Motorised Handicap Scooter Questions

[BriarPatch99]

As some of you may know, my wife has had nine back surgeries and is at the point where she can only walk very short distance. Recently she was approved for a "scooter" to help her be more mobile. The scooter the medical place more or less ordered for her ... without any input from us other than "four wheels" ....

The one that they ordered has some really bad reviews on several online sites .... Parts breaking ... no customer support of very limited support.... low speeds ... battery dying ... limited travel distance ....

We were not given any choice or chance to review this scooter before it was ordered.

I am the type person that studies any thing we purchase before doing so ....

My question to you guys ... Hopefully someone has experience in dealings with this type equipment and can share your thoughts on what I should do.

I know "I" will be the ONE who has to deal with this equipment breakdowns and repairs ... also all the maneuvering from one place to the other ...

I really don't want to have a Yugo to deal with ...

This is a Medicare/insurance deal ...

 

[CAnderson]

You should have been given more options. The place I worked at had 4 options for disabled, not paralyzed, customers. If you haven't signed anything you need to shop around. Even through Medicare you have choices, unless the doctor limited it somehow with the type of "prescription" he wrote for the mobility.

If you were closer to Griffin I'd have a recommendation.

 

[NOYDB]

May get help from the source making the payments. Or they may be the problem. Still, whoever has control of the payment to the scooter co has the leverage to control which scooter to purchase. Have your research done and alternatives lined up.

 

[Luke0927]

If weight is a factor (for loading and unloading) I would check this company out.

I ordered one of these for my grandma a year or so back (I did the research but she paid it) and it was a quality piece. It was pricey but she can load it in her SUV in the hatch and doesn't have to have a rack etc...

Also it has been well tested off of just hard surfaces, we have a gravel path/road connecting our houses and she rides it over, also rides it out to her garden and chicken pen across the yards.

Not sure if you can get a rebate or voucher toward different models?

https://www.travelscoot.com/ FYI it has pulled well over 200lbs like its nothing.

 

[BriarPatch99]

The scooter is a GoGo Lite Traveller.

I have a phone call in waiting on a return call from medical place owner...

I just don't want a disgusted/disappointed wife ...

As I said ... not really interested in pushing a motorized chair around ... a Yugo

Thanks for the replies so far ....

 

[rospaw]

Briar, The couple of reviews i look at were not bad. Seems on a 1-5 scale that it is a 4 avg? At a 1000.00 bucks seems to be a pretty fair deal. Friend bought one for 3k and it was a piece of something! Had to sue to get his money back and won.
Some Yugo's were a lemon but some still on the road today.

 

[Mexican Squealer]

Medicare generally determines what models they will cover. You should have been shown those models, then shown models you could pay the difference to upgrade to.

 

[rayjay]

You see these things on CL in good used condition for pretty cheap. I sold one last year. It had been my sister's MIL who passed away and it sat at my sister's house for several years. We 'borrowed' it to loan to my SIL who broke her ankle. I put in a couple of riding mower batts I had on hand and took it to her. I told her to charge it every night and it did just fine.

We went and picked it up when she was done with it and my sister said 'don't bring it back here !!!!!!!!! ". We kept it around here for a couple of years while I had some med issues and then sold it on CL last year. I think I got $100 with no batts. It was a Pride Mobility Jet 7.

So don't think you are stuck if you don't like the one you get. Personally, I would have shopped used ones and see what you like before buying even if you buy new.

 

[BriarPatch99]

Supposed to have the "ordering" on hold until we get a chance to talk to the sales person ... which most likely will be next week after the storm blows thru...

Their price on the web site is $1785.00 ... I am sure that is a "stick it to the insurance" price as I have seen many prices closer to $ 1000 ... no wonder insurance is going bad ...

Thanks again for your replies ... this is a all new process to me ...

 

[BriarPatch99]

Medicare generally determines what models they will cover. You should have been shown those models, then shown models you could pay the difference to upgrade to.

This was "what" we were told at first consult ... but the wife get a call that Gogo was on order without any "input" from us ...

As a person that researches deeply before any type purchase like this ... I was a bit sour at the process...

 

[lbzdually]

I was looking at buying a better one for my dad to use and I found one that was $4000, Drive Medical Cobra GT, but it had a 35 mile range and good ground clearance. His current one is provided by the VA. He likes it, but could be better. Make sure she takes care on hills. M dad flipped his over the day we put his ramp in going up a steep hill.

 

[BriarPatch99]

I was looking at buying a better one for my dad to use and I found one that was $4000, Drive Medical Cobra GT, but it had a 35 mile range and good ground clearance. His current one is provided by the VA. He likes it, but could be better. Make sure she takes care on hills. M dad flipped his over the day we put his ramp in going up a steep hill.

Ground clearances is another issue ... the one in discussion only has 1.5" GC . ...

I live in the deep country ... sand ...sandy grass ... surrounded by pine trees ... not sure 1.5" would get across the yard . ...

That Cobra looks ideal ... but I doubt insurance would even consider even with me paying the difference...

 

[lbzdually]

My dad's is a golden companion 4 wheel. He has had various issues with it, but nothing too major. Right now he has a grinding noises in the rear end.

 

[DannyW]

My part time retirement gig is repairing handicap carts. Not sure I can be of much help since the ones I repair are the commercial carts found at stores like Walmart, Costco, Sam's, Kroger, etc. But of the brands I service, Amigo seems to be the best made and smoothest riding cart.

Ibzdually, in my experience a grinding noise in the rear end is almost always a shot rear wheel bearing. It grinds, eventually blows out, and then proceeds to wear a groove in the axle if not repaired soon enough. And once it wears a groove in the axle, it can be a real PITA to remove the wheel and replace. Raise the cart off the ground and wiggle the wheel. If it has play in it then it's probably the bearing.

 

[lbzdually]

My part time retirement gig is repairing handicap carts. Not sure I can be of much help since the ones I repair are the commercial carts found at stores like Walmart, Costco, Sam's, Kroger, etc. But of the brands I service, Amigo seems to be the best made and smoothest riding cart.

Ibzdually, in my experience a grinding noise in the rear end is almost always a shot rear wheel bearing. It grinds, eventually blows out, and then proceeds to wear a groove in the axle if not repaired soon enough. And once it wears a groove in the axle, it can be a real PITA to remove the wheel and replace. Raise the cart off the ground and wiggle the wheel. If it has play in it then it's probably the bearing.

He's waiting on the VA to get a work order to fix it, so you know how that goes.