Buying a used reg is ok, as long as you know exactly what you are getting.
I have in the post gotten a used Mk15 D400, off E-bay for $115, a used Mk 20 D400 used at the local dive shop for $125 and an almost new Mk 25 D400 directly from a diver for $275 who decided diving was not his thing. All three were excellent deals compared to buying them retail.
I have also purchased several Mk 10 Balanced Adjustables for prices between $35 and $100 on Ebay. Only one has been what you would call a real dog and required $70 in parts and servicing. Most had been recently serviced and were ready to dive.
The important thing is to be familiar with the make and model of the reg you are buying and to be sure you can get parts and service for it. Scubapro has excellent parts support for older regs and tend to be evolutionary in design (The Balanced Adjustable for example uses the same basic design, diaphragm and internal parts as the G250 and can use also use the same lightend and updated poppet assembly as the G250HP and S600, so the parts that need replaced regularly will be available for a long time.)
I have purchased used BC's in the past but two of the three have been from local dive shops who took them in either trade or sold them from their rentals. One was a nearly new BC on E-bay. All three were very good deals. Be careful about buying a BC that has been well used unless you can inspect it first.
Buying a tank through E-bay is in nearly all cases is a bad idea as a lot of tanks that will not pass a hydro or VIP are sold by sellers who may or may not know about the problem. Shipping also can get very expensive and when you add the price of the sale, shipping, and a hydro and VIP, you often have close to or more than the price of a new tank.
I did buy a 40 cu ft pony once on E-bay. But it was a new tank from an LDS and had been sitting in his store for 2 yrs. He sold it on E-bay as there were only 3 yrs left until it needed a hydro and the tank would not really command a full retail price in his store.
I have in the post gotten a used Mk15 D400, off E-bay for $115, a used Mk 20 D400 used at the local dive shop for $125 and an almost new Mk 25 D400 directly from a diver for $275 who decided diving was not his thing. All three were excellent deals compared to buying them retail.
I have also purchased several Mk 10 Balanced Adjustables for prices between $35 and $100 on Ebay. Only one has been what you would call a real dog and required $70 in parts and servicing. Most had been recently serviced and were ready to dive.
The important thing is to be familiar with the make and model of the reg you are buying and to be sure you can get parts and service for it. Scubapro has excellent parts support for older regs and tend to be evolutionary in design (The Balanced Adjustable for example uses the same basic design, diaphragm and internal parts as the G250 and can use also use the same lightend and updated poppet assembly as the G250HP and S600, so the parts that need replaced regularly will be available for a long time.)
I have purchased used BC's in the past but two of the three have been from local dive shops who took them in either trade or sold them from their rentals. One was a nearly new BC on E-bay. All three were very good deals. Be careful about buying a BC that has been well used unless you can inspect it first.
Buying a tank through E-bay is in nearly all cases is a bad idea as a lot of tanks that will not pass a hydro or VIP are sold by sellers who may or may not know about the problem. Shipping also can get very expensive and when you add the price of the sale, shipping, and a hydro and VIP, you often have close to or more than the price of a new tank.
I did buy a 40 cu ft pony once on E-bay. But it was a new tank from an LDS and had been sitting in his store for 2 yrs. He sold it on E-bay as there were only 3 yrs left until it needed a hydro and the tank would not really command a full retail price in his store.
