Buying used equipment in Cozumel

[ZapDiver]

Just a few questions, i'm not sure if this goes here or under the gear section, but since I'm asking about Cozumel, I Placed it here. If you think this thread does not belong here, please tell me so I can ask an administrator to move it to somewhere else...

I'm going to Cozumel soon and some people told me to look out for used equipment for sale in there, that I could find equipment that is in good conditions at a really good price, because many divers go to Cozumel, do their dives and sale the equipment so they don't have to carry it back. So my questions are:

1.- How true is this? I mean, I'm somehow new to scuba diving, but if I have some equipment that I like and is in good shape I wouldn't sell it just to save me the effort of carrying it back, and I certainly wouldn't sell it cheap.

2.- In case it's true, How do I know if the equipment is in good conditions? (It's still hard to me to beleive that someone would sell good equipment at cheap prices) I already bought an used BC from my LDS, but I did it because I know and trust them.

3.- Do all the operators in Coz sell used equipment, or only some of them? or is there a secret, known only to experienced divers, secret handshake needed to acces, place where I can buy this equipment?

4.- Can you tell me the secret Handshake ?

Thank you

Erick

 

[TechBlue]

I think somebody is pulling your leg, everything is imported to Cozumel so I can't see you getting much of a good deal, just look at the DM's gear over there.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

I don't think you find any used gear there. Any of the good quality stuff at good prices is picked up by the local DM's.

The Seac Sub (equipment distributor) shop in Playa del Carmen has a bin with some used gear in it that Stathis (the owner) has taken in on trade for new gear. But there are no deals - sorry Stathis.

Dennis

 

[5615mike]

I would strongly discourage you from buying ANY used equipmment down there even if you could find it. It's bad enough buying used equipment if you know where it came from but down there no telling what the story is... Your much better off buying new off line if your really wanting to save some real dollars.....IMO

 

[BrettM]

There is a small shop named Cozumel Scuba Repair that generally has some very good deals on used equipment. The owner of the shop services equipment for many of the local dive operators and is very reputable. He may not always have a large selection of equipment but he goes over all the equipment to be sure it is in top working condition. You may even be able to arrange with him to actually dive with the equipment to try before you buy. Some of the equipment is cosmetically used but he replaces and tunes all the functional parts as needed so if you don't mind a few scuffs you can get a great deal.

http://www.islacozumel.net/services/repairs/

 

[ggunn]

I'm going to Cozumel soon and some people told me to look out for used equipment for sale in there, that I could find equipment that is in good conditions at a really good price, because many divers go to Cozumel, do their dives and sale the equipment so they don't have to carry it back.

Whoever told you that was, IMO, either speculating in the absence of data or intentionally misleading you. Either that, or I don't know the "secret handshake", either. ;^)

But think about it; would you depend for your survival on gear that you cared so little about that you would sell it cheap just not to have to lug it home? I sure wouldn't.

Any gear for sale in a resort area, be it new or used, will bring top dollar to the seller. Buy it somewhere else.

 

[barb]

I actually did the opposite of what you're asking.
I brought my Zeagle Ranger BC with me to Cozumel and sold it within 10 minutes of arriving. I could have sold it here if I had advertized more but it was less effort for me to bring it and the guy that bought it was thrilled - he got a good BC and saved a bundle. It fit him better than it ever fit me!

Hmmm, I wonder what else I have .... I see another trip to Cozumel is coming!!!

 

[ZapDiver]

I actually did the opposite of what you're asking.
I brought my Zeagle Ranger BC with me to Cozumel and sold it within 10 minutes of arriving.

Hey barb, where did you sold it? or where did you advertized your equipment?

 

[barb]

I advertised here on S.B. for a few days before leaving on my trip south. There was one person interested but I was'nt able to work it out with them on time so I took the BC with me.
When I arrived in my hotel in Mexico I went to the Dive Op and told them I had a BC to sell. One of the instructors there bought it.
He won and I won - isn't that great!

 

[Ron Brandt]

I was in a store when a local walked in and asked about used gear(apeared to be of the retired type).

The answer was "that there is an underground and word of mouth market for used gear".

A friend of mine who has a store up here used to take some older gear there with him and when his trip was nearly over he would unload it to whatever store would buy it from him.


Ron