Unused, 10yr old reg

[Mark Vlahos]

What purpose would it serve for them to lie about that? Not that I don't believe they lied (I don't believe much of anything anyone says to me anymore, at least without a grain of salt) but I don't see what purpose it would serve for them to make me use the rental stuff rather than my own? Are they hoping I love the rental stuff so much that I buy it, even though I already had my own? I know people lie, but usually they have a reason and I don't see the reason here.

Did you pay extra for the rental gear, or was it provided for free? The answer to this question may help you to understand Walters post.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Walter]

What purpose would it serve for them to lie about that? Not that I don't believe they lied (I don't believe much of anything anyone says to me anymore, at least without a grain of salt) but I don't see what purpose it would serve for them to make me use the rental stuff rather than my own? Are they hoping I love the rental stuff so much that I buy it, even though I already had my own? I know people lie, but usually they have a reason and I don't see the reason here.

They are covered by their insurance if you use their gear or yours - it doesn't matter. I suspect they want the rental fees.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Bull! Using the rental gear is one way of getting you to like the stuff and then selling you new stuff. They also make money off of you for the rental. Just out of curiosity call sub-aquatics in reynoldsburg and ask what their policy is. I can see if the stuff has not been serviced but there is no good reason to not let you use your own gear if it's in good working order. Other than money. And that is not a good reason. We certify many people who have their own gear before they come to us. Whether they bought it somewhere else or uncle bob gave it to them. If it's in good working order and it fits them correctly we feel it's better to have you in your own stuff. Would we like to sell you gear? YES! In fact if your own is older it may be better for you to see it up against ours and see just what you could be in. But we do not force anyone to use our gear over your own if that's what you prefer unless it's a safety issue as I said before.

 

[wilkie]

What purpose would it serve for them to lie about that? Not that I don't believe they lied (I don't believe much of anything anyone says to me anymore, at least without a grain of salt) but I don't see what purpose it would serve for them to make me use the rental stuff rather than my own? Are they hoping I love the rental stuff so much that I buy it, even though I already had my own? I know people lie, but usually they have a reason and I don't see the reason here.

Simple reason: You paid for gear rental when you signed up for the class, and would be entitled to a partal refund if you provide your own equipment.

This is a very common lie, you are not the first, you will not be the last... And yea my LDS lied to me also.

 

[cork2win]

The price of the rental gear was included in the cost of the class. I *will* have to pay to rent it for my OWCheckout though... Obviously they built the cost of the rental gear into the cost of the class but I doubt they would have given me a discount for using my own. Frankly I wouldn't have cared, I really just wanted to use my own stuff so I could get familiar with it, but again, wasn't allowed.

I really hope they weren't screwing me. I really liked my class, liked my instructor and feel I got good training with them. Thinking they were more interested in the bottom line than my future safety (by denying me the ability to familiarize myself with my own equipment) would really shake me up.

 

[Walter]

I *will* have to pay to rent it for my OWCheckout

There's your answer.

I really just wanted to use my own stuff so I could get familiar with it

Which does make sense from a safety standpoint.

and feel I got good training with them.

How would you know? With what are you comparing it?

Thinking they were more interested in the bottom line than my future safety (by denying me the ability to familiarize myself with my own equipment) would really shake me up.

I see an earthquake.

 

[cork2win]

Bull! Using the rental gear is one way of getting you to like the stuff and then selling you new stuff. They also make money off of you for the rental. Just out of curiosity call sub-aquatics in reynoldsburg and ask what their policy is. I can see if the stuff has not been serviced but there is no good reason to not let you use your own gear if it's in good working order. Other than money. And that is not a good reason. We certify many people who have their own gear before they come to us. Whether they bought it somewhere else or uncle bob gave it to them. If it's in good working order and it fits them correctly we feel it's better to have you in your own stuff. Would we like to sell you gear? YES! In fact if your own is older it may be better for you to see it up against ours and see just what you could be in. But we do not force anyone to use our gear over your own if that's what you prefer unless it's a safety issue as I said before.

In their defense, I did show up for the first day of class with all this old stuff that hadn't been serviced, so for the first class they would have had no choice but to make me use rental stuff. But again, they could have told me "you can use it for class as long as you get it serviced" if that was really the case, but they told me it was an insurance issue. This sucks. I really liked them (well, my instructor, and he's the one that told me this).

Should I push the issue for my OW dives? I don't want to fail my checkout because I'm using unfamiliar equipment, so I'm thinking it might be in my best interest to checkout with the rental stuff I'm used to at this point, even if I have to pay to rent it.

 

[Walter]

Stay with the rental gear for now. In the future, talk to COVIC for instruction and equipment in the Columbus area. He is ethical and an excellent instructor.

 

[wilkie]

The fact that your instructor is willing to make a check-out dive with you after the class says something good about him/her, but the only valid reason for not allowing you to use your gear, would be insufficient time to service your gear, and/or possibly a gear comfiguration whitch does not comply with the training association.

 

[cork2win]

Stay with the rental gear for now. In the future, talk to COVIC for instruction and equipment in the Columbus area. He is ethical and an excellent instructor.

Actually, I tried to take my class with him. He told me I'd have to use his equipment too. He was also virtually impossible to get ahold of (may have just been bad timing), so I went with COSD. In fact, this is a direct quote from his email where I told him I had my own equipment and wanted to use it. It seems even "ethical" has to be questioned these days. People suck.

> 4. While owning SCUBA equipment is an important part of being a proficient and safe diver, my belief is that a diver only gets to know what is best for them when they have a foundation of knowledge about equipment and what has worked best for them in the past. This is why I provide solid, safe, and proven equipment as part of the course so the student has this foundation prior to making what can be a very costly investment in personal equipment.