account_circleMandy Lee

Disappointed in Octane

I purchased this beast the weekend before Wisconsin shut their gyms due to Covid (Early March 2020). I was elated that I beat the rush, and I had my own absolutely amazing machine, in my own home. Years ago, I used Octane products at the gym I went to, so I knew that these workouts could be extremely customized. This is a very functional, versatile machine. It has an engaging workout for everybody. (I even paid for the upgraded control panel, which allows you to use the Octane app, which does not have Samsung compatibility. The console also allows for special upper body, lower body and "x-mode" workouts!) Considering I live in Wisconsin, and our winters can be brutal, I figured having this machine would be a wonderful substitution for outdoor fitness during the colder months. When I showed up at Johnson, I told them I wanted an adjustable stride product, which could accommodate both myself (5'3"), and my 6'1" boyfriend. This machine lives in my basement, which has a drop ceiling, and since the pedals don't have much "rise," it works very well for him! It's worth mentioning that he has never been one for cardio equipment, and even he loves this machine. Between the two of this, we used this a vast majority of the days, however in summer, we naturally moved our fitness back outside. Around the last week of 2020, an error popped up on the screen "22 left stride." The machine was, and still is, in factory warranty. I read the customer warranty booklet that came with the machine, and I had the option to contact Johnson or Octane directly to handle this issue. The service at Johnson was absolutely fantastic, so I called them to report the problem. A week or so later I got an email saying that Johnson had received my complaint, and that if it was covered by the manufacturer, the manufacturer would be contacting me to set up an in-house service appointment. Weeks go by, no call from Octane. I call Johnson back and ask what's going on. I'm told Octane was sold to some other company, and they just aren't doing that great of a job with customer service right now. I'm told the manager will contact Octane again, but I may have even better luck contacting Octane directly. (Now I'm worried. I also purchased an extended warranty on this machine from Johnson, and they have made it clear they are in the business of excuses, not service.) So here I am, a month and some later, still no call from Octane, and Johnson can't be bothered to call me to see how things are going. I paid over $5000 for my machine, the manufacturer doesn't care that the product is having an issue, and Johnson doesn't see the need for repeat customers. This is a really fun piece of workout equipment! There is so much variety to be had here, it could easily be the only piece of cardio equipment you have (which could also save you money and space), but it needs to actually work. There are few other adjustable stride products on the market, so I feel like Octane has a wonderful advantage in the cardio world, but how disappointing that they won't stand by their own warranty. Ideally I could give this product a 5 star review, and whoever bought Octane a 1 star, but that isn't an option.