Home treadmills have improved so much in the past few years that you may very well want to get a new one. Typically, you can’t trade in your old one and, like most mechanical equipment these days, it’s usually cheaper to buy a new one than to repair or upgrade your old one. The question then becomes what to do with your old one.
Sure you could take your old treadmill down to the local dump and pay fee to dispose of it, but there must be a better way. Yard sales are a good option, especially if your old treadmill still runs. If it doesn’t, hiring a professional to fix it may not make economic sense. However, buying a needed part or two can increase the treadmills value substantially. The same thing holds for Internet sources like Craigslist. It can actually be quite worthwhile to sell on Craiglist. You can get a good price on Craigslist if you have a recognizable model, the buyer knows what he’s looking for, and your equipment is in good condition.
Giving a working treadmill to your local community center or other public facility can be nice, but only if the treadmill works. Otherwise, the gesture is likely to be recognized for what it is – an attempt to unload your junk on someone else! You could get a charitable deduction for the gift if you give it to a recognized charity. A $200 for a typical old home treadmill should be defensible if you are questioned by the IRS.
Local fitness stores may be open to a trade-in, especially if you are buying a better quality treadmill from an independently-owned store. They still have limited flexibility in what they can do, though. They might at least agree to take your old equipment away when they deliver the new one and then dispose of the old one.
Of course, as a last resort, you could simply throw your old treadmill away. Unlike a computer or television, there should be no toxic parts in a treadmill. There is also almost no salvage value to the metal. The treadmill may be big, but it is fairly easy to disassemble. The console and supports can be unscrewed, removed, and fit into a garbage can. The bottom part with the belt may be a bit more unwieldy, but is certainly an easy fit into a dumpster.
Bad ways to dispose of your equipment include leaving it on the sidewalk, forming an artificial reef in the ocean, and giving it to your overweight friend with no interest in exercising. You could also just keep it and use it like so many people do – as a clothes rack. Whatever you do, or don’t do, with your old treadmill, if getting a new one will cause you to use it, or to work out more, it is worth it!
By: Robert Braun
About the Author:
Robert Braun has been using, selling, and writing about treadmills, see http://www.Treadmill-World.com
