3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
A must NOT buy, November 7, 2009
This review is from: ProForm CoreMaster Ab Bench (Sports)
Where do I start. This machine is billed as a complete ab workout. It's not that at all, but I'll limit my review to the QUALITY of the machine.
Let me preface this with one critical item. If you want any resistance whatsoever, you NEED to buy the two tension rods (the most it will accomodate), which insert into grooves behind the four back pads. Without them, you will not get any workout at all, unless you are a child under 12 or have no abdominal strength at all.
Quite frankly, this is a cheap, plastic, inferior product. Sometimes you read reviews and you say "Well that's just the one YOU got, mine is awesome". Well, that is not the case here.
This is my second one. The first one I had to return because the metal frame cracked the first week. I contacted Proform, and they replaced it thru Walmart (where I bought it for about $100).
But the major issue is every part except the frame is plastic. Now, that's a good material for some items. But not for an exercise machine that is designed to undergo the rigors of workouts. The four pads back pads and the seat are COMPLETELY plastic. Not even a hint of metal to be found. They are held on to the frame by metal bolts that thread into the plastic. I think you can see where this is a problem. Within the first month, the seat cracked (and I weight just 150 lbs.). This is because as you exercise, your body is constantly rocking back and forth, placing stress on the metal-into-plastic moorings. So, I called Proform and after 30 minutes on hold, was connected to a CSR. He said, "No problem. We'll send you out a new seat". I said this was all cheap plastic, and what would I do if another part were to crack or break? "Also no problem, just call and we'll send you out a replacement".
At about one year, the second from the bottom back pad broke off, and I decided to just do without it, because it's mostly the lowest back pad that supports you. Well, last week that lowest plastic support pad broke. But this time when I called, and again after waiting well over 30 minutes, I wasn't quite as happy. "Did you buy the extended warranty?" I was asked. "No, I don't believe in them. A quality product should last through normal use". I said part #12 (per the manual) broke and I wanted it replaced. The cost, including shipping, for a plastic square with a foam pad? A mere $136. Yes, that's $136, or about $40 more than the entire machine cost me new.
Upon closer inspection, the remaining two back support pads had visible cracks (as did the seat) where the metal bolt screws into the plastic support. This cannot just be my machine. Rather, it is a design flaw. You simply can't expect plastic parts to hold up to the stress of repeated, forcible movements. Further, the more you weigh, the more likely this is to occur.
So, I decided to try to fix it with a wooden plank bolted to the frame in place of the plastic pad to hold it together (it turns out the lower pad holds the whole machine together). Problem? The bolts are held on with plastic coated nuts, which cannot be removed. These are the types of nuts that are designed to go on and stay on. So, even if they sent me a new support, I would never be able to get it on because I can't get the bolts undone to screw into the cheap plastic supports even if I wanted to.
So, if you get this product, be warned: Plastic galore, results questionable, and customer service that fell way short. And to think that I was considering a Proform elliptical machine. I've crossed that unit off my list of contenders.
If you own one, my condolences because sooner or later, you will experience the same metal-screwed-into-plastic failure I did (assuming you use it and don't use it as a clothes hanger, which I know often happens). If you don't own one, then lucky you.
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