Did I just get Shafted by my LDS on a VIS?

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I am new to owning tanks. I used to just rent them. I bought a few tanks a year ago and they were just VIS'ed before I bought them so I did not bother at that time.

I droped my tanks off the other day to the LDS for VIS and I just went in today to pick them up. What I had read was that VIS was around $10 to $15 per tank. LDS Said $15 when I dropped them off.

Got there today and they wanted alot more. Here is what they charged me per tank.

$15 VIS
$5 FILL (Thought this would be included in the VIS Price)
$7 Valve Inspection??? (Is this required?) I did not ask for this.
$1 For O-Ring
---------------
$28 per Tank and I dropped off 3 Tanks
$ 2.50 Sales Tax
-------------------
$30.50 Per Tank

This is the first VIS I had to do is this normal or did I just get taken by the LDS?
This was also my first business with this LDS. My normal shop just closed due to lease problems with the building owner and will be reopening in a few months in another location.

Thanks
Aaron

PSI is offering the VIS course a various locations for $279. I think I'd start doing my own visuals.
 
My shop charges $25 for a VIP which includes an eddy current inspection, a new o-ring, cleaning the valve (not rebuilding it) and an air fill. I think that's pretty reasonable.
 
PSI is offering the VIS course a various locations for $279. I think I'd start doing my own visuals.

Just beware that some shops will not honor inspection stickers from non-commercial sources. They claim wanting a liability insurance fallback but it may be a ploy to guard territory.

Pete
 
I made my own VIP decals and use them all the time. I get free VIPs when ever I like and in three years I have been using them I have not been questioned once--even in Flariduh.

Of course, I do VIP the tanks and inspect them carefully inside and out, replace O rings etc. I don't have any junk. I have one tank, I flunked it for my VIP, it has some rust so I am not going to pass it on a VIP until I tumble it and inspect it again.

I simply have too many tanks to pay 15 dollars for a VIP every year. if I only had two tanks I would play the game, but with my fleet, sorry, no can do.

N
 
I plan on getting my VIP cert this year to solve this problem.
 
I VIP all my own tanks and I'm very anal. I only own steel tanks.
I learned from a local guy that has been doing his own VIP's for years and has worked at dive shops on and off for years.
I get the stickers from Leisure Pro for $1.99 each.
I also have special wire bruch tools that go on the end of a drill I use to get them spotless. I also do my own Nitrox cleaning and valve work. None of it is hard once you learn how to do it.

I've only been questioned once about the stickers. One time I walked in to my LDS and they saw the generic sticker on my tank. The guy looked and looked and was mumbling "Hmm, hmmm" Then he says "Where did you get this last VIP done?" I was straight up and told him "I do my own VIP's, I'm trained. I'm extremely anal about my VIP's so I don't trust anybody to do them but myself. Do you want my money for the fill or not?". I even offered to drain the tank and let him look inside, but he said, "Naw, that's OK, I believe you".
He filled it, and I've never heard another word out of them about my own stickers.

Even though they aren't necessarily my favorite shop to deal with, they do have the best quality air, their compressor never goes down, and they're close to my house, so they get my air fill business.

And to answer the OP's original question:
Yes, you got screwed.
 
The valve "inspection" should be included in the price of the VIP. Now if the valve was disassembled, cleaned and rebuilt, then that's a different situation all together.
Here in the Philadelphia area, the going rate for a VIP with fill is about $15.00
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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