From: Pandora.Nigh@p0.f554.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Permobil
Date: 6 Oct 92 21:00:01 GMT
Reply-To: Pandora.Nigh@p0.f554.n157.z1.fidonet.org
Organization: FidoNet node 1:157/554.0 - Analytical Engine B, Willoughby OH
Originator: wtm@sheldev.shel.isc-br.com

Index Number: 24639

 -=> Quoting Noel Harper to Pandora Nigh <=-

 NH> Hello, I was scaning through the message base and spoted the word
 NH> "Permobile." Since I am looking into getting one of these chairs I had
 NH> to drop you a note. How do you like it?  I'm a C-5C-6 quad and fed up
 NH> with whats been offered me in the chair market.  The Permobile looks
 NH> like the ticket.  If you don't mind me asking, what options did you
 NH> get on your chair and how would you rate them?

  Hi Noel, First I'll give you the config for my chair;

I have the Max 90, with standing frame, lateral supports, lumbar
supports, light package,18"arms, a headrest and a shorter seat
length. With this config the chair presently runs $24,000. Now, I
hate to put a damper on your enthusiasm, but getting this chair
has been a real headache. It took me a year and a half. Part of the
delay was the fault of the dealer, but Permobil was also responsible
for some. I was told by Permobil it would be 3-4 months
to get my chair, it took them 6. When my chair arraived it was not
configured correctly, they also forgot the battery jumper cable, a
wrong seat cushion and instead of going the 4 miles per hour it was
supposed to run, mine did a whopping 1 mph.  My guy popped the
cover and found that for a new chair I had old and damaged computer
boards. Some of the parts were date coded 1986. I sent the chair
back.  It took another 3 weeks to get it back. 2 weeks later the
footrest plate broke.  They sent me another one within 2 weeks plus
the missing screws for the back wheels. Instead of 4 screws in each
wheel I had 3 on one and only one on the other. Now this was all
last May and early June. I still haven't gotten the
proper sized seat cushion.

Rating the individual functions; the standing frame works great as
does the seat lift. Even if the cushion was the proper size it
still leaves a lot to be desired. I have MD and can feel things and
this is a very hard jarring uncomfortable seat. I make sure that I
stand on and off durring the day because this cushion is sure to
set me up for decubiti if I don't. So plan on a 3rd.  party cushion
like the Jay cushion if you get a Permobil.On the lateral Lateral
supports they have padded and cushioned the inside, but left the
outside exposed. This has some nice rough screws and metal stays
that stick out just where your arms come against them at your
sides. I had to have a friend fix something to cover and pad them.
Left as originaly sent to me they tore up my arms and were really
uncomfortable. The chair handles terrains and sharper inclines than
it was rated and I expected. I find the joystick easy to use, but
if you have used a joystick in the past this may through you for a
loop since it is configured differently. Straight up is forward and
straight down is backwards like a standard stick but you have to
push an X pattern to turn instead of straight right or left.

As for support from Permobil, it's sporadic.  Your letter came at a
real freaky time. The Permobil is selfdiagnostic and they give you
a little chart on what the diagnostic light sequences mean when you
get and error. Well 2 days ago My chair just died on me. It
wouldn't even respond to the overide for the magnetically locking
breaks so that we could move it. It kept giving me an error message
that wasn't even listed. After sitting stuck for 1 hour with the
chair turned off it finally started to operate again. It did it
once more that day. It now seems to be running fine. I called
Permobil and couldn't get through to their repair service and I'm
still waiting on their call back.  There are a lot of great things
about the chair, but I can't really recommend it to anyone in good
consience. No one needs to go through the frustration and hell that
I have had to just to get a wheelchair. Both the dealer and
Permobil treat you like needing a new chair is the same as wanting
new curtains for your windows on a whim.

                                          Pandora

9-12-92 Noel after I finished this message and before I could send
the packet out I had some real fun with my permobil. I was working
on my AT at the back of my room when my Permobil died. I turned of
the power, waited awhile and then hoped if it was a minor glitch in
the computer system, it would reset and then I would be able to
move. Well no such luck. It just decided to die when I was on my
way the the bathroom. I was home alone, my son was coming home from
school but was now locked out of the house. Unfortunatel I couldn't
even reach the phone. I was lucky enough to be able to kind of
squirm and get at the XT and move the keyboard to where I could use
it. I called a couple of boards and was lucky enough to finally
find someone on Nerd's Nook on another line that was available for
chat and they were kind enough to call my guy Ray for me and get
him to come help. He disinaged the chair breaks and with no little
effort was able to move me back and to tranfer into my old manual
chair. I had to wait 3hrs from the time the chair died to when Ray
got home. He popped the cover off the chair and found the problem.
They use the old Chevy type plastic electric connectors and they
had melted preventing the signal and power from going to the
wheel motors. This I consider one hell of a design flaw.

... Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (P)anic

--
Uucp: ..!uunet!bunker!hcap!hnews!157!554.0!Pandora.Nigh
Internet: Pandora.Nigh@p0.f554.n157.z1.fidonet.org