regulator service difficulties

[Lorenzoid]

I brought my 3 year-old Mares Proton Metal regulator to my local dive shop for scheduled maintenance. They took SIX WEEKS to complete the work, explaining to me that it took THREE weeks just for them to get the parts kit in, adding that Mares parts are not always readily available and sometimes they even have to wait for them to come from Italy for very old, discontinued products.

1. Is my local dive shop making excuses? Should I find a different shop? They are not an authorized Mares dealer, but I wanted to give my business to the local guys if it was at all possible.
2. Should it really take THREE WEEKS for an Atlanta USA dive shop to get a parts kit in for a regulator that's only a few years old? It's not like this is an older product for which it should be difficult to find parts, right?
3. What can I do in the future to minimize the servicing time?
4. Lastly, they charged me $57 for the parts kit, plus $85 in labor. Are these charges in line with what most dealers charge? Is the parts kit for the Proton Metal really $57, or did they mark it up? From threads on Scubaboard discussing the issue of regulator service cost, I have distilled that the maximum that one should expect to pay for regulator service (1st and 2nd stages and octo) is about $100, and many people report paying in the $50-$80 range for that. My specific question is whether Mares service somehow costs more than other brands, due to those exotic Italian parts or whatever?!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

What you ran into was most likely an issue of the lds having to buy the parts from another AUTHORIZED dealer. Of course there's a mark up. Did you get your old parts back? If not why not? MARES dealers should always have the parts and unless I'm mistaken only authorized dealers can buy the parts from the factory but they can get them from other sources as well. Sounds like you need to get it serviced from authorized dealers or learn to do them yourself. ANd the costs for a non dealer service are really not out of line. The shops near me charge 25 per stage so that's 75 bucks plus parts Oceanic kits are 30 for 1st stage and 15-20 for second depending on who you get them from. Go here for a sample of kit prices Divers Discount Florida

What first stage do you have?

 

[Lorenzoid]

JimLap: Thanks for the response. The local dive shop did say that they had obtained the parts kit through another shop, which I assumed was a Mares authorized dealer, but I naively didn't think they would mark up the parts kit, since I had given them my business when I could have gone directly to another shop (not as close--I would have had to drive a bit). I bought the reg from a Mares dealer in Florida when I was down there a couple of years ago, but I'm not about to make an 9-hour drive there and back over the course of a few weeks to drop off and retrieve my reg for service.

The shop did return the old parts to me, and from having read on Scubaboard what reg service involves I was not surprised to see that the parts consist of about a dozen o-rings, a C-clip, a tiny helical plastic part, and what looks like a sintered metal filter (pretty cool, actually). 1st stage is a V16 SCS Titan. Octo is a Rebel.

Though I guess I was not ripped off, I don't think this shop is getting my return business. From what you've said, I draw two conclusions: (1) that they probably marked up the parts slightly, and I probably paid a bit more in total (though not that much more) than I would have paid at a Mares dealer; and (2) that it should NOT have taken THREE WEEKS to get the parts in or SIX WEEKS for the whole thing under any circumstances, and that may be because the Mares dealer probably was in no rush to get my dive shop the parts kit. Agree?

 

[snowflake4727]

That time frame is unaccecptable. However, all shops mark up parts, authorized dealers or not. (So do car dealers and garages).

 

[c5diver]

i thought mares supplied lifetime service parts for regs sold in the us and canada after jan 06

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I agree to a point. I would not give up on the LDS because of a parts markup. If they bought them from other than a local shop there would be postage, most likely packaging( hey some places think a padded envelope costs 5-10 bucks!), and the fact that they did give you your old parts back gives them a few points in my book. It sounds like they are willing at least to make an effort to work with you. Plus how many regs were ahead of yours and did they need to get a manual somewhere as well. Unlikely but possible. Why not in the future contact them in advance when the reg comes due again and give them a chance to get the parts in before you take it in? I know of one dealer right now who is indeed having issues getting service kits because one component is back ordered from the manufacturers main supplier. Not Mares but it does happen. I'm not in any way supportive of shops that obviously try to screw over their customers. But when a non authorized shop at least makes an effort to provide service and otherwise takes care of you I'd give em a little credit for that and my repeat business.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

i thought mares supplied lifetime service parts for regs sold in the us and canada after jan 06

If installed by an authorized dealer, otherwise I don;t believe so. I'm an authorized Oceanic tech but I cannot get free parts unless I service my regs at the shop. I no longer have a relationship with the shop closest to me and I'm not driving an hour to put a few orings in. So I'll buy the kits and save the labor cost by doing them at home.

 

[divinginn]

Divers supply is a mares dealer,there is one in Marietta and one in Macon,they closed up their store in doraville. You could also ship it to Scubatoys,I have heard they are reasonable and quick turnaround.

 

[kgault]

JimLap: Thanks for the response. The local dive shop did say that they had obtained the parts kit through another shop, which I assumed was a Mares authorized dealer, but I naively didn't think they would mark up the parts kit, since I had given them my business when I could have gone directly to another shop (not as close--I would have had to drive a bit). I bought the reg from a Mares dealer in Florida when I was down there a couple of years ago, but I'm not about to make an 9-hour drive there and back over the course of a few weeks to drop off and retrieve my reg for service.

The shop did return the old parts to me, and from having read on Scubaboard what reg service involves I was not surprised to see that the parts consist of about a dozen o-rings, a C-clip, a tiny helical plastic part, and what looks like a sintered metal filter (pretty cool, actually). 1st stage is a V16 SCS Titan. Octo is a Rebel.

Though I guess I was not ripped off, I don't think this shop is getting my return business. From what you've said, I draw two conclusions: (1) that they probably marked up the parts slightly, and I probably paid a bit more in total (though not that much more) than I would have paid at a Mares dealer; and (2) that it should NOT have taken THREE WEEKS to get the parts in or SIX WEEKS for the whole thing under any circumstances, and that may be because the Mares dealer probably was in no rush to get my dive shop the parts kit. Agree?

I would not give up on your shop for a delay caused by getting Mares parts. I was a Mares technician working for a Mares Dealer up until last year. We consistently had trouble getting parts in a timely manner during the summer. The parts kits would end up being back-ordered.

Keith

 

[Phil Mintz]

Hi,

Sorry for the delay, I was out for a few days.

1st we reccomend you go to Mares Lab Trained Authorized Dealer for service. There should be no issue getting parts, we have all of these in stock and ship them within 24 hours. Your regulator is not old and is still in line. If it took three weeks to get you the parts, then somewhere between the dealer you went to and the time the parts arrived, someone was doing nothing to acquire the parts. Any authorized dealer can call and order the parts and have them shipped the same or next day. Our warehouse is in Baltimore, MD so it would only take 1 day transit to GA.

As for the mark up, this was most likely the result of the parts going through two dealers. The cost of Mares parts is in line with most other brands.

I am sorry you had to wait so long, even if it took three weeks to get the parts (as you state) then why did it take another 3 weeks to have the service done? I would find anothe LDS.

Phil

I brought my 3 year-old Mares Proton Metal regulator to my local dive shop for scheduled maintenance. They took SIX WEEKS to complete the work, explaining to me that it took THREE weeks just for them to get the parts kit in, adding that Mares parts are not always readily available and sometimes they even have to wait for them to come from Italy for very old, discontinued products.

1. Is my local dive shop making excuses? Should I find a different shop? They are not an authorized Mares dealer, but I wanted to give my business to the local guys if it was at all possible.
2. Should it really take THREE WEEKS for an Atlanta USA dive shop to get a parts kit in for a regulator that's only a few years old? It's not like this is an older product for which it should be difficult to find parts, right?
3. What can I do in the future to minimize the servicing time?
4. Lastly, they charged me $57 for the parts kit, plus $85 in labor. Are these charges in line with what most dealers charge? Is the parts kit for the Proton Metal really $57, or did they mark it up? From threads on Scubaboard discussing the issue of regulator service cost, I have distilled that the maximum that one should expect to pay for regulator service (1st and 2nd stages and octo) is about $100, and many people report paying in the $50-$80 range for that. My specific question is whether Mares service somehow costs more than other brands, due to those exotic Italian parts or whatever?!