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Topics: Exercise Equipment |
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| Contact Fitness Centers to Save Money on Exercise Equipment |
Submitted by:
Tip Hero 08/24/2008 11:07 AM
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 A recent trip to the gym provided a little bit of education about used fitness equipment. The gym we visited had recently been sold, and the new owners were looking to make improvements, which included bringing in a lot of new exercise equipment. The new owners decided to swap out about 90% of all of the equipment in the gym.
The “old” equipment had only been around for 3-4 years, and included treadmills, stationary bicycles, elliptical machines, stair climbers, strength-training machines, and free weights. All of the equipment was from major, well-known brands in the fitness equipment industry, such as Life Fitness and Precor. While this equipment probably gets a lot more wear and tear than equipment sitting in someone’s basement for occasional home fitness use, it was still in very good condition. In fact, the “old” equipment in the gym we visited had been used by all of its members up until the day the new equipment arrived – and the old equipment was working well and in very good condition.
We asked the new owners what they were going to do with all of the perfectly good, useable fitness equipment. It turns out that they aren’t really sure. For now, it’s just sitting in a back room. The thinking is that it may get listed on eBay and/or CraigsList and a few other places online. But the cost to ship most of this equipment can end up being more than the cost of the equipment itself. We’ve been informed by a knowledgeable source “in the biz” that gym equipment, particularly cardio and weight machines, depreciate fast – much faster than cars. So machines that are just a few years old might be worth only a small fraction of their initial value.
The equipment might eventually get donated to a non-profit organization if it can’t be moved and sold. It may also sit in a back room collecting dust for a long time, since the relatively small amount of money the equipment can fetch for the gym makes moving it a low priority.
This makes for a great opportunity for anyone looking for cheap, used fitness equipment. Any gyms, health clubs, and fitness centers bringing in new equipment and machines need to find a home for the old ones. If you notice turnover in the equipment and you’re interested in getting your hands on it, speak to a manager or owner about purchasing it directly from them. Chances are you’re going to get a great deal. You might also consider being even more proactive by contacting gyms in the area and letting them know that you might be interested in any of their old equipment if they’re doing upgrades.
A few quick searches on eBay and CraigsList revealed listings for lots of used fitness equipment. We also came across a few companies that sell used gym equipment when we did a couple of Google searches.
While some of the prices looked like good values, we think that going direct to a health club or fitness center might land you the best bang for your buck. After all, the managers and owners of these gyms aren’t in the exercise equipment resale business, and most probably just want to move the equipment to make room for the new stuff. If you offer a little money to take it off their hands, you might get a steal. And since this equipment was most likely used right up until the point the new equipment arrived, you can be sure that you’re getting equipment that is in decent working condition.
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Photo credit: Neeta Lind |
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