Can anyone tell me which vans are suited for driving directly from a wheelchair? The only one that I have read about is the Chrysler Voyager which allows you to wheel up a small ramp and place your chair behind the steering wheel ready for driving. Are there any others that are equally suitable for this kind of adaptation?
I had to stop driving a car because spasms caused my legs to kick up and jam under the steering wheel. But I figure that if I stay in my chair (with legs strapped), then I should be able to drive a van without that problem.

Any suggestions?

I drive a Dodge Caravan. It is a smooth ride and you wheel up a ramp and drive under the steering wheel. I use Ez-Lock to lock myself in

Since you live in France, it's hard to answer.

You need to check with a conversion company to see what vehicles can be converted with the equipment you need. There are specifications of the vehicle that have to be considered depending on what equipment you need.

My husband became accustomed to driving a full size van with a Ricon lift and he would go in backwards and transfer to his Ricon 6-way swivel seat. He drove that 21 year old van for 18 years and when it came time to get a new one, he was told he would be able to get a minivan with a lift. But there were only certain minivans that could handle the equipment he needed. Even though an OT was involved, that deal turned out to be a huge mistake. The sales woman for the van conversion company told us a side lift would fit on a Chrysler Town & Country. So after we received confirmation that all equipment needed would work on this vehicle, we paid cash for the new van and after the van was converted and my husband went to except it, he wasn't able to get into the vehicle b/c they installed a child's lift and my husbands adult narrow manual wheelchair wouldn't fit. I called Braun the makers of the lift and they don't recommend installing a side lift on a minivan b/c of suspension issues. Fortunately, the State was paying for the conversion and we had used their vendors (both O.T. and Conversion Company) and we were able to get our money back b/c the State bought the van. It took a year to get our money back, but we finally bought a full-size Ford van with a lift and swivel seat and a bunch of other items he needed and it's great.

The second conversion company we used is owned by an engineer who is a quad and he has a lot of options for his customers as far as what can be converted with what equipment. I thought ramps could only be used on minivans, but we saw a car (forgot the make & model) that had a ramp installed and it was ready for the driver to use from his wheelchair. I suggest you do a lot of research before you invest the money. Don't rely on car dealers to tell you either. When we first checked around ourselves, a salesman for a car dealer told us he confirmed a lift would fit in their model minivan, but when we checked into it further, we found that even though the side door was wide enough for a lift, the suspension of the van could not handle the lift and the person on it and also the lift the salesman checked into was the one made for a child.

Good luck.

Choosing a wheelchair van on your own is asking for problems. You should discuss with an evaluator first before making this kind of decision. Remember you will be paying thousands of dollars for a van. Don't you want to make sure that you have the best van for your needs?

For example, in the USA there is Association for Driver Rehabilitation Specialists (ADED). You can find an accredited evaluator from their website. You can read this article for more information about selecting wheelchair vans.

Thanks for the advice.
My reason for posting this question was just of find out which models are most often used, and most easily converted for driving from a wheelchair, and in particular which makes/models are most used in Europe. Once I have an idea of the choices, I will be better able to find the one that suits me best. So far the only models I have heard of seem to be by American manufacturers such as Chrysler or Dodge. Which European ones can be converted? For example, I have seen a VW van that looks like it could be a possibility for conversion but have never heard of anyone with one.

Please list any recommendations. Thanks.

Hi,

This is probably more in line of what you are looking for, as there are a few European adapted vans suitable for driving from a wheelchair.

http://www.jubileeauto.net/mobilitynew.php

Regards

Simon

Thanks Simon. This site looks good and the Suzuki Life car looks great. Will try to find out if it is available in France.

Hello
I have a 1996 diesel Ford Transit mk5 SWB automatic minibus which I drive from a wheelchair,
I have a automatic tail lift,tie downs and push/pull handcontrols,
I know Ford Transit made a mk5 automatic up to 2001 in various wheelbases and then from 2002 mk 6 has a LWB diesel automatic minibus and vans which you can drive from as wheelchair. and also Mercedes Sprinter and the VW Transporter T5 you can drive from a wheelchair ,
regards cosmo.

I have found out that it should be possible to get an adapted Diahatsu Materia Motion car later this year in France. It looks perfect, a bit like a miniature London taxi! At the moment it is available in Italy but it seems negotiations are underway to set it up for France too. It might just be the answer for me.

HI,
I just read your post about the EZ-Lock. I have been trying to decide if I want that or just transfer into my Dodge Caravan seat. Is it true that your wheelchair can't be folded if you use the EZ-lock? If you need someone to move the van, how do they drive it?
Thanks.
Phil G.

I've had two Braun conversion vans and have test driven many. I can confidently state that the Toyota is by FAR the best for many reasons and can advise on NOT to get a rear entry van.