct, it is about function. The best way to determine function for the individual is to use the BCD.

FTR, the first BPW I ever used was loaned to me by another LDS. (bastards)

 

[shellbackdiver1]

BFW,

Originally Posted by Splitlip
Secondly I can match or beat any internet price found on almost every product.

splitlip did not say that....I did. Slow down and on your posting and breath. Obviously this thread has you going in 20 different directions.

 

[redrover]

As for Aqua Lung benefit of warranty via authorized dealers…I thought I’d throw this little tidbit out into the feeding frenzy. Personally, I’m feeling it is of questionable benefit.

My SeaQuest BC had some form of weakness in the corrugated inflator hose. At just under the warranty period, once inflated in the water, I guess with pressure, it became a 5cm split in the hose crevice.
So I got back out of the water took it home, rinsed and dried then 3 days later into the authorized dealer I purchased it from for warranty covered repair. Or so I blithely thought.

The shop seemed concerned about the repair cost to me. I said it’s under warranty. This required my proving it, ok I said. Why they couldn’t just look it up…whatever. In the meantime fix it so I can dive and I’ll bring in my receipt. Ok, they said, before we do the repair we’ll call you with an estimate. It’s under warranty I said (for the 4th time now.) There was some head shaking and; I don’t think so. Very weird I thought. (Ok you just think I’m wrong about when I boutht it.) Just get it fixed ASAP and I’ll bring in the receipt. The call before fix with estimate was again repeated.

Getting nowhere then, I went home and got my receipt, looked in the manual as well as online and as best as I could tell, yes, this was a warranty covered issue. Brought the stuff into the shop asking; was it fixed yet? No, we don’t do repairs without confirmation you will accept the cost. We didn’t know if you wanted it fixed. (Gee I left it here because….what?)
Some unhappy examination of my receipt. What’s the problem? Oh nothing; and returned to unhappy examination. Several more repetitions of the previous it’s under warranty discussion later, with still no reply for why on earth they think it’s not, I gave up. How much could replacing the hose cost? Just fix the damn thing and I’ll sort it out later. This is a good company, shouldn’t be much of a problem, right?
I wrote something about covered under warranty on the work order. More head shaking, a lot of very troubled looks amongst those discussing in low voices out of my hearing.

Finally I’m called; did I decide if I want them to fix it? (My brain screams; WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!!!! Take a deep breath….)Yes please I answer. You know it is not covered under warranty and will cost…$? It is covered. No it’s not. Why not? I don’t know, I just don’t think so. Why? I just don’t think so. (This is just the weirdest damn thing is all I can think.) I managed to not yell; just fix it, and squeaked out please.

Rooted around a bit and found the nearest rep, explained the situation. Oh, he said, I don’t think that’s covered.
Why?
I don’t know, you’ll have to ask the company.
Hello? What on earth is being a rep mean to you?
This hasn’t come up before.
Then how come you think it’s not covered?
I’ve just heard about it.
Then it has come up.
Not for me.
Would you like to know more about the company you represent and find out?
That would be a good idea.
So you’re going to find out and call me back?
Oh. Well…....(long pause)
It seems quite reasonable to me. Can you please explain what I’m not getting about this?
I don’t know. You’ll have to contact the company.
How do I do that, who do I speak to?
I don’t know.
Any suggestions?
No.
I gave up.

My calling the company got just as no where. I spoke to a couple of people on the phone and got nearly identical answers – I think there was a prepared script for just this situation. The last person thought because I was not using the same brand inflator it voided the warranty for the BC, but they only heard that and didn’t know for sure. (I can show you the tag on it saying X$ without inflator. First I heard that when purchasing without that inflator I may be hosed when some other part fails…..)

So, the last word was I had to write for an answer. No one able to be connected to or reached by phone would be able to tell me if my repair was covered, and no one was willing to say more than they thought it was not, or anything about not buying their inflator.

I wrote by USPS Certified and got a received card back but no reply. Also e-mailed a detailed account from purchase, that did get a response. Basically saying; if you have questions regarding your product please provide a detailed explination of the problem or contact your local authorized dealer. The nearest is: who I bought it from or representative: the idiot who had no clue.

Now several weeks later, finally the BC seemed to have been repaired, but there was some problem with payment (I had not heard anything from the company yet.) The shop fellow left the BC in my hand next to an open garage size door and went to see if he could solve it. Such was my frustration by now, I seriously considered just walking out to my car parked next to the door, BC in hand. But, feeling sorry for the fellow (I’d not seen there before) and I was a loyal customer – nearly all my gear had been purchased there - I waited. Reassuring myself, somehow I had just fallen thru numerous cracks in the customer service plan and all would be resolved shortly. Finally he came back, had no answer for the paperwork problem, unable to reach anyone to ask, and was alone in the shop; what did I want to do?

I gave up, I wanted to dive, paid for the repair and figured the company was eventually going to set the situation straight. Ha! No, never heard a thing back again from them.

 

[ScubaSarus]

My first regulator purchase (Plainville, CT shop) went sour. On my first dive in the pool there was a good leak in the LP side. Turns out the O-ring was completely blown on a new regulator. So much for "have your qualified techie assemble and test it for you to make sure its safe". Also found out he Dacor Sportster wasn't a late model but an obsolete model and I had to repurchase another reg to get it serviced. Oh they could send it someplace to get fixed for extra MONEY.

Not to mention our members would buy custom suits that were too big or baggy and when we called the Mfg to see if the shop actually put in a custom order (and not just charged us custom prices giving us non-custom suits) they would not answer us either.

Since then I have a new shop thats quite good and will do good warrantee work and will customize the suit themselves if it doesn't fit.

The moral is "its all shop dependent on if your gear is assembled and purchased safely". Its not automatic. Does Aqualung have provisions for a complaint on a shop for not distributing its gear safely if its so adamant about buying from a approved retailer.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

As for Aqua Lung benefit of warranty via authorized dealers…I thought I’d throw this little tidbit out into the feeding frenzy. Personally, I’m feeling it is of questionable benefit.

My SeaQuest BC had some form of weakness in the corrugated inflator hose. At just under the warranty period, once inflated in the water, I guess with pressure, it became a 5cm split in the hose crevice.
So I got back out of the water took it home, rinsed and dried then 3 days later into the authorized dealer I purchased it from for warranty covered repair. Or so I blithely thought.

The shop seemed concerned about the repair cost to me. I said it’s under warranty. This required my proving it, ok I said. Why they couldn’t just look it up…whatever. In the meantime fix it so I can dive and I’ll bring in my receipt. Ok, they said, before we do the repair we’ll call you with an estimate. It’s under warranty I said (for the 4th time now.) There was some head shaking and; I don’t think so. Very weird I thought. (Ok you just think I’m wrong about when I boutht it.) Just get it fixed ASAP and I’ll bring in the receipt. The call before fix with estimate was again repeated.

Getting nowhere then, I went home and got my receipt, looked in the manual as well as online and as best as I could tell, yes, this was a warranty covered issue. Brought the stuff into the shop asking; was it fixed yet? No, we don’t do repairs without confirmation you will accept the cost. We didn’t know if you wanted it fixed. (Gee I left it here because….what?)
Some unhappy examination of my receipt. What’s the problem? Oh nothing; and returned to unhappy examination. Several more repetitions of the previous it’s under warranty discussion later, with still no reply for why on earth they think it’s not, I gave up. How much could replacing the hose cost? Just fix the damn thing and I’ll sort it out later. This is a good company, shouldn’t be much of a problem, right?
I wrote something about covered under warranty on the work order. More head shaking, a lot of very troubled looks amongst those discussing in low voices out of my hearing.

Finally I’m called; did I decide if I want them to fix it? (My brain screams; WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!!!! Take a deep breath….)Yes please I answer. You know it is not covered under warranty and will cost…$? It is covered. No it’s not. Why not? I don’t know, I just don’t think so. Why? I just don’t think so. (This is just the weirdest damn thing is all I can think.) I managed to not yell; just fix it, and squeaked out please.

Rooted around a bit and found the nearest rep, explained the situation. Oh, he said, I don’t think that’s covered.
Why?
I don’t know, you’ll have to ask the company.
Hello? What on earth is being a rep mean to you?
This hasn’t come up before.
Then how come you think it’s not covered?
I’ve just heard about it.
Then it has come up.
Not for me.
Would you like to know more about the company you represent and find out?
That would be a good idea.
So you’re going to find out and call me back?
Oh. Well…....(long pause)
It seems quite reasonable to me. Can you please explain what I’m not getting about this?
I don’t know. You’ll have to contact the company.
How do I do that, who do I speak to?
I don’t know.
Any suggestions?
No.
I gave up.

My calling the company got just as no where. I spoke to a couple of people on the phone and got nearly identical answers – I think there was a prepared script for just this situation. The last person thought because I was not using the same brand inflator it voided the warranty for the BC, but they only heard that and didn’t know for sure. (I can show you the tag on it saying X$ without inflator. First I heard that when purchasing without that inflator I may be hosed when some other part fails…..)

So, the last word was I had to write for an answer. No one able to be connected to or reached by phone would be able to tell me if my repair was covered, and no one was willing to say more than they thought it was not, or anything about not buying their inflator.

I wrote by USPS Certified and got a received card back but no reply. Also e-mailed a detailed account from purchase, that did get a response. Basically saying; if you have questions regarding your product please provide a detailed explination of the problem or contact your local authorized dealer. The nearest is: who I bought it from or representative: the idiot who had no clue.

Now several weeks later, finally the BC seemed to have been repaired, but there was some problem with payment (I had not heard anything from the company yet.) The shop fellow left the BC in my hand next to an open garage size door and went to see if he could solve it. Such was my frustration by now, I seriously considered just walking out to my car parked next to the door, BC in hand. But, feeling sorry for the fellow (I’d not seen there before) and I was a loyal customer – nearly all my gear had been purchased there - I waited. Reassuring myself, somehow I had just fallen thru numerous cracks in the customer service plan and all would be resolved shortly. Finally he came back, had no answer for the paperwork problem, unable to reach anyone to ask, and was alone in the shop; what did I want to do?

I gave up, I wanted to dive, paid for the repair and figured the company was eventually going to set the situation straight. Ha! No, never heard a thing back again from them.

Classic!

Compare that to my experience with TUSA ... the company that made the first BCD I ever purchased. After about a year and a half of use I broke the little plastic backplate piece that holds the tank to the back of the BCD. I took it back to my local TUSA dealer (who was not the person I'd purchased it from, incidentally). He sent it back to TUSA.

A few weeks later I got a package in the mail from TUSA ... when I opened the box, inside was a brand new BCD with a note explaining that the item I had sent them was unrepairable, and therefore they were replacing it ... "Thank you for your business".

They don't make high-end gear ... but they sure seem to know how to deal with customers ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Not to mention our members would buy custom suits that were too big or baggy and when we called the Mfg to see if the shop actually put in a custom order (and not just charged us custom prices giving us non-custom suits) they would not answer us either.

Betchya I could name that company ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Noboundaries]

Wow, sorry to hear about the warranty nightmares. I've had my share of those in the past with non-scuba related purchases.

I only purchase items online where I have no interest in pursuing warranty issues. When the warranty is important to me, we purchase from an authorized dealer that obviously does a volume business. My experience is that the smaller the dealer, the bigger the problems you'll have with warranty issues.

We've had some warranty issues with Oceanic gear we bought from an authorized dealer. Quite frankly I expected the classic "runaround, burden of proof" response to the issues. Instead, both the volume dealer and Oceanic have gone above and beyond my expectations to ensure our continued satisfaction with their service and product. With one newly certified daughter, another one on the path to certification, and both with boyfriends who now want to get certified, guess what product line I'm going to recommend they purchase and from whom.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Wow, sorry to hear about the warranty nightmares. I've had my share of those in the past with non-scuba related purchases.

I only purchase items online where I have no interest in pursuing warranty issues. When the warranty is important to me, we purchase from an authorized dealer that obviously does a volume business. We've had some warranty issues with Oceanic gear we bought from an authorized dealer. Quite frankly I expected the classic "runaround, burden of proof" response to the issues. Instead, both the volume dealer and Oceanic have gone above and beyond my expectations to ensure our continued satisfaction with their service and product. With one newly certified daughter, another one on the path to certification, and both with boyfriends who now want to get certified, guess what product line I'm going to recommend they purchase and from whom.

I've had experiences with both Oceanic and Suunto with respect to malfunctioning dive computers. In my case, Oceanic stood behind their product and sent me a replacement computer. Suunto told me the computer was unrepairable and offered to give me a 10% discount on the purchase of a new one.

Guess which company gets my future business ... and my recommendations to my students?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Splitlip]

I have had the same positive experience with Aeris (sister company to Oceanic). I purchased a Savant locally. It was greatly discounted because it was out of production.
It crapped out. Took it back too the shop from which I purchased it. They contacted the Aeris rep. There was not another Savant to be had, so they handed me an Atmos 2. (sons of bitches)