Price Gouding And California Wow

[JRA]

I admit Cali Wow is the nicest fitness club in Chiang Mai and for this reason I don't mind, or in the past, didn't mind paying more.

However, everyone has their tipping point and I won't be "tooting Cali Wow's" horn anymore when people ask about the best fitness club in CM on ThaVisanbecause they are starting to act like sharks with their fee's and so called "specials".

I joined Cali Wow last year in BKK for 2 month and 1 month here in CM on my first trip to Thailand. I paid about 5 K baht for 3 months or about 1,800 a month which is expensive for Thailand or similiar to back home in Seattle for a nice all-around fitness gym.

Here is my vent after today:

Aug 1, I will be starting my 7th month in CM and I paid about 10.500 baht for 2 3 month memberships which works out to be about 1700-1800/a month. I think its a fair price because I like the gym but I am getting tired of them hiring so called new trainers and they walk around the club befriending you just to sell you supplements or whatever. Cali wow is becoming shaddy and it is getting old when I pay what I call a "fair pricce" when I know many Thai and falong pay much less than me.

So today, I explained to this Thai membership guy...and when I say Thai membership guy I think his last job was Dukin Donuts. Of course, he said...today's special...yadda yadda yadda...I heard that song and dance in America a million times...this clown had the nerve to tell me 3,200 baht for August...wisky tango foxtroot, what is this guy smoking?

I like the dam_n gym but I hate when I feel someone is trying to rip me off. So I am ready to find a new gym orl run around the mote...as I live off Huey Kaew Road and there I belive is many options...but 3,200 for 1 month 7 when I already paid 10,500 for 2 ,3 months memberships? thatt works out to be nearly 14,000 k for 7 months of a gym? Yes its nice but price is included when you talk about how a place is.

Anyway, I want to complain to Cali Wow but at least I will give them some bad pr because I have told many folks on here how nice it is...but dam_n, it's not like I get a free massage after I workout.

I don't do long-term contracts because I am only 45 and every 90 days I have to do a visa run....anyway, sorry about the vent but beware of Cali Wow and their prices...I was floored today when that numb nut quoted me 3200 for August....Wow is right

Any suggestions? I like to do weights some but my focus is cardio...any decent places near kad Seaun kaew? Thanks all

[elektrified]

I used to have a membership at Fitness Thailand when I lived in the city. I paid 5,000 for a one-year membership when many others were paying something like 12,000 or more. Use your best negotiating skills. You could also put your membership "on hold" for up to 2 months when you were traveling.

Oh and by the way, Fitness Thailand is/was a great gym. I have not been there for years.

Edited July 28, 2011 by elektrified

[sfokevin]

Strange... I was leaving the gym today and noticed someone at the front desk throwing one of those embarrassingly typical farang temper tantrums with all the Thai staff dutifully looking on with tight liped smiles... :jap:

[Slappz]

I'm pretty sure you can get a lifetime membership for 15k baht, so your probably giving them way too much money.

[JRA]

Strange... I was leaving the gym today and noticed someone at the front desk throwing one of those embarrassingly typical farang temper tantrums with all the Thai staff dutifully looking on with tight liped smiles... :jap:

Wasn't me, when I heard 3200 for August I just walked out...I have 3 days on my membership left and then I will be more than happy to take my business elsewhere

[moe666]

I pay 30 baht a day about 450 baht a month the gym has the weights I want and if you need a tread mill it has a big one witha motorcycle front wheel and a speed-o for your pace.

[Ulysses G.]

Strange... I was leaving the gym today and noticed someone at the front desk throwing one of those embarrassingly typical farang temper tantrums with all the Thai staff dutifully looking on with tight liped smiles... :jap:

I do not think that it comes as any big surprise to most of us that some of our fellow Westerners are big mouth, self-righteous idiots. I have always been thankful that most Thais seem to understand that they are just a very outspoken minority and cut the other, less obnoxious, "farangs" some slack.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Ulysses G.

[Rama]

Central Duangatang Hotel, opposite Le Meridian on Loy Kroh. Annual membership is 9,000 baht. Has a swimming pool, showers, sauna, all kinds of fitness equipment, trainers, Free towels and toiletries. You can buy a locker there for a little more. Best deal in town

[MangoAndCo]

Strange... I was leaving the gym today and noticed someone at the front desk throwing one of those embarrassingly typical farang temper tantrums with all the Thai staff dutifully looking on with tight liped smiles... :jap:

Wasn't me, when I heard 3200 for August I just walked out...I have 3 days on my membership left and then I will be more than happy to take my business elsewhere

Well done...it is so ridiculous, not even worth negociating...

[PlanetX]

Strange... I was leaving the gym today and noticed someone at the front desk throwing one of those embarrassingly typical farang temper tantrums with all the Thai staff dutifully looking on with tight liped smiles... :jap:

I do not think that it comes as any big surprise to most of us that some of our fellow Westerners are big mouth, self-righteous idiots. I have always been thankful that most Thais seem to understand that they are just a very outspoken minority and cut the other, less obnoxious, "farangs" some slack.

I have seen plenty of TGFs act in a similiar way when they feel they are being wronged financially

[pete66]

Strange... I was leaving the gym today and noticed someone at the front desk throwing one of those embarrassingly typical farang temper tantrums with all the Thai staff dutifully looking on with tight liped smiles... :jap:

I do not think that it comes as any big surprise to most of us that some of our fellow Westerners are big mouth, self-righteous idiots. I have always been thankful that most Thais seem to understand that they are just a very outspoken minority and cut the other, less obnoxious, "farangs" some slack.

I have seen plenty of TGFs act in a similiar way when they feel they are being wronged financially

Yep. Tends to happen behind closed doors though. When they are "out in society", even by just a few feet, they tend to change dramatically. Just my experience, I'm sure plenty of TFGs have gone ballistic in public as well.

[Sparkles]

The fitness industry has the dubious honour of being the most complained about industry in Thailand. Had a Chinese friend who worked for just a few months with the leading fitness centre in Bangkok and he just couldn't cop the continual,unrelenting pressure on staff to sell more product.He explained that salary is 90% based on commission and if the numbers dont reach the target bye bye.Not sure about here but in Bangkok if you ask a simple question,at the front desk, like "what are your fees ?" you are immediatly asked to sit down with a rep who then conducts a shonky survey on you. If you don't sign up on the spot you can expect several phone calls never from the same phone number.Then there are members that sign up for life only to find the branch nearest them closes down. Buyer beware.

[vacationman]

Hello JRA,

Think you need to work on your Negotiating skills.

I have a lifetime membership that cost 10,000 baht. I pay 100 baht per year for renewal.

Few months later got my Filipino Wife a lifetime membership for 8,500 baht.

You can't fault California Wow for trying to get the most money that YOU are willing to pay.

Good luck.

[NancyL]

OK, I know I'll probably get beat up for mentioning this gem, but the health club at the Centara Duang Tawan is wonderful. Yes, it's not exactly near Huey Kaew Rd, but I spend most days around Huey Kaew and find it's only a 20 baht song thaew fare to my health club. They don't play games with the pricing -- it's right there, on a flyer that you see as soon as you approach the desk. A little under 1300 baht for one month, with more savings for a one year contract. Normally they don't "pro-rate" annual memberships if you're gone for things like working 45 on/45 off, but I do know of them giving "medical leaves" for long-term members who had to return to their home country for treatments.

The health club portion has everything you'd ever want, especially in the cardio area (except maybe for a rowing machine). The pool is very good, but has problems with unsupervised kids. I've taken to swimming in the mornings (when the kids shouldn't be around) and doing a major farang fit with the desk when the kids do things like throw rocks on me. Oh, I should mention that kids under 16 aren't allowed around the health club equipment.

Edited July 29, 2011 by NancyL

[Thighlander]

they're probably not suppose to be running wild at the pool, either........I got a quote at Kad San Gaew a few years ago, and it seemed way,way high. SOme of the condos have gyms and charge about a tenth of what they were charging.

[MartinBKK]

Hello JRA,

Think you need to work on your Negotiating skills.

I have a lifetime membership that cost 10,000 baht. I pay 100 baht per year for renewal.

Few months later got my Filipino Wife a lifetime membership for 8,500 baht.

You can't fault California Wow for trying to get the most money that YOU are willing to pay.

Good luck.

I have the same membership but unfortunately for the OP i don't think they offer lifetime deals any longer. Please correct me if i am wrong

My membership is good for all branches except pinklao. Since i joined i've found out CW is in a bit of financial difficulty (not surprising seeing the number of cheap lifetime memberships they sold). The locations at CM and Ratchada (BKK) have been halved in size. These are 2 that i know of i'm sure there will be others. So, i guess there is a bit of a risk of all branches changing hands and the membership being worthless. I have been a member for 2 yrs so have probably had my monies worth already but if i were looking to buy a new membership i would be wary of putting a lot of money down.

Edited July 30, 2011 by MartinBKK

[donkeykong]

California Wow are scamming con artists. Avoid at all costs.

[weary]

You can't fault California Wow for trying to get the most money that YOU are willing to pay.

What happened to "let's give the customer a really good deal so he feels satisfied, tells his friends about it and is sure to come back"?

Deception is only necessary when you have a substandard offer.

[Lobo4819]

I've been both looking for a decent gym and following the comments about CW here. With this info, I stopped in CW today looking for a good deal, or at least a good deal in my mind. Many of the commenters are quite right - the "sales" people remind me a lot of time-share salesmen everywhere in the world. One of the best negotiating tools anywhere is a big smile and start pushing back from the table. I wound up with a one-year membership at around 1000 baht per month, paid my year in advance in cash and got a rebate of 200 baht (BFD), so it wound up being a little less. I was in no way, shape, or form about to give them my credit card details, phone number, or email address, as I was reasonably certain they would be sold to after-marketers and spammers. Then the time-share style people started showing up at the table, each with a different promotion while they "processed" my receipt.

Just keep smiling and saying "No" until you either get a decent price or you walk out. As for the ongoing promotions, I will probably switch to a non-English, non-Thai language that they don't understand while I work out. And wear headphones. And just nod and keep smiling a lot.

If you know what you are up against, you can usually make it work for you.

[infernalman7]

Powerhouse is the best hands down. The music isn't way too loud. Not crowded most of the days (until after 16:30 hours). Not too commercial. No personal trainers nagging you or annoying you and if you ask them nicely they will spot you for free, no money involved.

And if you speak Thai, even a little bit, you will never have to pay for personal trainers ever! Parking is never an issue as well.

I only wish there's a gym like this in Bangkok.

Edited August 14, 2011 by infernalman7

[limegreenpatato]

. I've taken to swimming in the mornings (when the kids shouldn't be around) and doing a major farang fit with the desk when the kids do things like throw rocks on me

not to sound like an ass....but hahahahahahaha. man kids these days get away with murder. i thought it was just back in north america they had turned into over confident little cun_ts....apparently it's in thailand too.

[Ulysses G.]

They are tourists. The Thai kids are fine. The offenders are mostly Arabs, Indians and Western children.