Refurbished exercise equipment a touchy subject

Refurbished exercise equipment, while being more affordable than new equipment, could also be a risky proposition. When buying refurbished exercise equipment, one should exercise due diligence first.

While exercise is becoming more of a norm for most Americans today, exercising at home is a better option for some who are on the go and don't have the time to go to a gym. For those people, finding refurbished equipment that may be half or two-thirds the cost of the newer version of the same or similar piece of exercise equipment may seem very attractive. But even those who sell this type of equipment recommend that you check to see if a seller is signed up with the Better Business Bureau, as there are many on-line sellers who are not legitimate and may make claims that aren't justified.

For a piece to be truly labeled a refurbished piece of exercise equipment, it should be completely disassembled, its mechanical and electrical parts either completely, or close to completely, replaced and rebuilt, then reassembled, even refinishing the frame. A truly refurbished piece of exercise equipment will likely only have the original frame as the only left over piece of the original equipment. And even the frame will probably be restored in some way close to its original luster.

A good piece of refurbished exercise equipment can be up to half the price of the original suggested retail price, and a legitimate seller will offer some sort of maintenance, or warranty package to go with the package. Be wary of online sellers who only talk price and don't reveal "how" they actually refurbish the equipment. In every retail sector there are scammers, and some people don't do much in the way of refurbishing, instead simply clean the machine to make it look shiny, leaving all the old moving parts in place.