Wheelchairs and cars

daisygirl_2

Hiya, My Dad is a wheelchair user and my Mum is wanting some advice on cars that are small, yet will take a wheelchair in the boot without having to take the chair apart. Anyone any ideas?!
Can you get a pull down ramp fitted from the boot to avoid lifting the wheelchair?

Also where is good to buy decent wheelchairs? My Dads is getting really old now. I know you can spend a fortune, but all we want is a light one with big wheels so Dad can get around independently.

All advice great appreciated

mouseymousey99

Your Dad needs to ask his GP. They can refer him to an assessment office (usually at the hospital) where someone can sort out the best type for him.
Sorry don't know much about cars.

justlikethat_2

Sorry I have no personal experience of small cars as we have a VW transporter but while I have been looking for a wheelchair accessible vehicle for my daughter I did notice several adaptations with pulley systems etc. to make it earier to load the folded up chair into the boot of ordinary cars.

Even if you are not able to claim the mobility part of DLA check out the motability site for links to companies that do adaptations to cars http://www.motabilitycarscheme.co.uk/main.cfm?Type=CAPI

One simple example of a pulley system can be found at http://www.adaptacar.co.uk/manual.htm but there are loads of others depending on the type of car.

One type of car to consider might be one of the many similar to the Citroen Berlingo where you can get a split rear door which might make loading a chair easier. Again check out the Motability site for lists of their approved convertors but bear in mind there are many others who do not supply vehicles on the Motability scheme and so won't be listed there.

Biggles

You mention 'taking the chair apart' but all that happens with most wheelchairs is that you just fold them shut in one swift movement and pop them in the boot, it's very quick and they're pretty light. Obviously, you need to avoid any particularly heavy ones or ones that don't fold, and to find out the typical folded measurements to compare with boot sizes of cars you might be interested in, but for smaller boots I think you'll find that the wheelchair seat back will also come off.

white_rose_jax

I have just bought a new wheelchair. I have been looking around for ages for a lightweight chair which didn`t have to be taken apart every time we got in the car. I eventually found the Karma `Dove` which weighs only 10 kgs. You just pull the seat up to fold it. The back fold down and the footrests swing away. The self-propelling wheels are smaller than usual and can be removed at the press of a button. It will fit in the smallest of cars with the wheels off. My local high street shop had it priced at £499. I got it for £250 from
www.worldofwheelchairs.co.uk they have free delivery and I got it in 2 days. If this sounds like an advert, I have no connection with the Company I am just delighted with it!

Savvy_Sue

The rather ugly Toyota Yaris Verso is often valued by wheelchair users because it is easy to put a wheelchair in standing upright rather than lying on its side.

parapusher

I can put my partner's Quickie wheelchair in the back of my Vauxhall Agila, without taking it apart. It's a large one, 29 inches wide. I do have to lift it in, fortunately I'm quite strong! That's with the back seat down, so no room for passengers.

finnigan

Try here http://www.ricability.org.uk/index.aspx

simpywimpy

can recommend davinci wheelchairs in liverpool for anyone younger wanting a sporty type model. They do adaptations to cars as well and am sure will offer advice.

For a basic lightweight chair cheaper you could look in your local paper, people buy and sell them all the time, or even ebay.

If you're in the north west area, I can even let you have one!

daisygirl_2

simpywimpy wrote: »

can recommend davinci wheelchairs in liverpool for anyone younger wanting a sporty type model. They do adaptations to cars as well and am sure will offer advice.

For a basic lightweight chair cheaper you could look in your local paper, people buy and sell them all the time, or even ebay.

If you're in the north west area, I can even let you have one!

Hi Simpywimpy, are you offering me a freebie wheelchair?!;)

Thanks for you advice, will check out the papers as keeping an eye out of a motability scooter aswell.

Biggles

daisygirl wrote: »

Hi Simpywimpy, are you offering me a freebie wheelchair?!

Are you saying you've asked the GP to refer you to OT, as MouseyMousey suggested, and they've refused to provide a free wheelchair? It's not usually a problem, there's no way you should need to buy one unless it's specialised in some way.