Excellent service by Aqualung. Not

[211ratsbud]

I'm an aqua lung dealer in the US and we are not an online retailer. It would disrupt my store if we stopped selling apeks due to a cut throat price (already happens however)-;and then had to service them..Aqua Lung is to be taken seriously on their policies. We have been with them over 60 years for a reason.

It's always prudent to contact POINT of sale in a situation IMHO

I feel no pain for the OP. Especially because this is not exclusive to this industry and this manufacturer.

 

[Shotmaster]

I still think it is a retarded way to do business, can you imagen buying a car, and then moving to another state and being told that you have to take it to the selling dealer before the warranty is any good? Either the manufacturer stands behind the garbage they make or not. It came from their factory and was sold by them to some distribution channel for sale to the public. I don't see how any dealer has any responsiblity for a factory defect other than some procedural requirement to verify the first purchaser for an RMA and most of the time product registration is a customer responsiblity and/or show proof of purchase. I just bought my daughter a new Aqualung wetsuit, I hope I never have to use the warranty. Black market/grey market sales of products occur. If I bought say a car that is not supported here in the U.S., you couldn't reasonably expect the manufacturer to fix it here, but for something which can be easily mailed back, is a backhanded way of disciplining dealers or punishing a customer for simply buying their product away from their primary residence. If was on vacation in the Bahamas and bought a new regulator, I would be real pissed off if this happened to me when I got back. I won't be buying anymore Aqualung products.

 

[211ratsbud]

There are market restrictions for varying reasons whether it be safety or dealer network support.

This is dealer support. Plain and simple. Apeks offers free parts for life. And you want to cut their throat on their own MAP policy?

 

[diver0008]

Black market/grey market sales of products occur

You know it. I know it. The OP here probably knows it too. I know, as you probably do too that warranties of grey market products are as grey as the purchase itself. The OP here is finding out the hard way.

 

[BoltSnap]

I still think it is a retarded way to do business, can you imagen buying a car, and then moving to another state and being told that you have to take it to the selling dealer before the warranty is any good? Either the manufacturer stands behind the garbage they make or not. It came from their factory and was sold by them to some distribution channel for sale to the public. I don't see how any dealer has any responsiblity for a factory defect other than some procedural requirement to verify the first purchaser for an RMA and most of the time product registration is a customer responsiblity and/or show proof of purchase. I just bought my daughter a new Aqualung wetsuit, I hope I never have to use the warranty. Black market/grey market sales of products occur. If I bought say a car that is not supported here in the U.S., you couldn't reasonably expect the manufacturer to fix it here, but for something which can be easily mailed back, is a backhanded way of disciplining dealers or punishing a customer for simply buying their product away from their primary residence. If was on vacation in the Bahamas and bought a new regulator, I would be real pissed off if this happened to me when I got back. I won't be buying anymore Aqualung products.

The US is one territory as a whole.

It is the dealer who sold him the products issue not AL Canada issue. AL isn't denying him warranty completely, it is just saying it isn't covered in Canada since it was bought from a dealer in a different territory, he has to go to that territory to get warranty service. Same thing for buying cars, if I buy a Ford from a US dealer and I ship the car to a country in Europe or the Middle East, I won't get any warranty service in Europe or Middle East at all. I am in Libya now and if I buy a Toyota from a local dealer, I get full warranty but if I buy a Toyota from Dubai because it is cheaper and have it shipped to me in Libya, no warranty or support from the local dealers in Libya at all. People do it all the time but they know about this part and take their chances.

This isn't something unique to AL, many other manufacturers are the same. In fact, manufacturers may have different warranty policies depending on the country and/or region of the world.

 

[Shotmaster]

Cars I understand, not easy to move so the dealer does the warranty work. A regulator can be put in a box and shipped anywhere in the world for warranty repair. I get the vibe about your protected dealer turf, and the the alleged grey market purchase. So let me ask a question. If I was on a vacation trip, Bahamas, Mexico, Asia and bought some Aqualung dive gear while I was there, would I be screwed when I arrived home and later had a warranty issue? What about the other way around, I bought it here new, went on vacation and had a problem that was under warranty, and there was an AL dealer there, would they fix it or tell me to pack sand?

 

[Shotmaster]

read paragraph 3, this is why I have been buying their products since 1973.

Notice it says "any dealer or factory location worldwide"

So don't tell me the whole industry operates the way Aqualung does, here is a prime example contrary to that claim.

Warranty & Repair
Warranty
SCUBAPRO warrants to the original consumer purchaser that, for the period of one year from date of purchase, each SCUBAPRO product component not otherwise warranted, and each SCUBAPRO replacement part, purchased from and authorized SCUBAPRO dealer will be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and with reasonable maintenance. This warranty does not apply to any product or part used commercially. A list of authorized SCUBAPRO dealers can be obtained online at scubapro.com.

SCUBAPRO will, at its option, repair or replace without charge any warranted component or replacement part that is defective in materials or workmanship. Repair or replacement is SCUBAPRO's only responsibility and your only remedy under this warranty.

To obtain warranty services, you must deliver the affected component or part, together with your Original Owner Identification Card (for a component) or other proof of purchase to any authorized SCUBAPRO dealer, to SCUBAPRO 1166-A Fesler Street, El Cajon, CA 92020 or to any other SCUBAPRO factory in the United States, Europe, or Asia. If you send the component or part to a SCUBAPRO factory, you must pay the shipping charges to the factory.

This warranty does not cover damage resulting from improper usage, improper maintenance, neglect of care or maintenance or repair service performed by someone other than an authorized SCUBAPRO dealer.

ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED TO THE DURATION OF THIS WRITTEN WARRANTY. Some states do not allow limitations on how long an implied warranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you.

SCUBAPRO SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR LOSS OF USE OR ANY OTHER INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR INDIRECT COSTS, EXPENSES OR DAMAGES. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above exclusions may not apply to you.

If any further details are required regarding your lifetime warranty, please contact your nearest SCUBAPRO Authorized Dealer or SCUBAPRO direct.

Product registration
In order to better maintain your lifetime warranty and to receive product updates and news, we recommend that you register certain or all products purchased, such as regulators, computers and the Twin Jet Max fins. By registering your products, you receive the latest product updates & news information and you don't have to worry about keeping your receipt around for ages, in case you ever need to use the warranty service.

Repairs
In the event that you experience a fault with any SCUBAPRO product within the warranty period, please return the product to the Dealer you purchased it from, or to your nearest SCUBAPRO Select Dealer, so that they can arrange repair or replacement as appropriate.

 

[211ratsbud]

It has to do with circumvented online territorial sales. On your Bahamas vacation it won't be out of region purchase.

 

[BoltSnap]

If you send the component or part to a SCUBAPRO factory, you must pay the shipping charges to the factory.

The user will need to send the AL regulator back to Europe for repairs to get warranty!!!

 

[Shotmaster]

The user will need to send the AL regulator back to Europe for repairs to get warranty!!!

What you quoted is an option the user has, so if you are not near a Scubapro dealer you can send it back to one of their many factories. It is not mandatory to get warranty service and returning a product back to the point of sale is not a requirement either. If you take it to a dealer they will ship it back to Scubapro, if are not near a dealer you can send it direct.

What country I purchase in or from is immaterial to the product warranty, the way it should be.

What if I go to Asia? Don't bother with an answer, I already know by the way you selectively answered.

Can you see what I mean about screwing the customer, AL could pull their product from unscrupulous dealers who violate whatever territorial agreements they have and stop the non-sense. But screwing over customers is bad for business. There are too many good choices. If it were me, I would fix it and send the customer a discount coupon valid at his local dive shop dealer to keep him faithful, to make up for his trouble, and sell him additional product. But that's just me, you don't pour gas on a fire, the customer is already out the use of his regulator, and has to wait to get it fixed, and you guys want to play games about where he bought it and aggravate him some more? Great business model! I'll just stick with Scubapro.