Question on buying gear

[ruready7]

I have a question in regards to purchasing and warranty issues regarding equipment purchases. I was told by LDS that if I purchased gear online the warranty would not be valid if I brought in my gear to them to have any services or warranty work done on it even if it is a brand carried by the shop. I was under the impression that if I purchased the gear from an approved online source then I still had the warranty and could go anywhere to have work done on it if they were a servicer of that brand. Am I confused or is my LDS just trying to get more money from me?

 

[skdvr]

If you buy the gear from an authorized dealer the warranty is good no matter where you take it to get serviced... Some LDS will refuse to work on gear that was not bought from their shop, but that is just silly to me. If that is the only LDS you can always buy from a place like scubatoys, dive sports, or Dive Right In Scuba, and then send the equipment to them for service. All of these places have a good Rep and would do you right. I have never bought a big ticket item from my LDS and they are still happy to service my equipment though.

Phil

 

[perdidochas]

I have a question in regards to purchasing and warranty issues regarding equipment purchases. I was told by LDS that if I purchased gear online the warranty would not be valid if I brought in my gear to them to have any services or warranty work done on it even if it is a brand carried by the shop. I was under the impression that if I purchased the gear from an approved online source then I still had the warranty and could go anywhere to have work done on it if they were a servicer of that brand. Am I confused or is my LDS just trying to get more money from me?

Depends on the brand and the store. Some online stores sell "gray-market" dive gear, which means that it is not under warranty. Give your LDS a chance to match prices. They might can come close, and/or add some value to your purchase. For example, one LDS I did business with offered regulator maintenance and repair labor for life if you bought regulators from them. They did charge for parts, but not for labor.

 

[fireflock]

Give your LDS a chance to match prices. They might can come close, and/or add some value to your purchase.

Why? What have they done to earn another chance at the sale? They had a chance when the customer was in there the first time. Instead of explaining why it was a good idea to buy from them, they decided to tell the customer about all the bad things that would happen if they buy somewhere else.

I'm all for supporting good local shops, but too many don't deserve the business.

This is the attitude you should expect from a local shop:
Gypsy Divers Aquatic Center; Raleigh's Finest Family Aquatic Center

If you find a different attitude, I would move on.

 

[Garrobo]

I wouldn't deal with an LDS who wouldn't service my gear, no matter where I bought it. Look around for another shop.

 

[l0keman]

For sure. My LDS sold me SCUBA lessons for $200 (on sale from $300). Then I get to class and the 5th slide says I need another $200 for the open water and certification! What the heck was the $200 for? A couple days later, I find that does not cover travel or hotel/ food.... anything really. Another $100 for gear rental and they tried to get me "group rate" at the hotel they will be staying at of $120 a nite. WHAT THE FREAK!?!? So I'll be staying at a close by AF Base for $17 a nite in a nicer room. But what a rip. They should have said all this from the beginning. After I cert... I will more than likely never make a big purchase from them.

More importantly, why would a dive shop never work on stuff not sold by them. It has to be a myth. What if someone moves? That just sounds like a bunch on nonsense to me. I bet when I buy my gear set from Scubatoyz.com next week (and I go to the dive shop the next city over), I will get my stuff worked on with no trouble.

 

[ketchumid]

The longer you wait to buy the more knowledgeable you will become. I bet you will find a few sources for your gear, it's a journey not a destination. Gear will change, add too, sell off. Wait as long as you can before buying, spend time on the forum, websites for scuba manufactures, eBay, on line shops, and even go a scuba show if you can.

There is no one way to buy it, but consider yourself in a giant mall and you have a few stores to stop at, the key to success is knowledge and you need many imputes.

Also see thread from yesterday about LP and Grey market-

Good luck..