Buying used, a discriminating shopper's primer

[fjpatrum]

Good additions, Storker. Since I originally started this thread I bought a (used) dry suit and meant to update that section it but I keep forgetting.

DUI charges $366 for a zipper replacement on their suits, which is about 12% of new price for the base price of the TLS350, which I think is their mid-priced line. I mention them because they're the only suit I have experience with as far as dry suits.

Zippers should have all teeth and the rubber portion shouldn't be fraying. They should only have light corrosion at most and, like I said originally, they should glide smoothly and have full range of motion.

Seals, as indicated originally, should be supple and flexible. If you have skinny wrists, like me, and your tendons are visible in your wrist when you make a fist, consider silicone seals because latex ones will quite possibly leak.

 

[scubastingray]

Seals, as indicated originally, should be supple and flexible. If you have skinny wrists, like me, and your tendons are visible in your wrist when you make a fist, consider silicone seals because latex ones will quite possibly leak.

You can also just wear the seals higher up on your forearms too, where the tendons don't stick out as much.

 

[cocoajoe]

For me, I would never buy a used low end (cheap) reg because service adds to price. Higher end Atomic? Sure

 

[kwinter]

When it comes to regs, service and parts have to be considered. There are still some companies with free parts for life programs that make fine regs. If you're not going to service your regs yourself and you're going to have someone else do them on a regular basis, buying new with a FPPL deal can save a huge amount over the life of the reg.


Please pardon any typos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[freewillie]

I've bought a used dive computer online as open box demo. Claimed to have only few dives on the computer but since wasn't out of the box new I got a great deal on it.

Great thread so far but I wonder how long it takes to degenerate into and online v. LDS and which is cheaper or better or regulators are life support and your gonna die if you buy used tangent.

 

[Pavao]

Sometimes stuff isn't as advertised, but hopefully we have some protection, IE: credit cards/paypal. Even for any losses I have seen due to seller bending truths etc. I have still come out ahead on 90% of my purchases, and just write it off as an overall cost.

Asking from a sellers points of view...

I have recently sold my Predator and right now I have and active "cleaning of the closet" thread where I'm trying to sell a ton of stuff I no longer need, and this is the first time I'm doing this.
I priced everything using a couple of criterias, one of them is listing a price that I would pay myself if I were to buy that product, but of course, sometimes what I think is fair is not necessarily what a potential buyer is willing to pay, can't really avoid that.
So, if you see an item you need/want, assuming the condition is good and priced fairly, what would keep you from buying it?
Sometimes I wonder if even my avatar pic would be a deal breaker for some lol, specially after seen some threads lately about environmental protection and all.

Also, how do you mitigate the risks as a seller? As an example, the computers can be a tricky item, it's a piece of equipment that can fail at any time, it's in their nature. So, there is the possibility that a computer sold in perfectly working condition, could fail soon after it was purchased, but it was by no means a faulty computer at the time of sale, it's a though situation I think.

 

[Storker]

Great thread so far but I wonder how long it takes to degenerate into and online v. LDS and which is cheaper or better or regulators are life support and your gonna die if you buy used tangent.

MMV, of course, but WRT service I trust my LDS totally and have my regs serviced regularly per their recommendation, the same way I have my tanks hydro'ed and viz'ed regularly. If my LDS has serviced my reg, I trust it as if it were new out of the box. And when I last bought a reg set, I budgeted for a complete overhaul/service. I still don't regret that.


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[fjpatrum]

For me, I would never buy a used low end (cheap) reg because service adds to price. Higher end Atomic? Sure

Define "cheap, low end reg." All modern regs breath effectively the same and supply more than enough air to a diver at depth. You still have to service the atomic too and now you have a higher starting price to add to that service price.

---------- Post added March 5th, 2014 at 03:54 PM ----------

When it comes to regs, service and parts have to be considered. There are still some companies with free parts for life programs that make fine regs. If you're not going to service your regs yourself and you're going to have someone else do them on a regular basis, buying new with a FPPL deal can save a huge amount over the life of the reg.


Please pardon any typos. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Only if you actually service them per the manufacturer's plans. I service my regs every three years... I'll save more money over time than anyone buying a new Atomic, without question.


EDIT: Pavao, I've had good luck with "working pics" or video of items showing they work well, both as a buyer and a seller. Good communication is key. So far I've never had a deal "go bad" or any complaints. I had exactly one bad ebay deal about a year after they started and that was on a computer motherboard back when it was the in thing to build your own computers. Everything else, from tools to regs to BCs and all kinds of other non-diving stuff has been a good purchase with the understanding that I'd need to do work when appropriate (and price appropriate too) whether using craigslist, scubaboard, ebay or other sites.

 

[bakodiver391]

Just a couple of points to add. Corrosion is what kills 99% of regulators. Anything more than very light cosmetic defects would be a deal killer, also because there is a good chance the regulator cannot be disassembled if there is internal corrosion. A disturbing trend I've noticed in newer regulators is the exhaust tee on the second stage is molded in brittle plastic and often easily broken, or the attachment tangs on the body are easily broken. Evaluate any potential purchases and avoid second stages that look vulnerable to easy breakage.

 

[fjpatrum]

I haven't noticed an issue with corrosion after cleaning. I've certainly not dealt with any that can't be disassembled, but it is a good thing to consider and I think covered in the original post.

I do consider heavy corrosion to be a negative but not necessarily a deal breaker, depending upon price. I have yet to see anything so badly corroded it can't be cleaned and serviced but my experience is limited to looking at a dozen regs or so and only purchasing about 7 now.