The Great local dive shop vs. online debate

[MikeFerrara]

You should do it yourself. $60 is cheap, 3 weeks is too long. There likely is no one fast and cheap enough to please you. If you find a good source for parts and service manuals as a non-dealer please let me know about it. If the lds sends it out to have it done they likely make nothing anyway. I know the regs that we must send to someone else we get absolutely no markup on, not one penney. We do it to try to please people. Then they complain when it takes too long. So instead of providing a service and maybe gaining a customer we do work for free and end up with someone who is mad at us while the other guy made the money. The entire process is counter productive. With shops selling less regs expect the cost of service to go way up.

 

[metridium]

Originally posted by MikeFerrara
You should do it yourself. $60 is cheap, 3 weeks is too long. There likely is no one fast and cheap enough to please you. If you find a good source for parts and service manuals as a non-dealer please let me know about it. If the lds sends it out to have it done they likely make nothing anyway. I know the regs that we must send to someone else we get absolutely no markup on, not one penney. We do it to try to please people. Then they complain when it takes too long. So instead of providing a service and maybe gaining a customer we do work for free and end up with someone who is mad at us while the other guy made the money. The entire process is counter productive. With shops selling less regs expect the cost of service to go way up.

I'd like to do it myself; that way I'm sure the work has been done and no corners cut.

I don't expect them to be cheap and fast, just either/or. The LDS I used before I moved charged $40 and took three-four weeks. The last shop I tried charged 50% more and took four-five weeks (roughly twice the time they'd estimated). Does charging more and taking longer sound like something I should be happy about?

BTW, I'm giving the LDS the benefit of the doubt when they say that my last reg annual was a fluke and they normally take only three weeks. But I'm not taking my gear back there again, either.

If the annual reg inspections are more trouble than they're worth, maybe I won't have too much trouble getting rebuild kits through unofficial channels, eh?

 

[danceswithoctopus]

That's all too long. There's a LDS (well, not too L from here, but close enough to take my business) around here who will do my annual while I wait. All I have to do is to call ahead and make sure they have the parts, let 'em know I'm coming and when. Then I can take the reg 1/4 mile down the road and test it on one of the best wall dives in the area. That and a hydro for 1/2 the cost of the other LDS's around and guess who gets most of my service/new purchase business?

I'd like to do my own as well, but finding the parts and tools and tech. info has been too difficult. I want it done right. And since I don't have to wait 3 weeks, it hasn't been a problem for me.

 

[metridium]

Originally posted by danceswithoctopus
There's a LDS (well, not too L from here, but close enough to take my business) around here who will do my annual while I wait. All I have to do is to call ahead and make sure they have the parts, let 'em know I'm coming and when. Then I can take the reg 1/4 mile down the road and test it on one of the best wall dives in the area.

Sweeeeeeeeet!

You lucky bas....!

 

[danceswithoctopus]

I wonder if you might be able to shortcut the LDS if they're using a local subcontractor? Is there a dive club in your area where you might inquire? $60 is okay, but it doesn't take long to do a reg. service. You might try a little detective work to see.

Good luck.

 

[dvleemin]

Originally posted by pt40fathoms
Remember, the prices I quote here are in Canadian Dollars. The exchange rate is (approximately) $1.00 USD = $1.42 CDN.

Where are getting your money exchanged? The Canadian dollar is no where near that high unfortunatly. Try $1 to $1.55.

Darryl

 

[pt40fathoms]

I'm not a banker but as of today.

To buy CDN dollars with US dollars: $1.00 USD = $1.42 CDN

To buy US dollars with CDN dollars: $1.00 USD = $1.55 CDN

You don't think that a bank or money exchange outlet will exchange the money without a fee do you? The fee is reflected in the exchange rate offered. So you are correct, and you are wrong. It depends on what direction you are traveling, North or South.

 

[dvleemin]

Originally posted by pt40fathoms
I'm not a banker but as of today.

To buy CDN dollars with US dollars: $1.00 USD = $1.42 CDN

To buy US dollars with CDN dollars: $1.00 USD = $1.55 CDN

You don't think that a bank or money exchange outlet will exchange the money without a fee do you? The fee is reflected in the exchange rate offered. So you are correct, and you are wrong. It depends on what direction you are traveling, North or South.

Wow, if you're paying those type of exchange fees you are being ripped off severly. At any major bank the difference between the buy and sell is a couple of percent. There's no way anywhere has a $1.42 exchange. Its more like $1.53 and $1.55 for the difference. I want to know the place where its at $1.42, because I could make a ton of money that way.

Darryl

 

[danceswithoctopus]

you are correct, and you are wrong

I love that.

 

[dvleemin]

I just checked the bank of montreal - the buy sell rates are $1.558 and $1.511. Nowhere near $1.42 unfortunately .

I guess you are wrong and you are wrong

Darryl