I want a treadmill...

Bad.

I've been "running in place"/walking around my yard (too many holes and obstacles to run in my yard) for a couple weeks now to see if running/walking is something I enjoy. I currently don't live in a neighborhood with sidewalks or trails, I live on a busy country highway, so running around the neighborhood is not an option.

I was thinking about finding a treadmill on craigslist. What is a reasonable price and what are things to look for when looking for a used one?

I can't afford to go to Sears/Dick's and purchase a new one.

A couple of years ago I bought a Landis treadmill from Craigslist for $500 (it retailed for $2500). I have and still am getting plenty of use out of it. It's one of the best purchases I've ever made.

My sister got an even better bargain: A True treadmill for $150 on Craigslist(again, that's a HIGH end treadmill---costs into the thousands). The woman was moving and needed to get rid of it.

Landis, True, Proform, Star---they're all gym-quality treadmills. You may not need something that high-performance if you're just walking, but who knows what you'll want to use it for in the future. Maybe you'll get into running, and if that's the case, you'll want to go for a better treadmill.

That's good to know. I do see myself running in the next couple of months, so I do need a better quality treadmill.

You can get them very cheap if you have a way to get them home. When you find one you are interested in, google for a copy of the manual. There should be a way to check the total miles on the thing by pressing certain keys. Other than that, make sure it runs (duh) and the display works, the belt isn't frayed, the incline works, and it doesn't make any weird noises.

As far as features, look for one with a high weight limit (will be generally more durable) and a good motor (mine is 3hp I think). I don't use any of the programs on mine but it does have a heart rate monitor which is nice. I also love that it has one touch buttons for speed and incline (1-12), instead of having to press the little arrow up or down forever

If you have a used sporting goods store, they usually have several. This might be a good middle ground.

I loooove my treadmill (got it on super sale new at Sears) and am so glad I got it. You can go try them out at a store to get an idea of what features you like and don't like, and what belt size you prefer, etc.