Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I was amazed to see there were positive reviews about this machine on Amazon.com. I can only assume the folks who left these positive reviews did not have their machine for long. I use my machine 4 or 5 days each week. I use the calorie goal of 1000 calories. At max speed (4.5MPH) my workout lasts about 45 minutes. Here's what I experienced after owning the machine for 11 months: 1. This is not a quiet machine. My machine is in the basement and everyone upstairs knows when I'm using my Bowflex. It's loud and clunky. 2. The belts have yet to stop "shredding" on the inside edge of both belts. I called customer service and was told this was normal. I neglected to ask at what point they should be replaced, because eventually the belts will be too narrow to step on! 3. The machine tells me on my second or third day of my workout that I worked-out for 5 days. Wrong! Minor nuisance, but shouldn't happen with with $3k machine. 4. Since the chest heart rate monitor rarely works (even after following all of the instructions including wetting the contacts), I have to use the heart rate monitor built into the handhold grips. As soon as I touch the grips, the display indicates about 135 bpm before it finally settles down. Again, just a nuisance, but shouldn't happen with a $3k machine. 5. As reported in a previous review, although I have the struts adjusted to provide the maximum travel, I'm unable to get the 3" split between the treadles as recommended. I'm 6'2, 231 pounds; it's not a weight issue! 6. Now the biggie...I'm amazed someone actually described this machine as being well constructed! In my opinion the machine has four critical welds; the two welds on the base where the vertical supports attach, and the two welds which keep the handhold bar in place. I've had three of these four welds fail at the same time! WELDS folks! Structural failure of the machine. When I reported the base weld failure to customer service, I was told "I never heard of this failure on the TC200". During replacement of my new base assembly, I found the weld on the handhold bar broken. Another call to customer service only to be told by someone else, "I never heard of this failure on the TC200". Deju vu! Bowflex/Nautilus must teach their customer service folks to say that in the hopes you'll feel better knowing your machine is unique in its failure! I used my machine today for the first time in about three weeks thanks to the weld failures and waiting on replacement parts. It's as clanky as ever, and I'm expecting the welds to fail again down the road. Luckily I still have two years remaining on the warranty. I reiterate; this is NOT a $3,000 machine!!! On a side note, don't buy into the "15 minutes a day is all you need" hype either. This is not a miracle machine. Like all exercise machines and regimes you need to combine diet with exercise. My 45 minutes workout 4 or 5 days per week allows me lose about a pound a week. Bottom line- I wish I could get my money back and invest in a $600 treadmill! If you still buy this machine after reading my review, good luck and don't blame me!