If you are ready to purchase a wheelchair accessible van or car you may find that the range of choices and options available seem a little overwhelming.
Thinking about the following questions and areas for discussion with your chosen provider might help to make the process feel a little less daunting.
Firstly, consider the purchasing and financing options available to you. For accessible vehicles, as with any vehicle purchase, you must be clear about your budget and remember that adaptations and conversions are likely to include costs on top of the initial cost of the vehicle. You may prefer to buy outright for a longer term investment, or you may be using the Motability scheme in which payments are made from your Motability allowance.
If you do deserve to purchase outright, make sure you are clear about the warranty provided, what it covers and for how long. Ask the dealer what warranties they give on the work they do.
If you’re buying a pre-fitted mobility vehicle, it’s possible that some alterations and tweaks will be needed. If you find out what adaptations and installations the seller offers, you’ll be aware of any additional work that the vehicle needs (or that you want), whether you need to go elsewhere for that work, and then you’ll be able to manage your budget accordingly.
If you’re purchasing a previously owned vehicle, you need to be aware of any underlying problems, and a standard vehicle history report probably won’t communicate that. Ask the seller if they’ve inspected the vehicle and its conversion components, what the inspection involved, and if they found any issues.
Remember that WAVCA PAS accreditations offer both manufacturers and potential customers guidance on design and build specification for wheelchair accessible vehicles and guidelines for those selling new WAVs, so it may be worth asking the provider what accreditations they have.
Don’t be afraid to have an honest and informative discussion with the dealer. Dedicated wheelchair accessible vehicle providers should offer outstanding customer service and specialist knowledge to ensure you get the vehicle you need.
With over 20 years experience producing and selling wheelchair accessible vehicles in the UK, you can be sure that we can offer excellent customer service with a level of knowledge that is completely unrivalled.