[20 of 20 customers found this review helpful]

Proform Fitness XP Trainer 580 Review

Very Pleased, no issues.

"After 12 years with my first Proform treadmill, I decided it was time to retire it and get a new one. Despite the criticisms of Proform being a "Budget equipment mine served me well. So began the search for a replacement. I read possibly every user review on treadmills on the web, spending countless hours doing so.



Where to buy: I considered buying a Proform or NordicTrack directly from their websites. Clearly I could save some money and get free shipping as well. I was nervous because my first treadmill was under a Sears maintenance agreement and I did use it a few times, mostly for wear and tear issues. Sears was always responsive and if I needed a part, they usually had it on the truck. I was worried what it would be like dealing with Proform directly. I experimented by calling them as if I had a treadmill needing service. I found myself waiting in queue a LONG time and they do not have a 24hr number. So I told the rep I need service on my treadmill that is in warranty. He said I would have to pay a $45 trip charge plus a handling fee if they have to send any parts. That pretty much ended my idea to go thru Proform and I went back to Sears.



NordicTrack or Proform: I checked out the Nordictracks at Sears costing $1300 and up. Sure they had lots of bells and whistles, but will that guarantee me a better treadmill? From what I've seen on reviews, you're about as likely to have problems whether you spend $1500 or $500, its hit or miss. Now here's an important thing to consider if you buy a NordicTrack with Sears. NordicTrack does not allow Sears to service their treadmills. This means that even though you are buying your maintenance agreement with Sears, you STLL have to deal with ICON, the manufacturer to get service. I also discovered that NordicTrack is notorious for backordered parts so if your treadmill is bad right out of the box, you could be sitting a month until they get the part. With that said, I turned back to Proform.



My choice: The Proform XP 580. After one week of rigorous use I can tell you that I LOVE it. It's been flawless so far. I am using it at about 4mph for 30-40 minutes per day. It has a very simple display giving you the basic information you need displayed in very large and uncluttered digits. The noise level is way less than my old Proform and quite acceptable. The speakers for the iPod/ MP3 input are decent if you dont' feel like wearing a headset. Sure I could have spent hundreds more and gotten all kinds of bells and whistles but you know what, all that wears off quickly. I can already see that manual speed control is the setting I will use most.



Assembly: I had Sears delivery my treadmill. It weighs near 200lbs with the box, but the weight is not even the issue. The box is enormous. Mine had to be brought up a tight stairwell with a 180 degree turn. These guys worked up a sweat doing that. While the $65 delivery/setup includes assembly, I wanted to do it myself, just because I enjoy doing so. The hardware comes on a sheet of cardboard, all clearly labeled, no guessing. I probably spent 2 hours on it only cause I was going very slowly. I am confident I could do it again in 45 minutes easy. Just be careful not to hastily cut off the twist ties which are used to feed the wiring thru the handrail.



I paid $599 for this treadmill on sale. I got a 5 year maintenance agreement which also includes annual tune-ups. Even with the 5yr plan, and delivery I could have bought this treadmill 2 times over for the cost of the expensive Nordictracks. In conclusion, I'm very pleased with my purchase and highly recommend."