Do dive computers require annual inspections?

[Ramsy]

Yesterday, my wife's Suunto Vyper 2 depth sensor went out. I purchased the computer within the last 2 years and have the original receipt. The Suunto manual tells me to take it the retailer I purchased the computer from for service. I took it to the UTC Sports Chalet where I originally purchased the computer. I presented the computer and the original receipt to Dave in the scuba department. He asked me if I had an annual inspection performed on the computer within a year of purchase. I told him I had never heard of any such thing. He then proceeded to tell me *very confidentially* that I had voided my warranty.

The Suunto manual says nothing in the warranty section about needing an annual inspection to maintain the warranty.

Has anyone heard of any dive computer manufacturer requiring their computers to be annual inspected in order to maintain the warranty?

[awap]

Don't tell anybody else, but Dave doesn't always know what he is talking about. As long as he provides the necessary warranty service, it is no big deal. Just a point to remember if you have any future dealings with him.

[scubafanatic]

annual inspections of dive computers ??? That's a new one, yet another good reason to avoid retail dealers and shop on E-Bay/Leisure Pro, why pay 2X the price with a warranty they can weezle out of by making such crap up?

[NCadiver]

I beleive Dave is confusing somebody else warranty with suunto. Have Dave read page 39 and 49 of the manual.

[Ramsy]

I beleive Dave is confusing somebody else warranty with suunto. Have Dave read page 39 and 49 of the manual.

The craziest part of my conversation with Dave was the fact that I brought the manual in with me. I tried to point out to him that the warranty section states nothing about requiring an annual inspection. However, Dave would not even look at the manual. He simply continued to claim that I was wrong. He wrote on the repair ticket that the repair center should contact me directly if there is any problem with the warranty as he believes my failure to have had an annual inspection performed voided the warranty and he would not deal with them on my behalf.

I then asked Dave what they do during the annual inspection of the computer that would help the computer last longer. His response was that they "update the algorithms." It was then, that I knew Dave might not know what he was talking about. If he had said that they changed the o-ring, then maybe I could see some benefit of an annual inspection.

Finally, I told Dave, I was never told of the need for an annual inspection in order to maintain my 2 year warranty when I purchased the computer. So, I asked Dave, what do you normally tell your customers when they buy Suunto computers. His response, unbelievably was "I tell them nothing."

[Hatul]

To paraphrase the boy in the Sixth Sense: I see stupid people everywhere, and they don't even know they're dumb.

Adam

[NCadiver]

Ramsy make sure you give him a copy of your receipt so when they send it to aqualung they will see that it is under warranty. I would not give him my only copy.

When they do an annual service they change the o-ring, recalibrate, update the software and pressure check the computer I forgot and put a new battery in as well.

[Ramsy]

NCadiver,

Thanks. I agree. Before I went to the store, I made a copy of the receipt and had Dave attach the copy of the receipt to the work order. I retained the original receipt just in case there is a problem with the warranty coverage.


Ramsy make sure you give him a copy of your receipt so when they send it to aqualung they will see that it is under warranty. I would not give him my only copy.

[netmage]

Once again the LDS shoots itself in the foot......

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3497/3462170271_32630169b3_o.gif

[Downing]

I then asked Dave what they do during the annual inspection of the computer that would help the computer last longer. His response was that they "update the algorithms."

At that point, I would have laughed out loud, asked for my computer back, walked out and taken my business elsewhere. Permanently.

It's stories like this one that make me really appreciate my favorite LDS.

[scubafanatic]

Ramsy make sure you give him a copy of your receipt so when they send it to aqualung they will see that it is under warranty. I would not give him my only copy.

When they do an annual service they change the o-ring, recalibrate, update the software and pressure check the computer I forgot and put a new battery in as well.

a LDS doesn't have the ability to 'recalibrate' anything, and in all my 9 yrs of diving I have only encountered ONE dive shop with a "pressure pot" (which the LDS had homemade) in which a dive computer could be 'pressure checked'....so that's either BS or you're saying the LDS is actually shipping the computer back to the manufacturer to perform this 'annual'.

[Scared Silly]

May I kindly suggest two things:

First, contact AquaLung/Suunto and report to them what your exchange was at Sport Chalet. Next, I would go contact Sport Chalet corporate office and report to them what your exchange was with Dave.

As for what could be done during an inspection - the best you are going to get is a battery change which for Suunto includes a new oring and a few other bits.

Also to my knowledge Suunto does not do any software updates for any of their computers. If an update is required it is done via a recall which IIRC was done on the D9???

[NCadiver]

a LDS doesn't have the ability to 'recalibrate' anything, and in all my 9 yrs of diving I have only encountered ONE dive shop with a "pressure pot" (which the LDS had homemade) in which a dive computer could be 'pressure checked'....so that's either BS or you're saying the LDS is actually shipping the computer back to the manufacturer to perform this 'annual'.

What I said is for a annual service which is different then a annual inspection. An annual inspection checks the depth and pre-dive plan and changes the battery.
And there are five dive centers that and do an annual service other than aqualung.

[MarineResearch]

Guys, be nice. We all know Dave normally works in the bicycle department and only fills in at the SCUBA department at lunch time.

[natew]

Once again the LDS shoots itself in the foot......

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3497/3462170271_32630169b3_o.gif

I don't know about anyone else but I don't exactly consider sport chalet to be an LDS. To me, they are a sporting goods store that happens to carry a somewhat limited selection of dive gear.

[Downing]

Never heard of them, but that explains a lot.