Please tell me your personal experiences w/buying ScubaPro regs at LeisurePro?

[DennisS]

I've bought $2-3K worth of gear from them. Dive rite transpac, PST tanks, scubapro second stages, Suunto Cobra and lots of other stuff over the last 5 or 6 years-never had a problem.

LDS make money servicing equipment, if they don't want your money, take it elsewhere

 

[John_B]

The only thing I would add to this is that the warranty is "free parts for life," not labor. You still pay labor charges. Also with that, there is a window (30 days from the ate of purchase) that you have to have it serviced. Otherwise, the warranty becomes void.

One other note specific to SP and their "free parts for life" deal*: If you skip a year, then you'd have to pay for parts (and obviously, labor) for that year. But doing so enables you back into their free parts for all of the out years. Paying for the parts puts you back into their "good graces" (for lack of a better term).

* Edit: Of course this applies only to a reg originally bought from an official SP dealer.

 

[cbmech2]

Not much that I could that hasn't already been covered. My personal experience with buying used regulators using Ebay has been outstanding. I have bought 6 sets (Sherwood and Scubapro) used and have not had one problem. I serviced them myself and all of been well taken care of. The only problem I had was with an Sherwood octo I purchased separately The cover ring disintegrated in hand as I took it apart, only to find that someone in their infinite wisdon decided to use superglue to try and repair the broken cover ring. I did receive a replacement from the seller, but it wasn't the Sherwood that I originally purchased and wanted. If your concerned about initial cash outlay, but not about servicing costs, then buying a used reg set might be the way to go. My two cents.

 

[ShakaZulu]

I've bought Apeks regulators from them with no problems at all. They even assembled them for me

 

[vladimir]

My main concern w/purchasing from LP vs an LDS is receiving a shoddy product/used product/conterfeit product/parts swapping, etc... and the headache & time that would be involved w/rectifying the situation.

Why does this concern you? Has anybody bought a counterfeit product from LP in the last ten years? A used product represented as new?

 

[parachute]

Why does this concern you?

Some of my reasons and concerns:

- The significant price difference between the LDS and and LP. How can LP offer it for that much less, over 40%? My paranoid cynicism...

- About 10 yrs ago, I purchased a tripod & head from Adorama (in all fairness, it may have been B&H Photo, I don't recall) and the head arrived with obvious defects. They did replace it, but it was a PITA I'd like to avoid.

Has anybody bought a counterfeit product from LP in the last ten years? A used product represented as new?

That's what I'd like to know. This is why I posted my original question. I have no experience with LP, and for all I know, they are a reputable company selling authentic, original products. I'm just interested in hearing others' experiences, good and bad.
PM me if you prefer.

Thanks.

 

[redacted]

Some of my reasons and concerns:

- The significant price difference between the LDS and and LP. How can LP offer it for that much less, over 40%? My paranoid cynicism...

- About 10 yrs ago, I purchased a tripod & head from Adorama (in all fairness, it may have been B&H Photo, I don't recall) and the head arrived with obvious defects. They did replace it, but it was a PITA I'd like to avoid.



That's what I'd like to know. This is why I posted my original question. I have no experience with LP, and for all I know, they are a reputable company selling authentic, original products. I'm just interested in hearing others' experiences, good and bad.
PM me if you prefer.

Thanks.

I believe LP is the number one scuba retailer in the world. There business model is base on generating profit through sales volume. Their markup is probably on the order of 25% wholesale and most LDSs work on about a 100% markup; thus the large price difference. They are not perfect. They generally do not offer much time consuming personal service. But you do not get to where they are by disappointing many customers. The biggest problem you are likely to run into buying Scubapro products from LP is the hostility you may well encounter if you try to get it serviced through a local authorized dealer.

 

[Web Monkey]

Some of my reasons and concerns:

- The significant price difference between the LDS and and LP. How can LP offer it for that much less, over 40%? My paranoid cynicism...

Nobody knows how/where they get their stuff or how "genuine" it is. It's possible they buy from failed SCUBA shops, it's possible the manufacturers dump stuff to them under the table, it's possible that the manufacturing facilities are actually running a second "off the books" shift of product to sell to LP (this is actually very common in China), it's possible they buy from other markets and take advantage of the currency spread and pricing differences. It's likely that it's a combination of the above and some others, but nobody who really knows will say.

The short story is that your stuff will probably work, and if it doesn't they'll probably make it right. You'll almost certainly ****-off your local shop, which might cost you in turn-around time for repairs and pricing on stuff you want to buy locally. Whether or not you care about any of this or if it's worth the price difference is really your call.

Terry

 

[mike_s]

Why does this concern you? Has anybody bought a counterfeit product from LP in the last ten years? A used product represented as new?

Actually I think there was an instance of this a few years a back.

someone bought a BC that was a 'counterfeit' on LP.


I can't remember exactly, but I think that whoever made the BC had "leftover parts" or not all the same parts. (like different power inflator or dump valve)


here is one reference of it on SB.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/whine-cheeze/271374-leisure-pro-rocks.html#post4380858

other references

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/regulators/192918-does-leisure-pro-ever-sell-fake-stuff.html

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/bu...ight-systems/114637-counterfeit-bp-wings.html


Undercurrent Scuba Diving Magazine: Grey Market, Scubapro Counterfeit BC's

 

[rstofer]

My main concern w/purchasing from LP vs an LDS is receiving a shoddy product/used product/conterfeit product/parts swapping, etc... and the headache & time that would be involved w/rectifying the situation.

If you have those concerns, I don't see how you could possibly justify buying from LP.

Richard