6 tips for buying a second-hand electric scooter

These days, almost everyone faces huge challenges getting to work. The roads are full of people and traffic. Getting from one place to another has become increasingly tedious. With the advent of technology and advances in motors and batteries, the electric scooter is a cost-effective alternative to cars and public transport. Electric scooters offer people a way to travel five times faster than walking while being environmentally friendly, fun and very low cost. Unlike a bike, you don't break a sweat when you get there! However, you need to be sure when you buy your electric scooter that it is in working order. Here are a few important points to consider before buying a second-hand electric scooter from a private seller.

The invoice

The invoice is a vital and necessary point to ask the private seller of a scooter. Above all, it attests to its reliability. What's more, if the invoice is fully compliant and is less than 2 years old, that's already a very good sign. The legal warranty period is 2 years. If the seller doesn't have the invoice, at least try to find out when you bought the scooter.

In compliance with the law

It's important to keep your eyes open when buying your second-hand electric scooter. Find out about the latest standards, so that you can take them into account when buying your electric scooter. Ask yourself the right questions. Does the unrestricted second-hand electric scooter comply with the maximum authorised speed of 25 km/h? (Bear in mind that this speed is without any external assistance. So if you exceed the speed limit when you're not on a slope, you risk a €50 fine). What's more, is the scooter fitted with the compulsory components, such as lights, bell, brakes and reflectors?

These points need to be clarified with regard to the legislation, so that you don't have to budget for compliance costs.

General condition

Even from a distance, ask the seller for additional photos of specific areas you want to observe, such as the handlebars, wheels, stem, etc. This will tell you a lot about how the bike has been treated and maintained, especially if it has already been involved in an accident. This will tell you a lot about how the bike has been treated and maintained, especially if it has already been involved in an accident. Rough scratches, stubborn dirt or punctured tyres should arouse your suspicions and give you more information about the scooter's general condition. Don't forget to turn the scooter over to look at the underside, which will give you a better idea of how smoothly the owner has ridden it (for example, if the underside has scratches from rubbing against the pavement).

If you're going to a physical appointment to see the scooter before the transaction, check for anything less superfluous than those listed above. For example, the folding system, the rear wheel, etc.

Mileage

Most electric scooters have a built-in odometer. The advantage of this is that the odometer has an ODO parameter that cannot be set to zero. This allows you to check how many kilometres the scooter has covered since it went on sale. If you buy your used scooter online, simply ask for a photo of the odometer.

Mileage should be taken into account along with the age of the bike. Just because a scooter has few kilometres on the clock doesn't mean it's a good thing. In fact, if it has hardly ever been used on the road, this could have negative consequences for the battery. If lithium batteries are stored too long in an empty state, they can be damaged and lose more than 20% of their capacity in one go. On the other hand, if the mileage is high, the vehicle's battery may be at the end of its life, and you'll have to pay for it.

The charger

We advise you to check the advert beforehand and ask the seller if the charger is supplied with the electric scooter. If not, think twice before buying. The charger is essential for your scooter to work properly. To give you an idea of the price range, here are some examples of charger prices for the most popular scooters:

• For a Wispeed electric scooter such as the Wispeed t855 and the Wispeed t850, you should allow between €20 and €30 for the charger.

• For a Xiaomi scooter like the Xiaomi M365, the charger costs between €40 and €50, depending on the retailer.

• And between €50 and €60 for a Ninebot es2 charger.

Some chargers for specific electric scooters can cost up to €90... So it's vital that the charger is supplied with the scooter to avoid having to pay almost half the purchase price for your second-hand electric scooter.

If you're in front of the person selling you the scooter, don't hesitate to test the charger to see if it works properly. A green light comes on the charger case and turns red when you connect it. If this is not the case, the fault may lie with the charger or the battery. And that's more problematic.

Secure your electric scooter purchase with Obvy

Now that you have all the information you need about the important points to check with the seller, all that's left is to move on to the purchase of your electric scooter. Since you're buying from a private individual, you need to be sure of the payment method used for the transaction. You also need to be sure of the delivery method used, which must be able to handle the shipment of a scooter.

Obvy, the secure payment solution, has been designed to ensure the security of transactions between private individuals. By using Obvy, you can be sure of the seller's reliability, thanks to a security system that requires the seller to verify their identity beforehand. What's more, in the event of a problem you can cancel the transaction free of charge.

You'll also benefit from personalised delivery. This delivery method has been specially developed to allow fragile parcels and large items such as bicycles, scooters, household appliances, etc. to be sent. It also allows you to choose the carrier that best suits you and the seller, depending on your needs and the parcel. Enjoy the ride on your electric scooter!