How much should I be spending on PADI training?

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Seville

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Location
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Looking around at all the places in San Diego, CA. The cheapest I can find is around $500 for everything. I do have gear which is a little old but still works, I am thinking they will not let me dive with it until it is serviced. Is $500 too much for an OW course?
 
Looking around at all the places in San Diego, CA. The cheapest I can find is around $500 for everything. I do have gear which is a little old but still works, I am thinking they will not let me dive with it until it is serviced. Is $500 too much for an OW course?
Q1. Why are looking for the cheapest you can find? Do you do that with food, clothes, cars, auto repairs, dentists?
Q2. What does "everything" include? Classroom time vs eLearning? Boat dives? Use of equipment? Extra pool sessions if you need it? Private classes if you learn better that way?
Q3. Why do you have gear, have you dived before? Do you have "everything" or only some stuff? How do you know it still works? how old is it? how long since it has been used? Usually all you need for a class is mask, snorkel, fins; all else is provided as part of the class.

A1. Is $500 too much? Depends on what you get for the $500.
 
open water class pricing includes rental equipment for the class, you only need to bring personal equipment such as mask/snorkel/fins/boots. those don't need servicing and used is fine if they are in good condition and fit you.

pricing in SD is somewhat higher than pacific wilderness over in long beach, and 450 to 500 is the norm to include materials, classroom, pool, gear rental, and shore checkouts..

with that said, if you are aiming to dive locally for the long haul vs occasional diving on vacation, consider looking for a gue rec1 class instead. a little more cost up front, but better value.
 
I already know how to dive, 5 years ago i took the padi ow curse and did everything except the last ocean dive. I just want to get my cert so I can do boat diving. Thats why i am looking for the cheapest.
 
Looking around at all the places in San Diego, CA. The cheapest I can find is around $500 for everything. I do have gear which is a little old but still works, I am thinking they will not let me dive with it until it is serviced. Is $500 too much for an OW course?

$500 is not to terrible, considering the inflation of California (my home state) Out here in Florida you can get trained from $99 to $1400. I have dove with the $99 and they suck. I have dove with the $1400, and they are as good as they want to be.

My issues with PADI (i was a PADI DM) is to much out dated training and OVER priced eLearning. My dive partners Sister and husband paid retain for the eLearning, were I could have gotten it for 1/2 the price.

Short version, pick and Updated instructor. Go watch a class, if you see the students on their knees, run fast to the door. Trust me. here, it is better to pay a little more for better up to date training.
 
tursiops spells it out. What do you get for the $500? Thinking back, for maybe $450 CAD ($350 US) here you got the materials (manual, in my case) and all the equipment minus mask, fins, snorkel (it is assumed you own or will buy these). Ocean "checkout dives" were shore dives, so no boat fee.
So you shouldn't need your own old equipment for the course, but of course get it serviced/checked out before you start diving after the course.
With those other 4 non-scuba things listed I too look for the cheapest..... For dive equipment I just look for stuff that fits, works, and is safe. If that's the case, then I look for the cheapest too....
 
Looking around at all the places in San Diego, CA. The cheapest I can find is around $500 for everything. I do have gear which is a little old but still works, I am thinking they will not let me dive with it until it is serviced. Is $500 too much for an OW course?

That seems pretty reasonable to me since, according to PADI rules you'll need to re-take the entire course. (It SHOULD be required as there is likely new information out there since you took the course.) I paid $550 which included the e-learning, rental gear, and the in-water dive instruction. There was no discount for bringing one's own gear. That was in 2019 on Kauai. Sure, I could have probably found a less expensive place locally, but everything is cheaper in Oklahoma than on the coasts or Hawaii.

I think what is more important is to find good instruction rather than worry too much about cost. Look at reviews and ask around with your local dive community for who gives the best instruction. I am very grateful that my husband and I had such excellent instruction. There was no way our instructor was letting anyone just skate by without successfully completing all of the skills....not just barely completing them, but actually requiring proficiency.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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