Buying a Used Stair Lift Online – Is it Worth it?
Posted on by Ben McCoy
Once you’ve decided that it’s time to buy a stair lift for you or a loved one, you may quickly discover the many different options that exist for purchasing one. As with any considerable purchase, price is an important factor.
A brand-new stair lift installed by a trusted, certified, and top-rated stair lift provider such as Lifeway Mobility can range from $2,900 to $8,000 for a straight stair lift; and $12,000 and up for a custom curved rail stair lift (includes installation).
Naturally, part of the research process is to try and identify cost saving avenues for the purchase. In this article, we will examine whether or not purchasing a used stair lift online is worth the initial cost savings.
Buying a Used Stair Lift on Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Craigslist
At first glance, seeing a used stair lift advertised on Facebook Marketplace, eBay, or Craigslist for half the price of a new unit seems like a good deal. After all, you may be able find a handyman somewhere who could install it for you for a couple hundred bucks, and you’ve got yourself a stair lift for hundreds or even thousands less than what a local mobility company quoted you for one. However, in many cases, this may be “too good to be true”.
If this is an option you are considering, do yourself a huge favor and ask these 5 questions before purchasing a used stairlift from one of these online marketplaces:
1. Do You Know the Actual Condition of the Stair Lift?
Stair lifts are complex electro-mechanical machines with precision internal components and gears that wear over time; and depending on the manufacturer of the unit, may have excessive wear and tear that wouldn’t be noticeable to anyone but a trained & certified stair lift technician.
A used stair lift may be clean and spotless externally but have mechanical issues internally that you wouldn’t know about until it’s too late. The only way to be absolutely sure that the unit is mechanically sound is to have a stair lift technician examine it.
However, the technician’s certification would preclude them from giving a clean bill of health to any equipment that he himself did not install due to potential liability issues. If a used one purchased from an online marketplace does end up having a variety of issues, you will be stuck trying to figure out how to get it working and who can help solve the issues for you.
2. Will the Stair Lift Fit Your Needs & Staircase?
Every new stair lift is designed specifically for the stairs it is originally intended for, whether its rail is cut to fit on site or custom fabricated by a manufacturer.
The rail for a straight stair lift is cut with precision for exactly that length of stairway, and the mounting feet are mounted with regard to the tread height and angular pitch of the stairs. Any deviation in your stair's measurements from the house that it was previously installed in, and it will not fit properly, and present safety issues.
A curved rail stair lift is even more specific to the staircase it is designed for. If it is a custom curved rail stairlift, it cannot fit any other stairway, unless your stairs are a carbon copy of the person’s that you are purchasing from. Even a modular curved stair lift contains exactly the rail sections and cuts made for the stairs it was installed on and cannot be reliably transferred to another.
3. Have You Considered Warranty Coverage?
If you are buying a used lift from a private citizen, there is no valid warranty on the stair lift. Even if they purchased it last week, and it had a 5-year or lifetime warranty at the time of purchase, the warranty would be voided once the stair lift is removed and sold, as stair lift warranties are non-transferable and only cover the original purchaser.
A person selling the lift may not even know this and may innocently tell you that it still has valid warranty coverage left on it. However, since you are doing your due diligence in reading this article, you will be a more well-informed consumer and know ahead of time that there will be no valid warranty coverage under any circumstances on a used stair lift purchased online.
4. What About Service and Repair if it Stops Working?
Even with a brand-new stair lift purchased from a reputable local stair lift company, there is a service schedule and protocol recommended by the manufacturer for ensuring optimal performance of the stair lift. This is especially important when purchasing a used unit. It is recommended to have a stair lift maintained by a qualified stairlift service technician, including lubrication of the rail and an examination for wear & tear on an annual basis.
However, finding a reputable company with the necessary knowledge, training, and expertise to offer you a service contract on a used stair lift that they themselves did not install is most likely impossible. As mentioned previously, this would expose them to liability issues should something go wrong with the unit, even when they had nothing to do with it.
As far as service-related issues are concerned, who will you call if the unit stops working halfway up the stairway? Only by purchasing a stair lift from a reputable & trusted company can you be assured that if any issue arises, that you will be in good hands and that a certified local technician can service your lift.
5. Will a Used Stair Lift Meet Your Needs?
Not all stair lifts are created equally. There are many different added safety or upgrade options available on various models. These include, but are not limited to:
- Powered options, such as power seat swivel, or a power footrest. For many people with mobility limitations, these features are highly convenient for entry/exit and for getting the unit out of the way when not in use.
- Folding rail feature. In many homes, there is a doorway or immovable obstruction such as a radiator located close to the stairs. A folding rail option allows the protruding portion of the rail to fold up and away in order to not impede access or become a trip hazard at the bottom of the stairs.
- Seat and height variations. Different stair lifts have different seats and seat heights to accommodate different people who are not all built the same. The only way to ensure maximum fit and comfort is to have a new unit designed specifically for you and your home. If the previous owner isn’t exactly your height and weight, your used stair lift may be very uncomfortable for you.
- Upholstery/color options. While not physically significant, having a unit that is aesthetically pleasing and blends with the home’s decor is important to some people. Purchasing a used unit online leaves no room for any type of customization to fit your home’s aesthetic.
Understanding the Real Cost of Purchasing a Used Stair Lift Online
In many cases, purchasing a used stair lift from someone will end up actually costing you more than purchasing a brand new one. Let’s examine a cost breakdown comparison for a realistic hypothetical scenario:
You are quoted for a new stair lift from a certified local mobility company, which includes:
- Professional installation
- Warranty coverage on both the unit and the labor
- Perfect fit for your stairs
- Seat and footrest adjusted for your use
Total cost: $4,000
Alternatively, you find a used stair lift online from someone nearby who seems trustworthy. They are asking $1,800 for the unit and assure you that it is only a couple of years old. The rail seems like it will fit your stairs, so you agree to purchase it.
However, you must uninstall it from their stairs to take it home. Since this requires various tools and heavy lifting, you hire a local handyman to do it, which he does for $150. You believe he did a good job at the uninstall, so you hire him to install it at your house. After taking some measurements, he says he will have to cut the rail to fit your stairs. He agrees to install it for $500.
This assumes that you are even able to find someone willing to do the installation. But let’s give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he actually does a decent job.
After a month or so, you start to notice a jitter in the chair when you are using the stair lift. Sometime after that, it starts making a loud noise while going over a certain section in the rail. The lift starts to lose power and not perform as it did initially. At some point, it stops working altogether.
Your handyman meant well, but since he wasn’t a trained and certified professional stair lift technician, he wasn’t aware of how to properly grease and lubricate the internal components and rail track. Eventually the unit wore down due to heat and friction and stopped altogether.
At this point, you are probably rethinking your choice to buy a used stair lift online. You call various stair lift companies to try and get a technician out to repair your unit, which is probably not possible due to liability policies.
But let’s say you get lucky and find a reliable company who sends out a technician to take a look. After examining the unit, he gives you an estimate of $2,000 to replace the motor and part of the gear rack on your stair lift.
- $1,800 for initial unit
- $150 for uninstall
- $500 for install on your stairs
- $2,000 for service and parts to repair your lift
- Total cost: $4,450
While the initial cost of $1,800 seemed attractive, your total cost, not including the hassle and trouble from having a lift that stopped working, is now $450 more than it would have been had you purchased from a local trusted provider.
Buying Used Online Vs. New or Used Stair Lift from a Local Provider Comparison Chart
| Feature | Used Online | New/Used from Local Provider |
|---|---|---|
| Assurance of Condition | ||
| Installation & Demonstration | ||
| Warranty Coverage | ||
| Guaranteed Fit | ||
| Custom Options Available? | ||
| Service & Repair |
Stair Lift Purchase Options
Let’s explore some cost-mitigating solutions that can help you save money, while ensuring that you are getting a reliable stair lift from a reputable company.
Buying a Certified-Used Stair Lift
If you're on a budget and looking to save a few hundred bucks, buying a used stair lift from a reputable company such as Lifeway Mobility is a great option. It'll cost less than a new stair lift, while also including some of the same benefits, such as a lift fit to your stairs in good working condition, professional installation/demonstration, warranty coverage, service available as needed.
Renting a Stairlift
If your need isn’t permanent, such as needing a stair lift due to injury or temporary disability, perhaps renting a stair lift is right for you. Renting a stair lift from Lifeway Mobility includes professional installation and removal and any service and maintenance needed.
Stair lift rent-to-own: In certain cases, a temporary need may turn into a long-term need. Contact us if you would like to learn more about our rental options.
Financing Options
At Lifeway Mobility, we offer financing for qualified buyers through Affirm with payments as low as $79.99/month (used). Call (724) 353-3360 for details and to find out if you qualify.
Financial Assistance from Funding Sources
Depending on where you are located, there are dozens of programs and potential sources of funding for stair lifts and other equipment.
Resource - Can I Qualify for a Free Stair lift?
Conclusion
Buying a stair lift is a considerable but important purchase. Learning the facts ahead of time about purchasing a used stair lift online can save you a lot of time, money, and trouble.
Contact Lifeway Mobility and let one of our professional stair lift experts review different options with you to help you make an informed decision on the right stair lift for your mobility needs & home!
All Lifeway Mobility stair lifts include:
- Professional installation & demonstration by our trained & certified technicians
- Robust warranty coverage on the product & labor
- Service available as needed from our local teams
