Did I just get Shafted by my LDS on a VIS?

[awadsworth]

I am new to owning tanks. I used to just rent them. I bought a few tanks a year ago and they were just VIS'ed before I bought them so I did not bother at that time.

I droped my tanks off the other day to the LDS for VIS and I just went in today to pick them up. What I had read was that VIS was around $10 to $15 per tank. LDS Said $15 when I dropped them off.

Got there today and they wanted alot more. Here is what they charged me per tank.

$15 VIS
$5 FILL (Thought this would be included in the VIS Price)
$7 Valve Inspection??? (Is this required?) I did not ask for this.
$1 For O-Ring
---------------
$28 per Tank and I dropped off 3 Tanks
$ 2.50 Sales Tax
-------------------
$30.50 Per Tank

This is the first VIS I had to do is this normal or did I just get taken by the LDS?
This was also my first business with this LDS. My normal shop just closed due to lease problems with the building owner and will be reopening in a few months in another location.

Thanks
Aaron

 

[Wookie]

Ouch. I would shop around harder next time. I hate the nickel-dime crap. Tell me the final answer when I ask and don't surprise me at checkout time.

 

[FireInMyBones]

The viz cost sounds too steap. Talk to them and see if they have all the extra put in writing. I also get mine O₂ cleaned with the viz. That makes it about $30 per tank all in all. Hmm...

[red]Wait until you get them Hydro'd. I get mine done at the tank shop my LDS sends them to at cost rather than the crazy markup.[/red]

 

[redacted]

$20 per tank for a VIS with a fill is what I pay at a typical shop. The $1 for the o-ring is BS. The $7 for the valve inspection is ridiculous. Ask him exactly what he did for the inspection. I'd offer him $20 per tank, plus tax for the VIS and fill based on the price he gave you before the work.

 

[driftwood]

Like Awap, I am in central Texas and $20 is the going rate at all the local shops. One thing I do know, is that there is a wide range of charges for the same service in different parts of the country. I would call around and see what the other shops are charging.

It is nice to own your own tanks, but here you will spend $120 for every tank over five years ( 4xvis @$20 and 1xhydro @$40) to keep your tanks current.

 

[drbill]

$15-20 for a vis with fill here. $1 for an o-ring is nonsense (you could have replaced that yourself) and I've never had anyone ask about a valve inspection on a VIP. Did have a shop refuse to do a VIP after a hydro because I had an ancient j-valve on the tank.

 

[deepstops]

My LDS: Fill Express -- Factory-Trained & Authorized Service Center for Dive Rite Equipment

$15 includes everything except the gas and that's 10 cents/cubic foot.

 

[JBRES1]

I think a $15.00 vis and a $5.00 fill are fine.
As for the valve inspection and the o-ring , I need more info.
If they took the valve apart, cleaned and rebuilt it , no problem. If they looked at and blessed it with holy water I would have a problem. OK , I'm fine with the holy water, but you get the idea.
The o-ring costs about $.33 per ring, so $1.00 is a nice mark up.
I re-build my valves every year, ultrasonic cleaner and o2 cleaning. This takes some time, and time is money.

Jim Breslin

 

[scubafanatic]

Ok, last Oct I had a PST HP 120 given a 'vis' and a 120 cu. ft. fill of EAN 32 and here's my bill:

vis $ 14.00
'gas' $ 14.81
8% sales tax $ 1.19

Grand total: $ 30.00 (Surface Interval Scuba, Grand Prarie TX...DFW area)

 

[RAWalker]

Going rate here in the Phoenix area is $15 filled with air and if the o-ring were needed it would be included.
That said the first time I had a VIS done by a LDS they ran my 1 year old tank through an Edi current test that is not required and charged me $40. Lets just say another shop did my other 5 tanks as they became due. I'm now certified to do VIS myself so this will not be a issue in the future.