If, due to an unexpected illness or injury, you have suddenly found yourself in temporary need of a wheelchair, you may have had two rude awakenings. The first will concern the loss of your personal freedom for and extended period, and the second will concern the exorbitant cost of an item which you will only need for a few weeks or months, and hopefully never have to use again.

But here you are, looking for a wheelchair. You'll need to consider you height and weight, your physical limitations, and the areas in which you expect to be using the chair. Your doctor, physical therapist, or even a wheelchair vendor will be able to give you suggestions on what kind of chair is best.

Most wheelchairs are customized to the specific needs of their users, so are not really suitable for resale. But given the high cost of buying a new wheelchair for a few weeks of use, many people who are temporarily immobilized have chosen to settle for sued wheelchairs.

Used wheelchairs do make sense for those whose disabilities are temporary and whose budgets are almost as inflexible as their bodies currently are. The one disadvantage to buying a used wheelchair is that it its warranty will not accompany the purchase. Even if its original owner got it with a lifetime warranty, the wheelchair's lifetime, for the purposes of the warranty, lasted only as long as it remained with that owner.

Where To Find Used Wheelchairs

An online search will help you find many sites that offer used wheelchairs at a significant discount to their original prices. Two of the best of these sites are www.wheelchairsite.com, and www.used-wheelchairs-usa.com. Each of them has a terrific selection of used wheelchairs, and you may find one which is the perfect fit for both you and your needs.

Caveats There are plenty of used wheelchairs for sale via Internet auctions like eBay, and even in your local paper's classified ads section. The caveat is that you have to know what the fair prices for the advertised used wheelchairs should be. Some people will attempt to sell a $1500 chair for $5,000, just because they know the person looking is in a bit of a bind.

So before you being shopping the used wheelchairs ads and auctions, educate yourself on the costs of wheelchairs and wheelchair features, and the most respected wheelchair brands. You'll then be able to recognize a fair price when you see it.

One more suggestion: if you can possibly avoid it, don't buy a used wheelchair based only on its appearance in a photograph. Even better, take it for a spin. It's going to be your wheels for the immediate future, and you need to know if you'll enjoy the ride!