Tank for life

[kwinter]

I've never heard of this either, but I agree with the cautions that others posted. Tank "for life" is not your life, it's the shop's life. You shouldn't think of this as owning a tank. What you're doing is paying for a lifetime rental. If the shop keeps the tank, you have to expect you will not get it if they close. But you also won't be paying for fills, VIP or hydro. I really have no idea what a tank rents for, but divide your initial cost by the daily rental cost and that's your payback period. Sounds like a decent plan to me if all you ever do is dive air with enough notice to pick up the tank in advance.

 

[LeadTurn_SD]

Never heard of this. Like others have said, it could be a good deal, but it seems you'd give up the major selling point of owning your own tank(s):

Flexibility and convenience.

Would not work for me (like Halocline, I need at least one tank to test and service my current "fleet" of regulators). Also, my local dive shop is closed on Sunday.... if I wake up Sunday and decide on a whim to go diving, I'd be out of luck unless I had already picked up tanks.... so for me, owning my tanks has always been better.

But an interesting concept, that might work for many divers...

Best wishes.

 

[ajduplessis]

If things sound too good to be true, they normally are.

 

[OtherHalf]

It's an interesting spin on what is essentially a membership program. What happens when you decide to take the tank on vacation down to Florida, or do a charter with a different (read: competing) dive shop, or you move to another geographic region. Do you keep your tank that you bought that has been (supposedly) well kept up? If your tank is damaged during a rental, or fails VIP due to damage inflicted at the shop do you get a new tank out of the deal?

 

[gcarter]

My local LDS, when you buy a tank, gives you the value of the purchase in fill cards. I view it as buy air and get the tanks for free.

I have 4 tanks purchased from them.

I have 6 in total (2 HP100s as a screaming deal on Kijiji).

My son and I can go on a moments notice. I like the convenience.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

My local LDS, when you buy a tank, gives you the value of the purchase in fill cards. I view it as buy air and get the tanks for free.

I have 4 tanks purchased from them.

I have 6 in total (2 HP100s as a screaming deal on Kijiji).

My son and I can go on a moments notice. I like the convenience.

Is it just the air or do you get nitrox from them in the same deal?

 

[fjpatrum]

Interesting concept but not one I'd buy into, personally. I bought tanks specifically because I wanted to have them when and if I decided to go diving spur of the moment. If they were stored at a shop, that would no longer be possible. Also, what about the time I want my tanks and they've rented out all of the tanks in their possession for a big trip/class? No thanks.

 

[Spg01]

How long do you have to participate in the program? What if for some reason you moved out of the area, does the tank go with you or stay at the shop?

I am lucky enough to have a shop that has a price for yearly fills and that keeps me happy. Now if I can get them to bank nitrox instead of PP fills I would be very happy.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I live very close to this LDS. They are 10 mins drive. Then I am told that they do not rent the tanks to others without checking their "owners" first. I have no idea what happens if you move away though. Good question.

 

[mjrob]

We have a similar program, but it's called "take a tank." We didn't come up with it but it seems to work well.

In it, the customer pays about the same as she would for a new tank but never actually owns one. Instead, any time she wants a tank, she just comes in and takes one of our rental cylinders. There's no additional charge--ever--for air, VIP's or hydros as that's all part of the regular rental. In our Nebraska store, it seems to fit as most of our local divers are weekend divers (you really have to want to dive in Nebraska) and don't really care to have a cylinder of their own. In our Missouri store, it's a little different because they have a longer season and much more access to dive locations. We don't see much of the program there.

It really just depends on the particular market, I think, and what the customers want. Other than picking up a cylinder, it's pretty trouble-free for folks. Most of the ones on the program would need to stop in for a fill anyway, so that may be part of the appeal.

But if you called me at 10 pm and said you needed a tank, I (or someone) would run down and make sure you got one.

Oh, the program is good for as long as you want it to be. I think along the lines of 'til death do us part.