Shopping For A Wheelchair Accessible Van?
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This webpage is the product of a disabled individual who
has owned both a full size conversion van as well as a mini. Before you
purchase your first wheelchair accessible van (or your third or fourth), I suggest
you take a moment to consider some of the information detailed on this webpage. I hope
it is helpful to you.
Contact - My
Vehicle Experience - Height Factor
- Lifts - Kneel
Systems - My Advice
EXTRA SPACE HANDICAP
PARKING PLACARDS
My Last Vehicle
My
last vehicle was a 1988 Ford full size van. It had a Wheelchair Lift (as
opposed to a ramp). The lift was “heavy duty” and never gave me any trouble. I began shopping for a new vehicle because the van’s engine wasn’t
dependable any more.
Prior to my purchase of a Chevy Venture modified
by Eldorado National I searched the World Wide Web
looking for information to become a wise consumer but I did not find any
editorials about it. This is an account of one consumer who regrets his
purchase, and hopes other disabled individuals don’t wind up with the same
regrets. My minivan problems did not end until I obtained a lawyer and after several months of threatening litigation, had Eldorado National agree to buy my van back from me. Whatever the brand you are looking to purchase, take a moment to read
some of the pros (Full Size
Van) and
cons (Minivans) of modified vehicle shopping.
Height Factor
I
am 6’ 3” and sit tall in my wheelchair. So I thought I would need a full size van
with a raised roof again. I have been a passenger in my friend’s modified Dodge
Caravan and I had to bend over slightly. The Dodge Caravan has a 10 inch lowered
floor. But when I went shopping I was introduced to the Eldorado National “Activan” (now called: "Amerivan") which
had a 12 inch
lowered floor. I thought this was wonderful. Apparently it was the
first minivan to drop its floor 12 inches. This would give me the extra room I
needed to comfortably see out the windshield while driving from my wheelchair.
The thought of using less gas and having more parking spaces available to me
with a minivan blinded me to the potential headaches to come.
Unless
you are extremely tall or use a wheelchair with a high frame, this should not really
affect your shopping decision much.
Wheelchair Lifts / Ramps
Other than some general maintenance, I never
experienced any trouble with the hydraulic lift in my full size van in over 15
years of use. On the other hand I had nothing but trouble with the new delicate
electric ramp in my mini van (Eldorado National Activan). I would hit the button so the door would open and
the ramp would deploy – the ramp always deployed prematurely. It would begin
deploying before the door was open all the way. This would lock up the whole
process. I was not able to use the ramp without obtaining assistance, hence
negating the whole point of purchasing a vehicle to increase my independence.
After
numerous complaints I had Eldorado National install a
new ramp. Apparently Eldorado National came out with an improved ramp design. So they
put a whole new ramp system in my van.
The
problems continued. Three ramp motors later - I still had problems. When
I deployed the ramp it would frequently deploy approximately one quarter of the
way and cease. I had to restart the engine to get it to deploy properly.
The
Wheelchair Lifts are much more dependable. They are heavy duty hydraulic pieces
of equipment. I would only recommend lifts to friends and loved ones. There are
also different types of lifts.
Under
Vehicle Lifts
The
Under Vehicle Lifts are nice on the full size van because they don't take up
any interior room, but they do affect ground clearance and they are subject to
collecting dirt and debris. If possible, avoid the U.V.L. if only for maintenance
issues alone.
Interior Lifts
The
new interior lifts for full size vans are much more considerate of interior
space. If you do purchase the recommended interior lift, select a "duel
post" model (as pictured on the top of this page). “Duel
Post” means that there are two support brackets inside the vehicle as opposed to
the single post model pictured below. The duel posts provide greater stability
and strength.
The single post lifts allow clearance for a wheelchair
to roll into the passenger area of the vehicle (one post is toward rear of the double doors, there is no post behind
passenger seat). This is a nice feature
if you want the wheelchair in the passenger seat. However after some usage the
lift tends to lean to the one side that is not supported by a post.
For
individuals driving from their wheelchairs, there really isn't a need for the single
post lifts.
Kneel Systems
With
a mini van, the rear of the vehicle “kneels” when the ramp deploys so that the
incline is not as steep. This system was temperamental as well in
my “Activan”. The van was supposed to come out kneel
mode (rear shocks fill with air) when the ramp stowed. Frequently my van
never come out of kneel mode even when the van was running. I had to shut the van and
restart it for the rear shocks to begin filling.
This
is just another delicate electrical feature certain to eventually have
problems. With a full size van and lift there is no kneel system involved. This
is yet another benefit to “going full size”.
Van Bottoms Out
The
mini van was so low to the ground that I consistently hit bottom on
everything. Obviously this is more so with the Activan because of its 12 inch lowered
floor (as opposed to the standard 10 inch drop), but all lowered floor minivans
are subject to hitting bottom. The minivans with lowered floors are just too
low.
In
fairness, I must say that this is experienced more often with rear seat
passengers on board. If you will mostly be using the mini van for commuting to
work or school you may not experience this problem as often. However, if you have
a family or frequently carry passengers, avoid the mini,
you will bottom out at every driveway, speed bump etc. I frequently picked up 3
or 4 individuals (including a friend in a wheelchair who sat behind me) and I continually
scraped bottom.
My Advice
Go with a full size van, preferably the Ford E-250.
The ramp on the minivans is just too delicate and temperamental. With a full
size van the lift is heavy duty and made to last. With a full size van there
are no worries about “hitting bottom”. There is plenty of ground clearance with
a full size van.
Please
don’t make my mistake. Yes you’ll spend more on gas with a full size, but the
consequences of the alternative are not fun. Also a full size (Ford E-250) is a
truck. Minivans are not. Where I live (North East) the roads get
potholes and it is hard on vehicles. My full size van can take the abuse. In
my Eldorado National Activan (now called: Amerivan) I crawled at 5 mph as soon as I saw the slightest bump for the fear
of damaging my delicate little minivan (particularly since the rear airbags rarely inflated adequately).
Contact - My
Vehicle Experience - Height Factor
- Lifts - Kneel
Systems - My Advice
If any of the information on this webpage has been helpful
to you, please consider purchasing a:
Extra Space Needed Handicap
Parking Placard.
As a quadriplegic, the sale of these placards provides
me an income
which keeps
me financially self sufficient. Thank you and God bless you.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what
it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and
every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in
want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:12-13