The United States has many people who are 50 years and above. As such, they’re likely to own a mobility scooter. These devices can be challenging to maintain, especially when dealing with an expensive one with more features than the average person needs. The scooters may start to show signs of wear and tear, leaving the user with some tough decisions about whether or not it’s worth repairing or replacing it.
This article will help you come up with a conclusive decision.
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The Duration of Time You’ve Been Using the Scooter
This depends on the time you’ve had your mobility scooter and whether you’ve been using it frequently. If so, the chances are that repairing it will be more expensive than buying a new one. The parts that tend to wear out first are usually the batteries, the motor, and the seat. So, if your scooter is showing any of these signs of aging, then it might be time to replace it.
Availability of Spare Parts
Some scooters may be of an older model whose parts are no longer available in the market. Purchasing a new one might be a wise choice in such a case. However, readily available repair part means that the repair cost will be cheaper. It also implies that there are a lot of experts who will work on your scooter effectively.
Can You Afford To Buy A New One?
This is an important consideration – especially because mobility scooters aren’t cheap. It’s easy to see why individuals go for the repair option instead. It would be better to buy second-hand parts for repair if you’re worried that the cost of purchasing a new one is beyond your budget.
Battery Issues
It’s time for you to consider replacing your old scooter when batteries either stop charging or fail to keep the charge. This should especially be the case where it affects your daily operations.
Consider contacting a dealer or a professional where the problem persists even after a battery change. It might be a problem with the scooter.
Signs that You Need a New Scooter
By and large, it’s probably time to replace your old scooter when the following signs show up:
- Operation becomes hard.
- Loss of direction during steering.
- Where you’ve used it for long without even a single maintenance attempt. This affects its effectiveness.
- A scooter that is five years old or more.
- In case of persistent motor problems.
- When the battery often needs replacing.
Scooter Parts that Usually Have Problems
Most of the parts that wear out first are those on the scooter, which you use more frequently. These include:
- The motor.
- The Tires.
Frequent problems with these parts should give you a chance to start thinking about getting a new scooter as soon as possible.
How to Troubleshoot and Repair Your Mobility Scooter
It’s important to know how to troubleshoot and effectively repair your mobility scooter. You don’t necessarily need a mechanic for this; you can do most of the work yourself.
The user manual usually comes with most of these tips, which eases your scooter use. Basically, most of the problems with the mobility scooters can be felt when operating them in terms of weird noise or loose seats.