How to Sell a Broken Treadmill

A broken treadmill is still worth selling — typically £20 to £100 at For Parts, against £80 to £400 in working order.

Can you sell a treadmill that does not work?

Yes. Repairers, people replacing one component and buyers who want a project all shop deliberately at this end. None of them will accept a fault they discover after paying.

What actually goes wrong with treadmills

These are the faults that move a treadmill down the grades, and the first things a buyer will ask about:

Worn or slipping belts and grooved decks
Motors that struggle or smell hot under load
Non-folding commercial frames that are very hard to move
Dead consoles, which often cannot be replaced

Grading it honestly

Fair covers something heavily used, or with a described fault or missing part: around £36 to £180. For Parts covers something not working or incomplete, sold as seen: roughly £20 to £100. Grades are seller-declared and nobody inspects them for you, so grading up does not raise what you get — it produces a buyer who arrives expecting something else. All five grades explained.

Working out what you actually have

Establish the fault properly rather than guessing at it:

Run it at walking and running speed and listen to the motor
Check belt tension and look for wear down the centre
Measure it folded and unfolded, and be honest about weight

Photographing the fault

Photograph the damage directly and in focus — it is the evidence that the rest of the description is honest:

The treadmill assembled, side on, showing the whole deck
The console lit and running, with the speed visible
The belt surface close up, showing centre wear
Folded, if it folds, with dimensions clear

What to state in the listing

Alongside the fault itself, buyers of broken treadmills want these confirmed:

Brand, model, and maximum speed and incline
Assembled and folded dimensions, plus approximate weight
Which floor it is on and whether there are stairs
Belt condition and whether the motor runs quietly under load

Brand, model and whether it folds: “NordicTrack T7.5 Folding Treadmill, Working”. Folding is a major selling point and belongs in the title. Be upfront about which floor it is on — putting “ground floor, easy access” in a treadmill listing genuinely brings in buyers who would otherwise skip it.

What buyers will ask

Answer these in the listing rather than waiting to be asked:

“How heavy is it and can I move it alone?”

Give the weight and answer plainly. Most treadmills need two people and a van, and a buyer who arrives alone in a hatchback is a wasted afternoon for both of you.

“Does the belt slip?”

Test it at running speed, not walking. Belt slip under load is the classic used-treadmill fault and it will be found immediately.

“Will it fit through a normal door?”

Measure it. If it does not fold and it will not fit, say so — the buyer may still want it but they need to plan.

Is it worth repairing first?

Usually not, unless it is cheap and you can evidence it. What lifts the price is condition and completeness, which a repair rarely restores:

Higher motor power ratings for sustained running
Belt and deck with even wear and correct tension
Folding frames, which are far easier to move
Console and heart rate features all working

If the work would cost more than the gap between £100 and what a sound one fetches, sell it as is broken and let the buyer decide.

When to list it

Sharply seasonal. January is by far the strongest month, with a secondary lift in autumn. Selling one in June typically means accepting a much lower price or waiting.

Getting it to the buyer

Collection only, and access is the whole negotiation. State the floor, the stairs and whether you can help lift. Being honest about a first-floor treadmill loses you some enquiries and saves you many wasted appointments.

WishThrift does not process payments, arrange delivery or hold funds. Confirm the money has cleared before the item leaves your hands, and keep the conversation on the site so there is a record of what was agreed.

Ready to list it? Free to list, no commission, and neither side pays a buyer-protection fee — create a free account, or read the full treadmill selling guide if yours turns out to be sound.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broken treadmill worth anything?

Yes — typically £20 to £100 at For Parts against £80 to £400 working. Repairers and people harvesting one component buy deliberately at this end. Worn or slipping belts and grooved decks

Should I repair it before selling?

Usually not, unless the repair is cheap and you can evidence it. The things that genuinely lift the price are higher motor power ratings for sustained running and a repair rarely restores those.

What do buyers ask about a faulty treadmill?

The fault itself, in detail. Give the weight and answer plainly. Most treadmills need two people and a van, and a buyer who arrives alone in a hatchback is a wasted afternoon for both of you. The listing that answers it before being asked is the one that sells.