Not another lame request for HOG regs service manual!

[ScubaSteve]

Just a recommendation.......go to a HOG dealer local to you and ask them rather than asking Chris about scheduling that is specific to Canada. You are in Toronto and I have had great (I mean GREAT) luck with Dean at The Dive Academy. Dean has walked me through all the repairs / service done to my HOG regs and even offered for me to watch him service them. At one point I wanted to service my own regs but I am happy giving that little bit of money to The Dive Academy......

The Dive Academy

That is a shame and and in my opinion nowhere close to the customer service that Chris/HOG claims to have!
And like comodino, I did ask Chris (privately) whether there would be any dates scheduled for the Reg repair class in Canada, and got no response what so ever from Chris/HOG.
And on numerous occasions within the past 2-3 months I did ask Chris (again privately) whether the Service Manual for their regs would ever become available for download through their website and got only one really sketchy reply from him on March 8th of this year:

"I changed web servers and platform, the link dropped. I just haven't put it back up. i've also posted on Scubaboard i am the worst worst web guy, that remains true.

Best,

Chris"

Reading at that reply, I'm left with the impression that at some point in the past a link pointing to the Service Manual was available, but not currently.

So Chris, will that link that you're referring to (and I'm assuming you're talking about the Service Manual link) ever come up on your website again in the near/far future or not?

thanks,
Tzetzo

 

[Jim Lapenta]

The other thing that really needs to be said is that HOG does not put on the service classes. They do not schedule them either. He will ask one of us who teaches the course as independent TDI Instructors if we want to do a class at a show or event and then he will promote it. But if an instructor cannot be found then it's not going to happen. There are 30 of us worldwide the last I knew that can teach the class. There may have been a couple added since I last heard that number earlier this year.

Rather than ask him when he will offer a class, I'd suggest asking for a list of instructors close to you that can teach it. And if there is none close shoot me a plane ticket and I'll come do it!

Or you can come to me and do it at my place. And it'll be done under the conditions you are most likely to be servicing your regs at home or in the field.

And I do offer private classes all year around at my location. I just need enough notice to make sure it does not conflict with other classes or commitments I have. It is a two day course so plan on spending all day Saturday and most of Sunday with some of the second day in the pool or at a local dive site to test your regs that you just rebuilt.

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Just a quick question on the classes. I was in my local dive shop last week and a new customer came in and was inquiring about HOG regs. The answer to him from the owner was they can't carry the HOG line because there insurance would double due to the fact that the end user has the ability to disassemble his own regs and work on them. OK I must say my BS meter went way off the chart when I heard this, because anyone can go on Ebay and purchase AquaLung of SP parts and work on there own regs. Can anyone that actually sells and teaches the reg repair class conferm the insurance thing?

 

[tzetzo]

ScubaSteve, the link you provided for The Dive Academy does not open anything, but definitely sounds like a great option to look at. I'll try to search that place through google. Thanks very much for the recommendation - much appreciated.

Jim, I did not know that HOG had nothing to do with scheduling those classes - it's good to know that. My logic was thinking that since it's their product line that these classes are intended for, they should have at least some info on the subject. At lest they could have pointed me (or anyone else with similar request) in the right direction with a response like yours rather than no response at all......I was commenting about their Customer Service after all.
As for your offer for the plane ticket, I think I'll keep that as plan "B" for now

Now, what's still left unanswered is the second part of my earlier post about that link with the Service Manual? Will that ever be brought back to life?

thanks all for your recommendations!

 

[ScubaSteve]

OK I am confused as to why it is doing that with the but the website is:

www . thediveacademy . ca (remove the spaces)

For some reason any link to their page gets corrupted like that. So, Google it or follow the website I entered above. Dean may or may not be able to teach the tech course. He is definitely capable of getting you out of a jam and is great to deal with. There are other places as well but he is where I have had very positive experiences.

ScubaSteve, the link you provided for The Dive Academy does not open anything, but definitely sounds like a great option to look at. I'll try to search that place through google. Thanks very much for the recommendation - much appreciated.

Good luck with everything. I am not pushing anything here......just trying to get you a possible solution to your situation. BTW, they are located in Oakville between 3rd and 4th line on Speers (http://goo.gl/maps/DLEsm).

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Just a quick question on the classes. I was in my local dive shop last week and a new customer came in and was inquiring about HOG regs. The answer to him from the owner was they can't carry the HOG line because there insurance would double due to the fact that the end user has the ability to disassemble his own regs and work on them. OK I must say my BS meter went way off the chart when I heard this, because anyone can go on Ebay and purchase AquaLung of SP parts and work on there own regs. Can anyone that actually sells and teaches the reg repair class conferm the insurance thing?

It's bull crap. Insurance is not affected at all. The shop has no liability in the matter. Since it is an authorized official TDI course the instructor is covered under the same liability coverage as any other TDI course they are authorized to teach. That shop must not sell tanks, bc's, other brand regs, etc. since an inventive and industrious person can find parts for nearly any brand and work on them. or pull the valves in their tanks and take a peek inside. The shop can't teach the class. Only an individual instructor can. Some shops that can service the regs cannot teach the class as they do not have a TDI HOG specialty instructor on staff. They have an authorized tech but not an instructor.
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Aqua-Andy]

Jim, thanks. I just wanted to make sure my BS meter was not out of calibration, it's usually pretty accurate.

 

[cerich]

I would first like to address the service clinic question. HOG does not offer it, our dealers do. I will normally try and help somebody find a clinic if there is an instructor locally. International questions I forward to my international distributer to answer..that includes Canada. I have had LOTS of people upset that we aren't offering a service class in their local...when in fact there is NOTHING I can do about it. We will work with any shop who wants to offer it, many do not.

I can't stress enough, i have been on the road a TON, often I will read a PM and mean to get to it but want to have answers first..then between being on the road and such I don't get back in a timely fashion. I apologize if that upsets some people. Sometimes I don't even have a answer.

Best

Chris



At this time I haven't even given any thought about getting the service manual up on the web site. It really is that simple.

---------- Post added June 13th, 2013 at 02:09 PM ----------

This also fall in with these other LIES that shops will tell you

"You didn't buy that from me so I need to service it before my insurance will allow me to let you in my pool, teach you, take you on a trip or whatever other BS the shop can think up to try and punish the customer."

" You let the tank get below 500psi so water most likely will have entered and I need to do a visual inspection and charge you $20"

Just a quick question on the classes. I was in my local dive shop last week and a new customer came in and was inquiring about HOG regs. The answer to him from the owner was they can't carry the HOG line because there insurance would double due to the fact that the end user has the ability to disassemble his own regs and work on them. OK I must say my BS meter went way off the chart when I heard this, because anyone can go on Ebay and purchase AquaLung of SP parts and work on there own regs. Can anyone that actually sells and teaches the reg repair class conferm the insurance thing?