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#448
buying online - yes or no?
pntballer - 9/09/2012 6:23 PM
Category: New Diver Q&A
Replies: 10

im trying to find the best deals since im new and money is tight (big suprise) ive been told by dive shops that i shouldnt go online bc the warranties might not be valid but there isnt many places for me to go around here can anyone tell me where i can go to get a good deal on stuff and the warranties would be valid
#10632
m_grieco - 9/09/2012 8:31 PM
Leisure Pro, I’ve never had any issues with them, and honestly, they’ve gone way out of their way to hook me up with crazy deals on their already low prices. Just to give you an example, I was interested in buying new BCDs for my wife and I for an upcoming international dive trip...not only did they give a more expensive model (I was between two types of BCDs) and since I was buying two, the sales person saw I was a repeat customer, I got two BCDs for the price of the cheaper BCDs, and at the used rate (despite the fact that I bought NEW items). Let’s just say that day I saved over $350 bucks on that one order). And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, I’ve had the same thing happen with wetsuits, and that was at their store located in Manhattan. They heavily discounted the suits my wife and I purchased. My advice though is call their toll free number rather than just clicking and ordering it; yes it will take a few minutes longer, but if you’re buying more than one item, used be surprised how willing they’ll be to haggle the prices with you over the phone.
#20384
LatitudeAdjustment - 9/10/2012 7:16 AM
I HAD a LDS that would only sell from their limited stock and they were not interested in ordering anything. When they wouldn’t order a 2nd reg for my son that they were a dealer for I went online and discovered a new world. BTW, that LDS which had had three stores is now gone.

If you know what you want, buying it on-line makes $en$e, I’ve outfitted me, two kids and a wife with purchases online, mostly from LP.

Things you need to try on for fit, like mask and wetsuits I’ve bought from the LDS.
#51828
Greg - 9/10/2012 7:32 AM
#5828
Agojo - 9/10/2012 7:33 AM
I buy from Leisure Pro and Divers Direct with no problems for 10 years now. Every December Divers Direct will have a special where you can buy $100 gift cards for $80. The catch is you can not use them until after Jan. 1. So I buy gift cards for myself and wait for sale items after Jan. 1 and I start with a 20% discount off of the already low prices. Divers Direct also has stores in central and south Florida where you can try BCs/wetsuits etc for fit if you are in the area.
#8046
Subscribed
Rich-D-Fish - 9/10/2012 11:34 AM
I prefer to buy anything valuable from my LDS simply because they support their products and the manufacturers work hard to support their vendors. I have a few real-life examples to share where I do not think I would have received the same result using an on-line company.


Intova - after 2 years my batter stopped charging on my Intova Super Nova dive light. My LDS arranged to have me mail it Intova’s factory and pay $60 to replace the battery. They sent me back a brand new Super Nova light with a note of thanks for being a loyal Intova customer.



Aeris - after 2.5 years (warranty is for only 1 year) I sent my Epic dive computer (stopped working) in to Aeris through my LDS where I purchased it. Instead of charging me to fix it, out of warranty, I received a factory refurbished (like new) unit with a note saying thanks for being a loyal Aeris customer. Still works great today, 4 years after purchase. So I bought another one for my wife.



Scubapro - last week my 2 year old Seawing Nova Fins snapped at the flex joint on a dive. I sent a note to Scubapro asking if there was any way of getting a discount on a replacement pair because I loved them. They sent a not back asking my to have any Scubapro distributor mail them back for a free replacement.



I don’t think any of those scenario’s would have worked with Leisurepro. Maybe I paid 2-5% more. But look how it worked out in the end. Online I will buy a wetsuit, or a knife, or anything I’m not worried about replacing or needing service. Hope this helps.
#2229
btw2459 - 9/10/2012 5:31 PM
The LDS I use is a shinning example of going the extra mile. I’ve certainly looked at the online prices prior to speaking with the LDS. Everytime (sofar) they have matched or bettered the online price. I have used Leisure Pro (not for my regulator though - certainly believe in getting that from my LDS) for a lot of items mainly because of them offering Bill Me Later. My next big purchase is tanks and that will definitely be bought through the LDS.
#2635
Subscribed
John_giu - 10/30/2012 7:51 PM
All good advise.

First educate yourself. If you have a reasonable level of technical understanding you can make informed decisions regarding your purchases. The internet has a wealth of reviews and opinions on Scuba Equipment, Scuba Lab has what appears to be objective reviews.



I would say FIRST put your money in your regulators, figure what you can afford to spend ad 10% to that and make the best deal on the regulators you settle on. You will own your regulators for a long time, they will outlast the car you are driving , your first home, and possibly one or two marriages (depending on how much you dive). They probably will make the biggest difference in your diving pleasure and comfort of any piece of equipment. I would also by Nitrox Compatible regulators. The price difference in mid-range Nitrox compatible will not be much, and will save you the cost of repurchasing a whole new regulator set when you move to Nitrox. The same example holds true for a dive computer, there are nitrox compatible computers in the $200-$300 price range. Shop around.



EVERYONE has an opinion. Buy whats right for you. I did painstaking research before buying Mares Abyss regulators, which I found to be easy breathing, well built and reliable at a good price for performance ratio. I am sure you can find someone to pan anything with the MARES name on it.



Ask the question of online retailers directly if they are an authorized dealer. There are cases where people have been denied warranty service because of gray market purchases.



I have had problems even with MARES authorized dealers having my regulators service to my satisfaction.

Even if you cannot get your gear locally serviced manufacturers offer mail in depot repair. You are not a commercial diver,

you can survive an extra week with out your regulator. In most cases they have the durability of a hammer.



try here for good close-out and used deals http://www.northeastscubasupply.com/store/index.php

They are local to me,a bout 30 miles and it like a candy store for scuba.

APEX HOLIS DIVE RITE and MARES authorized among others.