Everything you should know before buying a mobility scooter

During my many years in the mobility business I have acquired a vast knowledge of what to look for when purchasing a mobility scooter or power chair.

Never rush into making your purchase as buying the wrong product can be very costly indeed.
I have been monitoring many on-line auctions recently and as yet I have not managed to find anything that stood out to me as being a real bargain. Many of the products I have seen for sale is inferior quality and do not appear to be a recognized make.

Please note that there are lots of companies in China making Mobility scooters some of which are being imported into the UK and have no backup should things go wrong.

My first tip must be

DO NOT BY A SCOOTER UNLESS IT HAS A RECOGNISED BRAND NAME.

Pride Mobility Products

Roma Medical ( Shop rider)

Days Medical (Strider)

Sunrise Medical (Sterling)

The above is not a complete list of recognized Brand names but in my opinion it's a very good guide to work by.

All the above companies have head offices in the UK and Dealers throughout the country all who offer a full back up service including spare parts.

Spare parts for scooters can be very expensive and it is very easy to buy a second hand scooter that requires immediate attention.

Time to be aware

I have found that people usually sell there scooter after they have not used it for a while and realised it is of no further use to them.

When a scooter has been stood for a while the batteries tend to sulphate very quickly.

Due to the nature of these batteries, if they have been stood they are usually damaged beyond repair.
Depending on the size of batteries needed the cost can be between ?80 and ?400 per pair.

Mobility scooters and power chairs are all Battery powered so if you do buy a second hand one make sure the batteries have been charged regularly (every time the scooter has been used )or at least once a week if the scooter has been out of use.

Electronic Mag Brakes

The breaking system on all scooters and power chairs are controlled by the electronic controller and there is two common faults that go wrong with them if the machine has not been stored or used correctly.

1. The brake can seize up due to the damp air that can be found in many sheds and garages in the UK.
The average price of a mag break is ?100 and that's before someone has diagnosed the fault and charged you for the fitting of it.

The main controllers are full of components that you are likely to find in the back of your TV set. So the question you must ask yourself here is If you left your TV set in a shed for 6 Months

DO YOU THINK IT WOULD WORK PROPERLY IF YOU PLUGGED IT BACK IN ?

I think we might agree on the answer here.

A main controller for an average scooter can cost from ?200 up to ?400

SORRY IF I`M PUTTING YOU OFF BUT THERE IS STILL MORE YOU NEED TO KNOW

Scooters come in all shapes and sizes and it is very important that you choose the right one.

Some scooters are allowed on the road and some are not.

A Class 3 scooter must be capable of a top speed of 8 mph and must have a speed control switch that allows the speed to be halved instantly when being driven on the pavements.

It must also have Lights, (front and rear) traffic signal indicators, Hazard warning lights and an audible horn. If the vehicle is to be driven on or across a dual carriageway it must also be fitted with a flashing beacon that stands 6foot in height.

Rear view mirrors are also essential.

A class 2 machine will only be allowed to drive on the pavements and cross minor roads where traffic control is in operation.

Many Class 2 machines now have lights and indicators fitted to them as standard and it is important that you do not get confused between the two classes of machine.

The latest craze seems to be for fold up scooters

This is where things can get tricky.

I have seen many portable scooters advertised for sale lately, both new and second hand.

I must admit that I am shocked at what some people will do to sell these portable scooters.

Don't get me wrong here. I am not against these products, on the contrary I really think they are a valuable addition to the mobility business. I just want people to be aware that they are not designed to travel very far even when new.

I have recently seen advertisements boasting that some of them have a range of 25 miles +. Now that's what I call outrageous.
If a scooter is fitted with 12 amp/hour batteries as so many are and they are carrying a person of average weight in average conditions. It is likely that from new they will only have a range of 6 to 8 miles. As they get older you will be lucky to get to the end of your street without having problems.

Portable scooters are ideal for shopping centres and parks but if you want to go any further I suggest you give me a quick call before you buy anything.

Another thing about portable scooters is they nearly all have solid tyres, plastic seats and no suspension.
Some of these scooters also boast a 21 stone capacity. I am 10 stone 4 pounds and they struggle to pull me up a slight incline when they are brand new. So if you don't ring me for advice before you buy at least ride one of these scooters up a slight hill before you part with any cash and remember the batteries get worse as they get older.

3 wheels or 4

There is something at this point I think I need to make very clear.

No scooters are designed for indoor and outdoor use.

If you want something that will be effective for both uses you should be looking at a powerchair / Electric wheelchair

3 wheeled scooters are far more manoeuvrable than 4 wheeled ones

3 wheeled scooters are also very handy if you have long legs or large feet as they have much more leg room.

Always try and match your size and weight before you buy.

A scooter can be a very useful machine if you get the right one but if you don't it can be very costly. I am always available to give free advice on this matter.

The main advantage of a 4 wheeled scooter is purely psychological.

I find that all scooters made by reputable companies are very stable due to strict guidelines that are enforced upon them but I must mention that there are some machines on the market that I would not recommend to anyone so please be careful.

I am not in the business of slating products so don't ask me to name any that I disprove of.
However I am always available to recommend quality products.

Quality products are not necessarily the most expensive and I will be very happy to prove this too you if you care to contact me.

Weights and distances

These can be a bit mysterious.

I know of a full size 8 mph scooter that has 2x50 amp hour batteries as standard that has a maximum load weight of only 18 Stone

And yet there is also some portable lightweight scooters on the market with 2x12 amp hour batteries that are supposed to do 4 mph and carry a max load of 21 stone.

This just goes to show how confusing and misleading some companies can be.

Weights of scooter x power x weight of occupant.= mysterious and dodgy.

As an engineer I will happily steer you in the right direction if you wish to give me a call.

At this point I must stress that I am not a salesman. Although I do sell Mobility Products.

I only sell products that I believe in, ones that I know have a proven track record of reliability and ones that spare parts are always available for within a few days.

You do not need to be a salesperson to sell things you believe in.

If there is anything that I have not covered here that you wish to know please do not hesitate to give me a call.

I do not bite and possess no selling skills at all.

What I do have though is a vast knowledge of Mobility Products that I am more than willing to share with you.

It might be that I put you off buying one but I would rather put you off than see you buy something that is of no use to you.

The advice I give is offered to you in good faith and under no circumstances will I get involved in problems that have arisen from people buying inferior products from door to door salesmen, internet sales or mail order products.

My aim is offer advice that will save you time and trouble and money when purchasing a mobility scooter.

King Regards, Steve.
Mobility Products Ltd

About The Author

Mobility Products Ltd is one of the UKs leading suppliers of mobility products and is run by a former engineer who knows all there is about scooters and will only sell the best products.