New member looking for advice on buying their first mobility scooter

KatieC

Thank you all for the very useful advice. Sometimes salesmen say what they think you want to hear, so it’s lovely to get information from people who will tell you like it is, be it good or bad. 

I’m so glad I found this site, you all seem wonderful people!!!

Thank you all.

lordterrarz

Hi, I'm exactly where you were Spennylad in July 2018 and seriously thinking of buying a Li-Tech Marathon scooter. Are you still happy with it and have you had any problems with it over the last year or so.
Cheers.

Chloe_Alumni

Hi @lordterrarz and a warm welcome to the community! Please do let me know if I can do anything to help! 

April2018mom

Hello @lordterrarz
This page has information on mobility scooters worth reading https://www.wheelfreedom.com/information-centre/mobility-scooters/?gclid=CjwKCAjwnrjrBRAMEiwAXsCc4_0psHK1bmiBpNTylN2xueiYE0lhQzJHTumdbYqJZMgXBVryxJ-D-xoC9X0QAvD_BwE
If you have any other questions feel free to ask. My advice is to visit a store and test drive scooters as well. Discuss your needs with the team and do not be afraid to ask questions either. Good luck! 

Spennylad

Hi  @lordterrarz  I have had my Li-tech Marathon for 14 months now and it has been great. It is very maneuverable, great for getting round shops etc.  It is quite light for getting in and out of the car and the battery is very light which for me was the biggest selling point. It also charges up fairly quickly. The only problems i have had has been the rear tyres . The left one started to slide off the wheel after about 3 months. I had it replaced  and it has been fine since then.   However, last month the right rear tyre did the same thing, it also slid off the wheel so I had to get that replaced. Fortunately I had just renewed the warranty so it didn't cost me anything. When using my scooter I do try to keep on good surfaces and not too steep inclines but now and again you don't have a choice in some places. Apart from that I love the scooter and would recommend it.  When I bought mine it was the only one I could find with a decent battery for long distances so I didn't have a lot of choice.  I have since bought another battery(airsafe) so that I can take it on a airplane.  The airsafe battery only does 6 miles but you can take two on a plane so I have ordered another one as 6 miles isn't enough some days.
           
Hope this helps, please feel free to ask any further questions.
Tommy

lordterrarz

Tommy, thank you for the prompt reply.
I have a Pride Go Go Traveller which I use mainly on paths and sometime visit country fairs and houses which means travelling on short grass (dry) and gravel. However the Go Go has become electronically unreliable. I have on loan a Pride Apex Rapid, with suspension, which using the small 12ah battery it's totally underpowered for my purposes. The weighty 17ah battery it comes with, is a backbreaker and is a no go for my pit mechanic wife! Hence my keen interest in the Li-Tech Marathon which seems to have everything I require in theory. Naturally I was a little disappointed to read about the wheel/tyre problem.
Would you describe the Marathon build as delicate or robust, and do you think it will cope with a bit of rough uneven ground for time to time?
Finally you mentioned that the tyres slipping of the rim was dealt with under warranty, was that undertaken by the Li-Tech or Careco and did they come to you or you to them?
I look forward to hearing from you
Regards
Terry

david235

I have no experience with the Li-Tech Marathon, though I and other family members have bought other equipment from CareCo. CareCo are often good value for the products that they sell.

Your statutory rights of satisfactory quality, fitness for purpose etc. under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 are with the retailer. Any warranty cover from the manufacturer is in addition to these rights. As such, I would get back to CareCo with any quality issues that arise. If they refer you to the manufacturer that does not absolve CareCo of the responsibility to deal with any unhandled issues.

If you have a credit card, it is best to buy your scooter on the credit card. That way, the credit card company is jointly and severally liable for any legal claims you have against the retailer in respect of the scooter (under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974), as it is an item with a cash price of between £100 and £30,000.

CareCo do not have 'in house' service engineers - they recommend a partner company who I guess they instruct to handle any warranty repairs (you would have to ask). You are free to use other companies to service products bought from CareCo - even parts for CareCo exclusive products are usually readily available to the trade. My partner got a better deal and faster service from a different service company to that which CareCo recommend.

One thing to watch with Lithium Ion batteries is that they deteriorate based primarily on the number of cycles (the deeper you discharge them, the more they deteriorate - it is always best to recharge a Lithium Ion battery before using it again if possible) but also on time since manufacture. With Lithium Ion powered laptops you often reckon on three years being the point where the battery is significantly aged. The Lithium Ion powered scooter from CareCo that my partner had lasted 3.5 years on its original battery before that battery failed completely, presumably because one of the cells failed. It cost around £300 for a new battery.

My recommendation is that you plan on replacing any Lithium Ion mobility batteries at least every three years and try to budget accordingly.

When it comes to selecting products, think carefully about any product that you have to dismantle to get in your car because this can be a lengthy and tiring process, also it can leave you with several large items that are difficult to secure. CareCo and their competitors do sell some folding scooters, some of which have suitcases for air travel (airlines are not exactly known for handling mobility equipment gently!). The disadvantage of folding scooters is that you have to lift the entire weight in one go.

Having the ability to remove the battery for charging can be very useful.

Be aware that several products are available under different brands at sometimes quite different prices, especially products manufactured in the far east. For example, the Li-Tech Marathon and the Lithilite Pro appear to be the same scooter other than colour and perhaps a few cosmetic details. There might be differences in specification - for example one might have a faster battery charger than the other - I could not say. Just be aware when you are looking that there might actually be fewer options than the lengthy list of products suggests.

lordterrarz

Thank you David for such  thorough and enlightening comments concerning Care-co's operation and your experience of lithium batteries and of course, Sec 75 implications. I really appreciate the effort and time and food for thought you have given me.

Best regards

Terry 

Spennylad

Hi Terry,  
The scooter is fine for occasional off road use. I would describe it as a delicate scooter and i normally stick to good surfaces whenever possible. It is fine for grass, i often go to our local park and it has no problems.  On gravel it works o.k. and the suspension helps on that occasion. The only issue on gravel is if you attempt an incline the wheels sometimes skid. The smaller wheels on this scooter are mainly meant for good surfaces, however, I have always got where I needed to go. 

The warranty was supplied by Careco and they send an engineer to you.  When I had the first wheel problem they arranged for an engineer to come to my house, however, this took a few days to arrange and when he arrived he thought the wheel had been delivered to me but in fact he should have brought it.  Subsequently I asked for the wheel to be delivered overnight and I fit it myself, i didn't want to wait another few days.   When I had the second wheel problem I just asked Careco to send the wheel to me but unfortunately they sent the wrong one so it took a few days before I finally got the right one and fitted it myself.  

Careco stores and the sales staff are very good and helpful, but unfortunately I can't say the same for customer service.  They are not very responsive and if you have a problem they are not quick to respond.  I do not use my scooter all the time, only for longer distances, so I can manage without it for a day or two but my concern now is if I have a more serious problem e.g. with the motor, it may take quite a while to resolve.  As they use third party engineers sometimes they are not available in my area for at least a week. 

Having said all that I do love the scooter.  It is easy to assemble/disassemble and my wife can lift the pieces in and out of the car on her own if I can't help at the time.  The battery is very light so is easy to take in and out of the house for charging. The airsafe battery you can literally lift with one finger, it is that light.

 Regards,
Tommy

Spennylad

David, 
Thanks for your informative post especially the bit about the battery.

Regards,
Tommy