When faced with the purchase of a wheelchair van, most people will consider whether or not they should look at a new or a used vehicle. In the end, most of us consider used vehicles because we want to keep our overall cost as low as possible. After all, this is necessity transportation, not a sports car, and most of us just want to have a good reliable vehicle that performs well and fits within our budget.
In order to make a good decision, there are several factors that must be considered.
Price
Budget is a major consideration for any vehicle purchase and it is an even greater factor in a wheelchair van purchase due to the added expense of the wheelchair accessible conversion. While it is true that a used vehicle will be less expensive than a new vehicle and for many people, budget will only allow for a used wheelchair van. In other cases, people have the ability to select new or used and they are trying to make the decision on the vehicle that will suit their needs best.
Whether you are trying to decide between a new or used wheelchair van, or have decided to buy a used wheelchair vans and are now trying to pick the right one, we can help. We have experience assisting hundreds of customers with buying both new and used vehicles. We can work with you to select the type of wheelchair van you should buy and we can help you understand the most important factors as well as the pricing.
Duration of Need
Is there a chance that you may only need a wheelchair van for a short period of time, say, less than a year? Many disabilities and conditions come with this uncertainty. Are you going to have this vehicle for many years? The duration of your need should be a big influencer into whether or not you choose a new or used wheelchair van.
In general, the longer you expect to hold on to the vehicle, the more sense it makes to buy new and the opposite is true when you may have a shorter-term need.
Expected Mileage, Long Trips, Type of Use
Is this going to be a daily use vehicle or one that is used less frequently? Are you going to go on long trips or just short trips close to home?
If your vehicle is going to be critical in getting you or someone you care for to school or work, or if you plan to take long trips, you will have less tolerance for the possible service interruptions or break downs that are more likely to occur with older vehicles. In this situation, it may be best to consider a new vehicle. We recommend trying to put a personal value on the added reliability of a new vehicle as compared to a used vehicle and factor that into your final decision making.
Flexibility on Features and Timing
Are you looking for something particular? Will your situation work with only a certain type of wheelchair van? Or, are your needs met by the majority of wheelchair vans on the market? Do you need to get something quickly or do you have time?
When you buy a new wheelchair van, you have a greater opportunity to get the color, style and option package you prefer- whether you buy from our inventory or have a van custom-ordered. In addition, you can also typically get that particular vehicle in a shorter and more predictable time frame.
With a used wheelchair van, you encounter a different situation. Used inventory is less predictable and consistent, and as such, you will most likely have to make some compromises when you look to buy one.
Flexibility is rewarded when buying a used vehicle; however, if you really want something particular, you will most likely need to go with a new wheelchair van.
VCI sells both new and used vehicles so we have no bias when it comes to which you choose. However, we want you to be completely happy with your decisions. As such, we want you to make sure you give careful consideration factors such as price, duration of need, usage and flexibility on features and timing. If you assess these factors from your personal perspective, you are more likely to make the right wheelchair van choice.