This is a guide to things I wish I had done or asked before I purchased my first power chair.  Now that I am wiser...and having learned the hard way, I hope I can save someone some of the heartache I have gone through.  Although the salesman will promise you the moon...you can expect much less in reality.

WARRANTIES

Does it cover the electronics?  Does it cover the frame?  Does it cover the batteries?  Is it parts and labor or just parts?  How long is the warranty period?  Is there a number you can reach the manufacturer at if you have a problem with the company who sold you the chair?  Does that company have to be the one to service your chair in order to not void the warranty...or if you are unhappy with them in the future, can another company in the area do authorized repairs?

BATTERIES

How much do they cost to replace?  How long do they last?

CHARGE

How far can you REALLY go on a charge?  Mine said up to 20 miles.

How about up to 5 miles...that's about how far I can REALLY go.

CLIMBING CAPABILITIES

I was told mine would climb a six inch curb.  NOT!!!

About the best mine will do is two inches...and that feels like it's going to tear it up.

SERVICE AND REPAIR

Do they pick up and deliver for repairs or is it on a bring it in yourself basis?  The company that sold my chair to me came out to sell it and deliver it for free, but failed to tell me that if my chair needed servicing, there would be a seventy five dollar charge for pickup and delivery.

Do they have a loaner if they have to keep my chair for an extended period?  I have a friend who is totally wheelchair bound.  She has to sit in a recliner to sleep and has a commode next to her recliner.  Her company let her sit in that one area for six weeks while they waited on a part for her chair.  They told her they didn't have any chairs to loan out.

SEATING

If you need to use a Jay, Roho, or other flotation or gel type cushion for seating, you need to know if they can build the chair to accept that type of cushion.  Mine has a flat seat plate that I can attatch my Jay cushion to.  If you are going to be spending hours in the chair one of these cushions makes it much more bearable.

SEATBACK

Does it recline?  Is it adjustable?  Does the headrest actually support your head? 

ARMRESTS

The armrests should be made to comfortably fit your arms from elbow to fingertips.  They should measure your arms and fit the armrests accordingly.

FOOTPLATE/ELEVATING LEGRESTS

I asked for and got both.  That not only gives me different positions for my legs so I can reduce fatigue, but I keep a backpack on the footplate for carrying essentials. 

WHEELS

ANTI TIPPERS

The seat on my  chair can be adjusted forward or backward to adjust my center of balance.  THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.  If your center of balance is off, you will not have good control of your chair and it will tend to weave from side to side when you try to travel at any speed above low.  If you are experiencing this problem, you should call your dealer immediately and ask them to make an adjustment for you.

RESET BUTTON

Find out where the reset button is on your chair in case the overload breaker ever kicks the power off.  No one even told me there was a reset button and I was stuck in the middle of a park when my "kicked".  I called my company for assistance and they told me someone would call me back the "next day"!  I told them that's great...I'm stuck in a park.  That's when they decided to tell me there was a reset button. Unfortunately, it's behind the chair up under the shroud.  So be prepared to ask someone to help you if it's not in an accessible place.

PORTABILITY

Is the chair portable?  Does it break down into pieces for transport?  How hard is it to put back together?  How much does it weigh?

WEIGHT CAPACITY

Weight capacity affects overall wear, speed, and charge.  I prefer to have a chair with a weight capacity of 50 lbs more than I weigh.  That insures that I won't overload the chair and burn up the motors or cause damage to it.

SEAT BELT

It is a good idea to ask for a seatbelt for your chair.  If they stop quickly, or tip forward slightly, you could be thrown out of your chair.  Although it is probably a rare occurance, I can attest to the fact that it is a possibility. (You can ask the people who helped me up off the ground!)

ACCESORIES

Ask for all you can.  Get all you can.  Remember...these people are selling you a product that they stand to make several thousand dollars from.  They can afford to cough up a couple accessories.  They are competing with other companies for your business.  Make sure they know that and don't appear to eager to choose their company.  In my case it was a shopping basket and elevating leg rests. I have a friend who wrangled a portable ramp for hers.  You have nothing to lose...but if you don't ask...they won't offer.

There are probably many other things I could have written about purchasing a power chair but these are the ones I have personal knowledge of.  I hope it helps somewhat.