Do most LDS sell ScubaPro Equipment @ MSRP?

[Shcubasteve]

Ok I see what you're saying. So should just blatantly call the LDS and say "hey do you all service gray market equipment?" Even if there are 15 dive shops (albeit, not all SP dealers) within 20 miles...I still want piece of mind

You wont have any problem getting your grey market equipment serviced; any shop will take your money. Unfortunately, you wont receive manufacturer's warranty, i.e- no free parts.

...Last on my list is getting it fixed if it breaks. If it broke on its own, I would get it fixed and sell it as I dont want something prone to breaking. If I broke it, I dont expect the warranty to fix it and will salvage parts then scrap the rest.

You should have your life support equipment serviced before it breaks... I dont think LP rebuilds regs.

If at all possible, support your LDS; even if it means paying a little more.. You will support your local economy. Plus, you can't buy fills over the internet.

 

[Sas]

If at all possible, support your LDS; even if it means paying a little more.. You will support your local economy. Plus, you can't buy fills over the internet.

Why is a local economy more deserving of support than another economy? Also why is the local economy not supporting ME by charging me double what I can buy a good for online?

You can't buy fills over the internet, but there will always be a place to get fills, as long as there is a demand for fills locally.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

You can't buy fills over the internet, but there will always be a place to get fills, as long as there is a demand for fills locally.

It's true but its not as clean and wonderful as it sounds. If local dive shops dissapear and the only service offerred is scuba tank fills, how much would a business have to charge to make it pay?

You have to consider that the amount charged and the demand for fills is inversely related - the more you charge the less the demand. However with fixed costs, the lower the demand the more you have to charge, so it rapdily becomes a downward spiral for a fill business anywhere other than someplace with lots of diving happening (such as north Florida where Amigo's does very well selling mostly just gas.)

Everywhere else, at best once the local dive shops dry up you will end up with either some guy giving high cost fills out of his garage to a small group of divers, or a small group of divers splitting compressor acquisition and maintence costs among themselves for what are still comparatively high cost fills.

I know, I've been there and done that, and I can tell you 90% of local divers will just stop diving, which overall will hurt the diving industry as a whole.

It benefits YOU as a diver to support YOUR local economy, rather than someone else's economy.

 

[kvp]

Last on my list is getting it fixed if it breaks. If it broke on its own, I would get it fixed and sell it as I dont want something prone to breaking. If I broke it, I dont expect the warranty to fix it and will salvage parts then scrap the rest.

It's not so much getting fixed if it breaks, but keeping it working in good condition.

My BC was starting to fray and one of the pockets was coming apart. Zeagle replaced the pocket and fixed/replaced all of the fraying. Now my BC is as good as new and I'll get another 300 dives or more from it without having to fix it myself or pay someone else.

Another example of great warranty is my regulator. There was a factory recall. Having purchased it from an authorized dealer and having registered it, I was notified of the recall. All warranty was handled by my local shop. I did not have to pay anything, including freight. Also, the LDS gave me a free rental reg to use until mine came back from the factory.

There is a lot to be said for having the factory warranty.

 

[jefffalcone]

MAP pricing is just a convienent way for dive shops to BS you. All this means is that they are not allowed to advertise a price below MAP (minimum ADVERTISED price). If a shop tells you otherwise, they are being dishonest and the will not get any of my money.

Price fixing is illegal.

 

[Garrobo]

Why do they call it an MSRP? It's actually a MDRP followed by OYAOOB,D. In other words: "manufaturer's DEMANDED retail price or you are out of business, Dude". If we tried that in the electrical business gov't would be on us like stink on s---.

 

[JoshP]

Just because your LDS cant give you a better deal than a grey market vendor, doesnt mean you cant get a deal. i.e. I got a discount, a free aladin prime, and a free AOW class from my LDS when I bought my gear.

 

[Sas]

It's true but its not as clean and wonderful as it sounds. If local dive shops dissapear and the only service offerred is scuba tank fills, how much would a business have to charge to make it pay?

You have to consider that the amount charged and the demand for fills is inversely related - the more you charge the less the demand. However with fixed costs, the lower the demand the more you have to charge, so it rapdily becomes a downward spiral for a fill business anywhere other than someplace with lots of diving happening (such as north Florida where Amigo's does very well selling mostly just gas.)

Everywhere else, at best once the local dive shops dry up you will end up with either some guy giving high cost fills out of his garage to a small group of divers, or a small group of divers splitting compressor acquisition and maintence costs among themselves for what are still comparatively high cost fills.

I know, I've been there and done that, and I can tell you 90% of local divers will just stop diving, which overall will hurt the diving industry as a whole.

It benefits YOU as a diver to support YOUR local economy, rather than someone else's economy.

Actually it can be done easily and cheaply. Many clubs have their own compressors and charge members at cost prices for fills (which is usually cheaper than what stores charge). There is plenty of precedent for fills without local shops!

Also, how does it benefit me to support my local economy when their prices are often double what I can get from US online stores? I can buy all my gear online, my instructor is not shop-affiliated, I can get fills either through just a fill shop or a club compressor (or if it came to it, I'd buy my own), I can go on private boats or shore dive if I want to go for a dive, and I have friends who can service my gear. That being said, I do shop at local stores when they have good prices, but most of them do not (I am talking about *double* what I can get the goods online!) I see absolutely no point in supporting any business that practices in price fixing and overcharging of customers.

 

[Phat_HC]

You wont have any problem getting your grey market equipment serviced; any shop will take your money. Unfortunately, you wont receive manufacturer's warranty, i.e- no free parts.



You should have your life support equipment serviced before it breaks... I dont think LP rebuilds regs.

If at all possible, support your LDS; even if it means paying a little more.. You will support your local economy. Plus, you can't buy fills over the internet.

I think what many people forget when they're talking about the warranty is the cost of on-going maintenance that you're going to incur when you don't have something covered by Scubapro's warranty.

If you purchased your reg from a dealer you only pay for the labor involved in providing your annual maintenance. If you don't have the warranty and your LDS doesn't charge you a premium for the labor you're now going to pay for the parts kit. Those kits can range in price a bit but expect to easily pay between $45 to $50 every year. It won't take long to make up the difference in price.

People can say what they like but personally having needed to be part of a recovery and a few near accidents due to poorly maintained gear, I don't want to dive anywhere near people who don't service they're gear.

 

[redacted]

I think what many people forget when they're talking about the warranty is the cost of on-going maintenance that you're going to incur when you don't have something covered by Scubapro's warranty.

If you purchased your reg from a dealer you only pay for the labor involved in providing your annual maintenance. If you don't have the warranty and your LDS doesn't charge you a premium for the labor you're now going to pay for the parts kit. Those kits can range in price a bit but expect to easily pay between $45 to $50 every year. It won't take long to make up the difference in price.

People can say what they like but personally having needed to be part of a recovery and a few near accidents due to poorly maintained gear, I don't want to dive anywhere near people who don't service they're gear.

I suspect that is a bunch of crap. How about linking us to those reports of diver casualties due to failure to maintain gear IAW manufacturer recommendations.

I personally find the Manufacturer recommended service interval to be extremely safe-sided (profit-sided) for divers who take good care of their equipment. BUT, if you do intend to follow the mfgr service recommendations, it does make sense to pay a bit more (even quite a bit more) to obtain free parts.