Rowena Wallace’s New Scooter
16th November 2015
How much do mobility scooters cost to run?
If you’re considering purchasing a mobility scooter, you may be wondering how much it will end up costing you in the long run. Just like a car or any other vehicle, there are ongoing costs beyond the initial purchase of the device.
In this article, we break down how much mobility scooters cost to run, so that you can get a good idea about how to factor this ongoing spending into your budget. And if you are a NDIS client it’s best to consider these costs before you apply for funding.
To make things easier, we’ve come up with this simple chart that compares the cost of running a scooter vs the cost of running a car:
Scooter vs Car (costs per year, @ 100kms per week)
|
|
CAR |
SCOOTER |
|
Registration |
$500 |
$0 |
|
Insurance |
$1000-$1500 |
$100-$200 |
|
Fuel |
$500-$600 |
$50-$60 |
|
Servicing |
$300-$500 |
$100* |
|
Depreciation (over 5 years) |
$2000 |
$100 |
|
Batteries |
$50 |
$200-$500, depending on the scooter |
* Not including call-out fee. Basic service only. These are costs per year. Batteries should last up to 2 years.
Read below for a more in-depth breakdown of each item.
Registration
Queensland is the only state that requires you to register your mobility scooter, and there’s no cost to do so.
Insurance
While mobility scooters are safe to use, we recommend purchasing insurance just in case you have an accident, or your scooter is stolen.
At Scooters Australia, we’re partnered with Blue Badge Insurance. Blue Badge specialise in insurance for mobility scooters and have a comprehensive plan to help you if you are in an accident, or if your scooter is stolen.
You can expect to pay around $100-200 per year for mobility scooter insurance, depending on your plan.
Fuel
While mobility scooters use batteries, they also need a small amount of fuel to charge the batteries. Fuel for a scooter is much cheaper than a car, however, costing around $50-$60 per year, assuming you were to drive an average of 100km per week.
Servicing
Just like a car, it’s important to get your mobility scooter serviced regularly. We recommend getting a service done every 12 months, which keeps your scooter safe to use and also protects your warranty.
A service costs about $100 per year. There is also a call-out fee if we need to travel to your home to complete the service.
Depreciation
Like most items, mobility scooters depreciate in value over time. On average, a mobility scooter will depreciate around $600 over a five-year period, versus $2000 for a car over the same period.
Batteries
The battery is a very important part of a mobility scooter. They cost around $200-$500 to replace, depending on the size and make. You can expect to replace the battery around every two years, though this may vary depending on how well they are looked after.
Scooters Australia are authorised sellers of mobility scooters and can help any of our customers out with servicing, insurance, registration and more. If you have any questions about how much mobility scooters cost to run, get in touch with the team at Scooters Australia today on 1300 622 633 and we’ll be happy to help.
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2 thoughts on “How much do mobility scooters cost to run?”
I like to know more about scooters. I have a luggie scooter, bought it last August but have not used it yet, I had an accident in august and broke my coccys and I cannot bend down to pick it up to put it in my car,
Hi Marie,
That’s sad to hear. Have you tried the half fold technique that allows you to lever the Luggie into the boot without having to lift the whole scooter?
The makers of the Luggie have recently designed a special lift for getting Luggies into the car and are sending us a sample they have made for our assessment early next year. It hooks only the back towbar of your car and uses an electric motor to lift the scooter into the car.
If it is a suitable product we will import them with our next container and let you know when they have arrived.
If we can help in any other way, let us know, and include your postcode so we can alert your nearest dealer.
Scooters Australia