Refurbished treadmills are becoming more popular. Because people are starting to realise that to get the best value you need to buy a quality treadmill no matter what your budget. New treadmills for sale can be expensive if we’re talking high-quality treadmills. There are many who can not afford to buy a high-quality new treadmill. That’s where refurbished treadmills come in. But what exactly are refurbished treadmills and where do they sit in the marketplace?
Refurbished treadmills are normally 4 to 8 years old and should be from the higher quality range from that era of machine.
Price wise refurbished treadmills slot in between cheap low-quality new treadmills and high-quality new treadmills. You will normally get a much higher specked treadmill with better components like frames, motors, rollers and larger running belts and decks than a cheap low-end treadmill.
So sometimes it makes sense to spend less, get some treadmill experience in, and then upgrade to get the exact treadmill model you want with the features you need.
So many people in New Zealand make the mistake of spending a limited amount of money on a lower end treadmill and not really get good value from their treadmill purchase. Treadmills that are getting used daily are being scraped and being upgraded to a higher quality treadmill.
If you buy a better quality new treadmill to start with or buy a refurbished treadmill you’ll end up having a much better experience. A refurbished quality treadmill is much cheaper to buy than a high-quality new treadmill. It may be a bit dearer than a cheap budget new treadmill but you will get a better machine.
So you may not need to buy new for your first treadmill anyway, and if you’re on a limited budget refurbished treadmills are a good way to start.
That’s where refurbished treadmills come in. There are risks in just going out to look for ordinarily used treadmills. You don’t know what you are getting. If the motor breaks down the day after you buy it then it may become an expensive treadmill. I have a lot of people ringing me 2 to 3 weeks after they purchased a secondhand treadmill off trade-me saying it was in perfect condition. The fact is the secondhand treadmill was far from perfect.
What wears out on a treadmill?
The most common fault is a worn running belt and deck. It’s not something you can see as the damage can mostly be detected by attaching a meter to the motor a checking what it reads.
A refurbished treadmill, although usually more expensive than a similar second-hand model, is a safer bet, especially in the long term.
So, back to your question, what is a refurbished treadmill?
There is a whole range of “cheaper” treadmills. They can be called refurbished treadmills, factory refurbished treadmills, remanufactured treadmills or just used or second-hand treadmills.
Let’s dispose of the last two first. Used and second-hand treadmills are generally just treadmills that someone has used and wants to sell. You buy them, you take all the risk. Unless you know exactly what to look for when buying a treadmill like this then stay clear. Cheap treadmills like this can certainly be, well, cheap. But risky.
And the others? Generally, all the terms mean that the treadmills have been disassembled to some degree and rebuilt, usually with new parts to replace broken or worn out parts. The frame sandblasted, sometimes, and the treadmill resprayed, sometimes. However, there can be some differences.
Remanufactured treadmills or refurbished treadmills means just that. Treadmills which have been remanufactured or refurbished as we have described above. It doesn’t tell you WHO remanufactured or refurbished them. Was it the local bicycle mechanic who did it? Often you don’t know.
This process should involve taking the treadmill apart, examining all the parts and replacing all broken, worn out or old parts. Before it is reassembled it should be sandblasted and repainted. It should look like a new treadmill, or at least very close to it.
1. The age of the treadmill.
2. Who is refurbishing or remanufacturing it?
3. Most importantly, the warranty you get with it.
Why the warranty? Well if it’s a great refurbished treadmill then they ought to recognise this with a great warranty.
I have just been looking on the net at some refurbished treadmills at my favourite refurbished treadmills merchant. Certainly, amongst the refurbished treadmills there is a lower range to choose from than new, but you’d expect that. But there are still plenty of choices. And expect a substantial saving off new price.
So if you’re new to treadmills and looking for refurbished treadmills or any refurbished treadmills for that matter, then there are some good choices available at some substantial savings.
Although treadmills are some of the most popular items of fitness equipment in New Zealand and the world, they don’t appeal to everyone. Some people can find that they use a treadmill for a while and decide that they prefer some other form of exercise. Sometimes it not another piece of indoor exercise equipment, it’s just that they prefer to exercise outdoors.
Back to treadmill repair home page .