Revamped and refurbished treadmills are sought by many people for a variety of reasons. I used to buy refurbished treadmills simply because I wanted to get a feel of an advanced type of equipment without paying the price of a brand new model. I am not sure what reasons you have behind opting for a revamped treadmill; regardless, if you don’t want to get screwed when buying one, you need to read this article.
Refurbished or Used Treadmill?
First of all, let me tell you that there is a BIG different between revamped and used treadmills. Used treadmills are just that, treadmills used by some other person that he wants to sell. Often people sell worn out equipments; as such, the transaction might prove costly for the buyer.
Used treadmills, unless purchased directly from a reputed company or store, are pretty much unreliable. Imagine that one day you are walking hard on the treadmill and suddenly the power goes off and the motor breaks down. That would indeed prove to be an expensive deal, won’t it?
Refurbished treadmills are way better than the used models. Refurbished treadmills come in two flavors: the first flavor of treadmills are refurbished or remanufactured by the original equipment manufacturer by replacing the old defective parts with new spare parts. Such treadmills are best deals as far as refurbished treadmills are concerned.
Then there are ordinary people who also make a living by refurbishing or revamping old treadmills. Unless you are sure that the person selling the equipment knows the ins and outs of it, you should stay away from those machines.
Price-wise too, there is a considerable difference between refurbished and second-hand treadmills; don’t make the mistake of comparing the prices of the two as almost always you are sure to discover a higher price tag for the refurbished models.
When buying a refurbished treadmill, there are certain things you need to look for, such as:
The manufacturer of the refurbished treadmill: As I already mentioned, the models that are refurbished by the original manufacturer are almost always reliable and durable.
The length of warranty: Other things being unchanged, the longer the warranty period of a fitness equipment, the better. This is especially true for refurbished treadmills. You know, refurbished treadmills are basically old or defective treadmills revamped with new spare parts; as such, they may need repairs at any time.
Unless your equipment comes with a long warranty period, such repairs can cost you a considerable amount of money. The machines that come with short warranty periods of 2-3 months might be decently built but should be purchased only as a last resort. And of course, you should stay miles away from the models that come with no warranty at all; investing in such equipments is basically throwing your hard earned cash down the drain.
The age of the equipment is something you need to consider as well. The younger the equipment is, the more reliable it would be.
In my opinion, the refurbished treadmills sold under the brand name of Precor are generally pretty decently manufactured and priced.
