New Or Used Stair Lifts

Posted by Nick Niesen on November 1st, 2010

When out browsing the market for a stair lift, the majority of the stair lifts that you come across will be new, however you may see some that are used. What are the differences exactly, or the risks involved with getting a used stair lift?

For starters, every stair lift that is made, has a track that is custom built for a specific stair case. So unless your stair case is the same as what the used stair lifts track was cut for, it will not be a good fit. However, it is possible to cut the track if your stair case is shorter than the stair lift track you are looking at but the tracks cannot be lengthened.

Another big issue with getting a used stair lift, is that you do not get the warranty that you would on a new stair lift. You may get a much shorter warranty, or you may get no warranty at all on used stair lifts. With the full factory warranty you are protecting your investment, giving yourself much more peace of mind and if something does go wrong within your warranty period, you?re covered. You won?t have to pay extra for someone to come out and fix the stair lift.

There is also the issue of price. Any used stair lift will have a lower price than a new one, however, is the difference that significant? It also depends on the brand, you might be able to get a used stair lift of one brand for the price of a new one of a different brand.

Lets say we are looking at the same brand of stair lifts, one used, one new. The used will be priced lower, but probably only two hundred dollars or so lower. What are you truly getting? You are getting a slightly lower priced stair lift that is used, short to no warranty and no guarantee if they have a track that will fit your stair case.

If you are in need of a stair lift, then most likely you want something that will just work, correctly and reliably, and not worry about it. For the price and warranty difference, I would say your best bet is to get a new stair lift instead of a used one.