Brand not carried at LDS

[yknot]

Anyway, When purchasing my gear I ended up buying no brands that my LDS sells. However I spoke with them to ensure they can and would service my gear. Any reasonable shop should work on any gear they are trained to work on, regardless of where you bought it. If not, then maybe they aren't the LDS for you.

Just out of curiousity, but if your LDS doesn't sell Zeagle, where are the parts coming from for a servicing? AFAIK, an authorized Zeagle dealer would have to request reimbursement or a replacement for a parts kit when doing warranty service. I suspect that a proprietary kit from the factory would be expensive when purchased outright. Incidently, most manufacturers don't consider anyone to be "trained" to work their brand unless they also sell it and have been certified by the factory to do so, meaning that even if your LDS has vast experience in service work, per the manufacturer they are no more qualified to repair it than you are.

 

[WQFTruckster]

As for the LDS versus online for service. For a BC it isn't that big of a deal buying online. There isn't much service for a BC. My nearest Zeagle dealer is about 2 hours away but I bought the Brigade from scubatoys and love it. If I ever have a problem I don't have to send it back to Larry at scubatoys. When I buy my regs I am probably buying Apex and I will have to go about 1 1/2 hours away to get them. I still have a dealer somewhat close to service what I buy so I am not sending it clear acroos the country and paying X dollars for shipping every time. This would be especially true with res since they need to be serviced regularly.

This is probably exactly what I am going to do. I am also interested in Apeks regs (not offered by LDS, but there is a shop about 2 hrs away that does). I am leaning toward this direction and using my LDS for things like wetsuit and computer. I believe it was actually your positive review of the Brigade and Scubatoys that first got me interested in that BC. :yelclap: I've heard nothing but good things about scubatoys.

 

[yknot]

This is probably exactly what I am going to do. I am also interested in Apeks regs (not offered by LDS, but there is a shop about 2 hrs away that does). I am leaning toward this direction and using my LDS for things like wetsuit and computer. I believe it was actually your positive review of the Brigade and Scubatoys that first got me interested in that BC. :yelclap: I've heard nothing but good things about scubatoys.

Bear in mind that anything Apeks that you want, with a warranty, will have to come from an Aqualung dealer, which Scubatoys is not. The Zeagle regs are virtually indistinguishable (IMO) from Apeks and offer a model by model comparison and Scubatoys can help you there. Your choice of computer will be limited to what your LDS sells if you buy locally. Of the three most prevelant brands: Uwatec's are distributed exclusively by ScubaPro dealers, Suunto's exclusively by Aqualung dealers, neither are available with a warranty for mail order, and last are Pelagic's, which would be Aeris, Oceanic and Sherwood, some of which are available online with warranties.

 

[WQFTruckster]

Bear in mind that anything Apeks that you want, with a warranty, will have to come from an Aqualung dealer, which Scubatoys is not. The Zeagle regs are virtually indistinguishable (IMO) from Apeks and offer a model by model comparison and Scubatoys can help you there. Your choice of computer will be limited to what your LDS sells if you buy locally. Of the three most prevelant brands: Uwatec's are distributed exclusively by ScubaPro dealers, Suunto's exclusively by Aqualung dealers, neither are available with a warranty for mail order, and last are Pelagic's, which would be Aeris, Oceanic and Sherwood, some of which are available online with warranties.

No, I meant I would like to get the Apeks from another dive shop about 2 hrs away. They are an authorized dealer so I would have somewhere to bring it to be serviced. Then get the BC from scubatoys and save the wetsuit, computer and other odds and ends for my LDS. Not sure what computer brands they stock. I know they primarily deal in Tusa, Mares, Oceanic, Genesis and a few other small names.