Buying Online

[Teller]

I can get a reg online for about $500 or in a dive shop for about $700. Online means no warranty and I have to pay the extra 30 dollars every year for the service kit instead of ScubaPro providing it. What else does the warranty cover beside service kits? It just doesn’t seem worth it to spend an extra 200 dollars for free service kits for life.

 

[pjones]

The dive shop will probably try to match the internet price (or come close to it if not exactly) if you ask them. Keep in mind that if you ever need to return the product you will probably be paying the shipping on that too whereas at a shop you can let them deal with the phone conversations, packing and shipping. I make every effort to support the local dive shop first and I give them a chance to make a reasonable offer to what I find online keeping in mind that I am going to pay more for the privilege of being able to inspect the product before purchase and sometimes even take it for a test dive to ensure it actually offers the performance that I am looking for. You often will be able to walk away with the product the same day... Those conveniences are worth more to some people than they are to others. You'll need to decide how much its worth to you.

Hope that helps

 

[Bubbletrubble]

I can get a reg online for about $500 or in a dive shop for about $700. Online means no warranty and I have to pay the extra 30 dollars every year for the service kit instead of ScubaPro providing it. What else does the warranty cover beside service kits? It just doesn’t seem worth it to spend an extra 200 dollars for free service kits for life.

That $30 service kit you're talking about probably only contains overhaul parts for the first stage. Bear in mind that you'll have to overhaul two second stages as well. What's the cost of a Scubapro second stage kit nowadays?

Admittedly, you shouldn't have to overhaul your reg setup every year as the manufacturer specifies...provided that you maintain and store it properly.

Regardless of where you purchase your reg setup, I highly recommend you learn how it works, how to care for it, and how to do some simple troubleshooting for common reg issues. A local shop that sells you the reg and services the reg for you might be willing to teach you how to do these things. Moreover, the reg tech will often be willing to do visual/functional inspections and minor tuning tweaks at no charge. This can save you some time and money in certain situations. If the local shop tries to nickel-and-dime you for these services, then the savings of an online purchase probably represent a better value. For regs purchased online, you would service the regs when they require it (every 2-4 years?) but would have to pay for the overhaul kits out-of-pocket. One option, if you go this route, is to learn how to service them yourself. In the long run, it would probably be "cheapest" for you to purchase the reg setup online and do DIY service, assuming that you can source the overhaul kits at a reasonable price and you have the time/patience to do the work. Consider, however, that your time is worth something.

I don't know where you reside in Texas. If you live anywhere close to awap and you have any interest at all in DIY Scubapro servicing, I'd try to contact him.

 

[scubamarketing]

Another thing to factor in is that several of us online stores DO offer a warranty, it just might not be the manufacturers warranty. But like the others said, go see if your LDS will work with you on price and if they give you the level of service you'd like before you factor everything and make your decision.

 

[halocline]

Where in TX are you?

 

[Teller]

Where in TX are you?

FT Hood

 

[Aqua-Andy]

The SP kits are closer to $35 per kit and you will need two kits. Keep in mind that the kits at the most contain about $5 worth of parts, The filter and seats being the only non standard parts in the kit. The way I see it is the reason SP charges so much fir the kits is so they can punish you for not having your reg serviced every year and keeping the warranty valid. ya you could go two years but that would cost more than having them done every year. The big problem I have with SP and other manufacturers is that you have to jump through hoops and buy gray market parts or know a special handshake just so you can buy there parts that are priced to a point that would be censored price gouging.

BTW would you like to buy some SP regs

 

[redacted]

The SP kits are closer to $35 per kit and you will need two kits. Keep in mind that the kits at the most contain about $5 worth of parts, The filter and seats being the only non standard parts in the kit. The way I see it is the reason SP charges so much fir the kits is so they can punish you for not having your reg serviced every year and keeping the warranty valid. ya you could go two years but that would cost more than having them done every year. The big problem I have with SP and other manufacturers is that you have to jump through hoops and buy gray market parts or know a special handshake just so you can buy there parts that are priced to a point that would be censored price gouging.

BTW would you like to buy some SP regs

At $35 per kit I hope they used plenty of christolube (ouch). The last time I bought kits (almost 2 years ago), I paid $18 for the G250V kit and $21 for the Mk25 kit. That was 100% markup over dealer cost.

The only part that is not "standard" in those 2 kits is the Mk25 seat. The filter and LP seat are common to a number of other brands and compatible parts are sold by Trident. In fact, if you don't mind reverting to a somewhat less efficient flat filter, McMaster-Carr carries a sintered filter that will work.

 

[SCUBANON]

Maybe you should consider brands that don't automatically void your warranty for purchasing their gear online. There are many fine regulators that are not subject to this absurd restriction. If you and others all band together and ignore companies that act in this uncompetative way to artifically maintain higher prices on their gear then these policies will change and the prices of our gear will more closely reflect the true price to produce and market.

If you purchase most brands from a authorized online dealer you can maintain your warranty with any other authorized dealer. All you need is to keep your proof of purchase and warranty service.(usually receipts) Show these proofs to another authorized dealer/service agent and they are bound by the dealers agreement they signed with the manufacturer to perform the warranty work.

If you get a dealer that refuses warranty work on a brand they are authorized for. Get on the phone with the manufacturers customer service rep and have them require the dealer to live up to the agreement or pull the authorization from that dealer.

 

[Teller]

Besides HOG and Zeagle who else offers the service kits to the public?