Would like ideas in preparation for a new car purchase
Connor is 4.5, just started steroids and currently has a Convaid adaptive stroller. I maybe have 1 year left in our subcompact car. We want our next car to be economical before we have to be concerned about a handicapped accessible mini-van - this is assuming Connor will eventually need a scooter or power-chair.
So, at what age for your child did you find that a car choice required consideration of accessible equipment, like the scooter, power-chair or other?
Thanks!
P.S. I'm trying to assess whether or not to take advantage of the low monthly payment leases so that we can put the rest of the "would be monthly" purchase payment in the bank to get ready for the accessible mini-van. Example, I can find leases at around $250 per month or buy at $550per month. If I lease, then I can put the savings of $300 per month into a bank account which gives me about $10.8K over 3 years to put a down-payment on the insane prices of the accessible mini-vans
So, at what age for your child did you find that a car choice required consideration of accessible equipment, like the scooter, power-chair or other?
Thanks!
P.S. I'm trying to assess whether or not to take advantage of the low monthly payment leases so that we can put the rest of the "would be monthly" purchase payment in the bank to get ready for the accessible mini-van. Example, I can find leases at around $250 per month or buy at $550per month. If I lease, then I can put the savings of $300 per month into a bank account which gives me about $10.8K over 3 years to put a down-payment on the insane prices of the accessible mini-vans
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Keith Van Houten on
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We're considering equipment hauling needs now, at age 10, for our next vehicle.
If you decide to buy a new GM vehicle (Chevy, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac), let me know. I can offer you the Supplier Discount for Friends. My wife and I both work for GM in Detroit.
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Permalink Reply by Susan Rathfelder on
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My son is 18 (he'll be 19 in two weeks) and we just replaced our mid sized 2000 GMC Safari for a full sized Ford E250 van with a lift because he just got his full power chair last year. The Safari (which they stopped making a few years ago) was great. My father built a set of steps so Jon could get in and it held his manual/power assist chair just great. He started using the manual/power assist chair when he was 14. I had a Chrysler Town and Country rental for a week after my accident and it worked okay as well. The only problem was that the seats were a little too far in from the door to make getting in and out easy. My daughter has a '95 Blazer and that worked really well also, except for the fact that we had to lay the wheelchair down and that was a little awkward for me. My hubby drives a '97 Camaro and that is frankly useless (as a family car :) ), Jon hasn't been able to get in and out of that since he was 10 and there is no way a wheel chair would fit.
We have 3 kids and that was a factor in our buying both the Safari and the full-sized Ford. We bought the Safari just about three months before Jon was diagnosed, so we just made do with it until we had to replace it.
Susan
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Permalink Reply by lisa burke on
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Thank you for the comment about maybe never needing it Jenn. It's little reminders of the progress being made to beat this disease that keep me (and others I think) going. It may seem like a small thing, but it means a lot to me. So thank you again.
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Permalink Reply by Ann Avery on
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We started out with a full sized Ford van with a Braun side lift.(it swung into the van sideways and I don't think they make it anymore) Once Roy had his back surgery(age 18) he was taller and couldn't get into that van at all as there was no room for his wheelchair to recline with that particular lift. We used a make-shift very steep ramp until our Dodge Caravan had been converted. We also could take the bus. At that time (1999) the van cost $22,000 and the conversion was about the same. We are now saving to buy a new vehicle in about 2 years time. Roy is on a state program for working disabled where he can save about $10,000 per year towards a conversion, but not towards cost of the van itself. Roy also makes money from his job as a software engineer and he is saving for the van itself. We realize how fortunate we are that our son with DMD can work full-time--I know this is not the standard but the exception. But as THE CURE comes around for the younger boys, more of them will do the usual "grown-up things" like work and marry and so on. And maybe a van designed specifically for wheelchair transport will be designed by then. Hope is paramount.
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Permalink Reply by Laurie Paschal on
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I've always had a minivan with Sam. Got one when I had my daughter. I find this better than an SUV as it's a little lower and easier for him to get in and out of himself. It's also great for holding his scooter (he's 7). My husband use to have a smaller car and Sam had more trouble getting in and out of that than the van because of the step down into it.
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Permalink Reply by Liisa Underwood on
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This is very helpful! Keith, your offer is awesome! We had not had any GM cars on the radar yet. We'll take a look at get back to you. Very much appreciate it!
For those whose son's had scooters at 7, what factors motivated you to get the scooter? Did your son and/or you feel the wheelchair was too early, the adaptive stroller was too young for him, absolutely needs it, more convenient, etc? While this is a tangent, it still will help me with consideration of a vehicle.
Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Karen on
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Hi
Our son was walking well in the 5th grade, but his classroom was at the other end of the building from the playground and it would take him all recess to get out there and turn around to get back. He was slow but steady. It was also a long ways to the cafeteria. We got the scooter to get him from place to place and then he would get off and enter the classroom or outside. He used it for 3 years, until he broke his leg and couldn't get around. We charged it overnight in the school office. You could take it apart to transport, but the sections were a bit heavy. We brought it home for vacations.
We got an E-350 with a lift when our son was 13.
Liisa Underwood said:This is very helpful! Keith, your offer is awesome! We had not had any GM cars on the radar yet. We'll take a look at get back to you. Very much appreciate it!
For those whose son's had scooters at 7, what factors motivated you to get the scooter? Did your son and/or you feel the wheelchair was too early, the adaptive stroller was too young for him, absolutely needs it, more convenient, etc? While this is a tangent, it still will help me with consideration of a vehicle.
Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by jenn on
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we got a scooter because austins little brother also has duchenne, and i couldnt push two manual chairs, also at a ppmd conference we were encouraged by the PT to keep austin as independant as possible so he didn't need to have an adult help him around
Karen said:Hi
Our son was walking well in the 5th grade, but his classroom was at the other end of the building from the playground and it would take him all recess to get out there and turn around to get back. He was slow but steady. It was also a long ways to the cafeteria. We got the scooter to get him from place to place and then he would get off and enter the classroom or outside. He used it for 3 years, until he broke his leg and couldn't get around. We charged it overnight in the school office. You could take it apart to transport, but the sections were a bit heavy. We brought it home for vacations.
We got an E-350 with a lift when our son was 13.
Liisa Underwood said:This is very helpful! Keith, your offer is awesome! We had not had any GM cars on the radar yet. We'll take a look at get back to you. Very much appreciate it!
For those whose son's had scooters at 7, what factors motivated you to get the scooter? Did your son and/or you feel the wheelchair was too early, the adaptive stroller was too young for him, absolutely needs it, more convenient, etc? While this is a tangent, it still will help me with consideration of a vehicle.
Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Jo-Anne on
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Hey Keith, wish you lived in Aussie, could do with that one of these days. We have to look at getting a vehicle for Kevin sometime later this year. Have a great day!!!!!
Keith Van Houten said:We're considering equipment hauling needs now, at age 10, for our next vehicle.
If you decide to buy a new GM vehicle (Chevy, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac), let me know. I can offer you the Supplier Discount for Friends. My wife and I both work for GM in Detroit.
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Jo-Anne said:Hey Keith, wish you lived in Aussie, could do with that one of these days. We have to look at getting a vehicle for Kevin sometime later this year. Have a great day!!!!!
I think I can get a discount on a Holden. Let me know if any of those interest you and I'll check.
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