Top Complaints About Wheelchair Vans

Over the course of the past year, more and more consumers have looked to shopping online for everything from household essentials and groceries to a new or used vehicle. And yes you probably guessed, this also includes new and used wheelchair van sales. And, as more and more companies have answered the call to moving their operations online, they are wanting to put their best foot forward with their first impression. For many companies, this means showcasing only their best customer reviews and experiences.

But, when you have been in the business as long as we have been, you know that reviews that are hand-picked for a website don’t always paint the full picture. That is why we link our reviews page directly to all the major third-party review websites, so potential customers can get the full picture (but that’s another story for another post). So, what don’t wheelchair van companies want you to know about wheelchair vans? We put together a list of the top complaints we have heard from customers or potential customers about wheelchair vans. In this post we will take a look at these complaints and then share how we have addressed or continue to address these complaints.

Top Complaints About Wheelchair Vans (In General)

As with any industry, there are bound to be some generalized complaints with a product across the board. Here the top general grievances as they pertain to the industry as a whole:

Not being able to find a full size van with AWD.

Customers who wanted the space of a full size van, but the drivability of all wheel drive (AWD), have often been told they had to choose one over the other.

Not being able to drive from their wheelchair.

We hear this complaint from new customers a lot. Some wheelchair van manufacturers simply don’t allow for enough space in the front section of the vehicle for a wheelchair to fit in the driver or front passenger seat positions, which only allows a wheelchair user to ride in the center of the vehicle cabin. Additionally, for full size GMC vans, many wheelchair van manufacturers only raise the roof and they don’t lower the floor of the vehicle, which doesn’t allow for the headroom necessary for a wheelchair user to drive from their wheelchair.

Poor drivability compared to unconverted vehicles.

Converting a standard van into a wheelchair van by lowering and reinforcing the floor and adding height to the door, among other conversion steps, changes the structure of the vehicle. This can cause the vehicle to feel like it drives differently on the road and is often a complaint of wheelchair users.

Too much noise within the interior cabin of the vehicle.

Much like the structural changes affect drivability, they also affect interior cabin noise levels, as well. When combined with the addition of a ramp and other conversion features, the cabin in many wheelchair vans is louder than a standard vehicle.