Warranty Horror Story

[yknot]

Recently, one of my friends experienced a failure with the SPG (analog) portion of a Uwatec console he purchased from LeisurePro. The purchase was made less than a year ago. When asking me if I knew where he could get it fixed or replaced, as ScubaPro dealers are few and far between in his area, I first suggested pursuing warranty service thru LeisurePro. One of the beliefs by many, including myself, is that instead of a manufacturer's warranty on some items, LP has an inhouse warranty claimed to be at least equal to the manufacturer's. Unfortunately, my friend's first call was to ScubaPro.

Per whoever he talked to at ScubaPro, this item wasn't purchased thru an authorized dealer and is therefore, at least according to SP, without a warranty. This may not seem like a major issue for an analog SPG but the Uwatec console also contains one of their non-AI computers, an Aladin Pro I believe. According to the ScubaPro contact, the warranty for these computers includes lifetime battery replacement and recalibration of the computer at battery replacement time. Incidently, I tried to check what SP's warranties are from their web site but there isn't any specific warranty info posted-only a consumer warning about how you won't get a warranty if you buy an online product. Per ScubaPro, the cost without a warranty for battery replacement service on the Uwatec is $400. Sounds like by buddy bought a throw away dive computer!

Since this bombshell from SP, my friend has contacted LeisurePro and they are going to warranty and service the SPG, but the future for battery replacements remains cloudy. I read LP's online warranty, and batteries are an exclusion. It remains to be seen if this would supercede any other claims to match what a manufacturer guarantees.

This whole fiasco has left me with these conclusions:
I will never buy a ScubaPro product that has a moving part or electronic component. Whether an item was purchased on line or at an authorized dealer, my buddy is still a SP customer. After all, he sought out their product and bought it, believing it was of good quality and reputation. The deceptive methods SP is using ($400 batteries) isn't what I would call customer service and shows a disregard for consumer interests. Obviously, they consider their dealer base to be the customer and not the end user. SP also was able to tell from the serial # from my friend's computer that it didn't come from an authorized source, but claims to not know how LP gets their merchandise. Shouldn't they be able to track back to the originating dealer? Do they have a buyback policy for bankrupting LDS's? Would a jury in a wrongful death or injury case while using this unit care where it was first shipped?
If LeisurePro fails to stand behind the Uwatec product in the future then I will never buy another item from them. Without their in house warranty they are no different from buying at a flea market. Not that I wouldn't buy at the flea market if the savings justified it. This specific issue is going to come up again as I'm sure that LP sold alot of these Uwatec units.
I won't (yet) condemn the availability and prevalance of internet scuba gear. Even though most of my gear has been purchased thru a LDS I would never have been able to afford it without having LP as at least a reality check for prices, which some of the LDS's in my area do a good job of matching. I'm also sure that their are other (European?) internet sites where warranties aren't a problem. No matter where you fall in the online-vs-LDS debate at least recognize that the net has been a great anti-BS defense.

 

[jonnythan]

So, let me get this straight.

Your friend bought a computer/SPG package from LP. LP's warranty clearly states that they don't replace computer batteries. SPG breaks, LP replaces it for you, exactly as their warranty states.

What's the problem, exactly?

 

[yknot]

So, let me get this straight.

Your friend bought a computer/SPG package from LP. LP's warranty clearly states that they don't replace computer batteries. SPG breaks, LP replaces it for you, exactly as their warranty states.

What's the problem, exactly?

Two problems.
1) If Uwatec "official" warranty includes batteries for life (don't know, only hearsay, their web site doesn't deem warranties to be important enough to list) and if LP claims inhouse warranty equal to manufacturers (great marketing tool, if true, because they can't get you a manufacturer's warranty for SP gear), then shouldn't LP's warranty for the Uwatec computer also include batteries for life? Apparently it took some persuasion on my buddies part to get LP to agree to fix the gauge and there is a real concern that when the battery dies the answer will be "sorry for your loss, no resolution here".
2) $400 for a battery change (Uwatec's not sold as user replacable) doesn't sound like a business practice that I would accept. To each their own but we do still have laws in this country. One item that the Magnuson-Moss Act (fed. law(s) concerning warranties) covers is implied warranties and a concept called "marketability". The governments example is that if a toaster won't toast something, it isn't really a toaster. If a dive computer won't work (or a reg, or anything else) and they won't fix it or you can't get the parts, then the implied warranty ideal has been violated. Before you turn this into a matter of semantics and legal language, our common law principles also consider "intent", which in this case isn't in the consumer's best interest, which the federal laws were created to protect.

 

[gfisher4792]

It seems that you've been on the board long enough to have seen the many LP debate threads that come through, so you should have at least a glimmer of how LP warranties their stuff, and how most of the manufacturers don't support LP purchases (I'm just assuming here).

Why not just avoid LP and purchase from Scubatoys, which matches LP prices and come with actual manufacturers warranties?

 

[pasley]

Your friend bought form a source he knew was not an authorized dealer. He knew he was not getting a MFG warranty (which includes free battery replacement) so what is the issue? He saved money up front and has to spend it down the road. The road signs were clearly posted and he elected to thake the LP exit. His choice, so why grumble about it?

 

[yknot]

It seems that you've been on the board long enough to have seen the many LP debate threads that come through, so you should have at least a glimmer of how LP warranties their stuff, and how most of the manufacturers don't support LP purchases (I'm just assuming here).

Why not just avoid LP and purchase from Scubatoys, which matches LP prices and come with actual manufacturers warranties?

Certainly there are alternatives to LP and my intent isn't to condemn them specifically at this time. I've bought stuff at LP myself and haven't had a problem, just concerned at this time about a specific issue. Send a note to ScubaToys and ask them to match LP's price on a Uwatec and then mail it to you with a legitimate warranty. They won't do it because it violates their dealership agreement with SP-no internet sales, minimum pricing, etc.

 

[redacted]

Rather than deal with Scubapro USA, which seems to be the source of much of this warrenty insanity, why don't you look into one of the overseas scubapro service centers.

 

[jonnythan]

Two problems.
1) If Uwatec "official" warranty includes batteries for life (don't know, only hearsay, their web site doesn't deem warranties to be important enough to list) and if LP claims inhouse warranty equal to manufacturers (great marketing tool, if true, because they can't get you a manufacturer's warranty for SP gear), then shouldn't LP's warranty for the Uwatec computer also include batteries for life? Apparently it took some persuasion on my buddies part to get LP to agree to fix the gauge and there is a real concern that when the battery dies the answer will be "sorry for your loss, no resolution here".

The warranty specifically excludes batteries. You can't blame LeisurePro or ScubaPro or anyone but yourself for not reading the warranty.

2) $400 for a battery change (Uwatec's not sold as user replacable) doesn't sound like a business practice that I would accept. To each their own but we do still have laws in this country. One item that the Magnuson-Moss Act (fed. law(s) concerning warranties) covers is implied warranties and a concept called "marketability". The governments example is that if a toaster won't toast something, it isn't really a toaster. If a dive computer won't work (or a reg, or anything else) and they won't fix it or you can't get the parts, then the implied warranty ideal has been violated. Before you turn this into a matter of semantics and legal language, our common law principles also consider "intent", which in this case isn't in the consumer's best interest, which the federal laws were created to protect.

The drama is not necessary. Perhaps you should have found out how much the battery replacements will cost before you bought the thing.

The only thing I see missing here is some intelligence and foresight on your part. You're trying to blame that on everyone else, but it's your failure because you did not do your homework.

 

[Kestrell]

Your friend bought form a source he knew was not an authorized dealer. He knew he was not getting a MFG warranty (which includes free battery replacement) so what is the issue? He saved money up front and has to spend it down the road. The road signs were clearly posted and he elected to thake the LP exit. His choice, so why grumble about it?

Bingo!

 

[yknot]

Rather than deal with Scubapro USA, which seems to be the source of much of this warrenty insanity, why don't you look into one of the overseas scubapro service centers.

I suggested this to my buddy. Apparently SP can tell from the serial # that the item doesn't deserve a warranty and maybe the European centers would give him the same hassle. Anyone else experienced this particular problem? Maybe a battery replacement and servicing at a European source is far less than $400.