Does the job March 09, 2010

I have had this A2550 for a short while and have already lost 30 pounds.  I love this machine.  It is very easy to use and has allot of the same features as the higher treadmills without the high price.  I paid 799.99 for mine.  I also got the three year service plan.  I recommend the service plan for any of you who use your treadmill on a regular basis.  The annual service that the plan comes with will pay for the plan itself. 

missing part in shipping box, part not even in stock December 23, 2009

 First off - this thing is absurdly heavy so you will need two very strong people to move it up or down a flight ot stairs.  If you can still get delivery and setup service for $65 from Sears, is worth every penny.

 Once this backbreaking task was completed, I opened the box to discover a key part was missing from the box.  Called the NordicTrack customer care center, they don't even have the part in stock!

  I can understand if a part being missing now and then when they ship - but to not even bother to keep key replacement parts in stock?  Now I have to wait for weeks for this part to arrive, with this thing half-assembled. 

  Wish I had gone with a different brand with a better reputation for customer support.  

Does what it is supposed to and does it well at a great price September 08, 2009

Purchased on Aug.29th 2009:

PRICE: Okay, I looked on-line and did the comparisons like everyone else is doing. This is normally a $1300 treadmill and it usually seems to go on sale in the mid $800 dollar range (sometimes even less if your timing is right and you use your Sears Card, etc). For that price and this brand you can't touch that kind of a deal.

ASSEMBLY: was not hard beyond the box being heavy, like really heavy and I didn't feel like waiting for delivery so I took it home from the store myself. I've been to IKEA, I've put stuff together, this treadmill maybe had 17 bolts/screws and came mostly pre-assembled. The entire motor/platform/tread is all ready to go. You literally add the wheels, you add the side supports, and then you add the computer/display screen (oh and the bar to aid in folding it). Instructions are clear if you are used to assembling things. Not that I am not trying to mock anyone that had difficulty but I like getting my hands dirty and doing this kind of stuff. So if you hate IKEA stuff, hate following directions, and HATE putting things together then pay the extra charge and have them come do it. YES THE IPOD ADAPTER IS SUPPOSE TO BE IN THE BOX AND IT WAS.

DURABILITY: I love it and it does what it is supposed to. Granted I have only had it a week I cannot rate the long term. Its sturdy at all speeds and inclinations. I see some people just had bad luck and got a bum piece or two but that's kind of the chance you take with life in general. Some $80,000 BMWs are lemons right off the factory floor too......and? In all those bad reviews it seems Sears or NordicTrack stepped in and did the right thing to make it better. So I wish they wouldn't give it one star, in effect bashing a whole product due to one part malfunctioning and scaring people away from a great product. I get it though something being broken from day one is lame and I feel your pain but that doesn't make it the norm nor the treadmill suck. I will admit one bolt wouldn't go all the way in on the left support near the top, apparently an alignment issue BUT it isn't visible nor did it change the stability one bit...

NOISE: Its a treadmill people. You can't have a conveyor belt whipping around at 12mph at a 12% incline and expect to  hear the sound of leaves gently falling outside (unless you're paying $5Gs). However, it actually is not that loud at all. I can run at 8 or 9 mph and still hear the TV easily with the volume at a decent level. Honestly, when I am sprinting at 10mph or higher (those are 6min miles or less) I can't be concentrating on watching a TV, can you?? Still even at 10mph, I cranked up the audio on my stereo some more and it was fine (and without other household member's ears bleeding).

Well there it is for better or for worse, you decide.

PS. Got an iFit card, it seems pretty cool as it's got structured programs on it if you want something pre-set to follow but it does talk to you in a creepy computer voice the whole way through so take it or leave it.

Good value for the price July 21, 2009

After doing a lot of research online, I tried 3 treadmills 1) Sole F63 --- not stable at higher speed (6+) 2) Sole F80 --- this was my favorite, but a bit pricey at $1500 3) Nordic Track T9Ci -- probably comparable to Sole F80 4) Nordic Track A2550 --- best price for the features I eventually settled for the A2550 'cause @ $850, it was very stable while running at speeds of 7-8, and incline of 4-5. I am a regular runner (about 20-30mins @ speed of 6-7 with 4-5 incline). Basically I was almost sure to buy the Sole F80, but the sales guy in Sears was amazing and talked me into the Nordic Track. It was the price and the stability that sold me. I don't care about the lack of fan or the fact that the heart rate monitor is not accurate. For running, it's pretty good and I find it stable. I don't use any of the programs - like good old manual option, where I set my own speed and incline. Also got the delivery/setup for $65 --- best value. I also got the 3 year protection program since after reading all the reviews, I wasn't convinced that Nordic track service/sales dept is very reliable and now atleast I will have my peace of mind for 3 years. So far after 2 weeks, both me and my wife are pretty happy and would recommend to others. Hope it lasts. Pros: Very stable even at higher speeds and inclines Very stable even at higher speeds and inclines Very stable even at higher speeds and inclines Strong build, robust, ipod comptability is a plus Easy to operate, large screen Con: Heart Monitor not reliable Too many pre-set programs, which I don't like My old 20gb IPOD doesn't work well w/ this unit, but my newer IPOD Nano is fine Makes noise at higher speed, but that's probably normal and doesn't bother us THanks