Confused about reg prices

[jayb]

Hi guys,
I'm a new diver up in Halifax, NS looking to buy my first reg. I trained with an Aqualung Titan Glacia (cold water) reg, which I liked, and heard many good things about. My teacher, who I trust very much (I did the class one on one), is getting out of teaching, and offered to sell me this reg with octopus and 3-gauge console for $450 canadian. I looked into it online, and it seemed like a good price, and as I said before, I trust his maintenance and all that (he's an ex-Navy diver, pays attention to details.

Anyway, I can't seem to determine if this is a good price or not... most prices I found online ranged around $400 USD minus octopus and gauges, which compares favorably with the exchange rate... but then I found that Leisurepro.com is selling the same reg for $225 USD, or about $250 to have it shipped to Canada. I feel like I'm missing something here... are they a reputable retailer? Is my friend trying to rip me off? Or is there really just a massive discrepancy between prices in Canada and the US? Any help or suggestions anyone could give me would be a lifesaver

Thanks,
JB

[docmartin]

Leisure Pro offers dive gear at deep discount to the detriment of "your local dive shop". you won't have a manufacturer's warranty (neither will you have one when buying used from your instructor) but they offer their own equivalent warranty. the equipment is the same. there are MANY threads about the pros and cons of buying from online retailers such as leasure pro. you can do a search.

[halocline]

A couple of questions; what type of octo is it, and what exactly is on the console? If it's a decent octo, that's worth $75-100 US and the console would probably cost about $100-120 as well if it's SPG, depth, compass. So add that to the LP price and it's a different story.

I wouldn't worry too much about the warranty on the reg if you know for a fact it's been well maintained. Well maintained used regs are just as reliable as new ones; it's all about the service and care it's received. But, you might find that you want a different alternate (octo) and maybe just an SPG and a wrist mount computer. This would be the advantage of getting new stuff separately.

As I bet you'll hear on this thread (as have many others have on different ones), it's worth talking with the guys at scubatoys in Dallas; they're a very highly regarded online dealer that often has great packages available for new divers.

[Wayward Son]

Some brands can not be sold online by authorized dealers. Aqualung is one such brand, they require dealers to only sell over the counter. Some brands can be sold over the net.

www.scubatoys.com is one such shop authorized dealer with a web store, in Texas. They only sell online what they are allowed to, everything else is sold in-store only. With some brands, regs have a lifteime warranty, which usually means free parts for life, so long as you pay to get it serviced annually. I don't know what the Aqualung warranty is, but as another said, when you buy used there is no warranty any way.

[jayb]

Thanks for the help.
I checked up on the prices at LP with an octo and gauges, and it definitely changed my perspective a bit. Although I would like to be able to get a computer, etc. now, it's not in the budget. I think I'm going to go ahead and buy it.

Aqualung's availability online makes sense, given my inability to find much of anything by them for sale online.

Thanks again
JB