Permobil

Chairman 2K C500 Koala
Hexior Street Corpus Playman
C300 X850 Corpus  
C400 X850 Miniflex  


Chairman 2K - |1|

1 User review no: 1
Wheelchair model Chairman 2K
Disability Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Age 22
How long have you had the chair for? 6 years
Good points on the wheelchair Reliable, versatile, easy to use. Never really had any major problems. Battery lasts for a long time, and the seat functions that adjust your chair are very useful.
Bad points on the wheelchair Originally had air-tyres which frequently punctured. But this problem has been rectified, now that Permobil fit puncture proof tyres. Charger socket frequently overheats requiring it to be changed every 6 months or so.
Comments on manufacturer
(e.g. helpfulness of salespeople,
quality of assistance provided) 		 Worst problem with the chair is the service that Permobil provide. It takes a long time to get through to anyone, and takes even longer to arrange a call out for an engineer to come and help.
Quality of technical support  Some engineers not as good, and know very little about the chair. Some engineers also have a very poor attitude, and no willingness to find out what the problem with the chair is.
Any other comments
Overall score (1-lowest, 10-highest) 7.5


Koala

Playman

C300

C400 - |1|    |2|

1 User review no: 1
Wheelchair model Permobil C400
Disability C400
Age Spinal cord injury C 4/C5
How long have you had the chair for? 27
Good points on the wheelchair This is the second Permobil I have had and with its go faster stripes and a top speed of 12kph this model it is a true king of the road. Other additional functions which are a key asset of the chair asked its ability to stand, tilt and raise up to bar level. The chair has a long battery life which enables users to travel up to 20 km (on the flats). I use the chair in the number of robust environments including the Swiss Alps and it copes very well on steep inclines. I find the front wheel drive hugely manoeuvrable and despite its size the chair is squeezes into surprisingly tight spaces.
Bad points on the wheelchair The drive is often judderry and compared to its previous models needs room to reach its top speed. This can lead to the chair being stuck with a small run-up to accelerate over relatively small obstacles. The chair regrettably the chair breaks down frequently and expensive and often time consuming repairs are required. Although I may be an extreme user I have had four sets of engines on this particular chair due to them burning out when under heavy use. This issue may be avoided by regulating speed attentively.
Comments on manufacturer
(e.g. helpfulness of salespeople,
quality of assistance provided) 		 Helpful sales and repair team. Engineers often have varying abilities ranging from chair at repair experts to those that should think about concentrating on vending machines only. In both cases engineers are often very helpful and within their ability attempt to assess and fix problems. This often requires a second callout. The support varies from country to country.
Quality of technical support  When technical support is required it is as in-depth as required.
Any other comments Despite its faults this chair is in my view the Rolls-Royce of power chairs and with its array of functions and sturdy built I recommend it to anyone that can afford it, whom also has the patience to deal with its long snagging list.
Overall score (1-lowest, 10-highest) 9

2  User review no: 2
Wheelchair model Permobil C400
Disability Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Age 41
How long have you had the chair for? About 18 months
Good points on the wheelchair I think the powered seat functions are brilliant, and are of great assistance. The C400 is very powerful, and since I live in a hilly part of Colorado, such power is a necessity. Also, the strong battery life allows me to enjoy the outdoors without worrying about battery failure. My previous chair always struggled with steep inclines. The ride is comfortable, and in the 18 months of having this chair, I have not had any major technical or reliability issues. The front-wheel drive on the chair makes it very manoeuvrable, but those switching from rear wheel drive chairs should be warned that getting used to front wheel drive can take a little time.
Bad points on the wheelchair It’s a great chair, but very expensive and cost me just over $30,000. Also, the chair is extremely heavy and might not be suitable for some vehicles. Ensure that you test the chair in your car before buying it.
Comments on manufacturer
(e.g. helpfulness of salespeople,
quality of assistance provided) 		 Well-informed and courteous, but at the end of the day they were salesman at heart, so make sure that you are certain that this is the chair for you
Quality of technical support  I have not had any technical problems so far, so this has not been an issue.
Any other comments Overall it is a great chair with excellent features. The Permobil C400 is at its best in outdoor surroundings, which is what I need more than anything. However, it is a big heavy chair, and make sure that your surroundings and car are sufficiently adapted. If you have not used a chair like this before, it may take a bit of getting used.
Overall score (1-lowest, 10-highest) 9

C500 - |1|

1 User review no: 1
Wheelchair model Permobil C500
Disability C5 Spinal Injury
Age 30
How long have you had the chair for? 2 years
Good points on the wheelchair I have the C500 (standing version) and all I can say is what a chair. It ticks all the boxes! I used to drive a Jazzy, but this chair is on a whole new level. The ride comfort is amazing, and seat tilt and recline functions allow me to rest and regular intervals during the day. In can take time to become comfortable with the standing function, but with time and practice the standing function is invaluable. In 2 years I have not had any reliability issues, and the battery life is more than sufficient.
Bad points on the wheelchair Be prepared for a heart attack in addition to your spinal injury when you hear the price. Luckily I was able to receive VA funding. Other than that, the only other issue is that at first it can be difficult to get used to driving a pretty big and heavy chair. Watch out for those rear wheels swinging around the back when you turn around!
Comments on manufacturer
(e.g. helpfulness of salespeople,
quality of assistance provided) 		 Be wary of Permobil salesman! Make sure you know what you want and don’t hesitate to tell them that, if they try tell you what you need instead
Quality of technical support  The only thing that has ever been changed are the rear wheels which were worn out after about a year. No probs otherwise
Any other comments I find the standing function the most valuable feature on the chair, and everything else about the chair is rock solid. I live in NYC, and this chair allows me to do everything I want. What is unfortunate though is the price, if it only it was more affordable, but I guess this would mean Permobil making the chair in China instead of Sweden and you can only guess what this would do to quality.
Overall score (1-lowest, 10-highest) 10 (ignoring the price)

Street Corpus - |1|

1 User review no: 1
Wheelchair Permobil Street Corpus
Disability Muscular Dystrophy
Age 22
How long have you had the chair for? 3 years
Good points on the wheelchair I absolutely love this wheelchair. It is by far the best I have had. The chair is essentially named after what it is good at, going on the streets. The ride is smooth and the power in the chair allows you to go through all the obstacles of an urban environment (I live in London, where the pavements are often in an awful state for a wheelchair user). The chair is quiet, comfortable and has a great battery life. I reckon it can easily do at least 15 miles on one charge. The seat controls allow me to lie back, which I have found very helpful when I get tired. Importantly, it also goes very fast!
Bad points on the wheelchair The chair is rear-wheel drive, which means it is not as manoeuvrable as a front wheel drive I used to own before. The main bad point on the chair from my perspective is the economics of it. It is very expensive to buy and to maintain. Permobil are not cheap when it comes to repairs and spare parts.
Comments on manufacturer
(e.g. helpfulness of salespeople,
quality of assistance provided) 		 The guy from Permobil was really helpful. Can’t really say much more!
Quality of technical support  Could be better. Permobil are costly to call out, and booking an engineer can take time.
Any other comments It is a really good chair for those live an active life. It is sleek, high tech, modern and fast. I go to uni in London, and the chair allows me get around one of the worlds busiest cities with little problem.
Overall score (1-lowest, 10-highest) 8.5

X850 Corpus

X850 Miniflex

Hexior