Used Suunto Spyder

[TexasMike]

I've got a chance to by the LDS owner's used Suunto Spyder dive watch/computer for $600.00 including the download kit. According to the shop owner, it was just recently serviced at the Suunto factory for battery change and major check-up/calibration.

Several questions:

1. Is this a good dive computer in the general sense?
2. Is this a good price/deal?
3. What should I ask the shop owner to ensure it's as good of a deal as it appears?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[JoelW]

Survey says, Not. Since the Stinger came out the price of the Spyder has dropped a lot. Especially if it is the plain jane version. I picked mine up new last year for $299.00 and bought the download kit for $87 from Diveinn. They also had a demo unit they sold a couple of months later for $200.00. I would assume that for $600.00 it is one of the higher priced Spyders. They came with a couple of different band and face versions (gold, stainless, rubber, etc.) There is a titanium version that went for a pretty penny. For what you are being asked you can almost pick up a new stinger and it also comes with the download kit. Even the Mosquito has more functionality for a lower price than the Spyder you are looking at.

If you can pick up a used one pretty cheap, Suunto was offering to upgrade the Spyder to a Stinger for something like $250.00.

As far as computers go, I like the Spyder. I may get a wild hair to do the upgrade one of these days though.

JoelW

 

[TexasMike]

Thanks Joel. This one had a gold tint to the outside ring and parts of the face, so I assume it is the gold one you mentioned. But you are right, the new Stinger and Mozzy prices make this used one a little overpriced. Plus I would get some warranty time with the new purchase.

Hmmm...who was it here and Scubadiving.com's D2D who owns a Mozzy and was providing some reviews?

 

[buff]

Nothing from the LDS is a good deal.

 

[kauai_diver]

Same functions as the Viper/Spyder but in a composite case/strap vs. the more expensive metal ones....Was just released in June of this year. It does air/nitrox and a freedive mode. Sharp instrument.

Check out the Suunto Mosquito at:
http://www.aqualung.com/catalog/prodpage/divecomp/mosquito.htm

they also have a very nice downloadable demo file. It's really nice and shows how the unit functions...

I found it the cheapest here---$355.00 plus shipping

http://www.princetonwatches.com/shop/Mosquito.asp

 

[TexasMike]

Buff...

Please, if you have nothing constructive to contribute, please keep it to yourself.

I enjoy dealing with my LDS's, and get very good deals.

 

[Zagnut]

I think maybe I looked at that same Suunto Spyder. The LDS owner offered it to me for $700. I was asking about it during my OW class (if we're talking about the same computer at the same LDS). I looked into other pricing and found some of the online places had the Stinger for not much more.

 

[JoelW]

LDS aren't always out to skin a person. The store I deal with the most is the one I bought the Spyder from new for $299 because they wanted to start putting the Stingers out and the Mosquito when it came out.

The only thing I would mention when buying a Spyder is to find out how long it has been sitting on the shelf at the store. I had mine for about 3 weeks when it crapped out at the start of a dive, still told time but not enough battery to go into dive mode. The store had brought in the Spyder about 2 years earlier. The life of the batteries is about 2 years. The store sent it back to have battery replaced for free and gave me a rental computer to use while it was out. In short, if the store has had the computer for a while find out how much it will cost to get a new battery.

JoelW

 

[TexasMike]

Zagnut...if it was sitting in Jim's watch display case, it was the same shop and same watch.

BTW; you going to join us this Friday for Corsair's concert?