Folding mobility scooter rental – Should you rent or buy?
Folding mobility scooter rental is very popular throughout the US. It enables people to rent a folding mobility scooter at a reasonable monthly cost, and in many cases, it can be a good alternative to buying your own.
Where can you rent a folding mobility scooter?
There is no shortage of options when it comes to hiring a folding mobility scooter. There are shops throughout the US that offer local rental services, and there are also completely online services. So, what is the best option? The truth is prices vary, so you are going to need to shop around.
Online rental services are often cheaper. However, you will also need to factor in additional delivery charges. Also, in some cases there are upfront deposits that will need to be paid.
How much does folding mobility scooter rental cost?
Folding mobility scooter rental can range in price quite a bit, this will depend on several factors. The main things that affect rental prices can be seen below:
Scooter Value
In most cases the folding mobility scooter rental price will depend on the value of the scooter. This can vary quite a bit as there are scooters that cost from $500 at the low end. All the way up to $3,000 at the high end. The higher the overall value, the more you should expect to pay per week when hiring.
The company you are renting from
As we mentioned previously you are usually going to get better prices online. This is simply because it costs less to sell a product over the internet. In some cases, online rental companies will not have a physical store. This means they can pass this large saving on to the customer.
Delivery prices
Whilst online folding mobility scooter rental can be cheaper, one thing you will need to consider is delivery charges. The advantage of a local shop is they will often deliver the scooter for free, or at a low cost. However, buying online could mean your scooter needs to travel a long way, which can see the delivery cost become more expensive.
Duration of rental
As a rule, you will pay less per week, the longer you rent the scooter. For example, if you plan to only rent a scooter for a short period of under 6 months you should expect to pay anywhere from $30-$60 per week, depending on the model. For longer periods of 2-3 years this could reduce considerably to $10-$20 per week.
As you can see there are many things that effect the cost, and all of these should be taken into consideration when looking into folding mobility scooter rental.
When should you be considering a folding mobility scooter rental?
There are several reasons you might consider folding mobility scooter rental. However, the main thing you need to think about, is whether it would be better to rent, or just buy your own scooter. A rental could also be a great option if you are travelling, and don’t want to lug your scooter to your destination.
As we have mentioned, scooters can range quite a bit in price, and this can be a problem if you don’t have spare cash to buy a new scooter. The thing you need to remember is hiring for a long period of time can see the overall cost become higher than the actual value of the scooter.
Another option that might be better value than hiring, could be getting finance or a loan. Obviously, this is something that is not possible for everyone. It would be particularly difficult for those on low income, benefits, or anyone who suffers with poor credit.
If purchasing a folding mobility scooter, or finance is not an option then renting is probably your best option.
There are two scenarios where you will get the best value from folding mobility scooter rental.
Short term rental
This would be over a very short period of up to 1 month. As we mentioned previously, short term rental is expensive, and this doesn’t really improve until you rent for 2+ years. However, if you will only need the scooter for a short period, perhaps a trip away, or a short term mobility issue, then short term rental can be a cost effective way to get around until you no longer need the scooter.
This would be far cheaper than buying a scooter. Plus, you wouldn’t have to deal with the hassle of storing or selling once you no longer need it.
Long term rental
Long term scooter rental would be the best option if you need a scooter on a long term, or permanent basis. This would also assume you can’t afford to buy your mobility scooter and are not eligible for finance.
The advantage of long term rental (2+ years) is the cost per week is much lower. You also have several perks that you wouldn’t get when purchasing a mobility scooter. For example, free regular services, free repairs, free replacement tires and batteries and free upgrades when your rental period ends.
Folding mobility scooter rental conclusion
As you can see there are many reasons you might consider folding mobility scooter rental. It is not going to be the right solution in every case. However, for many situations it is a very convenient, hassle free way of getting your own mobility scooter.
Here at Foldingmobility.com we work with several folding mobility scooter rental companies throughout the US. This means we have access to some of the best deals in the country.
If you would like to save money on folding mobility scooter rentals, you can get in touch with us by Clicking Here. Let us know your location and how long you are looking to rent. This will help us to find you the best possible deal.
Also, if you have any questions please leave them in the comments below and will be do our best to help.