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A Reliable Machine I
worked with a company that previous private labled Spirit treadmills. In general
they were well built machines that required minimum maintenance.
Several
years ago they moved all their manufacturing facilities to Taiwan. In fact, Dyaco,
the company that builds their treadmills, now owns a majority in the company.
Dyaco brings the financial muscle that allows Spirit to slug it out in a very
competitive market. In
the past, Spirit was known for constructing treadmills that were constructed like
a tank. They were nothing fancy, buy they were both durable and reliable. In fact,
if there was a criticism it was the blasé design. The new "Z"
design is as attractive as any model out there. As
with many other treadmill companies that shifted their manufacturing overseas,
Spirit suffered from quality control. It has been several years since the transition,
and it seems they have their house in order.
What
makes Spirit treadmill a good value is the components. They use a minimum of 2.5"
rollers, which increases not only the life of the roller, but also the belt, bearings
and motor. Most of their decks are 1" thick, which is a factor for overweight
individuals. Excluding
their low-end models, they use motors that are more than sufficient for their
usage. For example, their Z9 uses a 3.0 continuous duty HP motor. And their motors
are backed with a 30 year warranty, which says something about the quality.
Their
Z models all come with a 20-30 year motor warranty and 2-5 year parts, which is
better then most companies in this price range. Spirit
Treadmill ReviewSpirit
offers good value, and we would rate them as one of the top 5 in $1,000-$2,000
price range. You can expect to get a machine built to last, and equipped with
quality components. Overall, I would recommend a Spirit treadmill for its reliability.
We also
suggest you check out the Sole Treadmills. They
are also built and owned by Dyaco. You will find both brands have simlar designs and use the same components. In fact, they both use the same customer service phone number. The advantage with Sole is you get a 2 year service warranty
on most of their models.
We
would also recommend in this price range Smooth Treadmills.
One
comment, Spirit, if you are reading this review please fixed the dead links on
your web site. I could not access your manuals or brochures.
See
Spirit Z9 Treadmill Review and the Spirit Z500 Review
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