I agree. I had a fancier chair and went back to my old warhorse Quickie P200. Even bought a spare P200 to cannibalize for parts, since Quickie no longer makes this model. As an old-timer [27 yrs post] powerchair user, I must say that power chairs have gotten both better and worse, in much the same way autos have. Better in the sense they can do more, go faster, farther, are more stylish and can be customized better. Worse in the sense that when they breakdown it's usually more difficult and costly to fix. I've also noticed the trend toward mid-wheel drive. Mid-wheel is great for maneuverability, but the chairs are bigger due to the wheelie bars [anti-tippers] in front and in back.
On a side note: I have two buddies who recently told me they're having lots of motor problems with their new Permobils. Point being: you can get lemons with any manufacturer. Be sure to do your research. ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] ; [email protected] Sent: Sunday, November 01, 2009 6:32 PM Subject: Re: [QUAD-L] got a chair someone can use Electric wheelchairs are complicated. The more bells and whistles, the more complicated. Complicated chairs have some base equipment and added components that must act in harmony with the base chair. The joystick & controllers are made by an outside vendor. The tilt and recline systems are made by outside vendors. The batteries and tires are made by outside vendors. When a problem occurs, it can only be resolved with a call to your service provider. If its a programing or computer/systems error, a factory programmer is needed to decipher and correct those kinds of errors. Mechanical errors may require new parts and components. Simple chairs are much easier to service and repair, but they can't do all the special things of the fancier chairs. Know what you have and take the extra time to learn as much as you can. Also have a good service and response team. Best Wishes
