It is recommended by many to buy your treadmill from a local dealer because most people will need a service technician to help them if they have a problem. Some will even need local service for maintenance. That is why it is not always a good idea to buy on the net unless you were born with a wrench in your hand! There is a good chance that the local dealer has knowledge of the inner working of these machines and can provide you with the proper service that your machine may need. He also can provide you with great tips to keep your treadmill in working condition. The truth of the matter is that your local dealer is horrified of the net. It scares most of them to death. You should see some of the letters in trade publications that are as defensive as they can be! Some even think selling exercise equipment over the net should be banned! Talk about fanaticism. So, you have to face these two realities when buying a treadmill. • Most people need to buy from a local dealer (where prices are usually higher) • Your local dealers for the most part are fear the internet. If you use these tips, you can get a great deal on your new treadmill. This is how you do it: • Get the dealer's best price on a treadmill. • Contact an Internet dealer to see if they can beat it. (Ask for the price in writing. If you can't get one to do it, move on to the next. Someone will give it to you in writing!) • Take the net dealer's best price to your local dealer and tell him that if he can beat it, you will give him your business. We can't tell you how many people have done this and saved! If the local dealer won't move close to the net price, call the manufacturer and see if they have another company locally that can service their product. Many companies do. If this works out, it may be best to buy it over the net. If you do decide to make your purchase from an online retailer it may be a good idea to research the brand and see if there is a local service facility that can help you with your treadmill if there is an issue. It is important to remember fitness equipment is a seasonal business and most of the sales are made during the winter months when people are staying in the house. You can find many manufacturers that will have discounts available during this busy season. A treadmill is an expensive piece of equipment so do your product research and plan your purchase.