Gear serviced by non-authorized dealer

[scubafanatic]

I'm pretty sure Lonestar scuba is a SP dealer if you want to go that route. It's possible that your LDS is still listed as a dealer but for whatever reasons is no longer stocking SP gear.

Since I as a regular diver can find parts for SP regs, I'm sure a former SP dealer has connections to get them even if they no longer have a stocked line. Just a guess, but I imagine many dive shops sell each other parts from time to time.

Lonestar Scuba is definitely a SP dealer......I use their Ft. Worth store but they also have a sister store in Dallas.

 

[TechBlue]

My LDS has quit carrying Scuba Pro, but say they can still service my Scuba Pro gear.

Is this an okay practice or should I find an authorized dealer?

To keep them in warranty you need to take them to an authorized dealer. I was surprised to find out that the free parts as long as you keep them in warranty is not available here in Europe??

 

[cruiser]

I sent an email to ScubaPro asking if my LDS was still an authorized dealer, since they no longer carry ScubaPro but are listed on ScubaPro's web site as an authorized dealer. ScubaPro said they are NOT an authorized dealer any longer.

Don't know why the LDS quit carrying their product or if they send gear out to be serviced, but think I'll go with Lone Star for my maintenance.

 

[Mack Diver]

Allways a smart choice to make sure they are serviced by an authorized center. I'm not a SP dealer, so when customers bring in thier regs for service, I send the regs to a shop I do business with that is a SP dealer. That way the customers warranty stays in tact.

 

[cruiser]

Allways a smart choice to make sure they are serviced by an authorized center. I'm not a SP dealer, so when customers bring in thier regs for service, I send the regs to a shop I do business with that is a SP dealer. That way the customers warranty stays in tact.

Yeah, my main concern was not to void the warranty. Even though SP's web site said the shop was still authorized, I had my doubts because websites are frequently not up-to-date. It doesn't make sense to me to pay top dollar for a ScubaPro reg and then void the warranty, because the warranty is part of the top dollar price.

 

[garyd54220]

I'm kinda wondering why your LDS dropped Scubapro ?

My guess is its not so much the shop's decision as it is SP's. They are very rigid about sales levels. If you are a small shop that can't sell enough to keep them satisfied they'll drop you.

 

[scubafanatic]

My guess is its not so much the shop's decision as it is SP's. They are very rigid about sales levels. If you are a small shop that can't sell enough to keep them satisfied they'll drop you.

in the 'new' (downsized) economy we're in, where auto sales have dropped from 16 to under 10 million units/year, can scuba gear manufacturers really afford to not change with the times and be thankful for ANY level of business they still have, versus cutting their own throat by dropping smaller dealers?

 

[Scubafast]

I can tell you from working in the industry for years...any good tech can service it...if they have the parts. If you want to keep the warranty in effect...take it to a auth. dealer. As for having parts...some, but not many, dealers will sell other dealers parts or trade them...I have seen this before...as for the shop I worked for we had parts for regs stockpiled so we would not run out when we needed them...no one likes to wait for parts to come in. Not all shops can afford to do this but we had a little of everything and a lot of the common stuff...they still have some stockpile of old Dacor parts and service what others can't anymore. So your shop may still have a supply of parts for Scubapro. And some parts you can get from other suppliers like Trident...but not all of them. Also, much of the equipment out there has one manufacturer and the case is just changed for each brand and the parts are interchangeable among brands...That is not true with everything but more than most realize.