Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is my experience with the Proform Pro 2000 treadmill. The 2500 and 4500 are the same with the exception of the console having the iFit built in and a few more programed exercises. I have been nervous getting a Proform. The service is what concerned me the most. Well, now that I have had one for a few weeks I wanted to share my experience for what its worth. I ordered mine from Proform.com, they had a sale where it was less than a $1000. 10 days later, J B Hunt calls to tell me they would be delivering the next day. Noticed the package was standing vertical in the truck, not good, they are on a pallet and that needs to be on the floor. Anyway, package was at my front door. It is big and you will need at least one person to get it to where you want it and that is after you get everything else out prior to moving the main belt unit with the motor. Once there I had not one issue assembling the whole thing alone. Little fussy, but if you keep some of the cardboard that was inside the box you can use to turn the belt over like I did to install the folding locking mechanism. The rest you just have to follow the instructions. For the locking rod I installed the end on the motor side and when everything else was installed I turned it on made sure the incline was at 0 and lifted the belt and installed the other end. I only mention this because I wanted to share that it is doable, but if I had to do again, it would be a piece of cake to me if I had another person. I am 53 years old and a little guy, 5'7 at 158lbs so you decide. Now back to the tread mill. It is very solid and once put together and folded, it is not difficult at all to move. It is very easy to fold up and lock automatically when there. You pull a knob and just let it go down, it does that with ease and finesse. It is not hydraulic (not sure how it works) but it does a wonderful job lowering itself. Fit is great. You can jump on it while running or when stopped and there is no shaking, noise or rattles. The belt is quiet smooth, the incline (after calibration) works perfect and smooth. Speed is 12mph at 0 to 15 deg incline and maxes out at 8mph at -3 deg decline. Fan is better than nothing but I prefer a floor fan. To make this short, I love this treadmill, the fit, weight the finish and the smoothness in which it operates, however I did have a problem and is the reason I opted to write this review. The only thing that did not work from day one was what they call the information screen on the console. It is where you get the accumulated time and distance this machine has run, very much like the odometer in the car plus the time the engine has been running. I called the customer service number that was in the documentation. Answer time was less than 3 minutes, but this is where it ends. The person helping me had no clue. My issue is that 99% or all this treadmill is supposed to do works, I just can't get one screen of information, I have all the others, the manual says not to use the incline at the steeper angles until the unit has 20 running hours. Well that screen I do not get. Now, after a few minutes with that person he puts me on hold, 15 minutes later I though that is it and the call was ended. I called back immediate and again, my wait was no more than 5 minutes, I explained to the person what happened after providing him with the serial # and he said please hold while I get the information for your treadmill, well, that was the last I heard from that guy, after 5 minutes of music I had to stop. I was on my lunch break and steaming. All my fears about service were well founded. I run that night and thoroughly enjoyed the machine, simple to operate, console is intuitive, and it does what you tell it to do, that simple. Now I started to think, I do not want to send this back, not for what it can't display, I am enjoying this thing and was hoping there was a solution. Next day call to customer service, I get a lady in very short order again. I explained what went on the day before and I asked here not to put me on hold ( I was in no mood for that) after explaining what had happened, she apologized and said I will not put you on hold, just mute because I have to talk to someone else. I said okay. in a couple on minutes she got back with me and said we can send you a new console if you want to try that. I was smiling. She said they were out of stock but should have them in a week. A week later I had a new console delivered. 6 screws to take it off, and after labeling the wires (6 of them) so they can go back in the same connectors I put the new one on and with fingers crossed, plugged it in, turned it one and bingo. I also get to keep the old console, (actually would be glad to send it back if they want) but, all in all, after a few weeks with this treadmill, I absolutely love it, and while I have no experience with any other I do understand and appreciate solid, quiet, smooth designs, and I appreciate this package so much for what I paid for it. To be fair, I must also mention that I have had 2 follow up emails assuring me that I will be satisfied. I am, and I have to say my concerns while might have been founded based on a review, have been proven wrong. I have also included a photo of my treadmill and the new console on top. I am completely satisfied with what I have and the outcome of my issue with Proform. Also, make sure you register your treadmill when you first get it, that is the information that they will use when dealing with you.