buy or rent tanks?

[stratboy]

I am currently using two borrowed tanks. The cost of nitrox fills, added with the yearly inspection cost makes me wonder if it would be easier to just rent tanks instead of buying my own.

I think the rental fee is just about what a fill costs...and as long as the shop is reputable, the tanks should be current on required inspections.

Pros? Cons?

All advice and ridicule is very much appreciated.

 

[diver_paula]

Pro/Con - $$ ?? You'd really need to do the math. & that will all depend on how much diving you plan on doing. And you should check with your LDS (local dive shop) to find out if the fill is an additional charge to rental.

Con to rental - Dive shops can get busy and don't always have the tank(s) you want available.

Pro to buying - Easier to go diving if your tank is in your garage and you don't need to make a special trip to the shop to pick one up.

Con - If your shop rents different size tanks you may often have to readjust your weighting &/or BC tank strap.

Paula

 

[s7595]

I belive own tank best way . I will purchase a 120 cubic steel tank later this year, most lds do not rent them .that tank will give a little extra bottom time while still giveing plenty of reserve gas. if the cost turns out to be higher than renting .I still think it is worth it to me personaly

 

[Sideband]

I was just at my LDS asking about rental prices on tanks. For me it would be $8 a day rental for a full tank, refills are $4. With AL80's going for about $150, if I were to rent more than about 40 tanks a year it would pay to buy. If I wanted a steel tank I would have to be renting more than 80 times a year. That is a lot of rentals. I just convinced myself that I really don't need to buy a tank.

Joe

 

[Curt Bowen]

Buy

I own about 24 cylinders and am always using them. If I had to rent a cylinder everytime I went diving I would have to sell my house.

 

[scubaranger]

I'm also in the same boat but soon i will buy my own tanks. Especially after this weekend I had to rush to my LDS to return the tanks before geting charge for another day. They had closed but one of the assistance was filling tanks but told me rush on buy before he left. Their cool with me but i just don't want to push it. that's my $.02 worth.

 

[Quarrior]

I am currently using two borrowed tanks. The cost of nitrox fills, added with the yearly inspection cost makes me wonder if it would be easier to just rent tanks instead of buying my own.

I think the rental fee is just about what a fill costs...and as long as the shop is reputable, the tanks should be current on required inspections.

Pros? Cons?

All advice and ridicule is very much appreciated.

My $.02 worth. Buy them. Then all you pay for is refills and maintenance. From what I've seen, steel tanks don't seem to go down in price much btw, just in case you get to a point you want to resell them.

 

[Gary D.]

I own 13 plus 2 issue tanks. That gives me 15 on hand so I'm not off filling all the time. More pro's to owning unless your only going to dive a couple of times a year.

Gary D.

 

[scubaranger]

Here's an idea how about used from the LDS isn't it cheaper as long it passed all it's test. It's still good so you won't have the prettiest tank on the dive boat but hey you save a couple bucks.

 

[sgtmnstr]

I bought two AL100's love em, dive alot, more air , LDS often runs out on weekends, plus they are MINE.