Choosing The Right Mobility Scooter For You

Comparing two different mobility scooters can be like comparing a Mini and Jaguar. Whilst on first glance they’re much the same – an engine, four wheels and gets you from A-B, when you dig a little deeper they are in fact very different. Without doing a little research you might swiftly find the product you chose isn’t in fact the right one for you, so it’s important to consider what you need it to achieve before purchasing. We’ve put together a helpful checklist of questions for anyone looking at purchasing their first mobility scooter in order to help:

• How far do I need to be able to travel?
• Will I ever need to take the scooter in the car? If so, will I need to do this frequently?
• Do I want to able to travel on the road?
• Am I looking to go off-roading at all, perhaps to walk the dogs or on days out and about?
• What budget am I looking to spend?
• Have I got somewhere for it to be safely stored and charged overnight?
• Do I need any storage space, or any room for a walking stick, or crutches?

Once you’ve answered these basic questions it should help narrow down the basic category of scooter – from portable to pavement, or class 3 and off-roading scooters. The next step is to organise a demonstration wherever possible, so that you can get a feel for a couple of options. Even though you may have spotted something online that ticks all the boxes, without actually sitting on one and taking it for a test drive you still won’t know if it’s something you’ll find comfortable. With different seat options, leg space and suspension across different ranges the comfort of the ride can vary a lot from one scooter to another. Sorted all that? The last step to bear in mind is insurance and warranty. It’s very common to get these two confused! Warranty covers the actual physical parts of the scooter, if anything were to breakdown or stop working as it should. Most scooters will come with at least 1 years warranty and this covers parts and labour but not always a call out charge – this is always worth checking before purchasing. Insurance covers the unforeseen such as accidental damage, theft or public liability. It can also cover puncture repair and breakdown recovery, so if you’re concerned about getting stranded in a worst case scenario then it’s also definitely worth looking into. Last but not least it’s always recommended that you buy from an established retailer you can trust. They will be able to offer advice and support that online only or private sellers simply won’t have access too. The BHTA offers further advice below about getting wise to accessing a scooter a mobility scooter, and where you can go for help: https://www.bhta.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/GW-NAWMS-15.pdf

Posted by

Jason Nye