Retailer Review: Fitness 909 in Corona, CA

Ohiyo!

Eegad, has it already been almost a month since I posted my first "Retailer Review" here on TreadmillSensei.Com? Wow.

Today, in honor of our fast-approaching 2-year anniversary I've got a note we received recently from a reader who last took a look at our website back in the very beginning. Joe picked up a remanufactured Precor unit based on our recommendation back in 2006. Let's see what he has to say. Take it away, Joe!

Dear Treadmill Sensei,

Its nice to see your still around. I read your pages a couple of years ago back when I was looking for an elliptical for my home. I had been working out at a local 24-hour fitness and just wasnt having it and didn't want to give up the feel of a gym elliptical. Like a lot of people I just didn't have the money for a brand new precor elliptical from busybody. Looking on google I found a place called www.Fitness909.com and saw they had the best prices I could see for remanufactured precor ellipticals. The precor 544 elliptical I bought showed up in about 2 weeks and looked like it was new and came right off the floor at busybody. I can't believe I almost paid $2000 more for a new elliptical. Tony at www.Fitness909.com was very helpful and a nice to. Two years later and the precor they sent me still works as good it did on the first day in my house. I hope you dont mind an old customer writeing in to say hello. - Joe

Joe:

Thanks for the great note. www.Fitness909.com is actually about 35-40 miles away from us here at the DOJO and we are indeed very familiar with those guys. The shop is run by Tony Mule and his wife, Barbara. Tony has been in the fitness business since the 70s when he started out with Jack Lalanne. There are few people in the fitness industry who know as much about the equipment as Tony does.

While Fitness 909 does sell a lot of new equipment (Esprit, Spirit, Bodycraft, York), they are actually better known as the producers of some of the best remanufactured or refurbished commercial treadmills and ellipticals available. In fact, they do the remanufacturing work for a lot of the larger online and offline retailers. Chances are if you've purchased a high quality remanufactured Precor or Life Fitness elliptical that it came from their shop. Their remanufacturing process is top-notch and a lot of their reman Precor ellipticals could pass for brand new. Because they are the source for a lot of the remanufactured equipment available, they are able to keep their prices down below what everyone else charges on the internet and, if you're looking for a rock-bottom price on a remanufactured commercial grade treadmill or elliptical, then they are the place to check out. More than likely they'll be able to beat any price out there on the internet for new, remanufactured or used fitness equipment. They also ship nationwide at some of the lowest rates around.

Almost as good as their pricing is how knowledgable and darn sweet the owners are. Tony and Barb will go above and beyond in their customer service because Fitness 909 is their family-run business and they take the utmost pride in what they do. For an absolute class act, check out www.Fitness909.com...and mention the Treadmill Sensei sent you with the Coupon Code TMSENSEI and save an additional 3% on any order you place.

Thanks again for the note, Joe, and I'm glad you like your Precor!

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com

Retailer Review -- Body Works Exercise Equipment in Yorba Linda, CA

Ohiyo!

One of the questions the Treadmill Sensei gets almost daily here at the DOJO from his loyal readers is "Can you recommend a local fitness retailer for me?" In most cases, readers are writing in from areas where, unfortunately, I just don't know any retailers local to them. Place like Spokane, Washington or Poughkeepsie, New York. Any retailer recommendations I get for other areas are ones that come in from other readers who send in notes telling the Treadmill Sensei about their positive or negative experiences.

However, this week we received a note from Robin in Brea, California. Since Brea is almost in the DOJO's backyard, I can most definitely answer Robin's question. First, let's hear what Robin has to say...take it away, Robin!

O great sensei,

I was wondering if you can help me out. my husband and I are looking to get back in to shape. we've been married for about 10 years now and have both picked up a few extra pound here and there. now we're in our 40s and miserable. we love your site but would like to go to a fitness shop near us to get on a few different treadmills to see what works best for us. can you help us out with a good fitness dealer near us in Brea California? many thanks for your great source of information. -Robin

Robin:

Thanks for your note and your great question. Now, you didn't really go in to what sort of price range you were looking for, but there is a great shop near you. Body Works Exercise Equipment is located in Yorba Linda, California (and they have a shop out in Chino, California as well) and happens to be one of the better specialty fitness shops in the area.

Body Works is owned by Charles Hoffman and his wife (whose name escapes me at the moment...please forgive an old man for his bad memory!), who are two of the nicest, most helpful people the Treadmill Sensei has come across in the fitness industry. Their stores are clean, very classy and very solid. They are an excellent alternative to some area shops which are dark, cramped and appear more than a little run down -- if you've shopped for fitness equipment in Orange County then you probably know who I'm talking about.

In regards to treadmills and elliptical, they only carry a couple of brands. Luckily, they carry a couple of decent brands if you're in the $1000-$3000 range. Body Works is mainly a dealer for True Fitness and for Vision Fitness, two brands which cannot be shipped outside of the dealer's local area and two brands you won't find a whole lot of information on. They used to carry Spirit equipment but may have been part of the mass exodus of dealers who left the brand recently due to their recent downturn. I believe they also sell Bodyguard, SportsArt and Bodycraft equipment, all of which are excellent brands.

If you are in Orange County and are looking for fitness equipment then checking out Body Works in either Yorba Linda or Chino should be at the top of your list. You can also check them out online at www.ocBodyWorks.com. I'll try to get some pictures of their shops to post here for everyone to take a look at.

I'll be back later in the day with a new review.

-The Treadmill Sensei
http://www.treadmillsensei.com