Honesty from a LDS -- too much to ask?

[the_kuang]

Maybe I'm setting my hopes too high . . . but I'm looking forward to the day when I go into a LDS that doesn't tell me the stuff he carries is the best and all other brands are crap. Let me explain:

I'm shopping for a BCD and my LDS told me Seaquest is the best . . . I borrowed a friends Scubapro Glide Plus and my LDS bashed Scubapro. One month later when I returned to the LDS, they had added Scubapro BCD's to their inventory

Anyway, I think the instructors at the store are great, but I feel like I can't trust them on gear recommendations anymore.

 

[cornfed]

There are several shops around me and all but one of them act like the one you described. So what do I do? I drive 40 minutes to the dive shop which has a staff that is both honest and competent. In doing so I pass by the other two shops along the way.

Cornfed

 

[ZoCrowes255]

That's just business in general not just in diving. Walk into a guitar store sometime and ask them what brands are better.

I will tell you the same thing I tell my customers. Pretty much every single manufacturer makes a good product. Very little of it is actually "crap." It would not sell if it was crap. Dacor almost went out of business because most of what it was making was crap (and this is coming from a Dacor dealer.)

Some brands make a consistently excellent product. Scubapro is one of those brands. Zeagle is one of those brands (we are not a dealer.) Aqualung is not because they are so large some products are not going to be all that good (the Walmart gear) however most of what they make is very good. Seaquest is known for making excellent BC. What it all boils down to is what you want and what is comfortable to you.

the_kuang once bubbled...
Maybe I'm setting my hopes too high . . . but I'm looking forward to the day when I go into a LDS that doesn't tell me the stuff he carries is the best and all other brands are crap. Let me explain:

I'm shopping for a BCD and my LDS told me Seaquest is the best . . . I borrowed a friends Scubapro Glide Plus and my LDS bashed Scubapro. One month later when I returned to the LDS, they had added Scubapro BCD's to their inventory

Anyway, I think the instructors at the store are great, but I feel like I can't trust them on gear recommendations anymore.

 

[Kayla]

... I think that honesty is a very important trait when you are shopping for anything, and thats why I am thankful that my LDS is honest. Don't get me wrong, of course they want you to buy the more expensive product, but when you ask about others, they don't bash it. Everyone has their own personal favorites, and some are just more opinionated then others... and in the long run, its not what gear that they prefer, but what gear you feel most comfortable in.


Kayla

 

[jviehe]

which is why LeisurePro makes money. Cheap prices and no opinions.

 

[divebuddydale]

I have found a couple of good stores that will tell me the honest opinion on gear that they don't carry. One is Ron's SCUBA in Cornwall, On. The other is The Dive Center in Stittsville, Ontario. Bot run by class A guys.

Dale

 

[MikeFerrara]

Why would a store not sell what they feel is the best equipment?

Call a phone company and ask them who is the best. In fact you don't have to they call you. LOL

Call GM and see if they don't tell you they are better than Ford.

You people are something else.

 

[MikeFerrara]

jviehe once bubbled...
which is why LeisurePro makes money. Cheap prices and no opinions.

No, it's just the cheap prices, Well, that and the fact that they don't wast time and money on stupid suff like teaching, compressors, instructor insurance, dive shop insurance, agency retail membership dues and following the rules of the manufacturers.

They don't have any opinions because ther're not divers.

 

[cdiver2]

I do expect honesty from every one I deal with, and if I get a lot of bad mouth about everything but there product then I will stear clear of them it smacks of every one is wrong except me. Also what if a lds selling crap gear to a newbi tells them there's is the best. No honesty has always been the best policey and just because they do it ie Phone Co, Ford etc is no excuse for anyone to be dishonest.

 

[MikeFerrara]

cdiver2 once bubbled...
I do expect honesty from every one I deal with, and if I get a lot of bad mouth about everything but there product then I will stear clear of them it smacks of every one is wrong except me. Also what if a lds selling crap gear to a newbi tells them there's is the best. No honesty has always been the best policey and just because they do it ie Phone Co, Ford etc is no excuse for anyone to be dishonest.

You're right if their being dishonest. Personally I hate Aqualung stuff. If I told some one their products would get them killed, that would be dishonest. However, if I tell you I think their bc's are crap, I would be telling the truth.

Now, if I sold Aqualung but thought they were lousy and told you that SP was junk just because I didn't sell it I would say that's dishonest especially if I really liked SP.

Divers, especially long time divers are very opinionated when it comes to equipment. If you want to talk to some one who isn't opinionated about their equipment wether selling it or using it you'll need to talk to non-divers probably. It isn't the same as being dishonest.