I recently emailed a LDS in Michigan where I live asking about their Apeks regs. I was looking for a package similar to one I have my eye on @ scubastore.com:
Apeks DS4 w/ ATX50 and ATX40 octo. I just got an email back from this particular store with most of the usual support your LDS "encouragement". But then he raises two issues that I just find highly questionable.
1st: "The Aqua Lung warranty is only available through U.S. authorized dealers and represents a major savings over gray market products."
Right, I know I'm not gonna get my "parts for life" deal if I buy from Spain (DiveInn/ScubaStore), so I end up paying for parts AND labor every service. Even still, the up front savings in the bank (online over the LDS) gives me YEARS worth of parts and service costs built in. It would take approx five years of paying $100+ annually for parts and service to even reach the initial cost of the LDS. What "major savings over gray market products" am I missing?
2nd: "If you choose to purchase Aqua Lung products from an unauthorized dealer you will not be able to get service for the product because of insurance issues."
From what I've read over and over again on scubaboard, this is just not true! Insurance issues? How is my paying out the butt for marked-up parts plus service going to raise some safety issue? Seems like stores should be pushing service, since thats the ONLY arena they will always have an upper hand on over online. If I'm not gonna buy gear from them, then they should at least be eager to invite and secure my business through reliable service.
I got certified down in Elyria Ohio (go to school at Oberlin College) but live in Michigan. I'm not "attatched" to any of the LDS here at home, so I don't feel obligated to buy from any one of the half dozen or so within reasonable driving distance. Mind you, I'm making an effort to make in-roads into the local diving community by exploring what the LDS's have to offer, but I might not even live in the midwest come medschool. It just doesn't make sense to me, especially at this transitory, end of college phase, to "buy-in" to any particular group by padding the pockets of the LDS patriarch/matriarch.
Apeks DS4 w/ ATX50 and ATX40 octo. I just got an email back from this particular store with most of the usual support your LDS "encouragement". But then he raises two issues that I just find highly questionable.
1st: "The Aqua Lung warranty is only available through U.S. authorized dealers and represents a major savings over gray market products."
Right, I know I'm not gonna get my "parts for life" deal if I buy from Spain (DiveInn/ScubaStore), so I end up paying for parts AND labor every service. Even still, the up front savings in the bank (online over the LDS) gives me YEARS worth of parts and service costs built in. It would take approx five years of paying $100+ annually for parts and service to even reach the initial cost of the LDS. What "major savings over gray market products" am I missing?
2nd: "If you choose to purchase Aqua Lung products from an unauthorized dealer you will not be able to get service for the product because of insurance issues."
From what I've read over and over again on scubaboard, this is just not true! Insurance issues? How is my paying out the butt for marked-up parts plus service going to raise some safety issue? Seems like stores should be pushing service, since thats the ONLY arena they will always have an upper hand on over online. If I'm not gonna buy gear from them, then they should at least be eager to invite and secure my business through reliable service.
I got certified down in Elyria Ohio (go to school at Oberlin College) but live in Michigan. I'm not "attatched" to any of the LDS here at home, so I don't feel obligated to buy from any one of the half dozen or so within reasonable driving distance. Mind you, I'm making an effort to make in-roads into the local diving community by exploring what the LDS's have to offer, but I might not even live in the midwest come medschool. It just doesn't make sense to me, especially at this transitory, end of college phase, to "buy-in" to any particular group by padding the pockets of the LDS patriarch/matriarch.