You Should Not Buy a Used Treadmill before Reading This
Treadmills can sometimes be pricey, and because of this you may find yourself tempted to get a used treadmill instead of investing in a new one. This is understandable and is not a bad strategy at all if you’re looking to save some cash. Treadmills can continue to run for many years without problems, and, especially if you’re just starting out, this may be the best option for you within your price range.
The problem is, though, that not all treadmill brands are worth buying used. Some of them don’t age well at all, and just as you may dismissed buying other kinds of products used because of their bad track record, buying a cheap treadmill used is like throwing money away. If you’re getting your first treadmill, though, you may be inexperienced and not know what kind you should go with, or you may not know what to look for in a used treadmill. Take a look at this short guide and it should help you narrow things down at least a bit:
1) Avoid buying a treadmill unseen.
First of all, you should be able to see and interact with the treadmill before you buy. Really, this kind of goes for new treadmills as well, but you definitely should not consider buying a used treadmill that you can not first inspect with your own eyes. You are going to want to look at the wear on the machine and you’re going to want to run on it for awhile to see how well it has been kept up. If there are any strange sounds coming from the machine when you’re running it, don’t make the purchase (or else ask for a discount to justify the cost of fixing it).
2) Stick to the well-known, quality brands.
Don’t buy from some generic manufacturer if you can help it. The treadmill might be just fine, but you’re better off going with brands that are known to be decent, like PaceMaster, Nordictrack, or even the Gold’s Gym brand.
3) Go for a treadmill that’s hardly been used at all.
There are plenty of people desperate to get rid of their exercise equipment because they bought them and never bothered to use them. Find these people; they are preferable over dedicated fitness buffs because the treadmill will have much less mileage.
4) Don’t buy a treadmill that is way too old.
Like anything else, treadmills will deteriorate over time. Don’t take a chance with a model that came out more than 3 to 5 years ago; there are plenty of deals out there for newer used treadmills and you won’t have to worry about as many maintenance issues.
Buying a used treadmill can save you a lot of money, and it’s a smart approach to take when you know that you need to get fit, but you don’t have a lot of cash to spend. Try looking through your local classified ads (instead of buying online) so that you can see the treadmill in person, and keep these tips in mind while you’re assessing your various candidates.