Overview
The Hoveround is like a cross between a wheelchair and a scooter. It definitely looks comfortable, and the demonstration shown in the ad makes it look like you can get around tight corners easily, as well as keep the pace with people walking next to you. If you currently use a walker, or a cane, or have people push you around in a wheelchair, this will definitely raise your eyebrow and make you wonder if it’s all too good to be true.
The Claim
The manufacturer claims that you can get a Hoveround for little to no cost to you. They also say that their custom fitted seats mean that you’ll get a lot of comfort in using it, it won’t be like you’re stuck in a chair all day. This is due to their pressure relief system, which includes a lumbar support panel, 4 inches of foam padding in the seat, as well as springs in the seat to help cushion the bumps.
They also claim that it is “round for a reason”. It is not designed the same way that a wheelchair is, so it’s not really just a power wheelchair. Because of its ability to turn on its axis, it can make 90° turns in tight spaces.
The Hype
The hype really comes from how often they show their infomercial, and how fine and easy they make it look to own and operate a Hoveround. It’s hard to argue that the design work, and it’s much different than a wheelchair, but can it be that great?
The Cost
The great idea to have the government pick up the tab on this one,
The Commitment
Like with any major purchase you want to invest the time necessary to familiarize yourself with how to use it properly to get the most out of it. Several of the problems that people have expressed come from not using it the way it was intended, and not reading the directions fully. Once you are comfortable using the Hoveround, it should actually improve your lifestyle and save you time and give you back some of your autonomy that you might have lost.
Evaluation
Some of the first models to come out of the Hoveround product line look pretty basic compared to today’s standards. There has been several incarnations of the Hoveround, and the most recent one is pretty high tech. It’s got a smaller thumbprint than the original, turns corners more tightly, is more comfortable to sit in, has higher top speeds, and a longer battery life. Similar to Apple where they’re always making slight adjustments to their already popular products, the Hoveround Corporation doesn’t just sit back and say they are finished.
One thing to keep in mind is that Hoveround is still updating and improving their products year after year. The common model that were all familiar with from advertisements is pretty old school compared to their most recent model shown on the right. They seem to take into consideration the feedback from users over the years I have incorporated the them prove men’s into their new models.
What People Are Saying
There are a host of negative reviews when it comes to the Hoveround, but this is pretty easily explained. If you get a Hoveround and you enjoy it is probably little gumption to go online and find a review site and post that you’re having an excellent time. However, if you get it and you don’t like it horizontally you thought it would be, you’re more likely to go online and vent your frustration.
It’s hard to deny that Hoveround actually works. There is a learning curve as far as using it goes, and you have to be patient with yourself, as well as with the machine if you want to experience the positive benefits it can bring to your life. Many of the reviews you see for the Hoveround probably apply to some of the early models, because reviews of the latest model are mostly positive, showing that the company behind it learns from their mistakes and is continually improving.
Our Recommendation
Getting the process started with the folks at Hoveround is a low risk high reward venture. Worst-case scenario you don’t get approved for a free Hoveround, and you’re left the same situation you’re currently in. Best case scenario, you do get approved and it shows up at your door a short time later and you’re all set. We always recommend the sort of situations, and we hope that this is the start of you regaining some of your freedom.
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View Comments
Very rude, inconsiderate, they can never can you updated delivery dates, or dates or if they actually sent info to doctor. They do not warranty their products, extremely limited warranty and they do not have any maintenance follow up on replacement parts. Every one their passes you off to another person then they hang up. DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE
WORST EVER DONT GET ONE. Very RUDE To Clients Tells a Parylyzed person to change out battery yourself. After 50 minute wait. Very Rude. Battery is GARBAGe
Worst company to deal with. Their interest is only the dollar signs they do not help you navigate the paperwork. Because I can sit on my bed to dress. i dont qualify. Because I can make it to my bathroom never mind the fact it takes me nine minutes using my walker tobget there I dont qualify. Independance right
Good luck Adam. Someone needs to take legal action. Class action would be great. I had a customer get on my bus with an Mpv5. There was no way to strap down the front of the chair! I've done this for almost 5 years and never seen anything like this. I called Hoveround, and after bouncing me around and making me wait, I was told that insurance won't pay for the tiedown rings. I said are you kidding? These should be standard equipment, they probably add under $5 to the cost of the chair. The people that get these chairs, at minimum go to the doctor. And most go shopping and to the mall. What do they expect? For someone to drive the chair 3 miles to see a doctor. I've got a call in to ADA, hopefully that puts a bug up Hoverounds ass.
P.S. next time you get a chair, check the hookups. The higher they are the less apt the chair is to tip on the bus.
Goodluck
I'm sorry but I have constant problems with the Hoveround chair that my father has, The chair keeps flipping over on the city buses and will Not even climb up a street to go to the crosswalk and when he gets there the chairs tires spin on the pavement, It's almost killed my father. I am about to get legal action against Hoveround and whoever they had to fit the chair to his height and weight. DO NOT EVER GET A POWER CHAIR FROM HOVEROUND!!...
On 6/2/2016 a Hoveround repair person named Hank came to my apartment building to repair my Hoverlift. The Hoverlift shorted out due to an electrical problem with the controller on my NEW Hoveround.MPV5.
The controller started smoking when the hoverlift was connected to it and a pin in the hoverlift connector melted as a result.
Hank replaced the power chair controller under warranty and he had to install a new wiring harness on the Hoverlift that was shorted out due to the problem with the Controller. Hoveround refused to cover the short in the Hoverlift and charged me $490.13 (parts and labor.
I paid this with my Target credit card after conversing with Hank and a very rude woman who was his supervisor. I told her I objected to being charged for something caused by my controller on my brand new Hoverround,and her response was that if I did not pay immediately, Hoveround would not supply any more service to me.
As a result, I paid the bill with my Target credit card, which Hoveround charged to my card 3 times (see below charges). I reported them to the better business bureau BBB Case# 67340373 and requested a full refund for all parts and labor.
Charged my target card 3x for same repair:
6/2/2016
HOVEROUND 09417396200 FL
$490.13
6/2/2016
HOVEROUND 09417396200 FL
$490.13
6/2/2016
HOVEROUND 09417396200 FL
$490.13
About a month prior to this I complained to Hoveround that the bracket that attaches to the bottom of the power chair seat to allow the chair to be secured to the Hoverlift was not aligned properly, and to date this had not been resolved properly.
My experiences with Tech support at Hoveround has been unsatisfactory on all occasions.
Howard
Hoveround Owner in Alameda County, California
YOUR CHAIR ALMOST KILLED MY FATHER 6 TIMES AND I'M GOING TO BURY MY FATHER JUST FOR YOU TO GET MY DAD'S MONEY! Think of all the good people who you've hurt already Howard? If you would take the time to make it better for my father's chair better like the scooter stores do, Then it will make a lot of people who you've hurt already Howard better and they might trust you....
My father-n-law became quite ill and had to have a Hoveround. His Medicare wouldn't pay for his and his personal insurance wouldn't either. All of the kids pitched in to get his. It worked great, but he rarely used it. He probably used it a good 5 times. The Hoveround cost $5,0000 so he didn't get his use out of it. We never sold his when he passed away. We donated it to the VFW. There are many veterans out there that can't afford one and have the same problem we did with Medicare not paying for his. If you have one and want to get rid of it, then this is an excellent place to donate it. The VFW makes sure a veteran that needs it will use it, then when they are done they just bring it back.
Hi Clara! You could donate it to someone that is need of a wheelchair but can’t afford it, and is unable to get funding to pay for one. I think that that would be wonderful!
Contact the NATIONAL PARKINSON FOUNDATION. They will help you. You may be able to donate it to a local chapter, and help someone right in your area! Here’s a link:
http://www.parkinson.org/
My beloved Dad had Parkinson’s Disease. He passed away in August of 2012. It can be a very cruel disease. My sister and I have Multiple Sclerosis, and we have both received help from the National MS Society. They have a special program for helping people donate medical equipment. It is then available to people with MS that need it. That is another option that you might consider. Here’s a link:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/
Good luck Clara! ~Diane~
I have a Hoveround that was barely used. My husband had Parkinson's and could not work the control knob to keep it in control. He is deceased and I would like to get it out of my house. What should I do since it was covered by His Medicare insurance?
Sell it like the rest of the people do. Didn't cost you nothing so use the money on a down-payment on a new car. The gov is loaded so just sale it, it being new no telling what you could get. We have a nation of people that have NEW hover-rounds the gov paid for. The gov needs to give people a regular wheelchair and let the move their own lazy a** around with they're arms like people used to. But NO were a lazy nation and wont our FREE gov stuff and NO COST to us. What a greedy people we are, give me, give me, give me. It about to come to an end were trillions in debt, but hey it's no cost to us. SO JUST SELL IT, the gov don't care nether does the owner of hover-round he just wants to sell another cheep chair and bill the gov. a couple thousand for a 500.00 junk chair.