I bought this treadmill (which by the way is back on sale for about the same price as I paid, for a while it was listing at $300 more!!)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Anyway, I got a letter from NordicTrack about the maintenance plan. $200is for 4 years, $310 for 6 years... I think I can get one from Amazon for less, not sure.

Anyway, I LOVE this treadmill! Between me and Mr. SK it's getting a lot of use, although neither of us use it for running.

Normally I don't add maintenance plans, but maybe I should for this??

Anyway one have any thoughts?
TIA!

Hmmm. I usually don't opt for the plans either...

I found this:
https://barbend.com/nordictrac...es-treadmill-review/

Since you aren't using it for interval training or long running sessions, I would think it should hold up pretty well?

Thanks for posting that link! Now I get why this model was so inexpensive (bc it's an older model).

quote:

Since you aren't using it for interval training or long running sessions, I would think it should hold up pretty well?

Yeah, hopefully you're right. I don't think I want to buy the more expensive maintenance plan.

Fingers crossed.

I buy things like this with the Costco Visa. It extends the warranty for 2 years.

Pay it off immediately of course.

My daughter wants an elliptical. I think I would favor one over a treadmill. Treadmill even sounds dreadful. a "dreadmill" lol Sorry, SK! I applaud your commitment to fitness. I am about to embark on such a quest as I am back to being overweight enough to start being concerned about health issues. Especially at my advanced age of 59.

I love walking, and I love walking on the treadmill. I don't know why, but I just love it. I've wanted a treadmill for a very long time, and always thought you couldn't get one for under $1500. Well, now you can, so I did.

We have an exercise bike by the way. I was the one who wanted it, IIRC because I couldn't afford a treadmill. I think the bike was like $200 or $300?? I don't remember. Anyway, I always, always, always would have a blinding headache the next day after riding the bike (I changed the seat, did various things, could never avoid that headache). So, as you can imagine, I stopped using it and Mr. SK has been the only who uses the exercise bike since then.

Well, now that we have the treadmill, I use the it probably five days a week (sometimes for longer, sometimes shorter) and I always feel great afterwards (and the next day!) No headaches. And I love listening to a podcast or something while using the treadmill. I also like that I can do it regardless of the weather.

So it's not really like a commitment to fitness that gets me to use it, I just actually enjoy it!

Is it a home use treadmill or a commercial use treadmill? Commercial use machines are designed for heavy duty usage such as health clubs where they’re used constantly for many hours each day. Commercial usage machines are more expensive.

The health club that I belong to has a machine mechanic. He comes around to repair the machines when there’s a problem with one. Sometimes a machine can’t be fixed. For example, the machine’s manufacturer went out of business or parts for a machine become unavailable because of the machine’s age. The health club then has to get rid of the machine. Manufacturers are increasingly placing expensive interactive electronic control units with menu screens and touch sensitive controls which drives up costs.

This is what happened to an electronic automated sit up machine the club that I belong to had. It was called the “Sit Master”. The company went out of business and replacement parts couldn’t be obtained. Too bad. It was great machine.

My mother had a Nordic Track treadmill. She was in her 80s. She was not a heavy user.
The treadmill needed maintenance to the point that it quit working.
It might be wise to pay for the maintenance.

My personal approach is that I never, ever buy an extended warranty. Not on a car, not on a microwave, not on a computer. I figure that every now and then I will get a dud, and I will have to eat the cost of a repair. For the most part, things last well enough, and I have a big pool of money from not buying extended warranties to pay for any repairs that come up.

The other reason I do not like extended warranties is that I do not trust them. Sure, the third party entity might be in business now, but how about 3 years from now? And what are you going to do if they stiff you, or equally as likely, blame you for somehow causing the problem? I worry that all I am buying is the opportunity to fight with an insurer.

That's my feeling on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Cindysphinx:
My personal approach is that I never, ever buy an extended warranty. Not on a car, not on a microwave, not on a computer. I figure that every now and then I will get a dud, and I will have to eat the cost of a repair. For the most part, things last well enough, and I have a big pool of money from not buying extended warranties to pay for any repairs that come up.

The other reason I do not like extended warranties is that I do not trust them. Sure, the third party entity might be in business now, but how about 3 years from now? And what are you going to do if they stiff you, or equally as likely, blame you for somehow causing the problem? I worry that all I am buying is the opportunity to fight with an insurer.

That's my feeling on it.

In general, I agree. Especially for small-ticket items. If your toaster oven or espresso machine dies after four years buy another one with what you've saved on not buying the plan.

I'm of a different mind (sometimes) with big ticket items where a) the likelihood of repair is high, and b) the company itself offers the extended warranty. We've extended the warranty on our cars through the manufacturer. We think they'll be around in six years, and repair costs per incident tend to be high. I'll happily self-insure for small losses, but consider buying insurance for larger risks. Where's the line ....

We also have Sears warranties on our bigger appliances. The reason is that they do regular maintenance visits without additional charge, and the machines can indeed last a long time with occasional repairs. The cost of the service contract is less than the cost of bringing an independent contractor out to fix one thing (with no guarantee).

Thanks for all the comments, esp. Cindy and P*D.

Hmm.... So I spent maybe $690 on this after tax and delivery.... The maintenance plan for 4 years is not quite 30% of the actual price I paid... That seems high to me, but I don't know...

I have to respond by 3/25.

I've resisted the temptation to be facetious in response to a legitimate question, but my first thought on reading the thread was that, given the tendency of fitness equipment to go unused after some time was to ask, "What kind of warranty does a coat rack really need?"

Big Al

Me, I would self-insure. That's small enough to ignore the financial risk. And in four years you might want a very different machine.

quote:

"What kind of warranty does a coat rack really need?"

Well, we have a pretty good track record (har). Or at least Mr. SK does. Mr. SK uses the exercise bike and his (very fancy) weight equipment three times a week, and he's added the treadmill as well. Time will tell for me and the treadmill of course.

But since neither of us will be running on the treadmill, only walking, and given all the other comments here, I think I will forego the maintenance plan.

We don’t buy extended warranties, either.

We have a treadmill that didn’t get much use upstairs (too bouncy in the house) but gets a lot of use now that we had it moved to the basement. Especially now with Covid! It’s about 10 years old; I moved it down about 3 years ago. Works like a champ. If it were to give up the ghost, I’d think about an elliptical instead; I loved using those at the gym. It’s like running but I can’t fall down because my feet are planted on the pedals.

Now I don’t ever want to go back to the gym again; it seems like a germ factory!

All of our exercise equipment is the basement as well, so no bouncy etc. The treadmill actually has a little window by it which is surprisingly nice.

Also it makes a big difference to have a dedicated spot for stuff like this. Anything that has to be taken out and put away again is definitely going to be used less.