Importance of having a local authorized dealer when buying a computer?

[sunshinecat]

I’m researching dive computers and have narrowed it down to the Suunto D4i or the Oceanic Geo 2.0. I’m still trying to decide whether it’s worth it to have the option for air integration in the future which seems to be the main reason for the difference in price between the two. Anyway, I’ve called all the major dive shops in my area and all of them sell Suunto but only one is an Oceanic dealer but they don’t carry the Geo 2.0 (they also said the D4i is a better quality computer due to better quality parts, “safer” algorithm since it’s more conservative, doesn’t need service as often). If I choose to get the Geo 2.0, my only option is to buy it online or have the shop special order it.

From reading on Scubaboard, Oceanic seems to be a high quality brand, but is it a bad sign (in terms of product quality/reliability) that most of my local shops don't sell Oceanic and prefer Suunto? Is it important to have local support when purchasing a dive computer? Can local shops do repairs, or would it have to be mailed off to the manufacturer anyway, making it irrelevant whether there is an authorized dealer close by? I don't want to start an Oceanic vs. Suunto debate, but I want to make sure I can get support if anything goes wrong with the computer. Thanks!

 

[buddhasummer]

Almost always it needs to be returned to manufacturer. Other than some LDS possibly doing a battery change on some models there is very little they can actually do. Of course buying from a local dealer can make the repair process easier as they can arrange shipping etc.

---------- Post added June 16th, 2014 at 01:23 AM ----------

In terms of support/customer service Suunto is a long long way behind Oceanic.

 

[TotDoc]

True, but if you got the computer from a local dive shop, they may well make that return process easier on you. I brought my oceanic OCS in for a battery change the other day, and my shop noticed I had a line on the LCD display that had gone out. They know I bought it there, so they took care of shipping it out to Oceanic for me to get it fixed. I really appreciated the no hassle nature of it.

If I had purchased it from someplace that was online, there's not always a good guarantee that the warranty will be honored. So you are more on your own if you have the bad luck of needing to make a warranty claim.

I wouldn't worry about the preferences of the local dealers in regards to the quality of Oceanic stuff, however. They make really nice gear - computers included.

 

[rongoodman]

Instead of dealer support, I would be looking into which of the two you prefer in terms of deco models/conservatism--they are very different.

 

[flots am]

From reading on Scubaboard, Oceanic seems to be a high quality brand, but is it a bad sign (in terms of product quality/reliability) that most of my local shops don't sell Oceanic and prefer Suunto? Is it important to have local support when purchasing a dive computer? Can local shops do repairs, or would it have to be mailed off to the manufacturer anyway, making it irrelevant whether there is an authorized dealer close by? I don't want to start an Oceanic vs. Suunto debate, but I want to make sure I can get support if anything goes wrong with the computer. Thanks!

No shops repair dive computers, except for batteries and their o-rings. They all have to go back to the manufacturer.

The only thing you really need to watch out for is that you buy your computer from an authorized dealer if the manufacturer is really snotty about honoring their warranty from unauthorized sources <cough>Uwatec/Scubapro</cough>.