South Florida Pawn Shops

[opie712]

We are coming to the keys in a few weeks and was wondering if any of you knew of some pawn shop that had some dive gear we are looking for tanks mostly to bring back home since they are much cheaper down there been checking on here and craigslist so any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[AceszHigh]

never looked into pawn shops..got some gear from craigslist in the past. ive seen posts on CL from pawn shops and they typically dont know anything about the gear theyre selling and who knows where it came from. id rather buy from a diver selling gear on craigslist or even on the scubaboard classifieds ...

 

[BVickery]

never looked into pawn shops..got some gear from craigslist in the past. ive seen posts on CL from pawn shops and they typically dont know anything about the gear theyre selling and who knows where it came from. id rather buy from a diver selling gear on craigslist or even on the scubaboard classifieds ...

Not always. We had a shop up here in Jax that had 2 AL tanks for $100, recent hydro/VIP. To assume a shop knows 'nothing' when they buy something is kind of stereotyping them. Think about it this way, they are buying something from you in order to make a profit, how can they determine what is 'fair' if they don't know/do their homework and find out for themselves. It makes bad business policy to blindly try and flip stuff for a profit, your more often to get burnt than not.

 

[opie712]

That's my way of thinking n buying tanks don't really understand what it matters who it comes from as long as it is not a old tank plus buying used gear get it checked out anyways

 

[Tom Winters]

I'm not sure if you're driving down or flying, but lining up your stops on Craigslist seems like it would work a LOT better than buying scuba gear from a pawnshop. I don't normally picture pawnshops as a source of life support equipment. Now this is just my own kinda negative reaction. I'm sure that the OP has all the requisite skills and talent to ferret out the wheat from the chaff in a pawnshop.
I'm not for a moment suggesting that there are no pawnshop employees who are also not avid, knowledgeable divers, but I sure never ran across any.
I used to buy a lot of used gear - nothing for my business - that was all new stuff - but in south Floriduh, I did buy some used stuff. Mainly tanks, but some other stuff like Force Fins on eBay. No regulators though. Those have always been new. All of the tanks that I have now, and I don't have all that many anymore like some people on here have - they were all bought new. It's a long term investment on damn near any dive gear except wetsuits, and if you buy wisely, and buy ONCE, even new isn't so bad.
Even wetsuits last. I have a shorty that I used for Japanese intro dives in Kaneohe Bay and surfing on the North Shore of Oahu that I bought in 1984 and still have. It did shrink a lot in the interim so it's tight like a bastard. Maybe I'll return it to XCel wetsuits and caution them against using that shrinking neoprene.

 

[opie712]

I am driving from Tennessee I have been looking on craigslist for the towns we will be coming thru but they was a post from a pawn shop in south Florida that had a butt load of tanks they may have been junk but who knows then post is now gone and I can't remember the name of the pawn shop and of coarse when u get there they may want a arm and leg for one but who know don't hurt to check around

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I found a good deal once on some regulators from a pawn shop, but all the tanks I've seen at them were the 6351 alloy. Craigslist can have some good deals, just use google maps to figure out if the area is on your way or not. And make sure you know exactly what stamps you are looking for on the crown, that's key to getting a good deal easily.

 

[opie712]

Yea the pawn shop I was talking bout had hp80 and lp95 for 90 a piece some where still and hydro some not and I've lost their phone number and everything I think he said they where near the airport but not sure

 

[Thezeker]

The problem is there are a ton of active divers here in Florida. If there is a good deal to be had it's snapped up pretty quick, especially steel tanks.

 

[luscioman]

Lejune pawn in Miami is always advertising for is used dive gear.