Its unfortunate that many of us how could greatly benefit from having our own mobility scooter find the costs involved to be prohibitive. With prices for a good scooter starting at around £750 its no wonder they are beyond the reach of the people who need them the most. What you can do, and its a option that more people are discovering every day, is you find a mobility scooter on the second hand market.
You might think that buying a used mobility scooter could be a recipe for disaster but if you are willing to do a little searching you should be able to find something that has been treated very well throughout its life and you could lucky and find one that has had very little use.
There is of course always a risk when buying anything second hand but if you get someone knowledgeable to check it out before you buy you should be able to purchase with confidence. Its not unheard if to discover a bargain that will set you back less than half the cost of a new scooter, so if you’re finding it impossible to get the money together buying used could be your only option.
The important things to keep in mind when buying a used mobility scooter are to make sure you get a brand name model. A generic scooter which has been produced without the required quality control will only lead to tears in the future and shouldn’t be bought for any price. Do your research beforehand and check out which manufacturers have the best name and decide on a short list of candidates that would suit you.
Where to buy a used mobility scooter
Your options are pretty limited when deciding were to look for a second hand mobility scooter if only because there are not that many on the market. You can always have a browse on Ebay to see what’s available, its always a good place to start to get an idea about the prices you should be paying and is handy when you are looking for mobility scooter spares such as a battery. You can find models with a low price tag here but again, make sure you have someone who knows what they are doing to check it over for you.
Another, better option is to go to an established used mobility scooter market which specializes in introducing buyers and sellers of mobility products. You will find a better range of models from which to choose and the sellers tend to be more genuine. Mobility product markets are also a great place to sell your own mobility scooter if you are trading up to a better model.
Things to look out for when buying a used mobility scooter
As I’ve already said if you want to buy second hand you really need a knowledgeable friend to help you through the purchasing process. There’s no point getting a supposed bargain only to find that I breaks down after a couple of weeks use.
You will need to check:
The battery – Buying a new battery could cost you anywhere between £50 and £100 so is important to check the scooter you are buying has one that functions well and holds a charge or you’ll need to factor the price of a new one into the price you pay.
Brakes – If the scooter you look at hasn’t been looked after and maintained properly then their is a chance that the brakes will need to be replaced. This is an expensive job, costing over £100 so you’ll want to give a used mobility scooter that needs new brakes a miss.
At the end of the day we all know that buying electrical equipment new is the best option but for many of us its just not possible. Buying second hand you miss out on the manufacturers warranty and you take a risk but you will save yourself a great deal of cash and would have to be unlucky to go badly wrong as long as you take care in the purchasing process.