iScooter - iX5S

Shipping a scooter is pretty expensive - direct to consumer scooters may be the cheapest but they are usually resistant to returns. If you can buy locally and also get serviced locally, you will likely have no complaints other than price. If you buy from direct-to-consumer, you may get a great deal and be very satisfied, or you may have a problem or need service and you will be frustrated. I gambled and have been very happy with my iScooter ix5s.

Do ***not*** buy anything iScooter. Quality-wise we know them as the scrapings from the bottom of the barrel, and their support is known to be terrible to nonexistent. Hiboy are *somewhat* better but their low-end scooters are uncomfortable and not very safe, as they all have solid tires but no suspension on the front fork; they only start being OK above your budget. On a side note, none of these are *manufacturers* - they all import generic scooters from relatively unknown Chinese manufacturers. Only Ninebot/Segway, Niu, Brightway/Navee and a few others make their own scooters. As for suggestions: more info please. In particular, you don't specify a range - we don't know how long the trip to school is. If it's short enough - and keep in mind [the marketing lie factor](https://reddit.com/r/ElectricScooters/wiki/rangespecs) - then a Niu KQi1 or KQi 100 could be a good idea. Whatever you get, keep in mind that the tires must be pumped up to specced pressure more often than many people think - ideally weekly. A cheap bicycle pump *with a manometer* works well for this, otherwise they sell electric inflators that are more practical.

$300 wont buy even a decent scooter, must less a good one. If that is the price point you are working with, I would recommend checking the used market. I have ridden Gotrax, iScooter, Segway and eMove scooters, among others. Gotrax was complete garbage, the iScooter was decent, the Segway was built like a tank. I have mixed feelings about eMove Cruisers, which is my current ride. On the one hand the suspension is phenomenal, as is the range. But the tires, brakes and other bits haven’t lasted very long. I don’t have a ton of miles on mine, I right now need to replace both tires, possibly the brake calipers and one of the brake lines snapped for no apparent reason.