Side or rear entry vehicles

[Trixie80]

Well its time to get a wheelchai accessible van.. Just wondering what others have putchased, rear or side entry and what you like about yours? I understand the rear entry are cheaper but im not sure i want to sit in the back seat, but maybe its not that bad?! Any info would be appreciated

 

[texastc]

side entry best and easiest to access from most parking areas

 

[GregK]

I have a side entry VMI Honda. The ear entry vehicles appear to have less seating and storage.

 

[Vincent]

Never used one but rear entry just looks like it would feel like steerage.
Vincent

 

[Atsugi]

Side entry. Definitely.

 

[swalker]

We have a side entry vehicle (2004 Chevrolet Express 1500 high top conversion van with Braun Vangater II lift). Before purchasing, we did a tour of places we often go to and concluded that van accessible parking spots that would accommodate side entry are plentiful.

I find the side entry to be easy to load into and unload from. Our van does not accommodate having the wheelchair in the front, but I am still able to transfer to the front seat. When I no longer can, we will get a different, side-loading vehicle.

I would not want to unload out the back of the vehicle into a parking lot with the potential of cars wanting to get by.

We have only had issues unloading from the side on a few occasions. All but one of those was caused by other, inconsiderate, fully-abled drivers occupying the striped area next to the van accessible place we were parked in.

When van accessible spots are in short supply, we park way in the back of the parking lot where there are typically many empty spaces. We just pick a spot with 5 or 6 adjacent spaces and pull into one. Once I am in my wheelchair, distances are not problem at all!

To keep the cost down, I recommend used. In general, I favor buying quality vehicles that are 7 to 10 years old with up to 100,000 miles on them. This has worked out very well for us.

Here is what I would do different:
1. I would get doors that are tall enough so that I don't have to recline the PWC to get into or out of the van
2. I would get a van with automatic doors.
3. I would get a van with a higher payload capacity. Even though ours is a 1/2 ton van, the lift and wheelchair take up a LOT of the usable payload. Together, they weigh over 700 pounds! Our van has a Gross Vehicle Weight Restriction (GVWR) of 7,800 pounds. We weighed it on truck scales and were surprised that with my wife, me, the chair, a full tank of gas, and some luggage it came out at 7,740 pounds. I guess it is a good thing I have lost 70 pounds


Steve

 

[gooseberry]

We have a side entry sienna. It does have the interlock but because of my husbands height we can not put the front seat in and havethe interlock in the proper place. Its an either/or situation. We use the tethers. This takes up most of storage space however. All we really can use is the area under the back hatch. Auto doors and ramp do help.

 

[hjlindley]

I have had two vans, one with lift and one with a side ramp. We now travel in a Honda Odyssey with an under the floor ramp. I don't mind sitting in the back. We used tethers and it seems to work quite well. The first van was a big Econoline and the lift scared the heck out of me. My Honda kneels when it employs the ramp. Richmond is a fairly old city as American cities go and the side entry works quite well in most situations. It also gets pretty good gas mileage for van. All the doors are automatic, it has a tiny refrigerator in the front, and my drivers tell me the seats are pretty comfortable. I was able to use the ramp before I bought it. That gave me a lot more confidence. Good luck on your search.
Hollister

 

[Diane H]

Minivans:

More appealing to those who don't want to drive a "truck".
Will fit in all garages and parking ramps.
Are lower to the ground making it possible to use a ramp for the wheelchair rather than a mechanical lift.
Less interior space and less headroom makes it more difficult to use with a power chair, especially for a tall person. A power chair with rear wheel drive will not have the turning radius needed to get it into this size van. Most newer power chairs pivot closer to their center however, and should work.
New Chevy and Pontiac models have the most headroom.
Must have floor lowered to accommodate wheelchair. Lowered floors can bottom out when driving on rough roads or into driveways.

Full sized vans:

More space for wheelchair and other gear.
May not fit in some garages or parking ramps. Raised roof version will not fit.
Must have floor lowered and/or roof raised to accommodate wheelchair and lift.
Consider size of engine cowling between front seats. Can make it very difficult to move back to the passenger area if wheelchair passenger needs help.

Other options:

Dodge Sprinter: Available from manufacturer in two roof heights, 64 or 72 inches of headroom, no roof raising/floor lowering conversion expense, just add a lift. High door height for even the tallest wheelchair user. Three lengths available. Ideal for traveling. Excellent visibility for wheelchair passenger. Side or rear entry.
Ford Connect. A small size utility van that is becoming very popular for wheelchair use. Rear entry only. Fold down ramp rather than lift. Two lengths available. Shorter length has seating for driver and one or two passengers. Longer length allows more passenger seating but puts the wheelchair in the 3rd row, and space may not be long enough for a power chair.

Lower the floor or raise the roof?

Sitting in a wheelchair puts the person sitting too high to see anything out the window beyond the edge of the road. Raising the roof doesn't add height to the windows. Lowering the floor is somewhat better but the wheelchair passengers view is still quite limited.
In order for a caregiver to stand up in the van, a real help but not essential, both floor lowering and roof raising must be done.
A lowered floor or raised roof are generally not available as factory options and must be done by a van conversion shop.

Side or rear wheelchair entry?
Rear entry

Allows the wheelchair user to get in without maneuvering to turn the chair.
Rear entry limits the seating available for other passengers.
Rear entry eliminates the problem of being blocked from using the lift by other parked cars, but requires loading and unloading in traffic lane of a parking lot.

Side entry

Requires turning the chair to face the front. Riding sideways is unsafe as well as nauseating.
Requires about 8 feet of space, and another car parking too close can require moving the van to get back in. That is a mere nuisance if you are a wheelchair passenger, but if you are still driving yourself it leaves you stranded.

Folding or slide out lift?
Folding

Takes up some space in passenger area and partially covers the window.
May prevent front passenger seat from being able to move back (reducing leg room) or reclining.
Can be operated manually if controller fails.

Slide Out

Doesn't take up passenger space or block the window but does take 1.5 inches away from the headroom, a small but critical amount.
Harder to deploy manually if something happens to the controller.
May require modifying exhaust system, gas tank.
Enclosed but somewhat more exposed to water, snow, salt.

Automatic Lift?

Manual is least expensive, requires a caregiver to operate.
Semiautomatic raises/lowers the lift with a switch located on the lift, requires a caregiver to open the door.
Fully Automatic opens door, raises/lowers the lift, and closes the door with switches located on the lift. Can be used independently if hand/arm strength allows.
Remote control can be used instead of switches. Requires full attention and caution to be used safely.

 

[chally]

va got us a dodge grand caravan and i will be the lone ranger and weight in for the rear entry. i like it and sit in middle behind diver and passenger can see out all windows and have own air events/controls. sliding doors with a push of a button, back hach same. i like how i can drive stright in no turning and then back straight out. good luck. chally

 

[T.Low]

We decided against rear entrance because we always have things stowed in the back and also because I don't want to always load first then wait while our three and five year olds loaded along with all the items.

We went with a Ford E150 with lowered floor in mid section ,front drivers and passenger, and raised doors for the ultimate 63 inch high opening. Under vehicle left to maximize interior room.

 

[gooseberry]

Most car manufacturer websites have a mobility section which contains the specs for their vehicles. If buying new and you know the conversion youare getting,both Braun and VMI had spec areas on their websites. The VA measured Steve in his chair and told us the Toyota Sienna had the most room legroom and headroom wise and that is what they would recommend. But , I didn't want to drive anything bigger. Converted minivans sit high and handle differently. If you can, I would test drive first. Having a backup camera and blind spot monitoring is very helpful because you simply can't see some areas because of the height change. If you plan to travel in it, I would also look at having navigation. If it is built in, it is much easier to use than messing with a phone or garmin and driving.

A minivan with a pwc tethered in the middle will not give you much cargo space to use. Also, there are weight limits for these vans. Steve's chair is 440 lbs. I think our weight limit is 800 lbs so by the time people are in it we have reached the limit. Then we add breathing equipment and clothing. You have to pack light.

Good luck!

 

[Dan1]

Very helpful reply; thank you

 

[Trixie80]

Thank you all for the info. Im wanting a side entry just trying to justify the price difference.