We had one at work, and it got used a LOT. Maybe 30-40 guys regularly. Personally, it didn't have enought weight (resistance) for me. I'm not a huge guy either. Anyway, after a couple months, the rubber coating on the bows started peeling off, cables were losing their plastic coating, pulleys were getting brittle, etc.
Now keep in mind this machine got a LOT of use on a regular basis. It was one of the earlier models, don't remember which one, perhaps they've improved on some of those issues.
Like others have mentioned, look for used if you're really serious about this. Personally, for the price of the bowflex, you could join a decent gym, and not have to worry about anything breaking down, and they usually have some pretty good scenery.