Stop! Don’t buy a wheelchair van until you talk with a Certified Mobility Consultant. Too often, we see people buy the wrong product because they did not know the most important considerations to take into account before making a purchase.
4 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Wheelchair Van
- What the right fit is for you
- What product and vendor options are available
- Which accessory choices are critical
- What financial help is available
1. What Is the Right Fit for You?
Experienced wheelchair van users know that getting the right fit—the wheelchair van that fits your size and lifestyle—is critical to your overall happiness with your vehicle selection. To achieve this, you first need to gather certain information about the individual using the wheelchair van and then take into consideration certain driving circumstances.
The answers to these questions will help you determine the best fit for you.
- What type of wheelchair? Manual or power?
- How wide is the wheelchair from wheel to wheel?
- What is the height of the individual in the wheelchair (measure from the floor to the top of the individual’s head)?
- Is the user especially large, tall, or long (include such items as extended footrests on the wheelchair)? How many passengers do you need to accommodate besides the individual in the wheelchair?
Full-Size vs. Minivan: Take a Test Drive to Decide!
If you prefer—or require—additional space for larger, taller people, extra passengers, or additional mobility equipment, then a full-size wheelchair van may be the best option for you. Interestingly though, most people opt for an accessible minivan because of its smaller size, better fuel economy, and driving simplicity. We encourage you to test drive an accessible vehicle today at either our Norristown or Bethlehem VCI Mobility location to be sure which option is best for you.
Side-Entry vs. Rear-Entry
Will the individual in the wheelchair enter the vehicle from the side or the rear of the vehicle? Both options are available, so you need to consider why you would choose one over the other.
A wheelchair entrance in the rear of a vehicle interferes less with the normal side passenger entryway. In situations where the wheelchair user has a long profile or cannot turn, entering from the rear and remaining straight for transport is very effective. Also, the rear-entry options for most wheelchair vans are less expensive than the side-entry ones. Rear-entry vehicles can be parked in a regular parking space.
However, the side-entry wheelchair van also has benefits. Entering and exiting on the curbside can often be much easier and helps keep the wheelchair user safely out of traffic.
Side-entry wheelchair vans are the most common. However, as more options for rear-entry vehicles become available, they are quickly gaining market share. We recommend that you try both the side-entry and rear-entry options so that you know which works best for your needs.
2. What Product and Vendor Options Are Available?
A wheelchair van consists of a chassis—such as a Toyota Sienna or a Chrysler Town and Country—and a conversion. The conversion consists of any adaptations that are made, such as raising roofs, lowering floors, and/or installing ramps/lifts. You have many options to get the conversion style you want on the van or minivan you prefer. Click here to read more.
3. Which Accessory Choices Are Critical?
The most critical accessory choice is wheelchair securement. For safety, comfort and ease of use, your choice of wheelchair tie-down system is very important. Securing the wheelchair is physically challenging and yet doing it right is critical for safety. We encourage all wheelchair van buyers to consider Auto-Docking Systems first as they are absolutely the best choice. In situations where Auto-Docking Systems are not an option, we then recommend a high-quality set of retractable tie downs. Rarely will we recommend—or will we let consumers buy—the old-style manual tie-down straps, as they are simply more challenging than most retail consumers prefer. For more information, click here.
4. What Financial Help Is Available?
Investigating your financing options for a wheelchair van is critical because these vans are more expensive than regular cars. Fortunately for all of us, there are some great organizations out there that can help:
- Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF)
The PATF enables you to finance wheelchair vans (as well as home modifications and other assistive technology) at much lower rates than you will find anywhere else. The PATF is very accommodating towards our customers because of their strong commitment to helping those with disabilities. - Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR)
The PA Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) helps Pennsylvanians with disabilities prepare for, enter, engage in, or retain employment. The Pennsylvania OVR can also help provide financing for wheelchair vans.
The important questions you need to ask are: Do I want a full-size van or a minivan? Do I want to buy a new or a used vehicle? Do I want to lease? Should I rent a wheelchair van? All of these are options that our experienced staff of Mobility Consultants can help you decide. Please feel free to contact us for assistance.