car

[sheltielife]

Hi, I am planning on buying a mobility scooter but I will have to change my car first. I am wondering which is the best car to buy to either drive up ramps or use a hoist. I would like as small as possible in length and it to be an automatic. I am 66 years old and so can't get a car on the motability scheme.

[farm123]

I think you need to have a good idea which type and size of scooter you want first - mobility shops are usually very good at letting you try different ones. I have one of the larger take apart ones because of where I was planning on using it and for leg room comfort as most expect you to sit with knees at 90 degrees. Some of the individual components are still quite heavy. It is surprising how much room it takes up and I also need to use the back seats for the kids - we had to change our vehicle as I could do either scooter or kids. I don't often go out on my own so my husband or children help putting it in and out of the car but I think in a ideal world I would love a hoist (but at the moment would take up too much space) after seeing another person using one and I don't think you need quite as much room at the rear of the vehicle to use it compared to using a ramp. Unless you were thinking of the load itself system (usually adverts in back of paper but not today) when you use ramps you still need to get to the controls as you drive it up/out. Farm

[sheltielife in reply to farm123]

I know I can't have one that comes apart as I bought one like that the company told me that the battery was the heaviest part and I could lift it. However that was wrong as the spec said it was the chassis that was heaviest and I couldn't lift it. They did let me return it for a full refund. I am on my own so nobody to do it for me. I need one for shopping inside and outdoor use so I know it won"'t be small. So now you know which scooter I need thanks for replying

[farm123 in reply to sheltielife]

The chassis is the worst part. The shape is the problem as well as the weight. I was going to look at ramps but have not got to it yet but it think you then need to be able to fold the back seat to go straight in but then I'm not sure whether the controls would be easily accessible. I think Earthwitch has the right suggestion. Farm

[earthwitch]

Even though you aren't eligible for the motability scheme, it might still be worthwhile visiting a motability dealer and asking their advice about which vehicles are most suited for the type of ramp or hoist you would need.

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I have a scooter that fits in the boot it takes a part my problem is turning the dial to lower the handlebar's I just cant do it the scooter is great and I can dismantle it but cant fold it down get a car with a low back door

[sheltielife]

I agree earthwitch that I need to go to a dealer but I need an idea of the manufacturer as I live in Cornwall and the dealers are a long way apart. If I lived in city or town it would be much easier as they are near to each other. The most annoying thing is that I applied for DLA a few months before I was 60 due to arthritis and I was turned down. At the time I was under investigation to see if it was just oesteo or rheumatoid but hadn't had the results or seen the consultant. It was 2 months after my 60th birthday that I was diagnosed of course too late then. People said that I should have appealed as they often turn you down first time but silly me my pride wouldn't let me. I was so hurt by man that came to visit me to assess me. When I got the report he had put down a lot of things that I could do that I had told him I couldn't! So, I should have swallowed my pride and then I would have been eligible at that time. The other problem with going to a dealer is that I have other health problems which don't help I have just been diagnosed with having thick blood and that is another problem. For years the docs have been saying it's nerve damage but I never thought it was and now it seems it might be due to this as I have very poor circulation in my legs and feet and that makes walking even worse. I can drive but when I get to where I am going I can't walk or stand for long so travelling round dealers a long way apart would be difficult.

[Beverley-NRAS]

Hi sheltielife,

Disabililty Rights UK have produced a guide called "Get Motoring" which includes more information on everything a disabled motorist needs to know about finding, financing and maintaining a car. I have put the link to it below for you:

disabilityrightsuk.org/site...

Hope this helps,

Regards

Beverley

[sheltielife in reply to Beverley-NRAS]

Hi Beverley, That looks like it has a lot of info in thanks so much for that, I'm sure it will be very useful to me. Bedtime reading! Once again thanks for your help.

[Beverley-NRAS in reply to sheltielife]

[earthwitch in reply to sheltielife]

motability.co.uk/ - worth having a good look on this site too as they have a lot of information about all different aspects of disabled driving and what to consider when buying a car.

[sheltielife]

thanks for the link I will have a good look at that

[sheltielife]

I have decided that a Skoda Roomster would be perfect for what I want and am going to look at them on Wednesday. However, I am having problems with knowing who is reliable. I contacted the Skoda dealers and spoke to the motability expert and told him which model I wanted and which scooter I intended to buy and asked if it would fit in using a hoist. He phoned me back later having looked up the specs and said there wouldn't be a problem at all. So, I ordered the scooter online that I want as it was on special offer 75% off probably a discontinued model. However, the dealer said that they didn't fit hoists I would have to go to somewhere else for that. So, I contacted Cornwall Mobility Centre and spoke to someone there. He asked what model of car and which scooter I wanted and so I gave him links to look up. He got back to me and said that the Roomster wouldn't fit that scooter in due to the height of the scooter, but he could supply with one that would, of course at a ridiculous price. I went back to the specs of the car and the scooter and the scooter back rest folds down without tools making it quite low. In fact it even comes apart into 3 parts but I couldn't lift them. He also told me that the scooter I had purchased wouldn't be allowed in a supermarket. I just don't know who to believe out of the two of them. Of course the car dealer might just be wanting to sell me a car, but he didn't offer a bigger car instead and so I suspect that he is more genuine. Has anyone any ideas I can provide links to the car and the scooter if need be.

[farm123 in reply to sheltielife]

I have not heard of scooters not being allowed in a supermarket - a small shop is difficult to move around it and sometimes not worth the hassle.

I wonder whether you need some clearance height above the scooter to allow the hoist to operate. Farm

[nomoreheels]

I don't know anything about lifting parts of mobility scooters into a boot but I do know that it's easier to lift things (big elderly dog with arthritic hips specifically) into a car without a boot ledge. Our first estate car had one & we made sure the next one was a flat loader, it's surprising how much effort it takes to lift a weight over a ledge, something to consider when choosing your car maybe.