Aqualung Legend Reg

[Dazzler]

Has anyone else ever experienced (a lack of) service like this?
I finished a rather shallow one hour dive and when I removed my reg, noticed that the beautiful gold retaining ring and the coverplate were no longer on my reg, they had fallen off during the dive. This set was three yeas old, but serviced annually by authorised dive shops. In fact they had been serviced six weeks earlier by my LDS. When I went back there to let them know, I was told that the only way the retainer could unscrew like that is that either I had been playing with the reg or he had not properly screwed the retainer ring on during service. He went on to say that he knew that he didn't make that sort of mistake, it must have been me. My protestations fell on deaf ears, he wouldn't consider that he may have stuffed up. Aqualung said it was not their problem, (although they're the ones who authorise him to service their gear).

So my solution is to put on a Titan coverplate. Now everytime I look at my reg, which is a couple of times a week, I am not filled with pride and admiration for the great reg that it is, I am bitter about how I have been treated. I don't think I will be telling anyone how great the Aqualung Legend is at all.
Darryn

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Why not? Don't you go over your gear before every dive? Check hoses, connections, make sure covers are tight, anything that can come loose will if you don't check it regularly. I've always been taught that my gear is my gear. Before I got authorized to service it evry time it got serviced I went over everything I could. Made sure everything was snug or tight, that hose protectors had been pulled back and that there was no corrosion, that covers on my seconds were tight and installed properly. This is all just common sense. It's my life not the techs. Whenever I service a reg I make sure the customer at least test breathes it before it goes out, checks everything over and is satisfied. To just trust that things will stay where they should because it was just serviced is asking to be let down. You've learned a valuable lesson. You are responsible for your gear. Not the tech, not the manufacturer. You could try to hold them liable but any good lawyer would just ask if you are trained as a diver and if the answer is yes then he'll ask why you don't go over YOUR LIFE SUPPORT GEAR?

 

[Dazzler]

Always have and always will check gear pre-dive (even more so now). I'm certain I would have noticed any obvious signs that the retaining ring was not tight. Sure, lesson learned, but as a newish diver I had an inherent, albeit misplaced, level of trust in the poeple who taught me, sold me much of my gear and encouraged and undertook the gear service.
BTW it is not a matter of holding someone liable legally (I live in Oz not USA), it is a matter of CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Daz

 

[tonka97]

Good customer service would consist of Aqualung and LDS cheerfully replacing missing part. They may have received a glowing recommendation from the O.P., instead of a significant thud on SB. Aqua Lung: First to Dive

 

[Teamcasa]

I will also chime in and say that this is not an Aqualung issue, It is a customer service issue. Jim was right in that checking your gear is your responsibility but so is having it serviced regularly. When servicing equipment, regardless of what kind it is, the general population has to rely on the competency of the technician. In this case, based solely on the facts given by the OP, it sounds like the technician failed to service the gear properly and now backs off when it comes to admitting the error.

After many years of being an automotive technician, I know that no one is perfect. The difference between a good tech and a bad one is how they handle their own mistakes.

 

[Nemrod]

Why cannot you get the correct cover plate?

Yeah, they should give you another for free, it should not fall off. You might want to check your gear carefully from time to time. BUT, the LDS should replace the cover, it is a small thing which you should remember next time you want to buy some gear--order on line--why not--you don't get good service from the LDS.

N

 

[scubapatton]

This is the local dive shop customer service issue if anything. Yes you should check prior to diving, but sometimes it is hard to see if it is not tight. I would not fault AL on this though. I cannot picture a scuba manufacturing shop replacing every bit of equipment - especially after three years. I have had to buy replacement parts for Oceanic, Sherwood and AquaLung. I may get annoyed at the dive shop for something like this, but to say AL needs to be replacing parts 3 years later seems a bit drastic.

Also, after 3 years, it is possible that ring style is not longer available. I do not remember how old the gold and silver rings are in design. Sucks that it happened, but it is not a brand new item on its first dive either....

quote from OP: "This set was three yeas old, but serviced annually by authorised dive shops."

 

[Ann Marie]

I don't know why you're blaming AquaLung. I can understand the frustration with your LDS and think that they could have at least offered you a discount on a new cover plate. You said that they had serviced the regulator 6 weeks prior--did you do any dives with it between servicing and the dive in which you lost the part?

 

[Dazzler]

Thanks for your feedback and some support guys.

Hey Jimlap, I look at it this way. I'm not a motor mechanic. When I get my car's brakes serviced, I trust that the mechanic did it properly and it is quite reasonable that I shouldn't need to check that the mechanic tightened the wheel nuts. Car brakes and wheels are also a matter of life and death. We all check our tyre pressures and tread, but some faults may not be obvious on visual inspection, especially if you're not a 'mechanic'. Sure I was lucky that only 'the hub cap came off' in my case and I most certainly have learned a lesson, but something is wrong here. AL insist that their gear is serviced by authorised technicians, therefore if one of theirs is behaving this way they share the need to know and I believe they too should have acted.

PS I was quoted AU$300+ just for the replacement gold ring part!!!!!!

 

[Dazzler]

I don't know why you're blaming AquaLung. I can understand the frustration with your LDS and think that they could have at least offered you a discount on a new cover plate. You said that they had serviced the regulator 6 weeks prior--did you do any dives with it between servicing and the dive in which you lost the part?

Hi Ann Marie, five dives between.