diverio:
As far as the 'SP customer is the LDS', if we stop and think about it, it's the equipment owner that's getting the break on the 'free parts' not the LDS.
Actually, the dealer fills out a service slip and SP sends replacements for any annual service or warranty parts used to the dealer at no cost to the dealer. So the cost of the free parts program is in fact carred by Scubapro, not the dealer.
Dealers have some lattitude under the program (for example they can still provide free parts if it's been 13 months since the last service rather than 12, but it is in every dealer and customers interest not to abuse the program as it does cost SP pretty big bucks over the life of the regulator and if the program were abused and cost's got excessive, the potential would exist for SP to discontinue the program.
So in the real world there is some balance between good customer service by giving good customers a break if they are a little late on the service on one hand, and abusing the program rules (and SP) on the other.
But in my opinion, there is absolutely no excuse for a dealer to charge a $50.00 per stage surcharge on servicing a Scubapro regulator bought used by a customer. That has a very negative impact on Scubapro - which is well demonstrated in this thread where one of the responses was basically "you should dump the LDS and Scubapro", even though SP has nothing to do with this other than having a really poor dealer who needs stomped on. I would also bet this same dealer covers several other lines and probably has a similar surcharge on servicing used regs made by other companies for which he is also a dealer.
So, in my opinion this needs to be revised to "dump the LDS" and tell him why, which is usually most effective when accompanied with a copy of a receipt for a very large purchase from his nearest competitor. And/or send a letter or e-mail to Scubapro letting them know exactly what is occurring and why you have or will be buying equipment from someone other than this dealer.
Like any scuba company, one of SP's major concerns with dealer performance is most likely sales numbers, but another is no doubt customer satisfaction and what the dealer may be doing to the reputation of the company. In a situation like this the dealer is obviously trying to boost his new reg sales and sales numbers in general by making a used purchase financially unattractive to customers in the area. But he is also obviously a moron who is missing the point that there are other places to buy equipment, that he is alienating a potentially large number of divers who WILL go elsewhere and that this practice will have a negative impact on both his sales numbers and on SP's reputation.
