New tanks in LDS's rental fleet?

[JDW-NC]

I just purchased new steel tanks, Nitrox approved, from my LDS. The LDS offered to store my tanks and if I allowed the LDS to utilize my tanks for rentals, the LDS would take full responsibility for their maintenance, inspection and certification. This included any problems encountered when anyone (including me) used the tanks (i.e. wet fill, valve problems, etc.). I'm pretty possessive/protective of my own equipment, and I'm not feeling that good about accepting the LDS offer....opinions?

 

[The Kraken]

Always go with your first thought . . .

I don't think that I would be happy about having to tell the LDS when I wanted to use MY tanks.

the K

 

[spectrum]

I don't know what you logistics are like but the beauty of onwing my own cylinders is that I can go donwstairs, load and head to the dive site on the spur of the moment.

Having invested in good cylinders I would not want to need to call to reserve the. or end up with someone elses. Who knows what gas was in there last, fill smay have been obtained from other than the LDS, like a wet filling portable, who knows?

With Hydos every 5 years and VIP essentially a no cost task if done when they have free time the risk/cost to the shop is minute. To make this even plausible they would have to provide you with unlimited free fills and use the cylinders only under their control, like for classes and guided dives.

That reminds me, with my wife done for the seaosn and my dive schedule light for the winter I need to go bleed some cylinders down to holding pressure.

Pete

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Sounds like a great deal for the local shop.

If you are the type that dives a lot, then you will need to schedule the use of your own gear from the shop, but at least the shop will pay the cost of maintenance. The cylinder will suffer a little more wear and tear over time.

If you are the type that dives only a little then you will still need to schedule the use of your gear, but your gear will suffer far more wear and tear than it would if you were the only user. The shop will pay the freight for the maintenance and since you would, in this example, use it infrequently the cost per dive will be far lower.

Generally, I would think that if there was any piece of gear that this kind of deal would be acceptable with a cylinder and specifically a steel one would be it. If it were me though, I think I would say "thank you, but no."

Mark Vlahos

 

[aabond]

Stay far away from that. Your basically financing them a tank with close to zero interest. I wouldn't do this with any personal cylinder of mine, much less a steel one.

 

[BigWhiteSquare]

Maybe you should make a counter offer to the dive shop. Tell them that if they'll buy the tanks, you'll keep 'em and take care of all the "maintenance, inspection and certification".

Sounds as fair as what they're offering you.

___

 

[The Kraken]

You know, aabond is spot on!

They have the tanks, you don't.
The tanks are paid for and the LDS didn't have to pay for them.
The tanks are generating revenue for the shop, not for you.
The LDS has to do the visuals and hydros on its own tanks anyway.

Basically what will happen is that you're just getting free use of a rental tank.

I can hear it now, "Oh!!!! I forgot that you were using your tanks this weekend!!! But I've got a couple of aluminum 80's you can use."

It's a win/win situation for the LDS.