Good Regs to watch for on Ebay

[FrankT]

I see nothing wrong with buying on ebay...just know what you are bidding on and be smart and ask questions. I bought a NEW fresh from the factory Atomic Z1 regulator for $250 there and it has the factory warranty. Atomic's warranty is not void just because you purchase it on the internet. ASK

Be sure you know VALUES and ASK QUESTIONS before you bid, and know when to stop bidding. I have seen lots of stuff sell for more than you could by it for new at an online source.

 

[ShakaZulu]

I think you made your point FrankT.............nice.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

I would be far more likely to trust a used reg from a quality manufacturer than I would be to trust a new reg from an unknown company making "cheap" regs.

A well made reg from a quality company, given reasonable care and maintenence, is the ultimate in durable goods. I started diving in the early 80's and other than a pair of Jet Fins, my first regulator (a Scubapro Mk 3 High Performance) is the only piece of equipment I still own and use on a regular basis. And even though it is a quarter century old and saw a lot of dives, it still functions as well as it did when it was new and offers performance comparable to a new Mk 2 Plus R190.

Scubapro and Aqualung are both very good about providing on-going parts and servcie support for nearly all their regulators and are some of the very very few companies where you can reasonably expect to get parts and support for 30+ year old regulators. I woudl not hesitate to buy a good used reg made by either company off e-bay as long as I knew what I was getting and had a reasonable expectation that it was well maintained or at least not abused.

Another low budget option is to buy rental equipment from a local dive shop. Most LDS's change out their rental gear every 2 years. They get it at very low cost from the manufacturer and after 2 years can sell it as a used reg at a very reasonabel price to their customers. If you are a regular at a shop and really cannot afford a new reg, the odds are good the shop can work out a deal with you on an ex-rental.

The advantage here is that the reg will be well maintained and the shop can even offer some type of shop warranty on it as they know where it has been.

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

I don't agree with you. ...
A Brand x model y reg that is dreged through the sand, been diving in someone's stock tank, and annualed once per 5 years then cleaned up to sell on E-bay isn't the same as the same reg that is fastidiously maintained every year for its lifetime.

At initial purchase, I agree. The seller has alot to do with the quality of the equipment when buying used.

TwoBit

Actually, we are in agreement. I was focusing on new items from competing vendors. R.E. used, I implied what you stated when I said there are “more considerations” when buying used, but didn’t cover it nearly as well as you!

I don't rule out used gear, but you do have to be more careful!

 

[Moogyboy]

Another low budget option is to buy rental equipment from a local dive shop. Most LDS's change out their rental gear every 2 years. They get it at very low cost from the manufacturer and after 2 years can sell it as a used reg at a very reasonabel price to their customers. If you are a regular at a shop and really cannot afford a new reg, the odds are good the shop can work out a deal with you on an ex-rental.

The advantage here is that the reg will be well maintained and the shop can even offer some type of shop warranty on it as they know where it has been.

hey again...read this thread and thought I'd pop up here.

This is how I got a lot of my gear...two reg/octo/gauge setups, a bc, and a tank, all ex-rental/class equipment. It's served me for at least 5 years, or most of the time I've been diving, and it set me back not a lot at all.

BUT

It's all Dacor gear, for one thing. My first reg, an Enduro (like the one I trained with), is now essentially a paperweight, since Dacor is no longer acknowledging its existence. Who knows how long it will be before my Viper Tec goes the same route. It's not a BAD reg, I guess, but I don't much like it anymore...it freeflows occasionally too. Also, since all this stuff saw heavy use before I owned it, it's already quite worn around the edges and beyond. My Nautica BC is now Swimming Pool Brown (TM), fabric things are coming loose, the cummerbund is not really adequate, etc. My reasons for looking for new gear is just that my old stuff is worn out, the service situation is questionable, and dang it I just wanna get something new.

Lesson: ex-rental gear can be a great way to pick up gear cheaply, esp. if you're a newbie searching for your own first rig, but remember that it's not just used, but USED. And make sure that you will be able to get it serviced down the road if you intend to keep it for a while (THAT is why, for chrissakes, don't buy anything Dacor--at least if it's used).

I imagine ebay would probably be a crapshoot, although if you know what you're looking for and don't get caught up in Last Minute Bidding Frenzy, I'm sure you could walk away with something serviceable (in both senses of the word).

cheers

Billy S.

 

[Creed]

I got a pair of Conshelf XIV's off of ebay for less than $40, including shipping. Overhaul parts are fairly cheap(I paid $25 for a 1st and 2nd stage set of kits; I suppose that is about what an LDS will charge you). I think I got mine so cheap because the owner, who was scared of some idiot getting killed using his gear, warned people not to buy the gear for diving. The pics looked great, and after emailing him and getting the whole story and a better description, I ended up bidding, with no one bidding against me.

Another tip: look for misspelled names(connshelf, calipso, etc). Sometimes you'll stumble across a great deal because no one else has found it, due to the name being spelled wrong.

 

[WarmWaterDiver]

Creed - you just gave away a great Ebay secret for searchers! I have found some incredible deals myself due to folks' spelling abilities / lack of attention before. The problem is, folks can be VERY creative with typos, so you can NEVER catch everything - but there is a certain amount of 'wildcard' use allowed in the Ebay search function (there - the rest of my secret is out - I too am at the point of "too much stuff" now even if most of it was really good deals).

Oh, and for the original poster - I've seen some Scubapro MK10, MK10+, and MK15 rigs with gauges, primary second stage, and octopus sell in the price range you've quoted - so no need to necessarily go with an 'unbalanced' design. It's just if you're looking for the latest model stuff, you're not likely to find a complete set in the US$150 range very often if at all. DA Aquamaster has likely seen similar cases.

I've picked up two Aqualung Titan (not latest model variation) first & second stage sets for around $70 as backup regs two years ago and for the "In case I ever try colder water diving . . . " thing.

You just have to know what you want / are looking for and apply patience to obtain it - always knowing it's a bit riskier buying anything 'pre-owned' than brand new. Everyone else's points on the difference between COST and VALUE are well heeded.

And, once you obtain it, have it serviced before diving with it - ALWAYS! - in my opinion.

 

[dacordiver]

Dacor is still producing service kits for the enduro.

hey again...read this thread and thought I'd pop up here.

This is how I got a lot of my gear...two reg/octo/gauge setups, a bc, and a tank, all ex-rental/class equipment. It's served me for at least 5 years, or most of the time I've been diving, and it set me back not a lot at all.

BUT

It's all Dacor gear, for one thing. My first reg, an Enduro (like the one I trained with), is now essentially a paperweight, since Dacor is no longer acknowledging its existence. Who knows how long it will be before my Viper Tec goes the same route. It's not a BAD reg, I guess, but I don't much like it anymore...it freeflows occasionally too. Also, since all this stuff saw heavy use before I owned it, it's already quite worn around the edges and beyond. My Nautica BC is now Swimming Pool Brown (TM), fabric things are coming loose, the cummerbund is not really adequate, etc. My reasons for looking for new gear is just that my old stuff is worn out, the service situation is questionable, and dang it I just wanna get something new.

Lesson: ex-rental gear can be a great way to pick up gear cheaply, esp. if you're a newbie searching for your own first rig, but remember that it's not just used, but USED. And make sure that you will be able to get it serviced down the road if you intend to keep it for a while (THAT is why, for chrissakes, don't buy anything Dacor--at least if it's used).

I imagine ebay would probably be a crapshoot, although if you know what you're looking for and don't get caught up in Last Minute Bidding Frenzy, I'm sure you could walk away with something serviceable (in both senses of the word).

cheers

Billy S.

 

[Ishie]

I just bought my Proton Ice off Ebay. I really liked the seller. Got it for 140 less than the general 499 price advertised online. I've done well with Ebay. My BC, though I get laughed at for it (c. 1996 Scubapro model, but looks older since it doesn't have bells and whistles, and still has a CO2 pouch (no cartridge), was 50 bucks off Ebay and has already paid for itself in the rentals it has saved me. I also love the locking metal mechanism, though my fingers have paid for the security on several occasions.

On the Proton Ice, my gawd, those first stages are heavy!! I'm going to be able to take another pound off my belt.