Alternative to Segway ramps??

[opticat]

I would like to load my new i2 into the back of my Prius, but can't lift it by myself. I noticed that Segway does offer ramps, but they are $300+. Has anyone discovered an alternative less expensive set of ramps? Thanks from the new guy!

[polo_pro]

Two motorcycle ramps for $80. But just like the segway ramps, you have to look carefully at how the ramps are going to hang off of your Prius. Remember they've got to be rather long to minimize the slope you have to climb AND they'll still be carrying around 100 pounds so these ramps can "slip off (or down)" half way through the loading process. Some people put traction tape on their ramps.

[BillK]

I tried ramps - I found several problems -
1. when the ramps were long enough to help with the I2 (you cannot use powered assist when loading the seg) they were so big they took up most of the storage space I was gong to use for the Segs.

2. they easily slipped (as Polo suggested)

3. they also easily scratched paint and plastic quickly on the vehicle.

We very quickly realized that we wanted space inside the vehicle so we got a Segvator. Now we can easily load the Segs, have lots of storage space, and do not mar the vehicle with each loading.

Now - I realize that $1,500.00 is more expensive than the $300.00 that you are already not happy with. ;)

Just my 0.02 cents worth from our experience.
Bill

[SegWayne]

I would like to load my new i2 into the back of my Prius, but can't lift it by myself.

Take a look at these... need to setup attachment for Segway, but should be no big thing.

http://www.easymobilityco.com/harmar_mobility_scooter_lifts.htm

[hellphish]

I would like to load my new i2 into the back of my Prius, but can't lift it by myself. I noticed that Segway does offer ramps, but they are $300+. Has anyone discovered an alternative less expensive set of ramps? Thanks from the new guy!

I don't know if you have any conditions that preclude you from this, but one cheap alternative I can think of is to lift some weights for a few months! Concentrate on squats and shoulder exercises and you may be able to muscle your PT around more easily. I don't mean to be snide whatsoever either.

EDIT: I can (barely) manage to lift my gen1 segway into my car, but I am an IT professional who doesn't get out much. I'm a blob of goo... I know that an i2 is roughly 22lb. heavier, so this may be no small feat!

Maybe not the answer you're looking for, but you did ask for alternatives!

[Sharkie]

Well, I made my own ramps. I went to the lumber store and got a 1x4 that was 8 feet long. I got some non skid tape and a couple of metal brackets. I used a couple of pieces of small chain to keep the ramps at the correct distance apart, bent the brackets so they lay flat on the lip of my minivan, and cut the 1x4 into 2 4 foot lengths. It's harder to describe than to do, but for about $15.00 I had a set of ramps that work well for me. I realize that there are more expensive options, but if you want a quick and dirty solution this does the trick. Let me know if you need more details, but I think this should pretty much cover how to make your own and save over $275.00!

Jim

[opticat]

Thanks, all! Sharkie, your idea sounds pretty good. Nonskid tape is probably easy to find, but as mentioned in an earlier reply, the i2 will not power itself up and must be pushed. The little metal "lips" you mentioned that make the ramps conform better to the car bumper seem like a logical step.

[KSagal]

I did a very similar thing, but I use a good gate hinge in the middle, so that I use two 3 foot lengths of board each, and made two 6 foot ramps. I like the shallower climb rate of 6 feet vs 4 feet. I also find it easier to store 3 foot ramps.

One last point, is that I used 5/4 by 6 lumber vs 1 by 4, as I felt it made a sturdier ramp.

With gate hinges, lumber and non skid tape, my costs were still under $25.

[nickyboy]

Hi opticat. I would be interested in how you get on, as I considered a Prius a while back but was put off by the lack of space in the rear. I sometimes need to carry an i2, and occasionally an x2, and once in a blue moon both (any more and it's van time!).
Is there much space and do you have to remove the LSF?

[SegWayne]

...I use two 3 foot lengths of board, to make Two 6 foot ramps....

hmmmmmm... ok....... :confused::confused:

[quade]

I would like to load my new i2 into the back of my Prius, but can't lift it by myself. I noticed that Segway does offer ramps, but they are $300+. Has anyone discovered an alternative less expensive set of ramps? Thanks from the new guy!

Ok, maybe I'm just a wimp and I feel my time and back are worth more to me than $300 it would cost to purchase or the risk of throwing out my back from lifting 105lbs of awkwardly shaped metal and plastic into the trunk, but . . . I got the factory Segway ramps.

Work fine with my VW GTi, don't touch the paint and can easily be loaded and unloaded with very careful use of RBM power assistance. Best of all I don't need to break anything down or change anything in any special way to do it. Fits perfectly without so much as even adjusting the control shaft height. (Tell me again why I need a Saturn Flexsteme?)

I guess I got lucky.

One thing you probably want to consider for the Prius is how you're going to tie down the beast once you've loaded it into the car. I don't know if the Prius has internal cargo tie downs but you probably want to get some motorcycle tie downs and lash it securely in place. That 105lbs of weight just flopping around would be REALLY bad in a front impact.

[KSagal]

hmmmmmm... ok....... :confused::confused:


You got me. I originally gave the recipe for one ramp, and did not want to confuse people into thinking that I only use one ramp, when I use two, so I doubled the final product description, but had neglected to state the ingredients properly...

Actually, the preceding paragraph is not true. I really did use 2 three foot board to make 2 six foot ramps. I simply use both sides of the board...LOL

[Desert_Seg]

I lift Segways daily...many times daily...and hump them into the back of either the F150 or my Porsche.

No ramps needed. Just put your hands under the top of the fender and lift. Up it comes, quite easily. Remember to use your knees, not your back.

Oh, and before anybody says anything, I have done this since day one and have yet to damage a fender, car, or truck.

Steven

[SegWayne]

....You got me. :D..yep
... I simply use both sides of the board...LOL

"....One last point, is that I used 5/4 by 6 lumber vs 1 by 4, ... " 'cause you flipped it on it's side, sliced it down the middle, making your two six foot ramps from 2 3 foot boards....... nice...:D:D

[nickyboy]

I lift Segways daily...many times daily...and hump them into the back of either the F150 or my Porsche.

No ramps needed. Just put your hands under the top of the fender and lift. Up it comes, quite easily. Remember to use your knees, not your back.

Oh, and before anybody says anything, I have done this since day one and have yet to damage a fender, car, or truck.

Steven

I do the same, difference is you don't get quite as much rain as we do here............;) The mess on your hands is not too bad, it's the trousers/shirt that get marked. That's why currently I use an estate (stationwagon) as it is lower and easier to lift into.

I like the image of Segway/Porsche. I see you, top down with the LSF bobbling about above the windscreen whilst sitting on the passenger seat :D

Old joke time: How fast does your Segway go, mate?

Depends which car I'm driving :D:):D:)

[bentbiker]

I tried ramps - I found several problems -
1. when the ramps were long enough to help with the I2 (you cannot use powered assist when loading the seg)
Bill, why can you not use RBM to load? I used it with my plywood ramp before welding up a hoist with manual boat winch. I admit that if you let it wander off of the non-skid tape, you may have a real wild ride on your hands, but the motors had no problem pulling it up.


Is there much space and do you have to remove the LSF?
Nick, a friend and I loaded his i2 into his Prius without removing the LSF, but I believe we removed the upper portion; quite easy with the height adjustment knob. We might have even done it with the LSF lowered all the way down and backing it up the ramp, but in no way was it necessary to remove the entire LSF, which is what he first thought was necessary.

[Suzined]

When I went gliding with Jerry and Nelda she showed me how she had mounted velcro straps on the end of her ramps and sewn velcro on the rear carpet of her hatchback. She bought old orthopedic braces for a buck at a thrift shop and cut the industrial strength velcro straps off. This kept the ramps from slipping off. Her ramps were half inch plywood--stronger than most 1x4 lumber.

I have since visited a couple of thrift shops and now have an assortment of velcro "tie-downs".

When in doubt, ask a woman....

[BillPaxton]

Living in the land of hurricanes, storm panels sit in everyone's garage for most of the year. When I want to load up the glides, I take twox4' aluminum storm panels (at home depot thats about $20 plus tax) and I've put duct tape on the ends and corners so I don't scratch anything. They weight about 4 lbs each and are short anough to sit cati-corner from lower left of trunk to upper right beside headrest. Each panel is about a foot wide and has 2 corregations, so they'll hold about 100+lbs without buckling, they stack ontop of each other in the trunk, and if you overlap one corregation "trench", the outer trench on either side make a nice guide for the tires to roll up and in without veering to either side. Even works with my ketts!

For those not familiar, here is what it looks like on a house:
http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l2/icarus256/stormpanel.jpg
my guess is if you were super motivated you could put a lip on on end with a couple of bolts so it can't slide, or put skateboard grip tape down the trenches...even hinge in the middle if you feel like it. Really cheap, easy, and light.

[BillK]

Bill, why can you not use RBM to load? I used it with my plywood ramp before welding up a hoist with manual boat winch. I admit that if you let it wander off of the non-skid tape, you may have a real wild ride on your hands, but the motors had no problem pulling it up.



I have a Navigator - this means that the tailgate LIFTS UP. When you try and load under power the LSF (handle) hits the liftgate and forces it back so you cannot load all the way. grrrrrrr....

The only way you can load under poiwer (to my knowledge) is if you have NOTHING that will hit/obstruct the handle during the load process.

Does that help?
Bill

[Desert_Seg]

I have a Navigator - this means that the tailgate LIFTS UP. When you try and load under power the LSF (handle) hits the liftgate and forces it back so you cannot load all the way. grrrrrrr....

The only way you can load under poiwer (to my knowledge) is if you have NOTHING that will hit/obstruct the handle during the load process.

Does that help?
Bill

Bill,

take the top half off the LSF, it gives you lots of extra room.

Steven

[bentbiker]

I have a Navigator - this means that the tailgate LIFTS UP. When you try and load under power the LSF (handle) hits the liftgate and forces it back so you cannot load all the way. grrrrrrr....

The only way you can load under poiwer (to my knowledge) is if you have NOTHING that will hit/obstruct the handle during the load process.

Does that help?
Bill
I thought you meant it didn't have enough power. If you back it up the ramp with the LSF lowered to its lowest level, you might be able to get the wheels in and turn it off before tilting and pushing it in the rest of the way. If even that hits, before the wheel is in, I'm certain you can merely remove the upper portion of the LSF; try going forward first, and if it still hits, go backwards. The top of the bottom half of the LSF is only 39 inches from the ground, so I'm betting your opening on a Navigator is high enough to walk it right in, forward.

[opticat]

Nick, the i2 fits in the Prius just fine with the handlebar in place. There's lots of room in there when the rear seats are folded down. I rolled the seg into the Prius (no power) using my motorcycle ramps (they're too big to carry along) and it was easy. Looks like I'll build a little set as some of you suggested. Yes, there are tie down hooks in the car, and you are correct in that it would NOT be a good idea to have 105 lb sliding around back there. Thanks to all for your suggestions!

[segsurfer]

Opticat, I'm suprised you weren't able to get a folding set of ramps. As for me, I'll stick to my segvator. Best of luck with your ramps.

-segsurfer

[BillK]

I thought you meant it didn't have enough power. If you back it up the ramp with the LSF lowered to its lowest level, you might be able to get the wheels in and turn it off before tilting and pushing it in the rest of the way. If even that hits, before the wheel is in, I'm certain you can merely remove the upper portion of the LSF; try going forward first, and if it still hits, go backwards. The top of the bottom half of the LSF is only 39 inches from the ground, so I'm betting your opening on a Navigator is high enough to walk it right in, forward.

I did every dance in the book - no go - I purchased a Segvator - happy happy. :)
Bill

[BillK]

Bill,

take the top half off the LSF, it gives you lots of extra room.

Steven

Thanks -
I tried/did that - now I had an LSF that was loose when I rode and my wifes "sank" on her and she hated that - and when I got where we were going I had to put it back together again. and
When I was travelling I had no room in the back of the Navigator and the Segs were rolling unless I put blocks on them -so:
1. blocks
2. ramps
3. take them apart
4. put them together again
5. loss of storage room in vehicle
6. wife not happy
(number six was the killer)
I got a Segvator and we are all happy now.

Bill

[SegDog]

Hello,

My ramps are still not finished, but usable. I bought a damaged (80") long bi-fold at HD, in the bargain pile. I put L-shaped, heavy, cardboard appliance box packaging on the out edges, as lips for security. I, also, drilled and foamed the hollow guts for strength. I had a steel bracket for attaching it to my truck gate, but that has to be re-designed a little. I'm gonna add a non-slip surface to the ramp-side for traction and added strength. Painted the edges for water-proofing. Total cost $30.00 US, total weight 25 lbs.

At this price, I may make a spare so I can have a heavier duty one at home, and a travel ramp. Will post pictures when finished.

SegDog

[Wheelin]

I would like to load my new i2 into the back of my Prius, but can't lift it by myself. I noticed that Segway does offer ramps, but they are $300+. Has anyone discovered an alternative less expensive set of ramps? Thanks from the new guy!

Ramps Plus has a set for $249.95 Free shipping....5 ft. size.Folds to 30 in.
Their phone no. 1-877-726-7587...Talk to Greg.
Wheelin .....:)Las Vegas nrsjr@cox.net

[segsurfer]

I did every dance in the book - no go - I purchased a Segvator - happy happy. :)
Bill

Once you go segvator you never go back.:D

[polo_pro]

Once you go segvator you never go back.:D

Understandable. I'd seen one at Segfest 2006, but one of the Sac polo players showed off his (hanging off a Prius in fact), and I was impressed. The best part is how in the past all the proceeds have gone to Seg4Vets making that higher price for the best product around quite tolerable.

ps - Now I just gotta get myself a new vehicle that has a hitch, eh?

[bentbiker]

. . . Sac polo players showed of his (hanging of a Prius in fact)

That is cruel -- like setting fire to a cat.

[segsurfer]

That is cruel -- like setting fire to a cat.

Yes, although it depends on your perspective. If you are anti Prius such as myself, you believe it is cruel because you are devaluing something as cool as a segvator by hanging it on something as lame as a prius. On the contrary, if you are pro Prius you are most likely upset about mounting an after market hitch on a Prius.

Now before all of you Prius fans leap down my throat, let me elaborate on my dislike of Priuses. I am an avid skateboarder, and the paths in my neighborhood are less than ideal so I skate at the side of the road. To make a ling story short, if I am going with the traffic to be most visible on hills, every time a prius comes up behind me, I can't hear them. And so when I finally realize they are there and I get off the street the drivers tend to glare at me. One of my favorite things on glides, is when I pass a prius, because I get the self satisfaction of knowing I am greener than they are. Plus I can enjoy the driver's reaction to seeing a segway in person. Don't get me wrong, I love that priuses are eco-friendly; I just dislike them from a pedestrian point of view. I personally favor the Tesla Roadster, or the GM Volt concept.

-segsurfer

[DarthSegVator]

The best part is how in the past all the proceeds have gone to Seg4Vets making that higher price for the best product around quite tolerable.

Segs4Vets gets it all. 2007 (our first production year) netted $44,000 for the Segs4Vets program. We hope to do even better in 2008.

Others have built their own power lifts and have put twice the dollars into them (not to mention their own time). We have turned away sales from people that insisted they go "factory direct" or else. Oh well, we were never in it for the money in the first place.

I think we are the only aftermarket manufacturer that distributes exclusively through the authorized Segway dealer network. We have never compromised the dealer network since day one.

We firmly believe a strong and prosperous dealer network is in everyone's best interest. Thanks to all of our customers and dealers that have been so great to work with throughout our first year.

Here's to a great 2008 - with your help, of course.

[bentbiker]

On the contrary, if you are pro Prius you are most likely upset about mounting an after market hitch on a Prius. You didn't read what I quoted as being cruel.

. . . every time a prius comes up behind me, I can't hear them. I personally favor the Tesla Roadster which makes even less noise, costs 4 times as much, and thus far can't be produced?
...........

[singman]

When I sold my van I had to find a smaller ramp for my Chevy Equinox. What i ended up buying was a pair of telescoping ramps advertised for wheel chair use. It was around $130 with shipping, compacts nicely, and has its own carrying bag. Together they weigh about 15 pounds. Unfolded they extend to 5 feet and compacted they are only about 30 inches.

To ensure proper width for loading I cut a piece of pvc pipe and use that as a guide to ensure proper distance between the ramps. It's light weight, compact, and stores away nicely when not in use.

I just checked and amerimark.com where I bought mine is advertising them for $129. I don't work for them, nor have any vested interest in the business, but they were a great bargain and shipped them very quickly.

[bentbiker]

I just checked and amerimark.com where I bought mine is advertising them for $129. I don't work for them, nor have any vested interest in the business, but they were a great bargain and shipped them very quickly.
And supports up to 350 lbs. Looks like great value.

[segsurfer]

...........

I failed to notice the typos to which you were addressing with your cruelty remark, my mistake. FYI the Tesla roadster is being produced. They are being manufactured at the lotus plant. And yes, they are very expensive; however, when you factor in the price of gas over the lifetime of a prius, not to mention the price of just general maintenance, oil, tune ups, oil changes (assuming you don't change your own), etc. Costs begin to narrow. That being said there are drawbacks to the Tesla, 250 mile range, cost, limited number of dealerships. But Tesla motors has already stated that they are working on a sub-40 thousand dollar car that will be more practical, and more widely available.
Oh, and about the noise thing if a Tesla roadster was behind me and I couldn't hear it, I wouldn't care if the driver glared because when it passes me I would be too busy staring at it.:D
-segsurfer

[timbadabim]

I’m to old and frail a weenie to hump my i2 in and out of my Escort hatchback by hand.

Here is a reoccurring ebay item:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170190159706&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

Any opinions, comparing these ramps to the telescoping ramps from AmeriMark?

http://www.amerimark.com/cgi-bin/amerimark/postkey_find.html?cm_re=celebros-_-center-_-search%20promo&keywords=24541&cm_mmc=


Timbadabim

[quade]

"Real" Segway ramps http://www.segway.com/individual/models/accessories.php#adjustit
have sides that help prevent the Segway from going off the side of the ramp and also have small extensions on car ends that allow you to attach them securely and maybe even keep them from ever touching your paint. (They do not touch in my case.)

The wheel chair ramps you've show look as if there is no lip to attach to the vehicle at all, which would, in my opinion, make them extremely dangerous to use.

Do yourself a favor and visit a Segway dealer, examine and maybe even try out the Segway ramps to see if they'll work with your car before doing anything rash.

[bentbiker]

I’m to old and frail a weenie to hump my i2 in and out of my Escort hatchback by hand.

Here is a reoccurring ebay item:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170190159706&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

Any opinions, comparing these ramps to the telescoping ramps from AmeriMark?

http://www.amerimark.com/cgi-bin/amerimark/postkey_find.html?cm_re=celebros-_-center-_-search%20promo&keywords=24541&cm_mmc=

TimbadabimCarlos,
Another SoCal SC member bought a set of ramps on eBay and I'm guessing these are either the same or a slightly updated version. Our friend is not at all pleased. Did you notice that there is no mention of the material? If I'm right, they are made from plywood and sag horribly.

For just a little more money, the Amerimark product appears to be 10 times the quality. Having said that, I do like the genuine Segway ramps best; it is a shame they are so ridiculously priced.

[singman]

The ramps from amerimark do in fact have a saftey lip on them that sits on the flat part on which you are ramping up to. They can be ramped on steps, or going into a van, or even the back of a vehicle. I take an old small blanket and place it between the ramp and my bumper for added safety of scratching. Using them for one season I have not had any problems loading or unloading my faithful I167 red button.

Hope this helps.

[OptiCole]

I bought the set of the segway ramps on EBay that are mentioned in the post above. They cost about $100.00 and I am very happy with them. You can tell that they are not "factory made" and they are made of wood and hardware parts. But seem very durable and well made and do not sag at all. My Segs walk up them in balance mode just fine and it makes loading them into our SUV super easy.

I made one slight modification, I added a long slim piece of metal to the side of one ramp that I can swing it out and clip it onto the other ramp so I can have an exact separation distance between the ramps. That prevents the Segway from falling off if you didn't line them up perfectly of if something shifts while you are loading or unloading.

I am sure the more expensive ones are better but these work just great for a lot less money.

[timbadabim]

Amerimark it is.

Great info all around.


Timbadabim

[opticat]

Just found these on eBay. Anyone have any experience with them?
http://cgi.ebay.com/SEGWAY-LOADING-RAMPS-Folds-to-3-ft-NEW-IMPROVED_W0QQitemZ170192015513QQihZ007QQcategoryZ7 5210QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[Eric Payne]

Just found these on eBay. Anyone have any experience with them?
http://cgi.ebay.com/SEGWAY-LOADING-RAMPS-Folds-to-3-ft-NEW-IMPROVED_W0QQitemZ170192015513QQihZ007QQcategoryZ7 5210QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

After my own experience with Segway and Ebay, I tend to look more carefully at items for sale there.

Though I don't really see any reason to be skeptical of this item, I do question a couple of little things...

The shipping location is Palm Harbor, Florida, United States.

Yet the seller is scottsdalegifts.

And Scottsdale is here, another suburb of Phoenix, AZ.

But it is the only item the seller is currently auctioning, the seller seems to have a good rep... so, if it were me, I would probably just ask why their screen name seems to indicate they are in Arizona, while the ramps will be shipped out of Florida.

[RAY-NER]

RE: OPTICAT's interest in the SEGWAY ramp offered on eBay. I purchased one set early last year and have been very satisfied with them. For $99 plus shipping, it's a good deal. They are made by a handicapped retired gentleman in Florida. I've loaded/unloaded my i2 around fifty times without any difficulty. To load, remove the upper half of the lean steer bar, turn on power, step on the left pad momentarily, guide the SEGWAY backwards under power up the ramp. When inside the vehicle, turn off power and using a pillow across the lower leen steer section, tie down the handle using an elastic stretch band with hooks on each end. To remove the SEGWAY, do not use power... simply position the wheels at the top of the ramp and carefully guide it downward. RAY-NER

[OptiCole]

I also bought the above mentioned ramps and am very happy with them. I agree with Ray-Ner that they are easy to use. I just power the segways up the ramp like he does and they happily fit in the back of the SUV. I use a slight different technique when I remove them. It is OK to just let them coast down the ramps without power but I found it was better for me to power them up, touch the foot plate and let them slowly walk themselves down the ramp under control. I had one come down the ramp a bit too fast once and one wheel came off the ramp half way down. No damage done, to me it's just a bit safer to let them move slow under power.

[bentbiker]

Amerimark it is.


Tim,
Sorry I called you Carlos earlier. I was confusing you with Timezkware Tim, another member. Did you order your Amerimark ramps? Are they priced at $129 per ramp, or per pair of ramps? $129 for the pair seems almost too good to be true.

[singman]

That's $129 for the pair, and it comes with a nice carrying bag. I looked all over the internet and found this to be the best buy of all. It has sides to keep you from sliding off either side, and it does have a lip that sits on whatever you are ramping it to.

They wouldn't sell them for wheelchair use if they weren't safe and well built. Who would have ever thought that a handicap assist device would have another use in life??

[bentbiker]

That's $129 for the pair

Wow! That is an amazing price. Make sure you let us know what you think after you get them and use them a couple times. I'm a couple years away from a new car that I could use them on, but I believe that price is listed in their "Clearance Outlet" section, so I doubt this will be available at that price when I need a pair. I wonder if I should . . .

[singman]

I bought mine last spring so the price hasn't changed in all that time. They really are well made, and a real bargain. When it comes to quality this forum has high standards, and you don't fool any one.

If they are in the clearance section, they may be introducing another version or manufacturer. Their good people, give them a call!!

I would like to hear of another persons review if they do buy a pair. I'm a hard working person like everyone else here and when I run across a bargain will throw my two cents in.

[LycanFire]

I clicked on the link and saw them. Even though I have ramps for my truck, these looked like they would work with the car (Prius). However, I refused to use PayPal so I tried to contact the seller. I came up with his page that said he had nothing more to sell. But since I avoid eBay like a plague I might be doing something wrong. I did see where he sold a pair just two days ago.

Any ideas how I can contact the seller? I would like to get pair and would phone the order to him.

[BillPaxton]

Wow, I can't imagine not using PayPal and I LOVE eBay too! Its like a big garage sale but instead of crap people are trying to get rid of (altho that's precisely what it is) it has fun things that you never knew you wanted!

PS - +R from me for driving a green (enviro-friendly, that is) car in addition to your TWO-wheeled model of greenliness.
+BI clicked on the link and saw them. Even though I have ramps for my truck, these looked like they would work with the car (Prius). However, I refused to use PayPal so I tried to contact the seller. I came up with his page that said he had nothing more to sell. But since I avoid eBay like a plague I might be doing something wrong. I did see where he sold a pair just two days ago.

Any ideas how I can contact the seller? I would like to get pair and would phone the order to him.

[opticat]

I bought the ramps that I mentioned in post 43. They shipped from FL, where I am located, by UPS and arrived THE NEXT DAY! They are very well made, not by a factory however, and work just great with my i2. Hard to beat for the price, and the communication with the vendor was excellent. Thanks, all, for your input. This is a great board!

[RAY-NER]

OPTICAT says he is happy with his purchase which is what I expected. My earlier post hopefully helped him to make the decision to go ahead with the product. As a side note, eBay sellers try to adhere to the fair practice of selling on eBay and avoid going direct to an inquirer who saw the item on eBay, usually hoping to get a better price. I've been an eBay seller on a daily basis since 2000 and I believe they do a fabulous job of exposing the seller's product worldwide for a mere 3% commission. There should be no genuine reason to fear buying on eBay or using PayPal for payment. Both have worked well for me over the years. Check the feedback reports on eBay for seller "ray-ner". I'm happy that I could contribute something of value to OPTICAT and others on this board. RAY-NER

[opticat]

I have been buying items from eBay since 2000 and so far after many purchases have never encountered a problem. I'm sure some folks have had some bad experiences, though. I use Pay-Pal, which is very easy and secure. Thanks again for the suggestion. Ramps work GREAT.