So you are toying around, doing mad research in the quest to finding that new “family member” you know that one machine that makes you sweat buckets, makes you lose unwanted pounds and gets you into unbelievable shape? Be It a Favorite Family Member or a quest to find that new torture Device, the good news is, it all sounds great with all good intention and so it should.
Finding the Ideal piece of exercise equipment for home or Business is really not an easy thing with so many brands, so many choices, with such vast prices. Let’s take treadmills, for example, starting from $295 to a whopping $10k and everything in between. Those that go to a local fitness center will be shocked in knowing that more than likely the Treadmill they are running on comes with a price tag of around $10K and to most, that is just not even worth entertaining the Idea of owning one for their home or business.
The Good news is there is a Used Gym Equipment Market that one can lean towards to accommodate one’s pocket and getting the best for a heap load less.
Buying used Commercial Gym Equipment for a fraction of the price to Brand new is a great option after all in the car industry buying certified pre-owned Ferraris and other high-end vehicles have the same reflection. So on that thought what could go wrong right? Agreed, however using common sense is key as there is always wrong and a right way of going about this and these are the steps that I highly recommend you Sultans of Sweat consider before bringing down the hammer.
1.Find a Real Remanufacturing Company.
Many if not most companies out there selling used exercise equipment are Fitness Brokers that lean on remanufacturing companies to fill their sales orders, proclaiming they are what they really are not, just glorified Sales people with glorified marketing skills and a fancy web site. Do the research, go to Better Business Bureau as a reliable resource for accurate company reviews.
2.Get the Warranty !!!!
I cannot emphasize how expensive this can be for one’s wallet if ignored. Treadmill Manufacturing Companies turn a fantastic profit selling these expensive parts, let alone their products. These treadmills machines remember are in the 10k range brand new and I can tell you that consoles and electronics on most of these out of factory warranty machines can surprisingly be the same cost of the Machines that you are entertaining in owning.
Get the warranty, take the extended if it’s offered. A lot of brokers will try and convince or sell the idea not to bother about getting a warranty after all these machines are commercial grade and have the strength of being used 14 hours a day in a commercial setting. Agreed, but that still doesn’t make the machine invincible, I’ve seen brand new machines not work on arrival.
It’s common to see reputable companies offering 90 day -6 month -1 Year warranties. Be wary of companies not selling warranties and furthermore selling “Exclusive Lifetime warranties”. My take is if the Manufacturer wouldn’t dare to take on a “lifetime warranty” then what business has a broker got convincing otherwise. Read the small print on the customer service policies se vou pleis.
Another consideration is keeping in mind that Technician service charge visit on a national average is around $150-$250 to take in consideration and that’s excluding parts.
3. Try to get What you are Familiar With.
Been in the industry for over 25 years, I feel this is a handy piece of advice, familiarity does make all the difference, you like the Life fitness Treadmill or that Precor Treadmill you ran on in 24 HR Fitness,… get that! If that’s what motivates you and gets you moving, I commend you on that choice. So many people I have served in the past have purchased unfamiliar product that may look to share the same purpose but if it’s not to the standard you felt or are used to, you may lose motivation , and hence wasting your hard earned money and unhappy as you head back to the gym now completely frustrated at the experience with now less money than when you were there …..
Remember the mind pretty much likes what it likes and familiarity can make all the difference.
