Last post Thu, Sep 18 2008 3:41 PM by Sparky1977. 13 replies.
The lease on my car is up in a few months and I am starting to look for a new vehicle. I currently drive a 2005 Toyota Matrix which I love, I find it very easy to get in and out of and like sitting a little higher up. I have mobility difficulties but can still drive and walk. However due to fatigue issues my specialist suggested that I may want to look at power mobility for longer walks (ie. shopping at the mall etc...). I am awaiting an assessment but am thinking I would prefer a powerchair compared to a scooter. I really don't want to get a minivan but I do need something with enough cargo space to hold a powerchair and lift. And with the rising gas prices I would like something that is decent on fuel. Anyone have any suggestions? What do you drive?
Could you get away with a larger car and a chairlift on the back? I just got a 2007 Nissan Altima that's very good on the gas and is really a lovely vehicle to drive.
i find the honda trunk holds my chair the best ! good on gas, at the price of gas cheaper to charge my chair lol rainey xo
I have a Chevy Venture mini van...I use a manual chair and with seat layout, my chair fits perfect at the right sliding door...really easy to get in and out. I use hand controls...they are really sweet
I am a manual wheelchair user who drives a Chevy Aveo (compact). I had a Braun Chairtopper installed on it (funded by vo-rehab). The device stores my chair and drops it in front of the driver's side door when I want to get out (I use a transfer board to get into my car).
Mileage, even with the extra weight on top is sweet (I get 34 MPG on highway). The topper makes a lot of windnoise, but you get used to it in time-I still can listen to CDs or the radio.
An Aveo won't help you, since you will use a power chair and need a lift. But, have you checked out other custom conversion websites. I saw one that had a photo of a converted (and custom-painted) Chrysler PT Cruiser (very sweet!). It had a ramp installed and was configured for a power chair user.
PT Cruisers get great gas mileage and you will sit a little higher than in a standard car. You may want to check if a Chevy HHR can be converted for your needs (another cool ride). Chevy offers some money that goes toward installing certain items.
I don't know how big your chair will be, but a compact like a PT Cruiser or HHR could work for you as opposed to a full-sized minivan.
Good luck and happy driving!
Margaret J.
my last car was a 1948 chevy that me and my son took apart and redid. when we got it done ( ok a street rod is never done) we had a chevy 327 and a munci 4speed with 4:11 rear gears it was pishing just about 450 hp and never raced it just drove it around on summer ights I painted it ford grabber blue so with the blue dots in the rear lites you pushed on the brake the whole back looked purple.We had alot of fun building it took 5 years but just the time i had to spend with my son was worth every dime i put into it. Now I can no longer even hold a wrench or we would find some other car to do .I was at a junk yard last week and they had several that I would like to do the guy had 2 super bees and a mg midgetand on my way out i saw a rambler american that was driveable the interior was even all in tac I was told all it needed was a motor the one in it had a knock bad.
I know none of these would make a good handicapped car but just think of thr fun of putting onr bsck on the road again.
Now I just call transpo when I need a ride..Bob
I know that powerchairs are heavier than scooters. Does the lift have the weight capacity rating suitable for a powerchair? Or, does the rating depend on where and how the lift is mounted on the vehicle chassis?
Bob, any of those cars could be made handicapable if you really wanted to, especially if you are restoring it yourself. The SuperBees have plenty of room in the back for a wheelchair, I might put better bucket seats in that fold easier though like in my Grand Prix or something. The MG Midget could also work if you made the trunk hinged in the back and have it open and close electrically, put the wheelchair in the trunk and off you go!
As for the wheelchair lifts, most of them are already set up to handle electric wheelchairs since that is probably the biggest market. Most manual wheelchair owners can use regular vehicles so they save money that way (at least all that I know). If you let us know what the vehicle is you want to use we can help with the different lift options...
oh wow could i see a super bee wth a ramp so i could get in. However i no longer have the place or means to do i and at the price of gas. oh well . guess I will just have memories and pictures but thats ok.
Still thinking of making a gas powered chair with flames out the back . I think that is my next toy to build and play with. Rhe guy at the junk yard told me he is going to redo th mg for himself. I told him I would help at leat get him the right wrench. we had a great talk and he showed me pictures of dufferent cars he did. so I took my book up and showed him the ones i did as well.. He offered to help me with welding if i get a chair to play with. He told me that at times he has gotten oldaumbulances full of old stuff So who knows maybe next spring I might have a fast toy...lol
I have one of those Pocket Rocket50cc motorcycles that I played around on before I got hurt, I was thinking of putting that engine on an old racer wheelchair or something. Need to be longer than normal and a way to turn it but it use to get up to 45 mph before, the extra weight of a chair might take it down to 40 or so but it still would be fun...lol
We got a Honda Element X-Wav. It is not the terrible gas-guzzling vans that are most available. It can really only transport 2 adults and small children because the back seat is pretty small and not terribly comfortable. Ours is modified with a power ramp that comes down automatically but a mobile person is needed to strap down the power chair. If you still have some mobility, you might be able to get out of the chair and do this yourself.
Just don't count on Honda honoring its reimbursement offer of $1000 if you purchase a new vehicle from an authorized dealer. We are not the only people who have been screwed by their offers. It is happening to people who are disabled all across the U.S.
Congrats on your new purchase!
I just bought a Mini Cooper Clubman last month. BMW (which owns Mini) is the only company that I know of that offers a 100% reimbursement of your costs to modify the vehicle...no ceiling! So that's why we went with them. I finished the modifications on Tuesday of last week, faxed in the info, and already got a call that my check is being processed...sounds like it isn't too good to be true so I'm very happy. The Clubman is a little small for some but I'm a little person and love it!
If you decide on using a power chair I think you’ll be looking at a van or so form of vehicle that you can have a ramp or lift installed. Scooters are considerably lighter (especially the ones that break down into several modules). So your options are greater if you go in that direction. I have a Ford Focus station wagon that has lots of room in the back (my manual chair fits without folding) and it gets about 30 MPG. I have a full size Ford E-350 Diesel van that gets near 20 MPG and I run Bio-Diesel in it. I also have 89 Corvette that would get 27 MPG on the freeway before I modified the engine and differential. (It’s much faster but now only gets about 20 MPG).
The van has a Braun UVL lift and is by far the easiest the get in and out of…..
PT Cruiser, Chevy HHR, Honda Element all can be equipped with a ramp.
You might to take at Freedom Motors they modify a variety of vehicles like Honda Elements and PT Cruisers and last time I looked they had used ones for sale. If you decide a van is the way to go then let me know I work for company that has a lift system that is more compact and lighter than a platform lift and does not affect MPG.
Mark
