Buying and Selling Used 
Equipment
 

Prices of used equipment are "governed" by three things:
Supply and Demand
Condition of equipment
"saleability" of equipment

Here in South Florida we have a glut of used equipment- so much so that a
wheelchair or scooter in brand new condition loses half of its value the 
minute it is driven out of the showroom.  Other areas of the country may 
not have that bad a depreciation, but expect that a piece of equipment 
loses at least 1/3 of it's value immediately.  And "value" means the 
"street value" sale price, not necessarily a highly inflated invoice- that 
may have been submitted to an insurance company (and may or may not have 
been paid).

If a power wheelchair or scooter was never (or rarely) driven but "sat" for 
several months, the batteries have to be replaced so subtract an additional 
$200 minimum (depends on the size of the batteries) off of the value.

If power equipment is in "driven" condition, but still in good shape,
subtract a couple of hundred dollars more.  Manual chairs (obviously) are 
worth less the more they have been used as well.

If the power equipment is in poor condition, it has practically no value- 
$100 to $250.  Repairs are expensive and parts may not be available for 
some brands- particularly older equipment.

If the equipment is one or more of the following:
extra large
highly modified 
specialized 
difficult to load (even with a lifter)
has a poor service reputation 
is discontinued
the manufacturer is out of business or is not "supporting" it

then it may not be saleable at any price.

Many times the equipment was paid for by a third party (Medicare, etc),
the original owner died, and the family just wants it out of the house.
This can create a bargain- or a problem.  Many times "title" to the 
equipment is with the providing company (insurance company or medical 
equipment dealer).  Make sure the equipment is "yours" to sell before 
proceeding.  "Purchased" equipment without "clear title" can present 
legal "problems" for the purchaser as well.

Purchasers must realize that batteries should be budgeted for replacement 
every year.  Anticipate that expense and anticipate that the used power 
equipment you purchase will need batteries immediately.

My section on BATTERIES discusses this further.

Many dealers will have used equipment for sale.  Just like car dealers, you
will pay more (whether buying or selling) for the chair being "on their 
floor" vs a private sale.  In exchange, you may (if the dealer is reputable) 
get opinions on the condition of the chair, and possibly a warranty 
(through the dealer, not the manufacturer).  Be wary of dealers that 
show a "dirty but new" chair as a "salesman's demo".  While it may be, 
it could also be a pre-owned chair with no warranty (warranties rarely 
apply to equipment sold beyond the "original purchaser" even though the 
chair was rarely/never driven).  Discuss the warranty with the dealer 
(whether it will be provided through him or through the manufacturer) 
and get it "in writing".

See my section on WARRANTIES for more details.

People who sell through a dealer will get significantly less then 
selling privately as the dealer must cover his overhead and make a 
profit.  Some dealers will only take equipment on a "consignment" 
basis.  The owner gets paid if and when the equipment sells.  The 
advantage of selling through a dealer is that you  don't have strangers 
coming to your door, you are not paying for an ad in a newspaper, and 
the dealer is (or should be) knowledgeable regarding the equipment.  The 
dealer has his/her reputation at stake, though, so don't expect her to 
lie about the quality/age/condition of the equipment to make a sale.

Good deals may be found through the newspaper, at thrift stores and yard 
sales,  and on bulletin boards in retirement communities.  Many  
communities have "bargain hunter" magazines where it is free to 
advertise.  Check these out too. 

It pays to make sure that the "bargain" you bought is  "complete" and is
returnable if it cannot be made "whole" (or to run) for a reasonable amount
of $$$.  In particular, the front rigging (leg or footrests) can be very
expensive to purchase (even used) if the chair is missing them.

Finally, realize that for many people- particularly when purchasing 
power equipment, it makes more sense to purchase new "basic" equipment 
rather than used "fancy" equipment.  The new chair/scooter will have a 
warranty (that word again), and is a "known value"- for at least a 
year.  A "basic" electric wheelchair sells for $3,000 to $4,000- the 
exact price one would expect to pay for a "heavy duty" used power 
chair.  For a "light duty" user, the new basic chair is still the best 
deal.  For an active user, it's a gamble- but only after the warranty 
(that word again) expires.  By that time, the heavy duty chair would 
have been yet another year (or more) older...




All the information provided herein is Copyright ©2001 Stuart L. Portner.  
All rights reserved.  May be printed and reproduced for 
individual use, but may not be distributed without the permission of the 
author.  
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