Should I Buy Used Gym Equipment?

There maybe are clear advantages to buying used gym equipment with the most obvious one, of course, is price. While buying anything second hand has its risk, the fewer moving parts any used gym equipment has, the less the risk.  Thus items like free weights and benches are the simplest types of used gym equipment to shop for, strength training machines would come somewhere in the middle and cardio machines need the most thought.

Whatever type of used gym equipment you are buying, there are certain things you need to take into account.

Factors to Look Out For

These are by no means exhaustive, but designed to get you thinking.

• Size

   Measure the space you have available, and make sure that anything you consider fits comfortably.  When buying used you might not have the same level of information (e.g. specs) as with new equipment, so be sure you know what you are getting.

• Price

   Because many people buy exercise equipment in a rush of enthusiasm, then quit, and similarly, many commercial facilities go out of business, there are always lots of choices, at lots of prices.  Whatever you are buying used, the key is to know what they cost new, and how much use they have had.

• Options 

  Consider the options on the machine, especially with cardio machines.  Basic models will have few accessories, while higher end models will have full digital readouts with heart rate control and dozens of programmes.  What do you want and how much do you want to pay?  The choice is yours!

Are There Any Risks?

The biggest risk – but with the greatest potential savings – comes when you buy equipment from an individual.  When you buy privately the machine will have had no upgrade or replacement work, and there will not be a warranty. This means that it is essential that you thoroughly check out any equipment before you part with any money.

If you want more of a guarantee, we can help sometimes with second hand workout equipment that we have.

There are two main options for used equipment:

• Refurbished:  Refurbished equipment is usually less than 2 years old.  Refurbishment involves cleaning them up and replacing any broken parts.  Refurbished equipment can therefore look somewhat used, depending on how it has been treated.

• Remanufactured:  Remanufactured equipment is over two years old.  It has had a full make-over that involves disassembly, the metal-work being sandblasted and repainted, and any worn or broken parts replaced.

In Summary

There's nothing wrong with wanting to save money on your gym equipment. Lots of people buy equipment with the best intentions and either through laziness, lack of motivation, injury or circumstances, want to sell on the equipment knowing they can at least get some of their money back.

Just remember that if a deal looks to good to be true, it may well be just that. The treadmill that's only £100 instead of £3000 but looks like it works perfectly, may actually have electrical issues or a crack in the frame. You will not have any warranty cover or comeback if it goes wrong, even if you injure yourself as a direct result of that equipment.

Simple accessories, weights, bars and the suchlike can be a good buy, especially if it's an ex-personal trainer that has changed career or a mate that needs to move and doesn't want the expense of moving all the equipment.