Is Dacor dead?

[BigWhiteSquare]

As for Mares killing Dacor, yes the Dacor result (purchasing a distressed company) of building it up did not workout for many reasons, including poor management (those persons are no longer with the company). Certainly it was not purchased to throw away, but we cannot change the past.

R.I.P. Dacor

Anybody know where I can get a good price on a HUB?

___

 

[oxyhacker]

Let's see if I got this right, Phil. What you are saying is that Dacor isn't dead - but that the minister has been sent for and the family is gathering around the bed?

The news of Dacor's death has been greatly exagerated!

Dacor is not dead, while we will not place a large emphasis on new products in the US, we will continue to sell and support the Eagle line of Reg's and certain BC models. Most of these will be offered by specific retailers as value/price oriented products. Parts are availible on all the products we are selling, we have also offered an upgrade program for those with older regs.

Phil

 

[84CJ7]

Actually I have had trouble even getting parts for my somewhat older mares stuff, apparently the purge cover with button for a regular axis octo is already obsolete. Either that or my LDS is a fruit cake and cant order it right. Been on back order forever.

I love my Abyss 2000/proton octo but if it ever dies I think ill try out aqualung, I can get parts for regs twice as old as I am from them. Same with scubapro.

 

[Scuba]

Parts are availible on all the products we are selling, we have also offered an upgrade program for those with older regs.

R e a d B e t w e e n T h e L i n e s

Once reg is out of production - no more parts produced. Then, when the last replacement part is sold at the stroke of mid-night a couple years later - you sprinkle a little extra geen dust into Mares' pockets and your prized Dacor turns into a Mares ..... TA DAAAA.

Intended as semi joke/semi real. But, what are Mares intentions? How many more years, minutes or seconds, parts production and supplies can we count on after a regulator goes out of production, for Dacor, and Mares?

 

[Phil Mintz]

How about parts availability for recent -- but now apparently disappearing -- Dacor products, like my Viper octopus? I bought it from ScubaToys last year, and they've now discontinued it...

Marek,

The Viper Octo is not disappearing. Scuba Toys will be getting more of these and parts are availible.

Phil

 

[DA Aquamaster]

But, what are Mares intentions? How many more years, minutes or seconds, parts production and supplies can we count on after a regulator goes out of production, for Dacor, and Mares?

Thats a good point. For example, I have a Scubapro Adjustable second stage purchased in the early 70's and bought used by me in the early 80's when I started diving and that I still use on a deco bottle. That second stage went out of production in the late 80's but despite nearly 20 years of non-production annual service and replacemetn parts are still available. Thanks to this excellent parts support it has not only remained in service but has also been upgraded (improved, not replaced) to use the current balance chamber and s-wing poppet used in the G250 and S600 and offers performance essentially identical to either of those regulators.

In contrast, I see 5 year old Dacor regs come through the shop that are totally obsolete since we cannot get parts for them. I have also been staring at a recently produced Mares reg on the bench for over a month while we wait for a part for it to be shipped from Mares. And when we recently ordered some Mares service kits, they shipped them without seats and indicated that we need to order those separately.

So guess what regs I recommend to divers wanting to buy a new regulator. Why would I recommend that a customer buy a regulator from Mares when it will be obsolete as soon as they decide to stop production of that model and production of parts for existing regs of that model and force everyone to "upgrade" by spending money to buy a new Mares reg at a slightly reduced price?

It's certainly true that Mares had no legal obligation to Dacor customers even if they bought the company, but they did have an ethical obligation once they acquired Dacor's assets and those former Dacor customers do have a right to be upset with Mares for choosing not to produce parts for older Dacor regs. No doubt continued parts support would have involved substantial expense to tool up or contract with a third party for parts production, but by not doing so, and choosing increased profit over service to those customers, Mares sent a clear message to them - one that is also being heard by potential Mares customers.

It's just my opinion, but Mares is making a major mistake doing business this way and while short term profits may be preserved, it will prove to be very expensive in the end in terms of lost customers, sales and brand loyalty.

 

[Phil Mintz]

R e a d B e t w e e n T h e L i n e s

Once reg is out of production - no more parts produced. Then, when the last replacement part is sold at the stroke of mid-night a couple years later - you sprinkle a little extra geen dust into Mares' pockets and your prized Dacor turns into a Mares ..... TA DAAAA.

Intended as semi joke/semi real. But, what are Mares intentions? How many more years, minutes or seconds, parts production and supplies can we count on after a regulator goes out of production, for Dacor, and Mares?

I was refferring to the older Dacor Regs. Many of the current products have interchangable parts, so even when a product is discontinued, parts are still availible.

Also see my next post.

 

[Phil Mintz]

Actually I have had trouble even getting parts for my somewhat older mares stuff, apparently the purge cover with button for a regular axis octo is already obsolete. Either that or my LDS is a fruit cake and cant order it right. Been on back order forever.

I love my Abyss 2000/proton octo but if it ever dies I think ill try out aqualung, I can get parts for regs twice as old as I am from them. Same with scubapro.

Not sure who your LDS, but we have no open dealer orders for the Axis Octo cover. While we do not have any in US warehouse we could get from IT warehouse in a few weeks. Also this cover is interchangable with the Rebel cover which is in stock in US and can be shipped today.

Abyss 2000/Proton Octo parts are all availible and will be for many years to come.

 

[Phil Mintz]

In contrast, I see 5 year old Dacor regs come through the shop that are totally obsolete since we cannot get parts for them. I have also been staring at a recently produced Mares reg on the bench for over a month while we wait for a part for it to be shipped from Mares. And when we recently ordered some Mares service kits, they shipped them without seats and indicated that we need to order those separately.

Please send me a private message, I will personally check on your the part as it should not take this long for standard parts. The kit you received is a policy kit, some dealers had wanted kits without seats (do not know why). This has now been changed, we only sell the service kits which contain all the parts required to fully service the reg. Most are now in stock, those not in stock will be in the immediate future.

So guess what regs I recommend to divers wanting to buy a new regulator. Why would I recommend that a customer buy a regulator from Mares when it will be obsolete as soon as they decide to stop production of new regs and production of parts for existing regs and force everyone to "upgrade" by spending money to buy a new mares reg at a slightly reduced price?

As I have stated before, in past Mares US management did not manage parts well, we have put a new program in place and will have all service parts availible.

 

[Scottri]

Dacor is dead to me. I still like Mares products. I love the old standard MR-12. Wish I still had one around.