Help!! My Scooter's broken!

I'm both fortunate and unfortunate in that I have a mobility scooter.

Unfortunate, because I wish I didn't need to use one - especially at the age of 39. Even though I have one, I still think of it as something an old person would use!

Fortunate, because it does allow me to get out and about much more than I ever could without it. This year alone, my boyfriend and I have had days out to Chatsworth House, Castle Howard, Blackpool, Whitby, and many other places. I scoot along, and he walks, and we can really cover some ground on a day out!

The problem at the moment is that my scooter seems to be developing a fault. It's one I bought myself - I don't get any financial help despite being so reliant on it, but the motor gets very hot, and the battery drains much more quickly than it used to, which makes it quite a nervous experience to go out for the day in case I can't make it back to the car!

Of course, neither of us knows anything about the workings of it, so it needs to be serviced. The trouble is the cost! We've been quoted a £50 call out fee, plus £10 per 15 minutes, and then parts on top. Definitely not cheap - and it's not like having a car problem where there are numerous garages to choose from, and you can often get a personal recommendation. As I don't know anyone else with a scooter, this is pretty much a shot in the dark.

We're going on holiday to Cumbria for a week in September, so I'll have to bite the bullet and have it looked at before then, or we're in danger of spending the whole week inside the cottage!