Disposable regulators

[tdtaylor]

Just an interesting thought, from what I understand. When ordering a service kit for an Aqualung reg, they send all the o-rings for the entire series of regulators, because it is cheaper to have one kit with everything than separate kits with just the o-rings needed. My LDS has three gallon size ziplocks of new o-rings from the unused o-rings from the kits. My daughter works there in the summer and in down times often sorts these to bins or specific sizes.

 

[elan]

Some great regs you cannot just buy new

 

[Lorenzoid]

What I would like to see is reg manufacturers offering service contracts: X years of annual service for N dollars up front. The manufacturer would guarantee turnaround in a certain number of days and stand behind the work with their brand. I don't like having to track down a LDS that services my brand of reg and then take a risk on the quality of the service.

Not everyone wants to invest the time, money and space to service their own regulator.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

So you are talking all HOG? I know they have good cold water reviews. What type of temps do you dive them in? I know they have great reviews otherwise. Hog, Dive-rite, APEKS, etc... what would you choose and what temps do you dive? Texas is warm, no?

Yah if you can do that it is pretty crazy!!! I'm pretty new to the game so I wanna be able to trust my regs. I wish I knew how to work with them. More classes I guess.

Look at my profile pic. Those are HOG's under the ice. water temp.that day a balmy 35 degrees. Air temps in the 20's.

Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[elan]

There are variations of this now. Aqualung charges you upfront with the cost of the kits. Atomic can do the service in factory. There are a bunch of places you can send your regs too.

What I would like to see is reg manufacturers offering service contracts: X years of annual service for N dollars up front. The manufacturer would guarantee turnaround in a certain number of days and stand behind the work with their brand. I don't like having to track down a LDS that services my brand of reg and then take a risk on the quality of the service.

Not everyone wants to invest the time, money and space to service their own regulator.

 

[Lorenzoid]

There are variations of this now. Aqualung charges you upfront with the cost of the kits. Atomic can do the service in factory. There are a bunch of places you can send your regs too.

I've also seen a dive shop that will do this for a brand they're closely affiliated with.

 

[elan]

possibly , but this is the first time I here someone want to lock themselves into some sort of contract with those reg companies for many years ahead.

 

[chrpai]

Another way to look at it, maybe they are going the way of printers, where it's almost cheaper to buy a new printer than to replace the ink catridge?

That also has the side effect of creating a catridge remanufacturing program. That would be an interesting business model... buy our reg, dive it for two years and then trade it in for a rebuilt one. You get a reg back, just maybe a different one...

I wonder if that could work.

 

[Lorenzoid]

possibly , but this is the first time I here someone want to lock themselves into some sort of contract with those reg companies for many years ahead.

As far as locking myself in, the assumption is that the reg manufacturer would discount the cost so that the customer pays, say, $250 today for a 5-yr service contract that would entitle him to five annual services that might otherwise each cost, say, $100. I think some people would rather pay $250 today than $500 over the course of 5 years, be assured that their reg is being maintained in practically factory-new condition, etc. So maybe you buy a $500 reg set, and with the manufacturer's 5-year contract you've spent a total of $750, which represents what I see as closer to the "true value" of the reg set to me. Sort of the antithesis of a "disposable" reg.

It's just a thought.

 

[elan]

well thats a good idea but looking at it how it is now when the reg companies try to charge double reg price for parts for life I would not hold my breath