As my mobility began to decline I decided to buy a small electric scooter.
Although I am no expert, I have a few observations following my experience that you might find useful.Haggle! I have discovered that no one ever has to pay the full, recommended retail price.
"Work out what you want your scooter for. Is it for cross-country dog walking or gentle strolls and casual shopping?" Surf the Net
Check out what's available on the Internet. It's a goldmine of data and it's also the ideal place to compare prices.
Three Wheels or Four?
Obviously it depends on what you plan to do with your scooter. Four wheels are bulkier but more stable. Three wheels can give a bit more legroom.
Work out what you want your scooter for. Is it for cross-country dog walking or gentle strolls and casual shopping? Does it need to be portable by car or will you do whole journeys in it yourself? This has implications for size, range and weight.
The lighter, easy-folding models are a little more difficult to get in and out of. For ponderous movers such as myself, I find a fully swivelling padded seat much more accessible. A much-valued side effect of the swivelling seat is that I can still do a little gardening.
Get Insured
This should be fully comprehensive for about £60 a year including claims for damage you might do to others! The any driver option might prove to be very useful if, like me, you find that everyone wants a go.
Get Professional Advice
Having an experienced salesperson who can make helpful comments about size, portability, reliability and so on is very useful.
I eventually bought my model from a man who seemed to know exactly what he was talking about and who offered very good follow up service.
He helped us put a range of models into the back of our car, producing ramps and carpet to cushion the process as needed.
He was both confident and competent, which worked on me.
