Ever read it closely?
Let's see.... SP gives you "free" parts if you pay for annual service. So do most others.
But labor is typically only covered for either 90 days or one year.
What if your reg is working just fine, thank you, and you don't see a need to have it serviced annually? You blow it off ONCE (accidentally or intentionally) or lose an invoice and the "parts for life" deal is void!
(Atomic is the only manufacturer, to my knowledge, that doesn't insert that polite little screwing into their warranty. Good for them - one of the few manufacturers who really gives you some value for buying from an "authorized" dealer.)
Second, the cost of labor DWARFS the parts. SP's "reg rebuild kits" are typically $10-15 from DiveInn. Labor is typically in the $40 range. So if you service every OTHER year rather than annually, and BUY the parts, you STILL end up ahead - significantly - over the service life of the reg (10+ years for a top-of-the-line reg is not unreasonable if taken care of, is it?)
The much-vaunted "warranty" is, in fact, worthless.
If the reg breaks or is otherwise misbehaving, or if you feel that it is time for a tune-up, then just pay for the parts and labor. The parts are insignificant compared to the labor charge, and instead of doing things on a schedule that some manufacturer insists, which may not meet your needs (on EITHER end - you might need to have it done MORE often if you dive particularly frequently!) you get it done on YOUR schedule AND it is probably cheaper to do it that way rather than cow-tow to the manufacturer's demands!
Warranty schmarranty.
This is just more LDS rhetoric and scare-tactic, just like the nonsense about regs being "complicated". Yeah, that's why techs from a shop can be "certified" to fix a new one after a one or two hour class at DEMA! One or two hours?! The training necessary to fix most machinery is measured in tens or hundreds of hours!
This stuff is no more complicated than learning how to change your car's oil!
Think man!
That's why God gave 'ya a brain!
Let's see.... SP gives you "free" parts if you pay for annual service. So do most others.
But labor is typically only covered for either 90 days or one year.
What if your reg is working just fine, thank you, and you don't see a need to have it serviced annually? You blow it off ONCE (accidentally or intentionally) or lose an invoice and the "parts for life" deal is void!
(Atomic is the only manufacturer, to my knowledge, that doesn't insert that polite little screwing into their warranty. Good for them - one of the few manufacturers who really gives you some value for buying from an "authorized" dealer.)
Second, the cost of labor DWARFS the parts. SP's "reg rebuild kits" are typically $10-15 from DiveInn. Labor is typically in the $40 range. So if you service every OTHER year rather than annually, and BUY the parts, you STILL end up ahead - significantly - over the service life of the reg (10+ years for a top-of-the-line reg is not unreasonable if taken care of, is it?)
The much-vaunted "warranty" is, in fact, worthless.
If the reg breaks or is otherwise misbehaving, or if you feel that it is time for a tune-up, then just pay for the parts and labor. The parts are insignificant compared to the labor charge, and instead of doing things on a schedule that some manufacturer insists, which may not meet your needs (on EITHER end - you might need to have it done MORE often if you dive particularly frequently!) you get it done on YOUR schedule AND it is probably cheaper to do it that way rather than cow-tow to the manufacturer's demands!
Warranty schmarranty.
This is just more LDS rhetoric and scare-tactic, just like the nonsense about regs being "complicated". Yeah, that's why techs from a shop can be "certified" to fix a new one after a one or two hour class at DEMA! One or two hours?! The training necessary to fix most machinery is measured in tens or hundreds of hours!
This stuff is no more complicated than learning how to change your car's oil!
Think man!
That's why God gave 'ya a brain!
