Actual experience getting service on "internet only" regs

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

But can an average diver do this? I tried buying Scubapro kits in bulk from Amron and they would not sell them to me. I also tried buying in bulk from Trident and they would not sell to me. :(

the minimum order size from the taiwanese oems is outside of what an average diver would be looking at. it would take a pretty sizeable shop at least. trident is actually fairly reasonable if you are set up as a dive shop.
 
the minimum order size from the taiwanese oems is outside of what an average diver would be looking at. it would take a pretty sizeable shop at least. trident is actually fairly reasonable if you are set up as a dive shop.

I told Trident I wanted to be an internet retailer and would paying cash (their deal application is more of a credit application) and would exceed whatever their minimum order quantity is. I wanted to buy reg seats and diaphragms and sell them on Amazon and eBay. This was some time ago, I don't know if they changed the policy or not.
 
I have had that same conversation myself a few times. It is not a stretch to say that overhauling an old outdated regulator, (where service kits may be available, but any other part requiring replacement is SOL) you may be 1/3 or even 1/2 of the way to purchasing a brand new entry level (but quality) regulator. So the time to think about it is when getting it serviced, NOT a couple of months after you have spent the money on the service. And if replacing hoses too, that gets you that much closer to purchasing new.
Right, which is exactly the time period I am at right now and hence the post here :wink:
 
I understand the pain of having two unappealing choices: stick with your current disappointing regs or venture into unknown and maybe pay even *more* for just different problems. For me, the difficulty in being able to help is the question you asked and the one you seem to want answered (or are at least expanding into...) are very, very different.

Here is my thinking on this. If I'm wrong, I apologize. Feel free to simply ignore if I misinterpreted! :)

Like most *very* normal people, you seem to have asked a specific question that is a result of a half-dozen silent (and possibly unconscious) assumptions. Your specific question was about experiences with getting service with internet-only regs. You got fairly specific answers: most of us have had zero issues, but many of us are servicing our own regs (which you do not seem interested in) or have a specific local shop that we deal with for this (limiting the location we get service), or we send them in (limiting the time it takes). You're asking (or at least heavily implying) if anyone can assure you that you'll have easy access to repair from any shop in any location immediately. No -- and of course not. Even Scubapro couldn't do that. Of course, they have a *far* bigger reach that would get you *almost* all the way...

But none of that actually gets you closer to the question that I suspect you may want answered: what should you do with your current regs, and if upgrade is the option, will internet-only regs give you the service experience you want?

Once you actually phrase the question that way, it becomes clear that to answer it, we will need a *WHOLE* *LOT* more and different information than you've given us.

Some of this is coming out in dribs and drabs. The motivation is your tech saying the service bill on your current regs is getting high and might not be worth it. So there may be a cost/value motivation. Then 20+ posts in, we learn you're also not *happy* with your regs. So there may be an improvement motivation. *NONE* of this has to do with Internet-only regs! :)

So, it's up to you of course, but it might help if you outline what is *motivating* this entire discussion, and most importantly, what you want to end up with. For example, with the information you've given us, I can create two completely different thought processes with two completely different outcomes:

1) I want the lowest cost of ownership. My current regs are getting older, things are wearing out beyond the normal service o-rings (hoses were mentioned) and I don't want to put a bunch of money into them when I don't overly like them anyway. I want the lowest cost over the next, say, 10 years, and if possible maybe something I like a little better. Internet-only regs seem to be priced at 50% of retail regs. But I don't want to be stranded on a trip -- I expect to be supported easily no matter where I go. What path would give me the lowest costs and still meet my service needs? (Of course, it's *really* clear that 'my service needs' will need to be defined here! :) )

2) I am not overly thrilled with my regs, and now the cost of maintaining them is mounting. I would like a set of regs that makes me 'happy' to use. These Internet-only regs seem to have lots of features, and at a reasonable price. But I don't want to be stranded on a trip -- I expect to be supported easily no matter where I go. What path would give me regs that make me 'happy' at a reasonable price and still meet my service needs? (Of course, it's *really* clear that 'happy' (or 'unhappy') need to be defined here! :) )

Anyway, I'm not trying to be argumentative or belittling. I really would like to see you move forward with something that will work to meet your needs. But until we know what is motivating this, what you want to change, and what's important to you in the process, all we can do is tell you is what is relevant to *us*, which doesn't help you much...
 
Wow, yall are really over thinking my post! I really am just asking for real experiences servicing internet only regs. Period. I am not looking for anyone to tell me what to do. I have been told I do not listen anyway :wink: My current regs are irrelevant to the discussion. I did get some valuable feedback which I thank you all for!!
 
So, my $0.02 (can’t find the ‘cent’ mark) regarding all of the above. Bought a full reg set online 2 years ago and love them. Took it and my service kits to both Bonaire and GC. I have no idea if anyone would have serviced them on my trips or not, and never had to find out. Just got my regs back from the first service, which seems to have gone fine (haven’t had them back in the water yet). I will say that it took longer than I thought it would, not that I needed them, but they were there for a week and a half ( not including travel time). I’m sure everyone is getting them serviced this time of year, so understandable. Also, there is no direct feedback regarding the state of your regs, ie did they seem worse than they should have, possible tips for better care. This is something that an lds that you trust might provide. Not a deal breaker for me. All in all, I have been very satisfied with my Deep6 set and couldn’t recommend them highly enough. Ok, that may have been $0.03.

Erik
 
  • Like
Reactions: mbs
I guess I'm lucky. The tech at my LDS will service just about anything. I've even brought him old scubapro regs that "aren't serviceable" and he's managed to source the necessary parts to get an old scubapro mark VII going again. From what I've been told, unless you need some major parts - most regs are pretty similar inside.

I used to take my s600/mk25 regs to a local authorized scubapro shop but after they screwed me on the parts for life program the regs. Now go to the same shop that I mentioned above, and I'm gradually moving away from scubapro products.

I guess my good fortune in finding said shop doesn't help you in NY, but good service techs are out there in the world. You just have to find them.

I do know a few folks that have HOG regs, and they haven't had a problem finding a local shop to service those regs. The folks that I know with deep6 regs haven't owned said regs logng enough to have had to deal with this. However, I believe that when the time comes their intent is to ship the regs off to deep6 for service.
 
Wow, yall are really over thinking my post! I really am just asking for real experiences servicing internet only regs. Period. I am not looking for anyone to tell me what to do. I have been told I do not listen anyway :wink: My current regs are irrelevant to the discussion. I did get some valuable feedback which I thank you all for!!

Well, that's possible too... :)

So here's my anecdote: I do my own service. Internet regs have worked perfectly for me. The one or two times I've needed local help, handing them a service kit and saying, "fix this please" has gotten it done.

But I tend to frequent low-end dive shops that aren't affiliated with any premium brand, and don't have logos plastered all over the place. They may or may not be current with *any* brand... and therefore don't care.

Sorry for overthinking! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: mbs
service is a non-issue due to the ease of mailing regs out. LDS are frequently terrible at regulator service such that mailing it out can be quicker and provide better service anyways. a backup reg is a better idea than trying to get your reg repaired by a shop while on vacation. or just finish your vacation on rental gear.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

Back
Top Bottom