BSAC avoids annual VIP

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The problem is the cost here in the UK. US$15 for a VIP. Wow. Lucky people. A visual test here is £40. That's $51

In addition we have O2 cleaning to add into that so £50 with O2 - that's $64

Equipment Servicing

I have (with the wife's kit) two doubles and four single tanks. So about 700 bucks a year for O2 plus VIP if the annual interval had been adopted.

The current system is every five years with alternation between visual and hydro. O2 clean is every 18 months.
 
Really think shops make significant money on a VIP? A VIP cost $15, includes a air fill that normally costs $7 , new o ring , cristolube on threads to prevent valve getting stuck on tank. If the tank requires a eddy test , which takes more time, the price stays the same. So the shop makes a big $8 on a once a year service that insures that the tank is dry inside and safe to use. Really ?

First, think sarcasm (I've been around here long enough you should take my comments with some consideration)...

that being said....

Second, every penny less coming in the door is a penny closer to closing a door...

Third, they cost more than that here.

Fourth, and associated with #3 above, if they are actually doing that level of work, they are significantly undercharging....

Lastly, I do my own VIP's as I own >26 tanks, and the fee structure here made the payback for the class and tools (and I bought nice ones), the first batch of tanks....
 
You left out the cost of the eddy machine and laptop connected to it and the cost to pay employee to do the work. Dive shop is in business to make money, you really think the $8 it makes before expenses really is too much money ?

they should be profiting that $8.
Rough SWAG cost for VIP breakdown
$1 ish in raw materials. Lube, o-ring, sticker
$20*.3=$7 in labor
$4 for air fill
$12 ish in costs, the balance goes to fixed shop costs and profit.

The Eddy current testing is usually an extra $10-$15 if it requires it.

The shop is in the business to make money, they should charge appropriately to cover their costs and make a reasonable profit. I have 0 issues with that despite what you may believe.
My issue is when the industry adopts things solely for shops to make money. Annual VIP and service, and refusal to sell parts to consumers is there for the sole reason of supporting an antiquated business model and forcing consumers to needlessly spend money by fear mongering.

If you have an issue with that? Sorry, but you need to stop drinking DEMA's Kool-Aid. If you have a business that is set up properly and justified, you don't need to use fear-mongering and restrict access to parts to force people to spend money with you. Cave Adventurers, Dive Right in Scuba, Northeast Scuba Supply, etc etc all survive just fine because they embraced the way modern business is conducted. The scuba industry as a whole refuses to do that and because of that is largely failing.
Annual VIP is simply not necessary if you believe that they don't make money doing VIP's, A. either you're wrong or they need to fix their pricing so they are making money because it is a commercial service not a charity, and they need to profit, and B. you should encourage them to use BSAC as precedence to abandon the industry requirement in the US.
 
Annual VIP is simply not necessary if you believe that they don't make money doing VIP's, <snip> you should encourage them to use BSAC as precedence to abandon the industry requirement in the US.

I can already hear this one coming.
Shop: We’re losing money doing this for you.
Diver: Great, so then you’ll support the BSAC stance and only lose money 1/5th as often?
Shop: Whaaat? How are we going to survive doing that?

As Steve Martin said: “We make it up on volume!”
 
Lastly, I do my own VIP's as I own >26 tanks, and the fee structure here made the payback for the class and tools (and I bought nice ones), the first batch of tanks....

VIP 26 tanks x $20 VIP cost= $520/year
VIP/ Nitrox: 26 tanks x( $20 VIP cost + $40/tank/oxygen cleaning) = $1560; now that is significant
Hydro/VIP/Nitrox q5 years: 26 tanks x ($45 Hydro, VIP cost + $40/tank/oxygen cleaning) = $2,210

My goodness:
1. My math was horrible.
2. Thanks for the corrections below.
 
VIP 26 tanks x $20 VIP cost= $520/year
VIP/ Nitrox: 26 tanks x $20 VIP cost x $40/tank/oxygen cleaning = $20,800; now that is significant
Hydro/VIP/Nitrox q5 years: 26 tanks x $45 Hydro, VIP cost x $40/tank/oxygen cleaning = $46,800

My goodness.
You need to check your math. $26 x (20 + 40) not $26 x 20 x 40

A shop here selling hyper pure air charges $6.50 for VIP, likely without a fill.
 
VIP 26 tanks x $20 VIP cost= $520/year
VIP/ Nitrox: 26 tanks x $20 VIP cost x $40/tank/oxygen cleaning = $20,800; now that is significant
Hydro/VIP/Nitrox q5 years: 26 tanks x $45 Hydro, VIP cost x $40/tank/oxygen cleaning = $46,800

My goodness.

You forgot to divide by zero. That will give you the yearly cost.
 
Really think shops make significant money on a VIP? A VIP cost $15, includes a air fill that normally costs $7 , new o ring , cristolube on threads to prevent valve getting stuck on tank. If the tank requires a eddy test , which takes more time, the price stays the same. So the shop makes a big $8 on a once a year service that insures that the tank is dry inside and safe to use. Really ?
They're still getting the $7 for that air fill. They have, what.. most of a dollar into that vip plus the 2 or 3 minutes it takes to complete? Well.. plus the cost of those stickers they put on your tank.

and that's $15/tank. https://www.scubaboard.com/communit...ly-how-many-dive-tanks-do-you-own-poll.567031
I've got 10, so if I was only paying $15/tank that's $150/year. I think $25 is the going rate around here but I can't exactly remember. Of course, that also covers a tumble (if needed) and "02 cleaning." VIP's ain't cheap..especially considering that the value of paying someone else to inspect your tank annually is questionable. Of course that last part is the real rub. It's not so much what shops charge for the service, it's the question about whether it is necessary at all. Since VIP is a US only thing (just like burst discs) and tanks aren't blowing up in other countries at a significantly higher rate that's a pretty good argument for the annual compulsory VIP being a waste of money.

I've only been diving for about 5 years and have already spent around $1,200 on VIP inspections.

I don't think anyone's saying you shouldn't open your tanks and have a look regularly. Nor is anyone saying vip if there's reason to suspect a problem is usuless.
 

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