Written for Advice, 12th November, 2021.
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Before You Buy A Second-hand Mobility Scooter
Why buy a used Mobility Scooter? Affordability and Sustainability, are the core essential reason when you are buying a Second-Hand mobility scooter. But out of all those reasons the main one is Affordability. Mobility Scooters have an essential function for everyday life and quality of life for the individual owning one. They allow an individual …
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Why buy a used Mobility Scooter?
Affordability and Sustainability, are the core essential reason when you are buying a Second-Hand mobility scooter. But out of all those reasons the main one is Affordability. Mobility Scooters have an essential function for everyday life and quality of life for the individual owning one. They allow an individual who is unable to go long-distance or walk… the freedom to roam around, giving them independence and a form of escapism from their infirmed state.
- Affordability, Buying a second-hand scooter is cheaper than buying a brand new one. If you have your eye on a more expensive model but can’t justify the price tag, you may be able to find a second hand within your budget range that is suitable.
At the low end, another convenient mobility scooter can cost about $700, plus or minus two or three hundred dollars. At the top of the line, a few models cost more than $10,000 AUD Dollars. Nonetheless, “as new” utilized models (which means they’ve scarcely been utilized) can cost a few hundred dollars, not exactly the full rundown cost.
Mobility Scooters can be costly when bought new, going somewhere in the range of $800 to $10,000. Yet, the sticker price doesn’t need to prevent you from getting one for yourself or a maturing relative. There are a lot of more reasonable utilized models available to be purchased on eBay, Gumtree, and Facebook Marketplace, just as at neighborhood mobility stores and mobility aid showrooms.
- Sustainability. It gives a perfectly good scooter a new life and saves it from going into a landfill. It also removes the need for a whole new scooter to be made from scratch, saving on materials and carbon emissions.
There is also a third underlying reason that is essential for a good experience when shopping for a mobility scooter and that is Comfort. Comfortability on a mobility scooter should be your primary concern, because who wants to ride on a cheap and uncomfortable scooter? I assume not you. You might ignore this advice, with the practical mindset of having the vehicle to take you from point A to B, and that if it’s cheap and does the job then it’s alright. But you’ll be kicking yourself on the foot when you are seated and your back aches from the uncomfortable nature of the upholstery or the frame. To each their own, sacrifice comfort for affordable mobility, if you must, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. To avoid such hassle, test before you buy with a second-hand seller before you make any rash decisions.
Before you go out and buy
Before you begin to put, it’s best to distinguish the mobility scooter you need – this will lessen the shot of you being enticed to purchase a modest second-hand scooter that is not ideal for your necessities, from comfort, or way of life.
Make sure to factor in the expense of keeping up with and adjusting any mobility scooter you purchase, just as additional items, for example, protection and breakdown cover. Knowing the background of the seller is important, and where you purchase the product. For example, if you found the listing on eBay, there is a return policy for said items you buy on that website, which will ensure you have a decent experience when browsing their used catalogs. Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace on the other hand are a bit finicky albeit more upfront and reasonable in prices for second-hand units.
We’ve heard an excessive number of tales about individuals purchasing some unacceptable used models and scarcely truly utilizing them because of the product’s inefficiencies. Accounts of how customers have bought second-hand scooters confirmed as almost new and rarely used were found to be having many issues such as battery needs to be replaced within 3 to 6 months of using. Some might be fortunate and buy a well-taken care mobility scooter and advise how to utilize it, yet the greatest issue is that nobody realizes how to measure the future utilization of said mobility aid equipment. So… try not to settle on a rash decision that will cause a breakdown. You have to make a rundown of inquiries to pose to the seller when buying a mobility scooter.
These can consist of…
- Reasons of Sale ( This should be your first inquiry, for it’s the prime reason why the seller is selling said product. )
- Age of the particular unit ( The particular age of the unit may determine if it’s possible to obtain spare parts or service from your local scooter repair shop. )
- Manufacturer (Knowing the manufacturer, and their history and reliability from service and product might be an essential reason to buy said product. If the Manufacturer is unknown then there is a likely chance the Unit can’t be serviced or repaired.)
- Service history ( Enquire to the seller about its service history, and check that the product is probably service, ask for a print so when you get your mobility scooter service, the repairmen can analyze its service history and not add extra charges when they try to find the issue with your device. )
- Modifications ( Enquire to the seller if there are any Modifications on the mobility scooter that you should be aware of.)
- Age of the Battery ( Enquire to the seller about the age of the battery. Knowing this might be your primary reason to buy the scooter. )
- Type of Battery ( Aswell as knowing the age of the battery, ask the type of battery that it is, from lead-acid to gel or even ion-lithium which would give you an estimation of the life expectancy of said scooter. )
- Upholstery ( Testing and enquiring the age and type of upholstery for the sake of comfort or medical needs is also important for you to make your decision.
- Type of Tires ( Knowing about what type of tires would help your repairman when replacing them.)
After all these inquiries are met, you can finally make your decision to–WAIT! We forgot the most important and essential inquiry, which is not an inquiry but a Test Drive. Yes, similar to buying a car, you should test it, to see if the mobility scooter actually works. If the seller refuses you a test drive then walk away and hunt for another. Because there is a high chance the mobility scooter might be faulty if they refuse you a test drive. There are other reasons why you must INSIST on a Test Drive, from comfort to mobility and maneuverability. It’s important to know the feel of the mobility scooter that you driving, if there is something off about it or something doesn’t feel right… then you should enquire further or walk away. Most of the time, when you meet the seller, the buyer mentality is if you are there, you might as well buy it, but this shouldn’t be the case. You can always haggle down the price if underlying issues have arisen, but these are usually not prevalent with a not so honest seller. So make sure you know the history of the said buyer and also said product.
Buying second-hand from a shop
Many people trade in their old scooters to upgrade to a newer, often higher-spec, scooter. This means it’s common to find second-hand models for sale in mobility shops. Scooterland based in Ashmore on the Gold Coast offers these trade-in deals to ensure affordability and to refurbish said products so they don’t go into a landfill or cold storage for a bygone era.
Scooterland services these USED mobility scooters, repairing and testing parts with brand new equipment from batteries to upholstery. Though they might usually have a shorter warranty than you’d get with a newer model – three months instead of a year, for example. Scooterland offers a 3 Months Warranty for used mobility scooters, but we don’t offer battery warranties nor electronic system warranties. We sell the mobility scooter serviced and refurbished within the purchase history and continue so on during the warranty. In the unlikely chance, the mobility scooter is unable to work from user mistake or manufacturer make during the estimated 3-months warranty, Scooterland offers free repair if these General exclusion conditions are not met:
- Excluded is fair wear and tear
- Battery failure due to improper battery use and charging
- Ingress of water into any part of the electrics/electronics
- Other improper use
Check our Used Warranty Page to know more. Also, check our Pre-own Equipment Page for more detail when buying a Used Product from Scooterland.
