My day spent looking for good equipment

[Liftn4life707]

Ok so I decided to call the nearest "play it again sports" to see if they had any used 45 lb Olympic plates. The man said yes so I was on my way. I had nothing better to do today anyway.
The drive there is aprox. 150 miles and it's all through the Trinity Alps mountain range. I get there 3 hours later and the guy has ZERO used 45's. I ask and he proceeds to tell me that someone just bought 500+ lbs of them which was all he had. Ya.....sure. So long story a little shorter, I end up with a set of new 45's, a new Olympic EZ curl bar, a pair of new 30 lb hex dumbells, and a new tricep pushdown attachment for $230+ . Add the gas and were at $300.
I don't really know why I'm posting this except that I don't know who I'm more disappointed in, the guy who BS'd me on the phone, or myself for spending money there. OK....I'm over it, chalk it up to lesson learned.

[KeithTheSnake]

You're kind of stuck: It would be tough to drive back and return it all.

Did you get things you want? Maybe, did you get things that you couldn't have gotten without driving three hundred miles? If so, it's a plus. If not, well, we all err. It's the human condition.

How about some pics of your hard-earned gear?

[Maluket]

I had a similar problem, though not AS bad. Called up a Play it Again Sports to ask the same question. "Sure, we have TONS of them." I went down, about an hour drive. Tons turned out to be three mismatched plates. Maybe it's just something they do to bring the customers in, hoping to sell them new equipment instead.

[Liftn4life707]

You're kind of stuck: It would be tough to drive back and return it all.

Did you get things you want? Maybe, did you get things that you couldn't have gotten without driving three hundred miles? If so, it's a plus. If not, well, we all err. It's the human condition.

How about some pics of your hard-earned gear?

Sure but I cant inbed them yet......I'll go take some

[Liftn4life707]

It wont let me post attachments either?????????? Not my day....for real.
I posted the pics on my Fitboard....sorry still young here at this forum.
I'm not gonna return anything........I needed what I bought.
Ya...I could have gotten them without the 300 miles. At least now I can cross them off the list.....lol.
I just like to get old plates and refurbish them.

[Liftn4life707]

I had a similar problem, though not AS bad. Called up a Play it Again Sports to ask the same question. "Sure, we have TONS of them." I went down, about an hour drive. Tons turned out to be three mismatched plates. Maybe it's just something they do to bring the customers in, hoping to sell them new equipment instead.

Must be company policy.

[Lostspacer]

Next time ask for a photo before you go then you can at least see that they have them. Might not even be the brand you want and actually makes them get off their ass and look.

[hypertek]

That sucks. I got a local shop i always hit up . Mike's Fitness Equipment in Riverside Ca, if I give them a call, they always give me straight answers. Seems like Play It Again doesn't care about their reputation, Ive been to one in Arizona and I thought their prices are a bit much.

Id just watch Craigslist like a hawk if my only option was Play it Again.

[Liftn4life707]

That sucks. I got a local shop i always hit up . Mike's Fitness Equipment in Riverside Ca, if I give them a call, they always give me straight answers. Seems like Play It Again doesn't care about their reputation, Ive been to one in Arizona and I thought their prices are a bit much.

Id just watch Craigslist like a hawk if my only option was Play it Again.

I used to have a place to shop in Florida....where I lived at the time.....that had a surplus of used (40 cents a lb) Ivanko plates. I love good local shops. PIA is an independently owned chain store.....no worries though.
I do hawk a lot on CL

[mscriven]

I had a similar problem, though not AS bad. Called up a Play it Again Sports to ask the same question. "Sure, we have TONS of them." I went down, about an hour drive. Tons turned out to be three mismatched plates. Maybe it's just something they do to bring the customers in, hoping to sell them new equipment instead.

I know it's a bit of a drive, but there's a great place in Sacramento called Fitness For Less. I've been there a couple times and he always has what I need. He has a good stock that gets refreshed quite frequently.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/fitness-4-less-sacramento

[AttyGuy]

I am going to start a thread called, "my two and a half years looking for good equipment." 150 miles was an average distance to drive. . . .

[Liftn4life707]

I know it's a bit of a drive, but there's a great place in Sacramento called Fitness For Less. I've been there a couple times and he always has what I need. He has a good stock that gets refreshed quite frequently.

Just checked out their website.........I'd be on my way there right now if I hadn't gone to Redding yesterday. I'm sure I can come up with a reason to go. Thanks

[KBKB]

FWIW, the PIAS in Mesa, AZ has been honest about their inventory when I've called them. Prices aren't awesome, but they're not horrible either.