New regulator very cheap on ebay

[Snakekid97]

Hello,
I'm new both to the forum and to diving. I live in the northern US with spring fed quarries, but plan on diving in Florida multiple times a year while visiting family. I've been looking at the aqualung core supreme due to it being both light weight and cold water resistant.

I've found a 3 stage set on eBay for $200. From an authorized dealer this would run about $700-800. With that price difference, I am fine with losing out on warranty and paying for parts.

What concerns me is I have read that some brands will outsource manufacturing. If the manufacturers don't meet quality control standards they are dropped. They'll then sell off the stock of regulators that are left laying around. I messaged the seller with these concerns and they responded that they got their stock from a lost freight shipment. The seller has had the eBay account for 20+ years with a 97.6% positive rating.

Does anyone have any insight on how true or common this is and if it should be of concern. Is there a way to verify the authenticity upon product arrival or will I be taking a safety risk ordering this cheap 3rd party? If not, are there any suggestions on travel/cold water regulators that within a broke college student's budget?

Thanks

 

[hilljo88]

"...will I be taking a safety risk ordering this cheap 3rd party?..."
Well, yes you will. How big a risk and what can you do to lessen it? Can you find a local shop that would be willing to inspect and, if necessary, repair it? Is this make/model known to have issues (one of the experts on SB will likely chime in on this)? It's life support equipment. Don't cheap out on it.

 

[runsongas]

you take a risk anytime you buy something other than brand new from an authorized dealer, but i found the listing you are referring to and it looks legit.

 

[Bob DBF]

I discourage new divers from buying used from a third party because it is easy to make an expensive mistake on anything, not just regs. Good choices take time and research.

You might try your local dive shop for used gear they have inspected/repaired for sale. Or buy a lower end new reg set and dive it while do your homework for the reg you want for the long haul.

 

[Snakekid97]

you take a risk anytime you buy something other than brand new from an authorized dealer, but i found the listing you are referring to and it looks legit.

Are there specifics you look for or are you able to guess that based off experience?

I discourage new divers from buying used from a third party because it is easy to make an expensive mistake on anything, not just regs. Good choices take time and research.

This was actually in my top 2 choices prior to finding it on eBay. It's also listed as brand new, if that makes any difference? After some research and thinking I had been considering saving up for either the aqualung core supreme or for an apeks xl4+.

These were my top 2 picks because of the light wait/ compact size and because they're cold water regs, but also because the local dive shop (there is only one within hours of me) only sells and services aqualung/apeks. I emailed them today to ask about inspecting this regulator and they responded that they can't service regulators purchased over the internet (I'd imagine those are aqualung's rules?). However I've heard decent things online about dives-supply.com and I don't have an issue sending my gear to them to be serviced. It actually looked slightly less expensive even with shipping (My lds charges $75 for the first and second stage and $35 for the octo, while divers supply is $70 for everything including shipping).

Since I now know that I can use diver-supply, or other mail in shops, to service regulators I may branch out and do some research on other brands gear.

I'm hoping I can find something long lasting for a good deal. I'm antsy to get in the water more frequently, but right now even the quarry is almost $100 a day after I pay for rental gear. Hard to do often on a college budget.

 

[Marie13]

Just buy new or used from your dive shop. It will save you a TON of grief.

 

[Bob DBF]

...they responded that they can't service regulators purchased over the internet (I'd imagine those are aqualung's rules?).

I call bulls**t on that one, there are good reasons they may not want to get involved with an Internet reg, but not giving you the respect of an honest answer is not very businesslike. If you brought the reg in and said your uncle gave it to you, they would have worked on it in a heartbeat.

 

[Snakekid97]

I call bulls**t on that one, there are good reasons they may not want to get involved with an Internet reg, but not giving you the respect of an honest answer is not very businesslike. If you brought the reg in and said your uncle gave it to you, they would have worked on it in a heartbeat.

Looking back, I slightly misspoke. Their email said "unfortunately we do not service internet sales." not *can't* but they gave no explanation as to why (although I would guess liability if it's not aqualung saying that) and said nothing else.

Unfortunately there are no other dive shops within a couple hours drive to ask. So for now it's either them or mailing it to divers-supply or a similar company for servicing. Although, I'm looking a graduate schools in a few different states. I'll be finishing undergrad next spring so who knows where I will be in a year from now.

 

[kelemvor]

I emailed them today to ask about inspecting this regulator and they responded that they can't service regulators purchased over the internet (I'd imagine those are aqualung's rules?)

Not Aqualung's rules. However, it might be that particular shop's rules. Some shops get real upset when you buy something elsewhere. Even more so if you bought it from another diver and use an online store or another shop that has an online store.

They did you a favor, in letting you know that they probably won't be around for the long haul. Stores that turn away business because they don't like where you bought something have a history of going out of business. Just search scubaboard, it's a story that's been told time and again.

They had the opportunity to resell a parts kit (that Aqualung sold them for a profit) for a profit. They also had the opportunity to sell you service man-hours. They also had the opportunity to get you in their shop to potentially sell you other things. They turned all that opportunity down for a grudge against some nebulous "they."

The shop deserves your pity, but not your business.

 

[runsongas]

@Snakekid97 the packaging from the pictures and the bar code labeling are correct, the pictures are not stock, the seller has an established track record

there is no aqualung policy against servicing regs not in warranty, you just don't get free parts which increases the servicing cost a bit.

regs are rugged and fairly simple for most, they can last a lifetime if maintained properly.