LUBOLD8431:
Where do you get this drivel from??? The warranty from the manufacturer is not useless. Lifetime warranty on service kits is a very good incentive to buy at an authorized dealer. Initial cost may be higher, however, being covered by a manufacturers warranty also covers you for any improvements the manufacturer may make to the reg over the life of it (Scubapro has a habit of changing things when they find something else works better). Paying for all of this out of pocket will add up, and may wind up being more expensive in the long run (usually does).
It is clearly very useful to the dealer as it entices customes to buy from "authorized dealers" and then entices that customer to return every year and pay the $50.00 to $100.00 labor fee for the annual service to maintain that warranty. It may also get some dealers free parts as some, if not all, of the components of the service kit may not be used each year.
For those customers that don't take good care of their gear, it can be useful as they may actually require service annually or even more frequently. Dealer has got to love these guys.
For those customers who buy in to the "peace of mind" arguement and have their gear serviced "religiously", it is useful if the peace of mind is achieved. Again, that dealer has got to love you - especially those that only replace the bad parts and shelve the rest. Darn, I'm sorry if that erodes your peace of mind. Read on and maybe you will feel better.
For those who bought from other than an authorized dealer or got tired of paying the annual rent on their kit, the good news is the "annual replacement" components in these thing really will last for years of use with good care. Contaminants (like salt water) inside the first stage is probably the biggest threat. Good cleaning and storage practices can save you a lot more $$ than that warranty if that is important. Learning to handle the small problems on your own (like changing hose o-rings and adjusting the 2nd when performance changes a little) can save you a bunch more. Finally, if you are reasonably mechanically inclined (and like tools almost as much as regulators) and decide to do it yourself, the resources are there (I think the effort of finding them is a good part of the learning process). Then you may find, like I have, that the cost of maintaining a stage is on the order of $5.00 dollars a year for parts rather than the $25.00 per year for labor plus parts. And those proprietary, hard-to-come-by parts like seats will really last 3 to 5 years, or more.
But DIY isn't for everyone. If you wouldn't think of doing a brake job or feel that programming a VCR is too confusing, leave the heavy service to a trusted tech. And if repairing a faucet is just too intimidating, you may even want to stay away from those simple repairs. Somebody has to keep the auto mechanics and scuba techs in business. But you can still re-evaluate your need for annual service just to maintain a warranty.
