International Warranties

I'm a bit confused/concerned about warranties on equipment purchased in other countries, especially since I've heard a few have been harrassed by it. Let's say I take a trip to Malaysia or Japan (which I'm planning) and get in some diving (which I'm also planning) and pick up a piece of gear whilst there (which I may be planning), then come back to the United States. Are most warranties good internationally, or am I going to have to send it over to the Malaysian branch service center?

Would an LDS be likely to honor warranty service on equipment bought overseas? Not to offend any LDS owners, but people on this board are always telling horror stories of the Evil LDS that refuses to service overseas or Internet purchases and using it as an example of why you should never buy anything from anyone except your LDS. Not to start this tired old argument up again, but most local dive shops aren't exactly cheap, and I hate playing the haggling game -- I feel like I'm in an electronics store in Osaka trying to haggle with the shopkeeper, and I hate that feeling. It makes me feel cheap and dishonest, like I'm playing a game and cheating.

I have a feeling I'll find a lot of gear at a third of the cost in a LDS in Asia that I'd find here in the USA. But the offer of free parts for life on many items (regs and computers for example) is a pretty good deal, I'll admit. That's why I want to know what I'm getting into before I try it. If I'm already going, I might indeed want to get something.

Experiences? International gear stories welcome.

Oh, and by the way: I hope it doesn't turn into this, but the argument is frequently made that by not buying at your LDS, it will eventually go under and possibly be hit by a falling meteor. In my location in the world, the day all the LDS locations close will be the day after the Gulf of Mexico dries up.

My experience is limited in ScubaPro International warranty. Their "Free Part" Program only applies in the equipment purchase in North Amerca. Based on the communication with ScubaPro, Any LDS in U.S. has a right to refuse the service even though you bought the equipment from other authorized stores in U.S. The same logic applies to the equipment purchased from other countries. Any authorized LDS in the world are supposed to honor SP international warranty, but it is your luck in reality. I have seen some friends who were able to have the warranty service through ScubaPro US, not through LDS. Hence, I used to consider the international warranty as a gimmick.

What brand are you interested in? I bought my scubapro regulator in korea but the "free parts for life" thing doesn't apply if you you bought your reg outside north america. I can still get it serviced but it costs me more.

hoosier:

I have seen some friends who was able to have the warranty service through ScubaPro US, not through LDS.

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What do you mean hoosier? They sent it to the manufacturer for free parts and service? I've always been able to get my reg serviced in korea for about W30,000 but I'll be moving back to Canada soon. They last time I checked, it was cheaper for me to courier it back to korea than use my LDS.

jiveturkey:

I've always been able to get my reg serviced in korea for about W30,000 but I'll be moving back to Canada soon.

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Wow....that's really cheap!!!! In Fukuoka they asked me for 17,000 yen for a reg set - and that was without parts! (Apeks). I bought all the tools and now do it myself!

jiveturkey:

What do you mean hoosier? They sent it to the manufacturer for free parts and service? I've always been able to get my reg serviced in korea for about W30,000 but I'll be moving back to Canada soon. They last time I checked, it was cheaper for me to courier it back to korea than use my LDS.

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As I mentioned, his equipment purchased not in North America wasn't covered by the "Free Part" Program. He needed to get the warranty service, but any LDS in U.S. didn't honor the international warranty so that he got the warranty service through ScubaPro U.S. company after having many hassles with the LDS.

Again, SP's Free Part program isn't warranty.....

In your case, you must pay almost double for your regulator compared to U.S. MSRP. So, you paid all service cost up front already. Do you know how much Korea dealers charge for the regulator from the authorized dealers in other countries? You will be surprised. No. you will be shocked..

jiveturkey:

What brand are you interested in? I bought my scubapro regulator in korea but the "free parts for life" thing doesn't apply if you you bought your reg outside north america. I can still get it serviced but it costs me more.

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I was looking at Apeks, specifically the XTX200. I like everything I have read about it.

I literally cannot walk into a store here and get an XTX200 here because nobody carries them, so I figured I might pick one up in Malaysia or Japan if the prices are better.

But interestingly -- I see on Divetank/Scubastore (out of Spain) that they've got some included with an octo available very reasonably priced. My LDS only has the earlier model ATX200, and they want $700 for it! People on this board speak very highly of the Spain-based company, and they are an authorized dealer, so legitimately I should get some kind of warranty, though maybe not the free parts offer they have here in the US. Even LP doesn't have the XTX, most likely because they're not an authorized dealer.

Is having the Free Parts all it's cracked up to be, or are they going to charge me no matter what when I have my reg serviced?

Kim:

In Fukuoka they asked me for 17,000 yen for a reg set - and that was without parts! (Apeks).

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That's about the price I was quoted at a shop back in Ottawa. Maybe if I purchased some expensive items from them, they'd bring the price down. If not, I'll be sending my reg back here once a year. The service will probably be faster anyway.

KansaiKitsune:

I was looking at Apeks, specifically the XTX200. I like everything I have read about it.

I literally cannot walk into a store here and get an XTX200 here because nobody carries them, so I figured I might pick one up in Malaysia or Japan if the prices are better.

But interestingly -- I see on Divetank/Scubastore (out of Spain) that they've got some included with an octo available very reasonably priced. My LDS only has the earlier model ATX200, and they want $700 for it! People on this board speak very highly of the Spain-based company, and they are an authorized dealer, so legitimately I should get some kind of warranty, though maybe not the free parts offer they have here in the US. Even LP doesn't have the XTX, most likely because they're not an authorized dealer.

Is having the Free Parts all it's cracked up to be, or are they going to charge me no matter what when I have my reg serviced?

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Your best bet is to call the manufacturer for the specific reg you want to buy. That's the only way to know for sure.

I agree, the manufacturer won't encourage you to buy gear "somewhere else" they are the one who set the price difference in different regions.

I brought some equipment somewhere else, and I travel around, the LDS ask for my passport and they are willing to do the service for me.
So, let's say if I lived in London for a while and pick up the hobby there, brought the England Apeks equip there. Does it mean that I need to sell my regulator if I start to work in New York??? I'm sure there are some of you who also work and travel around, how do you manage this?

To me, it's simple for now, the LDS say "yes", they have licenses for Apeks, SP, Atomics and others (totally 5 licenses) and the parts are supplied by Apeks.

i.e. The LDS told me, as long as I can prove that I am from somewhere else and therefore the equipment are not brought locally, they will take it. Make sense, right?