What finally happened with that search for a wheelchair van

I submitted this essay to a magazine.

As If Needing a Wheelchair Wasn't Challenging Enough by Dallas Marshall

I have Corticobsal Degeneration (CBD). I have limited use of my right arm and right leg. This qualified me for a power wheelchair. The main drawback to having a power wheelchair vs. a manual one is that you can't just fold it up and throw it into the trunk of your car to go somewhere. It requires a vehicle with some sort of lift because they weigh about 250 pounds all by themselves.

There are a variety of options:

1. There are lifts that carry the chair (or scooter) on the back of the vehicle.
2. There are lifts that look similar to a lift gate on a cargo truck. You drive the chair onto the platform and dismount. It lifts the chair into the vehicle.
3. There are winch arms that swing out, lift the chair by straps and swing it into the back of the vehicle.
4. There are folding ramps that you manually lift-position-unfold-drive (without the person in it)-refold-restore. Caregiver must be able to lift and manhandle 50 pounds.
5. And there are conversion vans (full-sized or mini) that have ramps that allow the wheelchair user to drive into the van without dismounting.

The problems begin at pricing and availability. Problem #1: Conversion vans start at $50,000. Even ten year old ones are $30,000. I could only afford $20,000, and then only if they would accept two trade-in vehicles. So I looked at getting an SUV and having Option 1 above added to it. I found that I can get a used SUV with less than 50,000 miles on it for under $20,000, and the lift is $2600 installed. This was doable. Then the question became, “What sort of SUV to get?” So I called the lift dealer. It would not work on the back of my existing station wagon. Surprisingly, it also would not work on any of the brands/models of SUVs that I asked about. Then, I did some research and found out why.

Problem #2: Sport Utility Vehicles are getting smaller. A lot smaller. They started out more like big, square, enclosed trucks with 4WD or AWD. You could tow a trailer or boat with one. They had big engines and big frames, and were strong and heavy. That's why they got such lousy gas mileage. Because of the environmental concerns and the economy, SUVs are now smaller and lighter and get reasonable gas mileage. They are no longer trucks. They are more like AWD hatch-back cars. They no longer come with trailer hitches because they no longer have towing capability. And you can't mount a 142 lb lift that carries a 250 lb wheelchair onto the back of them. And the interior height is too low to fit the chair inside (plus the size of the lift mechanism itself).

So, this put us back at looking at vans, specifically minivans. Problem #3 is that you don't buy wheelchair vans at a car dealership. You buy them at a wheelchair lift dealer. They are all about the lift, not the condition of the van. They warranty and maintain the lifts. They make no promises about the condition of the van. I, then, have to take it to a mechanic to check it over to see if it is worth the amount that the lift dealer is charging. Many lift van dealers are internet national companies that will ship your vehicle to you from wherever. I'm sorry, but I want to see it, touch it, smell it, drive it and make sure it's been maintained before I shell out that much money. I am very uncomfortable buying expensive items sight unseen.

So, I said, “Fine. Let's get a regular minivan, also available for under $20K with under 50K miles and add the Option #1 lift to the back of it.” That style of lift calls for a Class II towing hitch. Remember Problem #2 above? Vans are getting smaller, too. Unless I could find a van with interior cargo room big enough to accommodate lift gate style #2, or winch style #3, it was starting to look like I was going to have to get a conversion van, whether I liked it or not.

Then, I got really lucky. The lift dealer called me back and said that someone had just turned in a 2008 minivan with 67,000 miles on it that already had the lift gate style lift installed, and that my wheelchair would fit (with the back folded down), and it was $19,700. Then we got really, really lucky. They gave us the full Blue Book value on both of our trade-in vehicles. That made the amount of the car loan very affordable.  (It is a Chrysler Town & Country Touring edition with a Bruno Joey lift).

This whole process has got me wondering. The population is getting older and living longer. More and more people are going to need wheelchairs. If vehicles are no longer produced that are big enough to handle wheelchair lifts, what are all those people supposed to do? If a person's condition is not compatible with a manual wheelchair, then how are they supposed to get to doctor's appointments? The local specialized ambulance transport charges $50 per trip. You don't want to take an ambulance to the zoo, store or restaurant. How do people of limited means afford these specialized vans? How are new wheelchair users solving these problems?