New Wheelchair Vans for Sale
Good news for buyers of new wheelchair vans!
People have been equipping everything from horse drawn carriages to airplanes for wheelchair accessibility. Over the years many different designs, applications and related technologies have come about for new wheelchair vans. Some were successful, some flops, some just outright dangerous. The good news for all of us is that this continuous stream of innovation really gained momentum about nine to ten years ago. At that point, the collaboration between the producers of the wheelchair ramp vans, wheelchair lifts and mobility equipment began working much more closely with the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM). The National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) worked with its members and handicap ramp van manufacturers and the National Highway Traffic and Safety Association (NHTSA) to create and enforce higher standards of quality in the conversion of new wheelchair vans.
At this point, there are more quality wheelchair van conversions available than ever before. Not only are there more styles and options, as well as minivan and full-size van choices, each of our new handicap vans is of a safer and better quality than ever before. In addition, a much larger inventory of used wheelchair vans is available across the country.
The result is that you have many great choices when it comes to buying a wheelchair van or handicapped van with lift. However, the difficult part is making the right choice for you!
We can help! VCI Mobility is here to help you make the right choice now and as your needs change in the future.
Find out more about some of the various conversion options at VCI Mobility:
- Full-Sized Vans
- Wheelchair Minivans
- Converting Vans by Vehicle Manufacturer
- Equipment Manufacturers and Conversion Companies
Education and Understanding of New Handicap Vans
Education and understanding is what it is all about! When you are educated in the important factors of buying new wheelchair vans and mobility products and you are working with experienced mobility professionals/people that understand your situation, you will be successful! Feel free to check out our Wheelchair Van Buyer’s Guide to help you with this important decision.
New Wheelchair Van Basics
As different as all of the wheelchair van products are, they also have much in common. For this reason, understanding your basic choices without getting lost in the details is very important.
The Conversion Process
First, all new wheelchair vans are built on a minivan or a full-size van chassis.The Dodge Grand Caravan, the Honda Odyssey, the Chrysler Town and Country, the Toyota Sienna, the Ford Clubwagon and the Chevy Express are most commonly converted into wheelchair vans. The unmodified minivan or full-size van is shipped directly from the van manufacturer to a wheelchair van conversion manufacturer such as Braun, VMI or Viewpoint. Sometimes customers buy a minivan or a full-size van from a local car dealer they know and then ship the vehicle to a wheelchair van converter. Either way, the company that does the wheelchair van conversion is different than the company that manufactures the van.
The Mobility Conversions
The wheelchair van conversion manufacturer has many options for making a minivan or full- size van into a wheelchair accessible van. The best manufacturers typically have several that they offer. The two primary objectives of the wheelchair van conversion are;
- Make space- Additional space needs to be added to the van to accommodate the person with a disability and their personal mobility equipment in and within the van.
- Entry and exit- The ability to get the person with a disability in and out of the vehicle in a safe, easy and comfortable manner.
Space in wheelchair vans is typically gained by either raising the roof and doors, lowering the floor and in some cases, both raising the roof/doors and lowering the floor is necessary. In each case, these modifications increase the interior height of the wheelchair van creating space for a person seated in a wheelchair and for those assisting and securing the wheelchair. As well, the entrance height is increased making it easier for a person to enter the wheelchair van while seated in a wheelchair or for an assistant to walk in and out of the entrance.
Wheelchair Ramp or Wheelchair Lift
In wheelchair accessible minivans, the minivan is low to the ground and the wheelchair user enters and exits the wheelchair van using a wheelchair ramp. Since full-size vans are much higher off the ground, a wheelchair lift is used. Wheelchair ramps and wheelchair lifts can be installed in the passenger-side or rear entrance to the wheelchair van.
Full Size Wheelchair Van or Minivan?
As Americans’ general auto preferences are going smaller, so has the new wheelchair van market. While full-size vans will always have a place, accessible minivans are far more common today.
Get more information on VCI Mobility’s offerings of full-sized wheelchair vans.
Wheelchair Van Conversion Manufacturer
The wheelchair van conversion industry has changed over the last several years and, while there are a number of good wheelchair vans for sale. The best manufacturers–Braun, VMI, Viewpoint Mobility–have continued to enjoy the lion’s share of the wheelchair market and are represented by VCI Mobility and other top wheelchair van and mobility equipment dealers across the country.
The top wheelchair van conversion companies have earned the respect of the OEM manufacturers and typically work very closely with them to make sure that their conversion makes the best possible use of all of the features and systems that consumers enjoy in the van chassis. They also have the widest range of new handicap van conversions on the greatest number of van chassis. As our market matures, and as many wheelchair van users are now into their second or third wheelchair van, they have developed strong preferences for certain conversion manufacturers and now ask for them by name.
In the full-size van market, it used to be that the local mobility dealer would modify a full-size van or conversion van themselves. Now, it is more common to find a professionally built, pre-converted full size wheelchair van from VMI Tuscany. The benefit of converting a full-sized van into a wheelchair accessible van from the beginning, such as the VMI Tuscany, is that they are often less costly for the same features and quality.
Chassis Manufacturer
Consumers have developed strong preferences and loyalties towards major car manufacturers such as Honda, Toyota, Chrysler and Dodge. In the full-size van market, the clear preferences are Chevrolet and Ford. In all cases, much of your satisfaction with your wheelchair van will stem from your satisfaction with the minivan or full-size van’s features and performance.
The choice of any particular van chassis-minivan or full-size van-will have implications on the types, styles and dimensions of the handicap ramp vans that are available to you. For example, the mid-section of the Toyota Sienna is shorter than the mid-section of the Chrysler or Dodge minivan. While a taller person who needs this space might be partial to Toyota products, that may not be the best choice in this situation.
For more detailed information on the mobility conversions available on the various van and minivan products, click here to go to our conversion by manufacturer section.
Conversion Style
The style of conversion you select — side-entry, rear-entry, power or manual — will also have an enormous impact on your overall satisfaction. Your choice should be guided by your size, the size of your family, your driving and parking environment and your budget.
Rear-entry vehicles are those that are set up for the wheelchair user to enter from the rear of the wheelchair van. Side-entry wheelchair vans allow the user to enter from the passenger side of the vehicle. Rear-entry and side-entry vehicles are both great, but both do have their pros and cons. The majority of the market — 80%+ — opts for side-entry vans; this includes individuals who wish to drive from their wheelchairs. Although they have a very loyal following, rear entry wheelchair vans lack the capability to allow a driver to operate the vehicle from their wheelchair. The decision ultimately comes down to fit and personal preference. Be sure to do your research and be sure to give both a try before deciding.