Create Account / Log In

Remanufactured Elliptical Trainers - Are They a Good Deal?

There are on-line distributors of fitness equipment who offer both new and remanufactured or refurbished machines. The most common types of remanufactured equipment are treadmills and elliptical trainers. This article will focus on remanufactured and refurbished elliptical trainers, but the basic concepts apply to any type of remanufactured or refurbished fitness equipment.

It's typically higher-end commercial-grade elliptical trainers (MSRP over $3000), which are remanufactured or refurbished and offered for resale. This is because they can be offered at a substantially reduced price compared to new ellipticals and the distributor still makes a decent profit.

Health clubs that want to keep costs down are typically the buyers of remanufactured or refurbished equipment. They often buy more than one. It's easy to see the cost savings at this level -- buy 5 remanufactured elliptical trainers that retail new for $5500 and get them for $3000 remanufactured

It's important to distinguish between used, refurbished, and remanufactured equipment. The bottom line is that whether it's refurbished or remanufactured it's still used equipment and just like buying a used car, you need to protect yourself.

Keeping this important point in mind, can you get yourself a good deal? Absolutely! Just do your homework before deciding to purchase one of these ellipticals.

1. Used Ellipticals - Private individuals usually offer these. You won't get any warranty so you're stuck if the elliptical trainer has problems as soon as you get it home. This is the riskiest way to buy a used elliptical trainer. In general, unless the elliptical trainer is an expensive, high-end machine that is still it the box and offered for next to nothing, you should probably stay away from it.

2. Remanufactured Ellipticals - Remanufactured fitness equipment of any type is taken completely apart, re-powder coated, rebuilt to the manufacturer's original specifications and then put back together again. The end result is typically a used machine that is as good as a new one, but selling for much less. Ellipticals more than 2 years old are the usual candidates for remanufacturing. It's not cost-effective to go through the process for newer machines.

Some elliptical trainer manufacturers rebuild their own equipment and offer it for resale to their dealers, but it is much more common to find equipment dealers who remanufacture elliptical trainers in their own shop and then offer them for resale on-line.

It's definitely worth your while to ask a lot of questions of dealers offering remanufactured elliptical trainers. You'll want to ask about exactly what steps they perform in the remanufacturing process from inspection to tear down to rebuild.

Below is a list of what a thorough remanufacturing process should consist of:

* Thoroughly test the machine looking for defects

* Fully disassemble the machine

* Sandblast the frame to remove original powder coat

* Inspect the frame

* Re-powder coat the frame

* Rebuild the motor

* Thoroughly test the console electronics; repair or replace defective components

* Replace the drive belt

* Replace bearings and bushings in the mechanical components

* Replace the grips

* Replace the keypad overlay

* Test the reassembled unit

Check the dealer's Website to see if this process is described. If not, then ask either via email or over the phone. If the dealer is reluctant to answer your questions then go look elsewhere.

Also be sure to ask about the warranty that is offered on these machines. Warranties on remanufactured ellipticals tend to short.

3. Refurbished Ellipticals - Machines less than 2 years old are typically refurbished. The refurbishing can be done either by the manufacturer or a fitness equipment dealer. The machine is cleaned up a bit and any broken components are replaced. However, this is not the same rigorous tear down and rebuild that goes into a remanufactured elliptical trainer. For instance, the frame will not be sandblasted and re-powder coated. As a result, the machine may look a bit used depending on its original condition.

A manufacturer-refurbished elliptical trainer will come with a longer warranty than a remanufactured elliptical or a refurbished one that was done by a dealer. It's also a good bet that a manufacturer-refurbished elliptical was checked out more thoroughly and accurately.

When making your decision weigh the final price, quality of the work, and length of the warranty. All things being equal, the best choice sometimes turns out to be a manufacturer-refurbished elliptical trainer.

So there you have it. If you're willing to invest a little time doing some research, you can land yourself the equivalent of a late-model, used BMW, with essentially no mileage on it for the price of a new Chevy!

Rich Rojas

Elliptical Trainer reviews and fitness ideas.

http://www.ellipticalhome.com

Treadmill Doctor Now Offers ''THE WARRANTY THAT PAYS OFF'' VEE 2 Treadmill Doctor is now providing an extended warranty program for fitness equipment that is both revolutionary and affordable. ...

ABC News

Get Fit: Workout Products to Improve Your Body, Health ABC News The Wall Street Journal's Wendy Bounds appeared on "Good Morning America" this morning to talk about some new fitness equipment that can ...

TAXI Design Network

A More Minimal Exercise Bike TAXI Design Network Fitness equipment at home tends to overwhelm the room it's in—bulky metal structures are those that generally come to mind. This exercise bike however, ...

Barry Rubin, the Eagles' new strength and conditioning coach, stands among ... Philadelphia Daily News WHEN THE Cowboys physically dominated the Eagles up front in those back-to-back blowouts that killed what had been a promising 2009 season, ... and more »

Congregation to hold Rosh Hashanah services SILive.com The bus - outfitted with games, fitness equipment and activities for children ages 4 to 11 - will be present from 11 am to noon. ... and more »

Fox 59

Athenaeum at the YMCA to return to normal Friday Indianapolis Star The YMCA at the Athenaeum, damaged by a crane fall last month, will reopen the gymnasium to classes and a side room to the fitness equipment on Friday, ... 13 WTHRY set to reopen after crane collapseWTHR all 7 news articles »

'Extend to the left' The Fort Gordon Signal Sit on the seat of the fitness equipment and reach up to grasp handles overhead. Your feet should be flat on the floor. EXECUTION: Pull the handles down to ... and more »

Shopping for Exercise Fitness Equipment Tom Wilt News Although there are hundreds of options when it comes to exercise fitness equipment, it is imperative that the right choices be made, especially for the type ...

Research and Markets: US Fitness Equipment Analysis: an Industry with Annual ... Business Wire (press release) The US fitness equipment manufacturing industry consists of about 100 companies with combined annual revenue of about $3 billion. ... and more »

Toy and Fitness Equipment Manufacturer Bounces Back Chem.Info By Eastman Tuesday, August 24, 2010 Kingsport, Tenn Aug. 24, 2010 In 2004, James Braeunig and a team of local investors purchased Ball Bounce and Sport Inc. ...