Few years ago, it is difficult to find suitable a used mobility scooter for some discounts off the new price because the market is rather small. While such assistive vehicles are previously used only by the elderly and those with difficulties walking for long distances, you can find many physically people getting around places using electric scooters which are very convenient and comfortable both indoors and outdoors. They are commonly used by security personnel in airports and large shopping malls as well. Well, those cool ones are probably the expensive high end Segway personal transporters. These new market segments has led to rapid development of new mobility wheelchair model and many people are upgrading to these new versions and trying to sell away their used mobility scooters.

Motorized scooters are mini single-seat assistive vehicles that are designed for the mobility handicapped. They are either electric or gas powered vehicles with 3 or 4 wheels. The 4 wheel electric scooters provide better stability when used on rough and uneven terrain such as outdoors while a 3 wheel motorized scooter can be easier to maneuver indoors due to its much smaller turning radius. Control is based on a tiller or a handlebar just like those on normal bicycles.

Many people who have temporary walking problems caused by accident injuries and illnesses have chosen to buy a medical scooter over a motorized wheel chair, mainly because of looks and stigmata. They have no use for these assistive vehicles after they are completely recovered and tend to sell their second hand mobility scooters cheaply. The average usage is only about a year and that means the condition on the typical used mobility scooter is very low and for the most part, they looked brand new. You can save a lot of money buying these especially if you do not have an approved prescription by the doctor stating your need for a motorized wheel chair or scooter. That means you are buying one entirely out of your pocket and cannot claim under the Medicare/Medicaid health insurance plans.

In the past, people who have bought mobile scooters are unable to resell them at all. Nobody outside of those who have difficulties in walking have a use for them. Furthermore, when the doctor does recommend their use to a patient, a subsidized package deal was available as well at the same time and nobody think about buying used mobility scooters. But now, many people are buying them for their cool looks and convenience to move around the neighborhood quickly.

Like buying a used truck or notebook computer, you need to be careful of a few aspects when buying a used electric mobility scooter. Firstly, you need to make sure the mobility scooter battery is still working fine and can hold sufficient charge to traverse the distance to and fro on your various trips throughout the day. The average running time for a pair of brand new 12-volt cyclic mobility scooter battery is around eight hours. On a full charge, electric scooters can reach up to speeds of eight miles per hour.

For long term usage, you need to check that the mobility scooter manufacturers are still selling the batteries for that particular model or you may end up with a used electric mobility scooter that cannot run without power. Test every mobility scooter parts that come together such as whether the charger works or not. Ask whether they are any remaining warranty or mobility scooter insurance bought by the previous owners and whether it can be easily transferred or renewed.

Since it is a assistive vehicle with several moving mobility scooter parts, you need to check for wear and tear on the joint areas and load bearing areas such as the wheel axles, ball bearings, tiller and seat base. Sit onto the electric scoter and try to move the cushioned plush seat around. The degree of movement should be around 90 to 360 degrees smoothly. Drive it around and see if the tiller can be controlled easily. Do not buy a used mobility scooter if you find it difficult to maneuver.

If you are going to spend a lot of time either indoors or outdoors, make sure you look for a used mobility scooter that comes with the specific wheels that are suitable for those usage. For example, small and smooth tires are better for tiles and smooth flooring in your house or at the shopping mall. Larger and threaded tires can handle the uneven outdoors grounds better. If you are spending an equal amount of time in and outdoors, then look for a used mobility scooter with wheelchair wheels that can be easily swapped.

The seat is likely to see heavy wear as well and you may prefer to change a new one for your used mobility scooter. Well, they are also the wheelchair parts that tend to smell funky too, due to long hours of sitting by the previous owner and accumulated sweat. You can choose from different materials such as leather, vinyl or cloth. Leather will be more lasting although vinyl seats are easier to clean but can get hot easily in warm weathers. Cloth seats are the easiest and you can choose to replace them as often as you like. The main consideration here should be comfort and not which of the colors and prints look nicer.

Some people buy an electric scooter and use it for life or until it cannot be repair. On the other hand, some people buy the latest, flashy Segway wheelchair model to perform stunts and tricks on these vehicles just like the BMX stunt bikes. Generally, you want to avoid both types of owners when buying a used mobility scooter since they are likely to be heavily used and even subjected to stress and abuse beyond their specifications. The exterior condition is usually a good indication of how used a motorized scooter is and you can tell by how the seller behaves as well. You can roughly know how much you need to spend on maintenance after the sales. Be careful of those that are selling the used mobility scooter on behalf of other people, generally they are not familiar with these vehicles or do not know the usage history at all.

The price of a used mobility scooter depends on the features and brand, condition, mileage and so on. A used Segway X2 Personal Transporter can still around at least $3000 dollars (a new one is around $5000 dollars). Well, these Segway are more for the cool factor, and you cannot sit on them. Yes, you have to stand on these so that is it easier for passersby to look and admire at you.

For normal folks that want to buy an used mobility scooter to alleviate real walking problems without bursting the bank account, a used COSCO 57410 4 Wheels cost around $300 dollars or an ActiveCare Medical Pilot 2310 3 Wheel can be gotten for around $500 dollars.