Hi I have been using a mobility scooter for over a year now. The questions to ask yourself.
1. What do you want to use it for mainly? Car, bus, or to get you to places without either.
2. Then do you live on the ground floor or higher up with or without a lift. In other words can you easily get it inside your home.
3. Do you need to be able to take the battery off to recharge.
4. Is it hilly where you live.
You can take a smaller scooter on a bus with you in it but would need to get a pass from your local bus company. It is easier to get one which folds up if you would rather, but ensure it folds up length ways and not into a squat suitcase type size as these are much more difficult to manoeuvre. Automatic is easier but manually only takes a few seconds anyway.
A smaller fold up scooter is not suitable for hilly areas or kerbs as they often only have a small gradient - mine is 8%. I have found good dropped kerbs in my area but some of them rise steeply which my scooter isn't good on and I have to be very careful.
Nor is it good for heavy shopping as they aren't as stable. Mine has lithium batteries which are more expensive but much easier if you have to take them off to recharge like I do.
Look to see where the batteries are stored. If at the back then it can make your scooter back heavy but it should have stabilising wheels on the back like mine. Not always on the front though.
Lastly if you don't have access to a car it's best to buy locally even if it costs more otherwise it's a nightmare to get repairs done. You can usually get refurbished ones like I did which are a bit cheaper.
The other thing to think about is the range you want. Mine has 2 batteries which do 6 miles each fully charged, but bear in mind this is if you are 8 stone and on the flat. You will get less if you are heavier.
Any questions just ask. Good luck.
Ps don't forget you can VAT off them too if you need one on medical grounds. I got it off mine which saved me £300.
Hi I did a lot of research recently to find a mobility scooter and received many helpful suggestions from this forum. If you do a search on the forum you should find all the helpful replies to my enquiry
I was, and still am, looking to buy a CareCo li-tech Neon It is the lightest scooter I could find with a Lithium battery,
The cost was nearly £2000 , so I was looking for a second hand one. While there are some available but not in my area.
I have put my search on hold as I probably wouldn’t use it in the winter months. But if one does become available in my area I’ll get it
BTW I visited a National Trust property last week and was able to hire one of their scooters free of charge.
have you looked at Amazon-we have recently bought 2-delivered in 2 days and cheaper than shops I looked at. I was able to phone and ask questions before I purchased.
Yes, the price on Amazon is vat free. I forgot yesterday we bought 1 off Amazon and the other off eBay Olson priced vat free and was from the same seller
In my home there are three, a lightweight folding power chair, a pavement scooter and a class 3. The power chair is a lightweight manual folder and dead easy to do but it still weighs 20k which is not easy to lift into the back of a hatchback. The other two both take apart for transport but the separate pieces are rather heavy. Eventually I purchased a motor adapted to take wheelchair out scooter. Try and visit your local branch of CareCo and discuss your requirements with them.
I have an instafold made by Livewell. Folds at the touch of a button. Weighs 25kg, fits easily in boot. Was only £1000 which I thought was a bargain. Very strong, up to 19 stone user. No complaints. I take to all appointments.
shop around if you have the internet, I bought a live well brand new for £550 on eBay so worth checking also Amazon do great deals but if you want secondhand, don’t trust they have new batteries fitted always ask for receipt and date of fitment .
Trouble now is that everything is on-line - the main thing is to physically try out the scooter, do you feel safe?/is it comfortable?/easy to drive/will it go up hills/can you lift it (if using in a car). I have a shop rider cordoba which is a lifesaver for me but is a 8mph 'road scooter' but you can use these on main-line trains, just book assistance. Buses will only accept small 'boot scooters'. I foolishly purchased one of these on-line at an expensive price, then found that you have to bend right down to unlock the battery and it is difficult to remove, also to lift out the seat, you take out a 'plug' but when putting the seat back have to align the holes in the seat stem with the holes on the scooter, which is a nightmare before replacing the 'plug' - so be very careful, check it all over, these things may look easy to do when someone active is showing you, but far from easy when you have to do it yourself!
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