I will agree with sbrcanuck. Treadmills only really break if they arent maintained or abused. I mentioned the continuous duty cycle motor since thats the key thing to look for. He rest is just propietary electronics and design.
Treadmills encounter problems really just through heat buildup. If the belt is lubed frequently, belt is properly tensioned, and the deck/room is clean and free of debris, treadmills last a long time.
If the belt isnt properly tensioned and lubed infrequently, the motor will work harder than it has to. Each step produces more friction, which the motor then has to overcome. The harder the motor works, the more heat it produces, and you get the rest. Tensioning a belt, use the 3 finger rule and stomp test, 3 fingers should fit snug stacked vertically under the middle of the belt. Stomp test, set treadmill to 1mph, stomp one foot on it, belt/motor should stop momentarily with no roller slippage, then continue normally. Lube is cheap, use a few ounces once a month under the belt.
Debris is another problem. Keep the surroundings of the treadmill clean, especially under it. Wipe under the belt a few times a year before lube application to remove dirt that causes friction. Remember the motor on the treadmill has a fan blowing directly into it, if the room and area is dirty, you just blow crap into the motor which will damage it over time. This includes electronics too, they can short the if they get filthy (very unlikely though). Once a year unplug it, remove the motor cover and vacuum the inside (unplug it and hold a few buttons down on the control panel first to remove residual electricity)
Just show the thing a bit of love really...
You certainly do get quality the more you pay, but once you get to $1000+ you are looking at units that will last decades if you tend to them and are conscious of things that can arise. My precor 9.21i was bought in 1998 for $2400. It has well over over 10,000 miles on it and it runs flawlessly thanks to 22 years of maintenance
Strava
Treadmills encounter problems really just through heat buildup. If the belt is lubed frequently, belt is properly tensioned, and the deck/room is clean and free of debris, treadmills last a long time.
If the belt isnt properly tensioned and lubed infrequently, the motor will work harder than it has to. Each step produces more friction, which the motor then has to overcome. The harder the motor works, the more heat it produces, and you get the rest. Tensioning a belt, use the 3 finger rule and stomp test, 3 fingers should fit snug stacked vertically under the middle of the belt. Stomp test, set treadmill to 1mph, stomp one foot on it, belt/motor should stop momentarily with no roller slippage, then continue normally. Lube is cheap, use a few ounces once a month under the belt.
Debris is another problem. Keep the surroundings of the treadmill clean, especially under it. Wipe under the belt a few times a year before lube application to remove dirt that causes friction. Remember the motor on the treadmill has a fan blowing directly into it, if the room and area is dirty, you just blow crap into the motor which will damage it over time. This includes electronics too, they can short the if they get filthy (very unlikely though). Once a year unplug it, remove the motor cover and vacuum the inside (unplug it and hold a few buttons down on the control panel first to remove residual electricity)
Just show the thing a bit of love really...
You certainly do get quality the more you pay, but once you get to $1000+ you are looking at units that will last decades if you tend to them and are conscious of things that can arise. My precor 9.21i was bought in 1998 for $2400. It has well over over 10,000 miles on it and it runs flawlessly thanks to 22 years of maintenance
Strava