Where Are All These Deals I Read About?

[D_B]

I just got another HP tank last year, at less than the $280 I got my first one for in 2006 ... a Worthington HP100, new, on sale at the LDS for ... $248

You just have to be willing to wait for deals to turn up

 

[spectrum]

I am looking for a HP-100 steel tank. Newer Worthington design with the 200 Bar Yoke/DIN valve. The best price for a new one is $345 + shipping. I don't want to go used unless I can see it myself but I live in a small desert community so there are very few tanks available here.
Thanks

It's very cyclical and usually resolves around moving aging stock.

The cylinder you have homed in on is probably the prima-donna of the whole lot. As such Worthington is not compelled to twist your arm with a deal. Even used ones get snapped up by word of mouth before they hit the open market in places like Ebay and CraigsList.

Holidays can bring some deals often including shipping.

The good news is that the going price for that item has held at $350 since at least 2005 when PST was the supplier.

Scoring a deal on used cylinders is a crime of opportunity. Keep your eyes open and be patient. Otherwise pony up and pay.

Pete

 

[Chugwhump]

There is a supposed "Glut" of steel on the world market right now.
Could we see a return to the lower prices of 8-10 years ago on steel tanks?
Chug

 

[spectrum]

There is a supposed "Glut" of steel on the world market right now.
Could we see a return to the lower prices of 8-10 years ago on steel tanks?
Chug

I wouldn't count on it. I had no noticed much of an upward shift in the times of tight supply. Aluminum has gone up[ a notch while HP steels have not moved much at all. I don't watch LP to speak of. When I see a deal it's often for stale hydro dates.

For these companies scuba cylinders is a niche market. As such the factory cost sees material price fluctuations as a minor influence. The structure is already burdened by relatively small scale manufacturing. Also remember that there are distributors and dealers involved. By the time you work your way back to the factory the cost to manufacture won't swing much with typical material cost swings.

Pete

 

[Wayward Son]

send a PM to Piranha Mfg

Both new Faber & used or old hydros. If holding out for a specific tank it can take a while, but with patience & a bit of flexibility you can luck out.

I wanted FX-120's, never found a real deal on any. One day Randy noticed a couple of FX-117's in the warehouse. He looked & it turned out there were 3 of them. They were returns, about 2 years old. I bought all 3 & got a great deal on them.

But it took a few months before we lucked out on them. So get in touch, stay in touch & you may get a deal you really like.

 

[scubafanatic]

...the upside of all this though, is that once you bite the bullet and buy your tanks, it's unlikely you'll turn around and see them on sale for half price after you've bought them, making you feel like an idiot. Also, as mentioned previously, prices have remained pretty flat for the last few years for new steel tanks ( in nominal dollars)....so adjusted for inflation, they've actually declined in price a bit in 'real' dollars. I paid $ 300 - $ 350 for my (7) HP PSTs (new)....and new Worthington HP's are running $ 380 - $ 400 over @ DiveriteExpress (with shipping inc).

 

[scubafanatic]

There is a supposed "Glut" of steel on the world market right now.
Could we see a return to the lower prices of 8-10 years ago on steel tanks?
Chug

...well, remember, since PST went out of business, there is now only one steel tank manufacturer in North America (Worthington)...less competition doesn't tend to lower tank prices. Also, not too long ago, it was said steel prices went up significantly due to the booming economy of China, which was/is rapidly industrializing and is sucking in enormous amounts of energy/raw materials supplies. The recent planetary economic recession may have relaxed that pressure on resources for the time being, but long term I see raw material prices increasing again once the storm has passed.

 

[RonFrank]

Tank deals can be found, but it's generally harder to assess tank condition online on used, and shipping costs make online deals on used tanks less so. I know some folks that have picked up used tanks locally for a very good price. In landlocked areas like where we both live, those deals are more difficult to find as a lot of locals don't own tanks.

I recently joined a Scuba club where the Shop provides free tank and weight rental, and free fills for a nominal annual cost. In this case $35 annually. That is one alternative assuming a shop in your area has such a thing.

I picked up a couple of used AL80's for $160 a while back. They had recent hydro's, and new VIP's. This was a FL dive shop that went out of business, and apparently the owner had family here, and drove a truck full of stuff to Denver. A bunch of my friend bought tanks from this dude as well, but it's kinda a rare occurrence.

Another problem with purchasing NEW online is that they must empty the tank to ship. A lot of LDS will charge the cost of a vis if the tank is empty adding $20~30 to the cost of a new tank. There is no reason they have to do this, but they don't like to see folks purchase online, and they punish those that do if they can.