Pride Go-Go Mobility Scooter Review

Choosing a mobility aid is hard. There are so many things to consider and each person needs something slightly different. Often, it isn’t easy to tell from a product’s spec if it’s going to be suitable for you. After all, these are sales pitches aimed at selling products. Performance usually isn’t measured in every day scenarios, but rather ‘best case’ scenarios. So today, I thought I’d share a Pride Go-Go Mobility Scooter review with you, incase you’re looking for a mobility scooter at the moment.

*This post contains affiliate links. All monies made from affiliate links will go towards funding power assist wheels for my wheelchair. Please find more information in my disclaimer.

There are several categories of mobility scooter, depending on the size and power of the scooter. The Pride Go-Go mobility scooter falls into the ‘portable’ category. This means that it’s (fairly) lightweight and can be folded and put into the boot of a standard car. As standard, this category of mobility scooters are able to travel into smaller spaces and have seats with shorter back rests.

The Pride Go-Go mobility scooter was kindly bought for my by my Dad, after my previous one was stolen. You can read more about this in my To The Sh*t Who Stole My Mobility Scooter post.

Pride Go-Go Mobility Scooter: Transporting

I’m not going to lie, I have never packed the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter into our car. Because of my basilar type migraine and photosensitivity, I’m not medically allowed to drive. With my hypermobile Ehlers-Dalos syndrome. I wouldn’t be able to pick up the various pieces of a mobility scooter anyway. So in some ways it’s a good thing that I’ve always got someone (the car driver) to put my mobility scooter into the car for me.

While the battery is heavy at 15.58kg (for the 18 amp battery), Dan has no problem getting this into the car boot. The seat comes off and the control folds down into a shape that Dan finds easy to lift and fit into the car boot. For reference, Dan’s put my Pride Go-Go mobility scooter into both a Mazda 6 Tourer (estate car) and our current car, the Nissan Leaf. You can see how the mobility fits into the Nissan Leaf in my Is The Nissan Leaf Practical For Wheelchair Users? vlog.

The description says that the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter dismantles into 5 pieces, but I’ve only seen Dan break it down into three to get into the car. Saying that, I’ve just realised that one of the five pieces – the arm rests – have been permanently removed from my mobility scooter. Dan and I decided to remove them to make the scooter slimmer, and because they really don’t serve a purpose for me. I tend to find that they get in the way and I end up leaning on them at a funny angle, hurting my back. The fifth piece is the basket.

Pride Go-Go Mobility Scooter: Out And About

With a top speed of 4mph, the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter is best described as ‘nippy’. It’s easy to control and has a variable speed. So if you’re worried about going too fast, or are in a crowded area, you can turn the speed right down. The hand controls are pressure sensitive, so you can be on the highest speed on the dial, but still go slowly by only lightly holding the lever down.

I can get into quite a few places with this mobility scooter, but there are still a few that I have to use my wheelchair. Annoyingly, the doctor’s surgery is one of these. Dan seems to thing that it’s smaller than it really is. He’s suggested I take my scooter to the polling station and used it for hospital appointments. On all of these occasions I’ve followed my instinct and used my wheelchair and was very glad that I did.

I store my mobility scooter in the kitchen. After my first mobility scooter was stolen from outside the doctor’s, we weren’t comfortable with storing it outside. My house is rather small, with tight corners, so I needed a mobility scooter that had a small turning circle. While I’ll admit that I’ve scraped the wall a few times and nearly taken the door off it’s hinges, the Go-Go fits through our front door, round a 90 degree turn, through the lounge and into the kitchen. I wouldn’t be able to do that with one of the bigger mobility scooters.

I have taken the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter to London and got on two busses without any problem. Not all areas will allow mobility scooters on busses, but portable mobility scooters are considered lightweight and small enough to travel on London busses.

Pride Go-Go Mobility Scooter: Comfort And Support

Because the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter is portable, the seat offers very little support. This is one of my least favourite aspects of the Go-Go, because I do need support on my back. As a result, I end up with backache when using my mobility scooter. But the alternative would be to use my active user wheelchair and end up with arm, wrist and hand ache.

To get back from town, I have to go up a hill. This is really difficult in my wheelchair, so unless I’m going to the doctor’s, hairdressers or church, my mobility scooter is my preferred method of transport. Anything further afield and I’ll weigh up the pros and cons of each mobility aid to make a decision.

As with most things, the seat isn’t cat proof, as you can see from my photos below. I cover the chair with a blanket when the mobility scooter isn’t in use, but Mylo’s claws still get through.

To best facilitate your most comfortable sitting position while using the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter, the angle of the control is adjustable. You don’t have to release the control when you want to get off the scooter, as the chair has a leaver that allows it to revolve to a 45 degree and 90 degree angle.

Pride Go-Go Mobility Scooter: Battery Life And Battery Options

There are three standard battery options for the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter; the 12 amp, 17 amp and 18 amp. Dad chose the 18 amp battery for me, as he wanted me to have the maximum range possible. For the first seven months of owning this mobility scooter, I was easily able to get 4 hours of almost constant use out of the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter.

Unfortunately, all of a sudden the battery life started to decrease… (more on this under ‘Buying From Betterlife On Amazon’)

Console when turned off

Console when turned on

Pride Go-Go Mobility Scooter: Buying From Betterlife on Amazon

Dad bought my mobility scooter on Amazon from Betterlife, a company owned by Lloyd’s Pharmacy. It arrived quickly and was well packaged. When the battery life started to deteriorate, I contacted Betterlife for help (the scooter is under warranty). They sent me a new battery and arranged for a technician from their contracted repairers to come out to fit the battery and take a look at the scooter.

The technician found that the transaxle was faulty and as a result was putting too much strain on the battery, draining it. He went away and ordered a new transaxle, which someone then came to fit. Unfortunately, the new battery that was fitted only gave me three hours of scootering, before I had to head home. I also found that the amount of power available to me was less than before. I contacted Betterlife again and they sent out a ‘better’ battery (though I’m not sure how it’s better) but I was expected to fit it. So because I can’t lift a battery, Dan was expected to fit it. Dan has tried to do this, but there’s a problem with screws fitting not in holes. So I’ve contacted Betterlife and asked them to send someone to fit this ‘better’ battery for me.

Mylo is a pest. A lovable pest, but a pest none the less

For the most part, Betterlife and their contracted repairers have been very helpful. However, I wasn’t impressed at being expected to fit a battery. I also wasn’t impressed to receive five voicemails (one which included swearing under the person’s breath) in one afternoon from the repairers – a contractor, not Betterlife themselves. The swearing message was, I’m sure, because he thought he’d put down the phone. But still, it wasn’t very professional.

I’m sure this will all get resolved when the ‘better’ battery is fitted. If not, Betterlife have said that they’ll take the scooter away and check it over, lending me another in the mean time.

Pride Go-Go Mobility Scooter: My thoughts

The Pride Go-Go mobility scooter is a great option if you want something for transporting in a car. It doesn’t offer any back support, which makes it less than ideal for me and is a real shame. I’m only able to use it once a week for a short amount of time because of the pain it causes. However, none of the mobility scooters that have more back support would fit into our house or car and I’m sure I’d be even more restricted as to the places I can take it into. I would be better off with power assist wheels for my wheelchair, but these are way out of our price range.

You can purchase the Pride Go Go Elite Traveller LX 4 Wheeled Portable Car Boot Travel Mobility Scooter – 12 Amp from Betterlife for £599 and the Pride Go Go Elite Traveller Plus 4 Wheel Portable Mobility Scooter – 18 Amp from Sun Life for £739.98 (significantly more than we paid 10 months ago).

Update: After a year and a half of problems, including three transaxle changes, the mobility scooter is being returned and refunded. I can’t fault the customer service of Betterlife. They’ve been fantastic throughout all the problems, but we’re all at a loss as to what the cause could be and what to do to fix it.

Want to see what the Mobility Road Show was like? I’ve vlogged the experience!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZjkYL4zFsk[/embedyt]

Have you tried the Pride Go-Go mobility scooter?

What are the most important things for you when looking for a mobility scooter or wheelchair?

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