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Buying a New or Used Scooter

Buying a New or Used Scooter
Buying a mobility scooter can be a significant purchase. Therefore making the best choice to ensure you make the most from your money is important. Prices for new scooters range from $3,000 to over $10,000. It can be tempting to purchase a used scooter at a much lower price. However there are some potential pit falls to this.

Benefits of a new scooter.
New scooters come with a full warranty (between 1-3yrs depending on brands) and service backup (if purchased from a reputable dealer). Being new they will have brand new batteries and it is a guarantee that they have not been mis-used, left outside and there will be no hidden damage. With a new scooter there is less chance of any costly repair bills and any breakdowns will likely be covered under warranty.

Benefits of a used scooter.
The major benefit of buying a used scooter is the cost. When compared to a new scooter there can be thousands of dollars difference in price, often for something that looks the same as a new one. It is worth checking that a used scooter has a full service history and is a reputable brand. Therefore if there are any issues it will be easier to get parts if repairs are required. The main risk is the batteries as it is difficult to determine how old they are and how well they have been looked after.
Before buying a used scooter, consider having a pre-purchase check so you have a greater understanding of the scooter you are buying. Total Rehab Plus can carry this out for you for a fee.

Is funding available?
Funding may be available from various organisations depending on your personal situation.  ACC ( or 0800 101 996) can help with the purchase of a new scooter if you have a need as assessed under a claim covered by them.  The Lottery Grants Board also have a system that is both means tested and needs tested.  If you pass their initial screening requirements ( or 0800 824 824 for more information) they may also help you with purchasing a mobility scooter.  With regards to maintenance of the scooter, WINZ can help with a disability allowance (DA), ( or 0800 559 009).

Making the Purchase:
We would recommend that where possible, family members or close friends share the responsibility of helping to choose the correct mobility scooter for you. It’s always worth researching who you are going to purchase from via friends and family. Make sure you test drive the models available to ensure it will meet your needs. In an ideal situation when choosing where to purchase, choosing a company that
has numerous different brands and models on the shop floor for you to test-drive will allow you to compare different makes and models and ensure the right scooter is purchased from the outset.
After-sales and back-up support is just as important as the initial purchase. Make sure that the company you purchase from completes all maintenance, servicing and warranty work in store.

Purchasing at Total Rehab Plus

We have a huge range of mobility scooters in our showroom.  Alongside mobility scooters we also stock a selection of power chairs, walkers, wheels chairs and many practical daily living aids useful for bathing, toileting, washing and dressing and kitchen activities.
We have a selection of hire equipment, or you could try out ‘try before you buy option’. This allows you to hire a mobility scooter (or other equipment) for 1 week and if you decide to purchase from us we refund you the weeks hire cost.

Training/test drives:
Test driving is essential to make sure you make the correct purchase. This is a great time to travel around some of the areas in your local community that you will access regularly. For those where driving a scooter is a new experience make the most of the training/education on offer by staff at Total Rehab Plus. They are more than
willing to go out into the community and demonstrate/educate on safe use, hazards to look for and also run basic training groups. This can cover subjects such as general maintenance, safe use of the scooter, explanation of features etc.

Scooter Club:
At Total Rehab Plus we have just started to support a local Scooter Club. This is a social group that meet regularly and have a catch up over tea, coffee and food. There will be guest speakers and demonstrations. Group members use this time to share concerns and actively engage in the community.


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