Bowflex Bowflex 3 Series Treadmill Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill

Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill

I did quite a bit of research on this treadmill before purchasing it and my only concern was the multitude of comments regarding poor customer service. I decided to buy the treamill anyway and hope nothing went wrong. The treadmill worked great until I moved and my movers man-handled it a bit. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with it, so I finally broke down and called customer service. Turns out my movers managed to get a hold of a couple of wires in the back when they moved it and ripped the wires out. Unfortunately, it took a few phone calls to diagnose the issue since we were trying to avoid opening up the console if it wasn’t necessary. I found the customer service team at Nautilus (this is who handles this treadmill) to be incredibly friendly, helpful and responsive. I was not only satisfied with the service, but I was blown away by how great it was. In one instance, the service tech didn’t know where my afflicted wire went exactly, so she asked a colleague and within minutes, we both had instructive pictures detailing what needed to be done. The treadmill itself is fantastic and sturdy. Love it. I’m also now a huge fan of the Nautilus customer service team. If you have an issue, they will help find a solution.

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Overview

Bowflex Series 3 Treadmill, motorized and ready to go the distance in getting you fit! Get low-impact, high-cardio workout benefits right at home! With grip heart reading and 6 preset programs. Here’s how Bowflex will have you flexing all your fitness muscles: Strike Zone deck suspension offers a comfortable surface that’s easy on feet, ankles, knees and hips. You get a soft landing and a firm lift-off on the roomy 20 x 54″ surface 6 preset programs. Quick keys for Walk, Jog, Run speeds, with speed range from .5-10 mph; 4-window LED dot matrix display; Durable 1.75 HP continuous duty motor, made to last 2″ precision rollers; Contact grip heart rate sensors; Fold-up treadmill with soft-drop declining, so it’s portable and easy to store; 2 bottle / cup holders; Measures 77 x 35 x 55 1/4″h. open. Folded it’s 39 x 35 x 60″h. Weighs approx. 300 lbs. Some assembly required. Maximum user weight 250 lbs.

Feature

• Speed range is 0.5 to 10 miles per hour; incline range is 0 to 12%
• Workout programs include manual, cardio, running, fat burn, speed interval jogger, and hill intervals
• Folds-up for easy storage and portability
• Warranty: frame – 15 years, motor – 10 years, parts – 2 years, electronics and labor – 1 year
• Features a 1.75 horsepower continuous-duty motor

Customer Reviews

Good, but NOT GREAT. – J. A. Murphy – Los Angeles, CA United States
Nice machine. Good feel. Heavy. Solid. Falls a little flat. Not quite enough follow through in design and programming.

The users manual is almost useless. It doesn’t explain how to use the pre-set workout programs, or HOW to perform the machine’s routine maintenance. For example it says “lubricate belt” but doesn’t say HOW to do that. And it says “be sure the belt is at the right tension.” How the heck would I know if it is at the right tension? How critical is the tension? Worst of all, the manual seems to be a general guide regardless of which machine you have, so you are never sure (or you have to read Really carefully) whether the particular feature it references even APPLIES to the Series 3.

A nice feature is that the installation hardware arrived neatly packaged in plastic shrunk to a piece of cardboard that made it easy to identify everything and ensure you have everything you need before starting. Unfortunately I was supposed to have 22 of a particular type of screw, but I only had 20 of it. There was another screw type that I only needed four of, but the kit had 6. Fortunately the two extra fit where the two missing needed to go, so I just made sure where I used the “extras” installed where I don’t see them. (Since they are shiny silver, compared to the flat black of the missing ones.) Incidentally there was a small “7″ sticker on the back of the piece of cardboard the hardware kit came on, which made me wonder if perhaps they gave me a series 7 hardware kit?

Unfortunately during my ten mile walk yesterday I got static electric zaps 50 or 60 times. Maybe if I wore the safety clip I wouldn’t build up a charge, but I won’t wear the safety clip because when I accidentally pulled the safety key out (twice!) yesterday the machine wouldn’t restart my program from where it had left off… I had to power down, power up, and re-enter my weight, desired program, etc.
The static electric zaps are NOT because my receptacle isn’t grounded; it is definitely grounded.

The heart rate monitor is unreliable enough to be dismissed as worthless. Heart rate can be an excellent workout guide, but if I were serious about using it I’d get a stand alone system that I could link up to my computer, so this worthless feature doesn’t bother me too much.

The area where you should be able to place your books or magazines is NOT shaped right for placing your reading materials there. Whatta fail! How hard would it have been for them to make a nice ledge? Instead the ledge has no lip and everything is curved plastic. You can sort of balance your magazine there, but I keep thinking it’s going to fall underfoot and I’ll sprain my ankle. I happen to watch TV while walking/jogging, so the reading materials issue doesn’t affect me too much, but it sucks to know the designers were so worried about making the dashboard accommodate the FAN that is present there in the series 5 and 7 that they threw the series 3 customers to the dogs.

I’m not the most intense runner in the world, but I do like to walk or jog 10-15 miles at a time at about 5mph. Since I am so slow I end up having to break up my workout into a couple sessions because the machine won’t let me simply enter my desired DISTANCE. I have to enter how much TIME I want to work out. And it maxes out at 90 minutes. (Or maybe it lets you enter 99 minutes, but I go with a couple of 90 minute workouts for easier math.) It would be nice if I didn’t have to break up my routine and keep track of my stats and add them together later. That seems silly for what could be such a nice machine.

It would be nice if the workout keys were labled, but they aren’t. You have to either simply remember which programs are which, label the buttons yourself, or turn the machine on and off while you select each program to see what it is, then turn it off and on again if that wasn’t the program you wanted, and try the next program.
Also, I don’t mean to complain, but I really miss having a decent “intervals” setting. I was expecting there to be a good “intervals” setting because every “nice” machine I’ve ever used has had a great one.
I’m talking about the kind of program that lets you rest a minute then kicks up the speed and incline for a minute or two then lets you rest, then kicks it up higher, then lets you rest, then kicks it up til you think you’re going to die, etc. THAT is a great workout. This machine doesn’t really have anything like that.

Here is a description of the programs and the led icons for each program:

1. CARDIO (oval track)
-you basically adjust the speed and incline manually throughout your workout

2. CARDIO (2 litle hills)

3. RUNNING (6 little hills)

4. FAT BURN (6 little hills)

5. SPEED INTERVAL (8 little hills)

6. HILL INTERVAL (2 big hills)

Bascially Running, fat burn, and speed interval look like pretty much the same program, just with slightly different speeds and inclines. The cardio and hill interval programs also look pretty similar to each other, except the hill interval raises the incline a lot more.

Bottom line: this is a good, basic, solid machine. It could have been a great machine but Bowflex was more interested in the bells and whistles they gave their series 5 and series 7 customers.

That won’t stop me from getting the most out of my new treadmill, but it will stop me from buying from this company again.

Bowflex Treadmill Series 3 – Denise –
As can happen sometimes, the first treadmill we received from Amazon was damaged during shipping. Amazon was very efficient and prompt in sending a new one in exchange. A year later and a few days after my warranty expired, I was having trouble with the speed sensor. I spoke with Shannon, Megan and John at Customer Service. All three technicians were very helpful and patient. Shannon went the extra mile and sent replacement parts to me at no charge. This is not the norm and I really appreciated it. I hope it’s a long while before I need a new treadmill, however, when I do, I’ll be getting a Bowflex and from Amazon.

Warranty Warning! Misleading and Frustrating… – Amy in New Jersey – NJ, United States
I had this treadmill for less than 6 months when it simply stopped working. The power would come on, but that’s it. No problem… it’s under warranty, right???

Thus began the customer service/warranty nightmare with Bowflex/Nautilus!

Day 1: Called customer service from work, explained the problem and asked them to send someone out. I was informed that I would need to go over the problem with customer service when I was at home and could access the treadmill.

Day 2: Called customer service and was informed that I needed to grab my multi-meter so we could take the treadmill apart and diagnose the problem. Not owning a multi-meter and not knowing exactly what a multi-meter was, I asked again, can you please just send out a tech to fix it. That’s when I was informed that Bowflex/Nautilus will not send out someone to diagnose the problem, they will only send someone out to FIX the problem. Not being a treadmill repair tech myself, I thought this was absolutely ridiculous. After expressing my disbelief at this, I was informed by CS that they could recommend someone for me to HIRE to come out and diagnose the issue, but that the warranty only covered replacement/repair of the treadmill, not diagnosing the issue. How unbelievable is that?!!

Day 6: After going to the hardware store, spending on a multi-meter… I am unable to get through to CS after being on hold two separate time for a total of 57 minutes.

Day 7: Another call to CS, and an attempt to diagnose the problem with the multi-meter. Now keep in mind that I’m speaking with a CS representative, not a repair technician. The CS rep pulled up the Series 3 repair manual on her computer screen and began reading steps to me. We took off the motor housing and began disconnecting wires! I was instructed to test the wires with the multi-meter. However, she was really not even able to tell me the proper setting/reading I was looking for on the multi-meter. So, basically after testing the first wire, not understanding the reading I was getting, she declared that this wire MUST BE the problem and would order the part and send it to me. Expressing my uncertainty at this diagnosis got me nowhere… which didn’t really matter, because now a tech was coming! Ok, not so. She was simply sending me the parts to replace myself! After my expression of shock… she backtracked and said they could send a tech.

Day 11: The parts arrive. Now I am instructed to make arrangements with the third-party tech company to come and repair the treadmill.

Day 15: Tech arrives… expresses shock at Bowflex/Nautilus warranty and that they have made a lay person take apart the machine, go out and buy a multi-meter, and mess around with the insides of the machine! In fact, I hear him on the phone with his boss telling him how unbelievable this is. Tech informs me that of course the problem has nothing to do with the parts Bowflex/Nautilus sent and that it’s the motor control board which must be replaced. He’ll advise Bowflex/Nautilus and get the new part ordered.

Day 21: Have a bad feeling, so I call Bowflex/Nautilus to double check that the part has been ordered and it is on its way. Surprise! They have no record of the request or order. But, they’d be happy to order it right away and send it out to me. Another delay.

Day 28: Part arrives and tech re-scheduled.

Day 35: Tech returns… such a nice guy, definitely placed the order for the new part immediately after leaving my house the first time… replaces motor control board and finally the treadmill is fixed. I wish him a fond farewell and tell him, no offense but I hope to never see him again… he smiles and says “oh you will, you own a Bowflex/Nautilus treadmill!”

Hard for me to give this any more than two stars. The machine itself is nice… but it lasted less than six months before needing repair. And the warranty is absolutely ridiculous! Close to worthless. It cost me hours of my time, a trip to the hardware store where I had to spend my own money to buy a product to assist a CS rep, not a tech even, diagnose the problem, then wait over a month for it to actually be fixed. Needless to say, I will never buy a Bowflex/Nautilus product again.

Best of luck to those who buy one anyway.

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