Costs $220 to change batteries for Uwatec Air Z?

[Web Monkey]

And somtimes TIME and convenience is more valuable than free service/parts.
For exmaple, suppose you check out your dive gear a week
or two prior to your highly anticipated livaboard trip and notice
a low/dead battery on your dive computer.

In that case my LDS would give me a free loaner SmartCom to use while mine is back at the factory.

Terry

 

[ApexLongimanus]

What happened? Did you buy it used?

Terry

..No, was one of these weak "not authorized dealer" purchases when money was a bigger isue than it is now... :11doh:

 

[Web Monkey]

So if some manufacturers can make it easy for users or their
LDS to replace batteries, when some manfacturers don't, it
kind makes me go hmmmm.....................

--- bill

This is back to the "simple explanation" vs. "conspiracy theory" decision.

The battery is factory-only because the case is sealed and the inside is packed in gel. This makes it pretty much leak-proof at the cost of making it factory-service-only.

However that's what makes horse races. I consider all these things to be features, while others consider them to be disadvantages.

Terry

 

[Web Monkey]

..No, was one of these weak "not authorized dealer" purchases when money was a bigger isue than it is now... :11doh:

That's too bad. Have you tried giving SP a call anyway?

Terry

 

[mrjimboalaska]

Wow,
After reading this thread I am happy I did not buy a UWATEC........

 

[redacted]

..No, was one of these weak "not authorized dealer" purchases when money was a bigger isue than it is now... :11doh:

It wouldn't hurt to check and see what the original grey market dealer can do for you. Somewhere in the chain that they aquired the product thru is an authorized dealer or distributor who should be able to handle the free battery replacement. After all. it's not like scubapro/uwatec didn't get their money when they sold the product.

 

[Geoff_H]

The battery is factory-only because the case is sealed and the inside is packed in gel. This makes it pretty much leak-proof at the cost of making it factory-service-only.

However that's what makes horse races. I consider all these things to be features, while others consider them to be disadvantages.

Terry

Gell filling can be considered a feature, sure. But ripping off owners of 2nd hand computers and charging them > 100 USD to change a battery is not a feature.

Gell filling does not justify the cost they are charging!

 

[ApexLongimanus]

That's too bad. Have you tried giving SP a call anyway?

Terry

Yaeh... I am still good with the battery so right now it's not an issue for me. When it comes to the point that the battery has to be replaced, I will certainly give them a call and hope for the best.

 

[ApexLongimanus]

It wouldn't hurt to check and see what the original grey market dealer can do for you. Somewhere in the chain that they aquired the product thru is an authorized dealer or distributor who should be able to handle the free battery replacement. After all. it's not like scubapro/uwatec didn't get their money when they sold the product.

Thanks. I will try this too when the the time comes.

 

[Web Monkey]

Gell filling can be considered a feature, sure. But ripping off owners of 2nd hand computers and charging them > 100 USD to change a battery is not a feature.

Gell filling does not justify the cost they are charging!

Sure it does. I bought one. So did a ton of other people.

As the original owner I get free batteries (which really means free service) pretty much forever. You really can't beat a reliable computer that the factory will take care of for free forever.

I bought it for me to use, and honestly couldn't care less what happens to it when I'm done with it, since I plan on keeping it until I have to give up diving (when I'm old and crusty or dead). Even if I switch to trimix at somepoint, I'd still keep it for a backup and for rec diving.

Also, given Uwatec's history, if there comes a time when they no longer make batteries for it, they'll replace it with something shiny and new for free or really cheap.

However buying it used is a different story. If you buy it used, you're pretty much throwing your money away. But all that means is that buyers should do their homework and not buy one used uness it's dirt cheap, and has nothing to do with whether it's a good computer for the original purchaser.

Terry