AFG Elliptical 4.0AE Consumer Review

by Anonymous

When I was looking to buy an elliptical machine 3 years ago I decided to buy a more expensive machine so that I would get better quality and have a product that would last for a long time.

I settled on the AFG 4.0AE elliptical and purchased it for approximately $1,400.

In the 3 years that we have owned the machine, I have had several small issues with parts needing to be replaced. Recently, a weld on the pedal arm snapped and caused the whole foot pedal to bend significantly.

Because of the location of the defective weld, it wasn't discovered for a while. AFG did send me a replacement part, but shortly after replacing it the machine developed a loud and persistent thumping in the internal flywheel area.

This issue was clearly caused by the stress put on the internal components as a result of the pedal arm having a defective weld (I confirmed this with a service technician who repairs AFG equipment). Because this is an internal problem, it isn't something I can get to in order to attempt to repair it myself.

When I contacted AFG they refused to cover the labor to repair my machine because my labor warranty on the AFG 4.0AE elliptical is only 1 year.

They did not care that the problem came about as a result of a major defect in their manufacturing (welds are supposed to be stronger than the surrounding metal so for a weld to snap indicated very poor quality work). Even when my dealer contacted the company they absolutely refused to even consider covering the repair cost.

They feel that it is acceptable to charge $1,400 for a machine and expect the customer to spend $200 to repair a problem that was a result of poor quality construction after less than 3 years. I would have been better off buying a $400-500 machine with the expectation that I would have to replace it every couple of years - since my $1,400 AFG 4.0AE elliptical trainer didn't last any longer than that.

I would strongly suggest that people avoid buying anything from AFG or any of the other brands sold by their parent company Johnson Health Tech.

That would include Matrix, Vision Fitness, Horizon Fitness, Merit Fitness and Tempo Fitness. If you happen to get a defective machine you will be told "too bad, it's your problem".

The AFG 4.0 AE - Our Favorite Elliptical Trainer

by Dan Yates
(Utah)

I purchased the new AFG 4.0 AE Elliptical last October. My wife and I use it in our home. We spend a total of about 20 hours per week on the elliptical. We love the smooth motion. The heavy resistance wheel really makes this a comfortable stride.

The AFG 4.0 AE is our third elliptical and our favorite so far. We still keep our Proform and NordicTrack as backups. They really feel hurky-jerky now that we are used to the AFG.

A weld on the frame broke 2 weeks ago. We contacted AFG and sent them photos to show the problem. Within 48 hours, they shipped us a brand new replacement. We had to assemble it - it took about 3 hours to assemble because we're slow at those things.

We love the AFG 4.0 AE and we are happy to report that AFG really does stand behind their product and honors their warranty.

Dan & Janean Yates, Utah

AFG 4.1 AE Elliptical User Comments

by Marc Bastien
(Gatineau, Québec, Canada)

We purchased the AFG 4.1 AE elliptical because of its perfect configuration and all its bells and whistles.

But as soon as we started using it, bearings noises and cracking noises started to dull our experience. The dealer replaced the unit immediately and the brand new one was even worse!

Then they changed the flywheel twice, and got still worst. They finally reimbursed us and we are now contemplating a Sole E95.