Buy my own tank?

[eelnoraa]

If you want/need certain tanks that you can't rent, then it is a no brainer. It is not even about economical.

If you are happy with your rent selection, then you need to dive regularly make up the cost of the tank. There are three components of owning your own tanks: 1)one time purchase. 2)on going maintanance, hydro and viz. 3)air fill. You need to beat 2) and 3) to make economical sense.

In my area, AL80 rental is $6/day. Air fill is $3. So you save $3/dive. If you make 2 dives/dive day, you save $6/dive day if you have two tanks. Hydro is $50/5year, Viz is $10/yr. So on going cost of owning two tanks is $200/5year ($200/260weeks). Since you save $6/dive day, you need to dive 33 days in 260 weeks. That is about 1 day (2 dives) of diving per 2 monthes. Not a lot, but this is need to break even with 2) and 3) above in my area.

---------- Post added May 31st, 2013 at 11:18 PM ----------

I think we agree with each other, but this thing seems to be location dependent too.

The cost of a scuba tank is calculated like that of a car. You don't worry about what it cost, you worry about how much it'll depreciate.

For example, lets say I buy a used LP95 for $150. Over 5 years I pay $20 for hydro and $100 for VIPs ( really $75 since the other $25 are provided fills ). Finally I sell the tank for $125. My cost over 5 years was $25 in depreciation and $95 in maintenance. That's $120. If I can get a fill for $2 cheaper then a rental that's 60 dives over 5 years that I have to make to break even.

That's only 1 dive a month to break even.

Let's say you buy 2 tanks so you can do 2 dives in one day. That's 2 dives per month.

If you can't average 2 local dives per month, well, you aren't a diver IMO.

 

[pjhansman]

If you can't average 2 local dives per month, well, you aren't a diver IMO.

hmmmmm.......new criteria to be a diver?:shocked2:

Probably easier if the water isn't frozen 7 months a year

 

[antattack]

If you can afford tanks, and if you can store them, then buy high quality tanks and own them.

My reasons for owning my tanks include:
1. I want known bouyancy . Owning my tanks allows my log book to have additional value because I log the kit I use on each dive.
2. Nitrox. I like diving nitrox and while many of my LDS options can give me a nitrox fill, none rent Nitrox tanks.
3. DIN. My regulators have nice DIN first stages which work well in other countries where I do have to rent. My LDS rent's tanks with Yoke Valves. Using a valve converter is needlessly complex.

So, I bought my steel tanks, had them O2 cleaned to support partial pressure nitrox blending, and now I have really good kit that should last longer than I'll be diving.

The resale value of a plain galvanized steel tank is a pretty good bet. Aluminum tanks depreciate a bit more.

That's my 2psi

 

[uncfnp]

The cost of a scuba tank is calculated like that of a car. You don't worry about what it cost, you worry about how much it'll depreciate.

For example, lets say I buy a used LP95 for $150. Over 5 years I pay $20 for hydro and $100 for VIPs ( really $75 since the other $25 are provided fills ). Finally I sell the tank for $125. My cost over 5 years was $25 in depreciation and $95 in maintenance. That's $120. If I can get a fill for $2 cheaper then a rental that's 60 dives over 5 years that I have to make to break even.

That's only 1 dive a month to break even.

Let's say you buy 2 tanks so you can do 2 dives in one day. That's 2 dives per month.

If you can't average 2 local dives per month, well, you aren't a diver IMO.

What does location have to do with it?

 

[chrpai]

What does location have to do with it?

You planning on taking your trips on an airplane?

"local" diving for me is anywhere I can get to by a car. That's basically from here to Santa Rosa to the Texas Flower Gardens to Pensacola, FL.

---------- Post added June 1st, 2013 at 06:00 AM ----------

hmmmmm.......new criteria to be a diver?:shocked2:

Probably easier if the water isn't frozen 7 months a year

IMO, yes. There is a criteria that separates a "diver" from an "underwater tourist".

As for frozen ice, I'm sure when the water warms up you are hitting it like crazy. How many dive a year do you get in? I'm guessing you are a diver.

 

[uncfnp]

You planning on taking your trips on an airplane?

"local" diving for me is anywhere I can get to by a car. That's basically from here to Santa Rosa to the Texas Flower Gardens to Pensacola, FL.

Then most of my "local" diving is about 12 hours away. Even the NC coast is a 3 to 4 hour drive. Local dives would be cruising around a small quarry at about 15 to 40 feet with 2 foot viz. IMO that's not diving. :kiss2:

 

[chrpai]

Then most of my "local" diving is about 12 hours away. Even the NC coast is a 3 to 4 hour drive. Local dives would be cruising around a small quarry at about 15 to 40 feet with 2 foot viz. IMO that's not diving. :kiss2:

2' viz works for me. Awesome wreck diving a mere 3 hours away? What are you complaining about?

Sometimes I grouse about the viz in Lake Travis and then I remember there's a guy in El Paso, AZ, CO, OK wherever that would die to have so much water a mere fifteen minutes from the house.

 

[Capnhook]

I've been debating this topic in my head for a while. My dilemma is my LDS is so accommodating. Because I bought my gear from him, he says he won't charge me for tank rentals. If I plan on doing say 3 tanks on the weekend, I pop by the shop durning the week and grab 3 tanks, no questions asked. Great deal and phenomenal service. My only point of debate is the hours the shop is open. With my work schedule, I can only get in there one day a week, Thursdays. So if Saturday rolls around and I decide I want to dive the next day, I'm out of luck, because he's closed before I can get down there. It seems a waste to buy tanks when I can use them for free, but i tend to be spontaneous in my planning and I hate being limited this way.

 

[ReeferBen]

I own my own tanks for the convenience of it. It does not save me money but does give me the ability to pick up and go diving whenever I want, so to me that makes it well worth while.

 

[oldschoolto]

I have 8 tanks..... But that's the only way to dive up here... Almost 4 hour ride to a rental.... Lets the wife and I go diving for a weekend, Anywhere we want... But it is costly....

Jim...