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California fitness membership category

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  1. #11

    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Pearl of the Orient
    Posts
    4,006

    One thing to be aware of when signing up with CF is a new paragraph in the contract, I think has been mentioned in another thread.

    "I acknowledge that I have not been promised any extra offers as inducement for the purchase of my membership unless i have disclosed such offers to the CF staff whose signature appears below, AND (their capitols) and which have been documented and signed by CF Club manager and me."

    When my wife wrote down the inducements, the voucher and PT session, on the contract she asked the salesman to sign. "I am not allowed to do so" was the reply.

    Then a Member Service Assistant appears, and we ask her to sign. " Not allowed"

    We ask for the Club Manager. " He is away today"

    You get the pattern. Whatever the salesman has promised you to get you to the signing stage will not be honoured by CF apart from the basic contract, and all the numbers on that should be very carefully checked, ie maturity and cost of contract.

    CF management have the business ethics of sewer rats.


  2. #12

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    19
    Quote Originally Posted by Cwbguy:
    For CF the best deal I could get for my wife a few weeks ago for all gyms and all hours was one year upfront for $4988, and a $100 voucher and one free PT session.

    The "free" PT session, specifically requested at the time of signing was to provide wife with a workout that she could follow by herself for the first three months. The instructor basically refused to do this saying he would show her the machines the next time she came, and would generously offer her a discount for a PT package she had said many many times that she did not want. When I tried insisting he showed her now, he said session is over,walked off and hid in one of the mirror fronted rooms never to be seen again. Fairly typical CF tactics.
    "And how I hate the California Fitness instructor trying to harass you whenever you are in the gym. Wonder how do you stop that!?"

    Start with a polite but firm " no thank you, I don't want PT" to a not so polite but firm request. Worked for me and I haven't been approached once this year.
    Thats exactly what I paid in October 2011 for 1 year but I didnt get any extra's and didnt want any extras. I will only ever pay cash for any gym membership anywhere in the world. No credit cards, no bank cards, account numbers, etc. Cash only and prepaid for the full year. I also tell at time of signing I want no PT to ever talk to me when I am at the club. For the 10 months so far I have nothing to complain about and with the membership expiring soon I can just walk away and not worry about anything. They have nothing to keep charging me. So my recommendation is if you can do it, prepay for the full term and I never prepay for more than 1 year (gyms close, gyms move, etc). You may not get the best price for a year 1 year compared to a 2 or 3 year but you will still get the best deal.

    I have recently moved to Discovery Bay and the club there seems adequate for what I need so will probably get that membership. However in October I will probably just ask California for another year prepaid for $2.5k or so. If they refuse, they refuse. If they accept its additional $2.5K for them that they would not have as CF will just be a once in awhile usage.