Buying a mobility scooter, like buying any vehicle, needs to receive careful consideration regarding your needs and the type of mobility scooter that can best meet those needs within your allocated budget.
Before deciding whether to purchase a new or second hand mobility scooter you should consider the options available. and the plus and minus points of both these choices.
A new mobility scooter has the advantage, like anything else that is purchased new, of not having undergone any use and you have a reasonable expectation that no major faults should occur in the first year or two of you taking delivery of your mobility scooter. Set against this, however, is the issue of cost. Like a car, once taken out of the shop, the resale value of a mobility scooter drops fairly rapidly, regardless of whether it has been used every day or just once a week. With this in mind, it is always worth looking in the local newspapers or advertisements in shop windows for mobility scooters that are for sale.
Checking A Used Mobility Scooter
Before committing yourself to purchasing a second hand mobility scooter there are a number of things you should check. These can include when the mobility scooter was last serviced, how old the batteries are.
Remember, old batteries, such as those over 18 months old, will not be able to hold the charge like new batteries and may soon need to be replaced. Also check the tyres for signs of wear and tare. Solid, in filled, tyres can be prone to splitting with age, rendering them useless. It is no good buying a second hand mobility scooter at a bargain price, only to have to spend a small fortune replacing parts to make it road worthy. If possible, take the mobility scooter for a test drive around the local area. This will enable you to check for any obvious signs of problems with the motor.
If you are buying your second hand mobility scooter from a dealer, as opposed to a private sale, ask about what guarantees are on offer from the seller and when the mobility scooter was last serviced.
If you choose to go down the route of buying a new mobility scooter, you will have more of a choice regarding the models on offer as you are not reliant on purchasing a model that is no longer required by a previous owner.
One of the first questions you should think about is what will I need a mobility scooter for? Is it for shopping trips or slightly longer trips to visit friends or relatives in the locality?
Mobility scooters are available in three and four wheel varieties. The three wheel models are usually lighter and smaller than the four wheel types and, as a result, less sturdy. On the other hand a four wheel mobility scooter is often more stable due to its size and weight. The four wheel scooter may be better suited to someone who is big built, due to the scooter’s additional size. You should also consider what type of terrain you plan to use your mobility scooter on.
Just as you would if you were purchasing a second hand mobility scooter, it is always advisable to take at least one on a test drive before committing yourself, to make sure that it is comfortable.