Late last year, I bought a mini stepper to help keep my knees and hips fluid and mostly pain free - I have fibromyalgia and it sucks.
I used it a ton, and needed to apply WD-40 on a weekly basis to keep things smooth and squeak free. I did notice some of the plastic parts were wearing from use. Last week, I heard a crack while I was stepping away, and it was a piece of plastic that could not be repaired. Sucks, but the net cost to me was under $10, so I got my money's worth, and also proved that this is a tool I will use on a daily basis.
So, the search began for the Buy it for life option. Which I found, but the $350-$425 price tags were hard to swallow. Nothing used to be found on Ebay, Craigslist or FB marketplace, but the manufacturer had refurbished units available on their site every few days, at $225 w/shipping.
I waited a few more days, looking for better deals and giving myself time to decide if this was a want or a need. As pain started to come back, it confirmed it was a need, but still, $225, ouch! So on a whim, I e-mailed the mfg and asked them if they could do better, or if they had a sale coming up. They were nice enough to give me a $50 coupon code, so $175 was easier to swallow, and I went ahead and made the purchase.
It pays to ask for a discount, worst they can say is no! And now I have something I will be able to use for a long time to come - even the refurbished model has a 5 year warranty.