| Invacare TDX SP |  |
Mid-wheel drive power wheelchair.- Elevate system has 7" of lift.
- 170 degree of recline.
- 55 degrees of tilt with 300-lb weight capacity.
- 45 degrees of tilt with 400 lb weight capacity.
- The TDX SP for Formula CG Powered Seating is available with Powered Tilt only and Powered Elevate only.
- MK690ACC 90 Amp Controller standard.
- SPJAP with Power Seating Switch Driver Control Standard.
- Optional: SPJAPM-SPJ+ w/Joystick Actuator Control or upgrade to any Alternative Proportional Control Systems.
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| | End User | Caregiver | Clinician |
| # Reviews | 23 | 7 | 1 |
| Durability? | 3.13 | 2.14 | 1.00 |
| Ease of use? | 3.91 | 4.14 | 5.00 |
| Meet expectations? | 2.74 | 3.00 | 1.00 |
| Overall Rating: | 2.87 | 1.86 | 1.00 |
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| Geoffrey from Durham Ontario Canada submitted this review on May 19th 2013 at 10:35 AM. Geoffrey is a care giver who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | THis chair has been very durable. We use it on gravel and ramps and have had few problems. It's been handled by baggage handlers on airplanes and survived! | | Weaknesses: | One thing I haven't seen many posts about (maybe it is just us?): in manual mode it takes two people to push it, even on flat ground. There's no way you could move it more than 100 feet! | | Comments: | After about 4 years, we are having a "Brake Fault" warning and the chair won't drive. It's the weekend and hopefully the dealer will fix it asap. | | Durability? |  | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? |  | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Helen from Salem,Oregon 97305 submitted this review on May 14th 2013 at 02:05 PM. Helen is a care giver who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | This chair turns on a dime. | | Weaknesses: | Joy stick was replaced 3 times right after my daughter got it. Now the tilt is out. | | Comments: | My 13 yr old daughter received this chair just before Christmas a year ago from A.B.A.T.E and Shriners children's hospital in Portland , Oregon. The tilt stopped working and United Seating and Mobility came out to service the chair and the technician forced it to tilt backwards even when I told him that was not a good idea, then when it would not tilt backhoe was all oops sorry, ya that needs fixed. Our insurance is saying its not medically nessicary for my 13 yr old daughter who is a quad spastic Cerebral Palsy child to even have a powerchair.its frustrating. So I am stuck with a very heavy paper weight shoved in the corner of my living room. The tilt actuator is busted. It is sad because she does have a non power wheelchair and for me to push it up and down her ramp is so hard because I have a bad back.i am at my wits end and ready to crumble. For being such a great chair it is almost impossible for us to get it fixed.parts and labor holy cow almost $900 just for the part. I just wish the chair had a better warranty on it.. | | Durability? |  | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: |  |
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| Malcolm from Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand submitted this review on March 17th 2013 at 09:22 PM. Malcolm is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | I've had this wheelchair for nearly 3 years, having been familiar with the TDX series dating back to the TDX 5 of 2003! The design is quite robust and the wheelchair, has worked well for me. Once you get used to the limits of what the wheelchair is designed to do your fine. Safety features like (sure step), (G track) and built-in anti-tipping technology make the TDX SP reliable. | | Weaknesses: | Nothing is perfect, I've had just recently a couple of motor replacement's and some other general maintenance. I use the TDX SP for everything that I do. Take precaution when going out in moderate or heavy rain – put a cover over the controller mechanism and you should be fine. | | Comments: | I would recommend the TDX SP personally, having become familiar with everything that the wheelchair provides, it's been reliable, safe and predictable. Every wheelchair regardless of the manufacturer needs you to become familiar as much as possible with it and what it is able to do and what it is unable to do. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Rebecca from Delaware, Ohio, USA submitted this review on January 14th 2013 at 04:27 PM. Rebecca is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Seat Cushion. | | Weaknesses: | Caster wheels are set out to far from centerline of chair. The overall footprint is to large. Resulting in clearance problems around furnature and doors.
Does not have seat raise/lower feature which would have been nice. | | Comments: | The MK6i Controller speed knob has no provision to hold in desired position. Need to always check the position of knob.
When the chair was delivered, it had many fasteners loose. I spent several hours tightening fateners and adding tywraps to the wiring. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? |  | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| John from West Covina, California, USA submitted this review on November 17th 2011 at 01:29 PM. John is an end user who has six months to a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Rides well has good balance | | Weaknesses: | quits while running. weak motors. Bad software | | Comments: | My Invacare TDX-SRV is only about a year old. It’s just a horrible chair. The first day I got I was traveling through the hospital not buckled in and it stopped on me, needless to say it stopped and I didn’t. I thought that it was something that I did. Lucky for me that I did not get hurt. I got up gave it a few choice words and went on. A day or so later It stopped on me again. I turned it off and then back on and it went on. The next time I went to the hospital I told them about it and the technician said must it be a loose connection. So he tore it down checked all the contacts and put it back together. It would no run at all. Would not even light up. He had to disassemble it again and reassemble it and it worked. His response was “That’s strange”. Well see if it works. It didn’t. When I told them that it was still doing it. They called Invacare and was told to reprogram the motors. They did and that too did not work. They called Invacare again and Invacare Told them to have me put the chair on charge and leave the chair turned on for at least an hour. I did that and it got worse. Then they decided that they should replace the controlled and the joy stick. They did that and it got worse. Shortly after that I’m going at a good speed on the sidewalk and my chair all of sudden make a sharp left turn and I’m in a ditch. Fortunately there were enough workers there to lift my chair back on the sidewalk. A day later it died all together. I had to call my son to come push me five blocks back home. They replaced the left motor. I picked it up and it didn’t get out of the hospital. They had to order another motor. That took three weeks, in the mean time I had to use a quickie p222se. A rear wheel driven chair that was kind of like riding an out of balance motorcycle. One day after I got my chair back it stopped on me again. This time I’m in front of another wheelchair rider and he miss me by inches. Since then it has stopped several times and even ran me off the sidewalk again with an M1 motor fault. Sometimes I can be riding along and it will just quit with and error message that just says “Goodbye” I have repeatedly ask them why don’t you just send this chair back to Invacare. The problem is in the software. So now the people at the hospital have had enough with this chair. They look at me like it’s something that I am doing and it’s not. All I’m doing is riding this chair which really rides well when it’s going and getting myself out of the ditches when its not. So I let them know that I do not want another Invacare chair. I’m praying for a Permobil M400 | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| S from Chicago, IL, US submitted this review on June 21st 2011 at 01:39 PM. S is a care giver who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | | | Weaknesses: | Posted before about motor dying-
forgot to mention wires rub against the brake levers. We use them alot and it wore through the insulation. Vendor tried to fix, but it is hard to keep them off the brakes.
Poor design. | | Comments: | n | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| S from Chicago, IL, US submitted this review on June 21st 2011 at 01:34 PM. S is a care giver who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | | | Weaknesses: | keeps dying (motor flt) , they replace a part, and it dies again, then they replace another, it dies again - I do not think they are diagnosing the problem correctly. | | Comments: | Not having his chair has been very difficult for my son. I am really disgusted with the situation! | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Richard from Uwchlan PA submitted this review on April 16th 2011 at 05:09 PM. Richard is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Has held up well until the end of three years. So far motors OK. Batteries seem OK. Charged every night (lead acid loves constant charging if possible) | | Weaknesses: | Needed totally different leg rests from the get go. Needed mods to widen the spacing of leg rests about 2 inches overall.
Now the back springs don't push the wheels down correctly after they get pushed up. I have to rock the chair to get them "unstuck". All of a sudden the front and back wheels are making a clunking noise a bit. 99.9% of my travel is inside on a flat path: 1/2 carpet, 1/2 hardwood.
Chair forgot it settings and reverted to poor speed, poor acceleration going forward and turning.
Original arm rests were horrible and weird. New ones are OK but don't last long. Arm rest pipes are rickety even when brand new and wobble at the rotation joints where they are removable by depressing a lock button. Could really be more snug.
All edges of metal and plastic were cutting edge sharp. It took two weeks in the shop when new to have the dangers filed down.
Pipes that hold foot rests to the frame needed foam covers so as not to press into leg skin.
The rod used to hold the head rest projects out the back and if anyone were trying to manually push the chair (in neutral), they could have their throat puctured if they tripped. We covered the end with pipe foam and realigned the rods to minimize the projection but it is needlessly still too long. I am sure there are some more...
All costs are ridiculously high for parts and service. This thing is as expensive as a car!!! | | Comments: | On going straight then putting the joystick "precisely" at NE or 45 degrees, and I mean exactly. The chair stalls and won't move until I move the joy stick to another angle. This happens in all modes D1-D4, an no other angle. It seems to be a joy stick problem. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Shane from Blacktown, NSW, Australia submitted this review on April 7th 2011 at 11:11 PM. Shane is an end user who has less than a month of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | comfort, good battery, very stable | | Weaknesses: | weak foot rests, slow, weavs alot,not good at straight lines. | | Comments: | get better version the SR not SP. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| DON from ROSSVILLE,GA. U.S.A. submitted this review on April 6th 2011 at 03:42 PM. DON is an end user who has one to six months of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | RECLINE BACK | | Weaknesses: | TILT S OVER GOING FOWARD
SETS TO LOW
BACK WHEELS WILL GET YOU TRAPED
NO POWER | | Comments: | MINE IS FDX WORST CHAIR OUT OF 5 | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Jonathan from Eagar,Az,USA submitted this review on March 17th 2011 at 08:42 PM. Jonathan is a clinician who has six months to a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | It has good power | | Weaknesses: | It goes out FAST and leaves me in a push chair | | Comments: | i am 17 and i live 250 mils from where i can get it fixed and it is not very GOOD!!!!!!!!!! | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Joe from Canada submitted this review on March 5th 2011 at 01:02 AM. Joe is an end user who has six months to a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | It's fast and stable. | | Weaknesses: | It will not work in winter. The battery dies, when the temperature goes below freezing, and poor traction on tires leaves me stuck in snow deeper than a couple inches. | | Comments: | Do not buy this, if you live in an area where the temperature goes below the freezing point and it snows a lot. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Dan from California submitted this review on February 24th 2011 at 12:43 AM. Dan is a care giver who has less than a month of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Great paperweight, boat anchor, noise maker, goes around in circles well when one of the motors fails. Tires last a long time because the chair is rarely operational. | | Weaknesses: | Motors failed withing hours of delivery. Hard to push when motors fail. Brake clicking noise is unacceptable. | | Comments: | Make certain you always have your cell phone to call for help when the chair fails...It will fail and often. Please do not leave the house with this chair. We are upset and angry about the poor quality. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Joe from Grapevine,Texas usa submitted this review on October 18th 2010 at 06:15 PM. Joe is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Great when it works. | | Weaknesses: | One week after the one year warranty expired, one of the brushless motors and the control display failed. Cost of repair was $1800 and the chair was out of commission almost 3 months. 7 months after the one year warranty expired the mini joystick failed, cost of repair is $3200. | | Comments: | I am going to look into Texas lemon laws. I wrote the company, no response. I am a C3/4 quadriplegic, and rely on this chair for independence. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Dennis from Deerfield Beach Florida submitted this review on September 26th 2010 at 03:15 PM. Dennis is an end user who has six months to a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Great all around chair. I'm in it all day at work, it has the incline, and my TM makes sleeping in a bed impossible.I sleep comfortably in the chair, which has been a lifesaver for me. I use a lift attached to the rear of my car to transport it to work & back with a cover for rainy days. So far it's exceeded all my needs and expectations. Comfortable, strong, fast and hi tech looking which I love. | | Weaknesses: | The only concern I have is rainy days. I keep it out of wet conditions as much as possible. Other than having to wait for occasional downpours to stop, it gives me complete freedom to work,
shop, and live my life. I throw a cover on it when rain threatens and off i go. The only modification I would make is make it 100% waterproof. Someday. | | Comments: | This chair has enabled me to continue my life despite a condition that has all but taken my ability to walk totally away. I'm mobile with this chair at home, work, and everywhere else. It's not easy carrying a nearly 300 lb chair on a carlift in rush hour traffic while driving with a left-foot accelerator and a hand brake, but it's doable and thank God i'm still doing a nearly-normal life and workweek. This chair and positive thinking makes it all possible. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Millard from Plains, Georgia USA submitted this review on August 17th 2010 at 01:21 PM. Millard is an end user who has six months to a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Turns on a dime and very smooth ride. High thresholds or up to 3" curbs are no problem. Battery charge is exceptional and I have only discharged one light since I had the chair and that was going all over town during during a festival from 7:30 AM until about 10:30 PM.
I would recommend it to anyone needing a superb handling and maneuvering power chair. | | Weaknesses: | The arms rest. My DME immediately sent me replacements. | | Comments: | I used a dealer in Manchester, Ga. The technician built this chair after measuring my height, leg length and etc. I would recommend Beckam's Medical to anyone. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Bruce from San Marcos, Ca. USA submitted this review on June 6th 2010 at 12:21 PM. Bruce is an end user who has one to six months of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Battery life, maneuverability, speed and comfort | | Weaknesses: | Chintzy arm rest pads | | Comments: | I have ALS and can't walk or use my right arm. This chair has given me the freedom to get out and about in the time I have left, it turns on a dime and maneuvers around the tightest of places. I have the tilt/recline and the MK6 controller. I take it outside every day and have named it my mobile sun chaser as I can sit in the sun, recline and move it to face the best possible way. I also have the ROHO air cushion seat, pure joy when sitting for hours. Very quiet. A little stiff going over bumps but very stable on the curb ramps and on inclines/declines and round turns even the ones that look like "oh no". | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| joe from carlisle,pa,us submitted this review on May 11th 2010 at 11:45 PM. joe is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | everything, i've had my chair for two years and have had no problems i have tilt i go up and down a six degree grass hill wet or dry to get to my back door where i have a ramp to get on porch and another ramp three feet and about ten degrees to get in the house it's quite and turns on a dime | | Weaknesses: | none | | Comments: | will get another when this wears out | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| cole from san francisco, CA submitted this review on April 13th 2010 at 03:09 PM. cole is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Very maneuverable, best chair I have used at home. Really made a difference in my everyday quality of life. | | Weaknesses: | Do no buy this chair. The motors are terrible. Quiet for fist week then noisy. Thought they would break in and quiet down, they never did. Noise got worse and became a grinding metal-on-metal sound in both motors. Embarassing when going down sidewalk, makes people look behind them for cause of noise.
Finally left motor died on me. Thirteen years of powerchair use and this was the first time that happened. Very lucky I was at home. Was in the shop for more than three awful months. Replacement motor is quieter than previous but I am waiting for right motor which is still very loud, to wear out. Not a good feeling.
I have gone to using my manual chair as much as possible. The chair has worked well for me at home because of the mid-wheel drive maneuverability and great folding foot-plates. I can get right up to sink, stove and refrigerator.
The chair is weird looking. Like a fat squatting spider with wires coming out. Accessing the batteries is extremely difficult as they are inside plastic bodywork and plates must be unscrewed.
Here's a dangerous part - the chair dips forward hard. It could pitch some users out. Stopping on a decline will cause this. There is a recall with some parts to fix problem supposedly. Afraid to leave it at dealer again so putting off fix.
I have tilt-in-space seating and the "egg" switch sucks. IT cannot be used while chair is in motion. Very frustrating to make changes to angle and there is a pause when actuating the seat motor. Worse, there is NO indicator as to which direction the seat is going to move when you use switch, you must guess or get it wrong and hit switch again. Really stupid design. My Quickie S626 was much better.
I'm not done - the armrest pads began to chunk out within two weeks. I'm not kidding. I've never seen anything like that. | | Comments: | Since I've gotten the TDX SP I've asked myself, "Why don't I love this chair?" The maneuverability is so great and the suspension when going over obstacles is amazing, the best I've ever had. I can use curbramps I couldn't before. Terrific.
So why don't I love this chair? Maybe because the motors are embarassingly loud and unreliable. The chair is ugly. It pitches me forward hard, I mean it really dips and stays leaning over unless you reverse and accelerate hard to stand chair up again. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| JUNE from GONZALES, TEXAS USA submitted this review on March 26th 2010 at 11:41 AM. JUNE is a care giver who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | IT WORKS WELL IN THE HOUSE AS LONG AS THERE IN NO RAMPS. | | Weaknesses: | THE MOTORS WERE SHOT THE FIRST DAY. THE SECOND SET WAS SHOT WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK AFTER IT TOOK THE PEOPLE THREE MONTHS OR LONGER TO GET THE CHAIR BACK. THE SECOND SET WAS NOT WARRANTED BECAUSE IT WAS TAKEN OUTSIDE WHICH WE WERE TOLD THAT THE CHAIR WOULD BE GOOD IN THE COUNTRY. I AM A CAREGIVVER FOR MY HUSBAND WHICH HAS BEEN DISABLED SINCE HE WAS 22. 6 MONTHS AFTER WE WERE MARRIED. I HAVE BEEN WITH HIM AND HE HAS BEEN SICK THE LAST NINE YEARS WITH OSTEYOMELITIS AND HE NEED A CHAIR THAT CAN GET HIM AROUND BY HIMSELF AGAIN. THIS CHAIR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A HEADACHE. | | Comments: | THIS CHAIR IS A LEMON FROM WHAT I HEAR AND SEE. DO NOT RECCOMMEND THIS CHAIR UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE STRANDED. OR LEFT IN THE BED. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Bubba from Ottawa Canada submitted this review on January 25th 2010 at 08:25 AM. Bubba is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | | | Weaknesses: | Both motors crapped out withing a week of getting it. The Toronto head office sent regular replacement motors instead of the heavy duty. This company is a scam. Do not use this chair outdoors or they will claim you got it dirty and voided the warrantee. The heavy duty replacement motors lasted one year. This piece of crap has been in the shop three months out of thirteen. | | Comments: | This chair costs as much as a new car but they say not to use it outdoors. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Sheryl from Youngstown, Ohio USA submitted this review on December 8th 2009 at 12:18 AM. Sheryl is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | This chair is very easy to use in the home. It turns on a dime and can easily fit through narrower interior doorways. Chair tilt feature is great as it reduces pressure from sitting all day. Fast, Easy to steer, climbs easily over thresholds and small curbs. Battery charge lasts even during prolonged use. Very comfortable with the right cusion. | | Weaknesses: | The power leg assembly is a disaster. From day one I have had problems with bolts breaking off and calf supports need tightened nearly every day. The foot rest is impossible to keep adjusted properly. The arm rests are not as sturdy as the rest of the chair and keep coming down on their own. The arm rest pads wear quickly. The suspension should have an adjustment for the user to keep it from lurching to far forward when stopping on downhill travel. Behind the backrest should be redesigned to be more flush with the back of the chair as I find myself bumping into walls and door jambs even when I think I have enough clearance. But the biggest weakness is the powered Leg Lift Assembly. If they could simplify the design with less moving parts it would be far less troublesome. I can live with the other problems as I still think this chair is far better than my old one. | | Comments: | If I had to get another chair, it would have to be this one IF they put a better leg lift assembly on it. If not for this, the following ratings would all be 5's. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Dave from Kokomo,In,USA submitted this review on December 6th 2009 at 07:30 PM. Dave is an end user who has six months to a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | It works well with every thing I was told it could do. Very easy to control,the suspension works well when going over things or up ramps. | | Weaknesses: | As far as the arms for the foot pads go they can only be moved up or down a inch at a time. The motors make alot of noise, the arm rest dont last long. And the tires are made of to soft of rubber. And after a few months of use there is alot of play in the motors it will get to where it can be moved about an inch back and forth. | | Comments: | I have had it reprogramed and 1st is at 50%, 2nd is at 75% and 3rd is at 100%. I still would like more speed in third. And the seat cushion that comes with it is to thin. I would tell every one to look at this one first if there going to be out side alot. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Malinda from Memphis TN submitted this review on September 10th 2009 at 09:00 PM. Malinda is an end user who has less than a month of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | The battery never leaves "full". I love that being that I use the wheelchair from the time i wake up until I go to bed at night. | | Weaknesses: | It's hard to keep straight when in full gear. I've lost control many times!! The wheels will not roll on wet surfaces. The wheelchair slides a lot. Oh and did I mention that I've only had it 3 weeks and it's already broker down!! | | Comments: | Biggest mistake I ever made in selecting this chair!! I'm in college and I can't even get to class now! | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Taylor from Mankato, MN USA submitted this review on August 28th 2009 at 02:52 PM. Taylor is a care giver who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Smooth ride, excellent turning radius, many electronics options available depending on funding. Can be programmed to do about anything. Stability lock system is better than the prior TDX series. MK6 Electronics easy to diagnose and operate. Best bang for the buck for group 3 power chair with the exception of the torque 3/sp. Seating is great, easy to grow or shrink and make adjustments. | | Weaknesses: | Invacare has always had floppy armrest assemblies. The first couple thousand units had issues with stability lock system malfunctioning and "pitching forward." This was corrected promptly by a field action. Tilting with egg switch on SPJ joystick is a pain for customers, relays tend to not switch perfectly. I would recommend the MPJ joystick if funding supports it. This chair will NOT last if you operate it in snow and slush. Road salt will deteriorate it. | | Comments: | It is very important you purchase from a reliable dealer with an experienced service dept. This chair does need turning speeds/acceleration adjusted to keep this chair driving straight. If your dealer is not programming this chair with you on the day of delivery then you will never truly get 100% use or satistfaction from this product. Also as a tech myself I must say this chair is miserable to work on in the field. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Cole from San Francisco submitted this review on June 8th 2009 at 10:28 PM. Cole is an end user who has over a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Why don't I love this chair? It has some strengths, like an extraordinary suspension that allows surprising ability to mount obstacles. You can actually climb low curbs. Impressive. I've been able to take curbramps that I could not take in previous two chairs (Quickie P200 and S626). Smooth on rough terrain, feels stable and really inspires confidence.
It's changed my life at home. It is the first powerchair I've been able to use inside all over. I can cook, do dishes, use the computer, pretty much anything. The mid-wheel drive and easily adjustable footrest height/angle made this possible. Really improved the quality of my life at home. A manual chair on carpet all day made things pretty tough.
It's very dependable, no breakdowns or malfunctions. The footrest on my chair (single piece folding footpiece and angle adjustable) is bulletproof, built like a tank. | | Weaknesses: | It's ugly. It looks like a giant spider squatting.
The noise is terrible. Some one else mentioned that it sounds like a metal on metal grinding noise. Yes, it's like that. I thought something in the motors was eating itself. It is so noisy and unpleasant that while going down the sidewalk I have people 25 feet ahead of me, in conversations, turn to look at me. For the first week it was quiet then it grew very loud and has not gotten better. Nothing seems to help. Going down an incline the sounds is very bad.
IT DOES NOT DRIVE STRAIGHT. Sorry for the all caps, but I need to really emphasize this point. It is like a drunk driving the chair. Keeping it centered takes super skill. I have probably 35,000 miles of powerchair driving under my belt, in different chairs in all conditions and I fight the chair every day to keep it in a straight line. If you lose concentration for a moment, you should hope you don't have a hand or arm outside the armrest. I feel embarrassed having people see me have so much trouble, I fear they think I don't know what I'm doing. Very hard to control even after a year.
The armrest pads: within two weeks they began to show wear and the one pad began chunking out with two months. There is a crater there where it began and my mechanic says insurance won't pay to replace.
This chair dives HARD if you lean forward or especially if you come down an incline. I mean it really dips. If you're strong, hold on, stop the chair and gas it while leaning back and hope it rights itself. If you're not strong I don't know if this chair would work for you.
It's a jolting, jumpy ride at slow speed. There is a cush-type drive, meaning there is a rubber piece that joins the wheel to the motor shaft and it allows way too much play. When the motor starts to move, the chair takes a moment to catch up and then it's quite a jolt.
Battery life: I've been having pretty poor battery life. I am 5'7" 155lbs and even a few miles can drain the battery pretty good. I have not had this problem with other chairs. Both P200 and S626 could go forever. I am concerned.
For me the noise, the jolting drive action, the severe dive on declines and how difficult it is to drive straight really take away from the chair. | | Comments: | The mid-wheel drive allows exceptional maneuverability both out of doors and at home allowing me a freedom I've never had before and it is so good that it about draws even with the chairs problems. It's reliability have also made me pretty happy and it's ability to go over objects and handle difficult curbramps have me very greatful I have the chair.
It has some real big drawbacks and if they could work these problems out it would be a great chair for many more people.
If I could just ask for one thing to be fixed it would be the noise, please solve this problem. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Susan from Oviedo, Fl. U.S.A. submitted this review on April 25th 2009 at 02:03 PM. Susan is an end user who has six months to a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | The chair itself is well put together and solid. I'm a big girl and it has no problem carrying me around. This is my first chair with tilt and recline and I don't know how I lived without it.I love the group 24 batteries. It's great not having to recharge half way through the day. I also have a power elevating footplate and it has made a big difference in my leg pain. I would buy it again with a couple of modifications. | | Weaknesses: | Big weakness-the arm rests. There's just no excuse for a $22,000 chair to have such flimsy floppy arm rests. I don't expect them to last much longer. Don't know what I'll do when they finally break off.
And the headrest has a long rod sticking out the back that I am constantly whacking on walls, doors, people etc. My husband keeps threatening to take a hack saw to it. I can't see a reason why it has to be that long.
The controls for the tilt and recline seem to be an afterthought. They are mounted on a rectangular box that came with a bit of sticky back velcro to mount it 'somewhere' on the chair. When the Velcro quit working after two weeks I resorted to using rubber bands to anchor it to the side of the joystick mount. Seems pretty shoddy to me.
While it has no trouble getting me up a ramp, going down can be a nightmare. Even with the seat mounted in the furthest back position I have to tilt it way back going down or I get dumped out the front of the chair when I reach the bottom of the ramp. I've had some pretty scary close calls and my husband now stands by to catch me when I'm coming down ramps. | | Comments: | Overall it's a good chair. Goes fast, gets me up ramps and with tilt and recline I can take a rest when the pain flares up. With a better set of arm rests and a proper way to mount the tilt and recline controls it would be a great chair. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Ruth from NJ submitted this review on June 1st 2008 at 01:03 PM. Ruth is an end user who has one to six months of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | I chose this chair because it gets me around well outside over broken sidewalks, dirt, grass, etc. It's also good uphill. The speed is fast enough for my needs on trips of several miles -and back- around town. It was one of the few chairs I could find that got around narrow hallways as well as being able to perform outside since I needed a chair that could climb at least three inches up and down driveways, sidewalks, etc. The chair absorbs shocks well. | | Weaknesses: | I'm already noticing some looseness on the armrests although the rest of the chair seems to built like a tank (in a good way). Battery life is not something I'd rate as a strength, but average or a bit below even though I follow instructions. There are clicking sounds, but that's from the brakes. | | Comments: | I enjoy using this chair. The yellow shock absorbers are rather cool. I'm comfortable crossing streets with the speed - a few other chairs were not fast enough to make me feel safe. I have very simple controls/electronics on the model I got and no reclining so I can't speak to those features, but the controller I have works well - easy to read and use. This was my first power chair and one word of advice I took from friends that I'll pass on is: Always ask your dealer to try out a demo because tastes/needs differ! | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| TechGuide says: |
Ruth hit on a few very important points in her review- Demo the wheelchair in your environment before you make a purchase! I can't stress this enough. The other critical point is establishing your needs. What will you use the wheelchair for? How will you use it? Where will you use it? Listen to other users when it comes to features and durability but remember that their situation or their "needs" may not be the same as yours. Define your needs, ask around, try before you buy, and you may just be a happier wheeler after the smoke and the dollars clear.
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| Tommy from Springfield,Mass,USA submitted this review on May 31st 2008 at 03:47 PM. Tommy is an end user who has six months to a year of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Looks nice and good for tight corners. | | Weaknesses: | Slower then my TDX3 which the sales guy said is was faster.Speed is turned up all the way. DOES NOT drive straight. The chair drives as if you just did a long night of drinking. Its noisy as hell. Makes loud clicking noise everytime you move in a direction. When the chair rocks or you drive it over a bump the springs make noise...sales guy and techs said there was no fix to live with it. The chair also gets stuck on door molding when trying to get out the house, its pretty sad when this product is made to get over obstacles like that. When your at a stand still with the power on or off there's this bit of play in the drivetrain with allows wheels to rock back and forth...makes me feel sick after going for a drive the van...sales guy and techs said it was normal. | | Comments: | Im a 29 year old guy, still young at heart and only weigh 134 so you know im not a fat boy or an old man. After getting stuck with this $36,000 plus custom chair it just added to my list of problems instead of making my life alittle easier. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Paul from Toronto, Ontario, Canada submitted this review on May 8th 2008 at 07:16 PM. Paul is an end user who has one to six months of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | Good looking snazzy design turns heads. Battery life? I don't really know... I've never seen the available power move off "full" even though I've used it extensively!! Comfort is excellent and stability is stellar. Forward to back stability is particularly impressive. The chair feels solid and reliable; no twisting or shaking even on the roughest of terrains. I use is outdoors a lot and the sidewalks here are like offroad driving. This chair seems to take it all in stride from a comfort and stability point of view.... aka safety. And really, safety is our prime concern. | | Weaknesses: | The footrest is at best poorly designed. The first week I had this chair the footrest was ruined just by gettng on and off WheelTrans disabled transit. The footrests themselves are fine but they hang from a formed aluminum hanger which breaks at the slightest of resistance. Service here in Toronto is at best poor. The broken footrest was reported almost 3 months ago and still has not been repaired. On top of that, it is not covered under guarantee.
The left wheel and the drive train have been making ugly noises; a sound of metal-on-metal and grinding from the drivetrain. The service rep claims this is normal break-in. I just have to wonder what is going to break, and if it will be covered under waranty.
The finish is not very robust and scratches easily. The upholstery on the arms shows wear already after only 3 months. There is also a split in the arm upholstery which I would say is caused by the padding being mounted too far forward, thus being ripped by the underlying metal. All I know is that it was caused by my learning on the armrest! | | Comments: | This is a very nice "showroom" chair. It has been designed by an esthetician who apparently had little practical knowledge of the fine points of producing a chair that is robust. The engineering is great, the look and feel all fine. However, I think that Invacare cut corners in areas that affect the long-term durability. That is very disappointing.
Also at this time of writing it would appear (according to the "major" dealer that provided the chair) that Invacare is VERY slow to provide parts. But again, this is an offshore manufactured product. That should probably explain many of my observations.
I hope that my reservations with this chair will be proved wrong. In the meantime, I would recommend careful comparison with the competition if this chair is to be used outdoors. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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| Alin from Palatine, IL, 60074 submitted this review on April 29th 2008 at 04:48 PM. Alin is an end user who has one to six months of experience with the product. | | Strengths: | The battery life is amazing. I have had this powerchair since February 18th and have only had to recharge 3 times, mind you this is full time usage in my home with very frequent tilt repositions. I do go out of the ouse but not that often. Group 24 is the king of batteries. I also find the control system simple and easy, even my mother learned it in a week. Of course I already knew it because of earlier in life how much I used to mess with my friends powerchairs. The frame seems extremely durable. The suspension takes rocks bumps and everything turning them into barely noticable activity. I got an EZ-LOCK bracket put on the bottom to ride with my mother in our van. | | Weaknesses: | None visible at this time, have not had a single problem with it yet, and hope it stays that way for a LONG time. | | Comments: | A+ powerchair here. dont think I would pick anything but Invacare for my next powerchair. | | Durability? | | | Ease of use? | | | Meet expectations? | | | Overall Rating: | |
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