On Wednesday, June 21, 2000 12:56 PM, Michael Levy wrote:

(Actually Kat had already questioned what I wrote - as had Lee.  So this is
in response to all three posts.)

> > Kat!  At a personal level, I put 'price' way down on my list of
priorities.
> > As far as I'm concerned, I prefer to buy life-suppport equipment from a
> > person - and place - that I trust.  No matter the brand name, you're
still
> > reliant on back-up service if things go awry.  Buy, for example, a
Scubapro
> > reg in Thailand and then, while in OZ or elsewhere, expect a local dive
> > store to service it because of imperfections and you're in for a shock!

I know that you all believe that you think you undestand what it was that
you thought that I meant when I wrote what I did without elaborating and in
re-reading what I writ I realise that what I actually said is a load of
cobblers whose meaning is not at all what I really meant when I wrote wot I
did! :-)

> Is this unique to OZ?
> I have had no trouble getting my equipment serviced at different shops
> at home or abroad...... I have my warranty cards in my save-a-dive kit
> which travels with me at all times.

Leaving the buying of masks, fins and snorkels to one side, the point that I
was trying to make was more concerned with regulators.  I don't know about
anyone else but I have experienced instances when, with a brand new
regulator, there have been initial minor teething problems that required
fixing under warranty.

When travelling and moving between countries - particularly if the buyer
hasn't had an opportunity to properly test dive their new equipment - there
is sometimes a difficulty in having that equipment brought up to scratch -
at no cost to the purchaser - under the terms of the warranty.

The options are either to ship it back to where it was purchased, (down-time
and cost factors!):  Sending it to the local distributor/agent together with
the necessary paperwork and warranty, (downtime - especially if the
distributor for the region is in another country!):  Or, particularly if
just a minor correction is required, paying to have it serviced at a
reputable local service centre.  Something that invariably incurs a charge.

The first two options are not always practical if a person is travelling and
has no firm forwarding address.

The point that I was trying to make was that - IMO and specifically with
regard to a regulator - Kat might be better off spending the extra money to
buy the regulator of her choice locally; then diving with it to ensure that
it meets her expectations and that any initial teething problems are
discovered and rectified under the terms of the warranty, before she starts
her travels!

> > Your equipment may well go "tits-up"  in other places of the world.  But
if
> > you know - and are comfortable with - the people that you've purchased
it
> > from, then get it serviced locally and again looked at when you return
from
> > your travels by the store that sold it to you.  If necessary they'll
even

> Some of us live in areas quite different to Florida etc: [we do not
> have those high numbers of divers] and so over the last several years
> have seen many shops go belly-up and new ones spring up equally quickly.
> IMO it is more important to purchase top level manufacturers product
> rather than focus on one local dive store.... owning one of the top
> brands should allow you to get service anywhere in the world; except
> maybe OZ if we listen to Strike. ;-)

I think you may have misunderstood what it was that you *think* that I said!

Strike