Category Archives: Mobility

Mobility needs for wheelchair users including wheelchair vans, ramps, foot and hand controls.

State of the art Auto Body Repairs for Wheelchair Vans in New England

Expert MA, RI, CT, VT, NH and Maine wheelchair van pait work

State of the art Wheelchair Van Auto Body Repairs

Our certified team of body and paint specialists will bring your wheelchair van or mobility vehicle back to its pre-accident condition using the most sophisticated technology and the finest in factory finish paints.

For more than 30 years, the crew at VMi New England Mobility Center has been servicing and repairing mobility vans including auto body collision work. As a locally owned facility, we provide you with affordable options. We also believe in fast, punctual service, so we don’t leave you waiting forever when you need to get back on the road as quickly as possible.

We’re quick to respond to your inquiries, and we can often offer same-day service from certified expert technicians. We handle foreign and domestic wheelchair van repair, and some of our services include:

Auto glass replacement
Auto body and dent repair
Towing service

Our goal at VMi New England Mobility Collision Center is to make it the most advanced facility for our customers as well as our employees. Downdraft spraybooths and individual prep stations allow our factory trained ASE certified autobody technicians to give your vehicle the attention it deserves in a clean and pleasant environment. If the damage to your vehicle is severe, At Our Mobility Collision Center we have the best frame racks available, which pull and stretch your vehicle back to factory specifications!

When it’s in New England and mobility van auto body repairs that you need, The Mobility Collision Center in Bridgewater, MA is one of the top shops to call. We’re here Monday – Friday and we’ll work by appointment on the weekends. Contact us today to request your sound estimate 508-697-6006.

Save Big When Purchasing a Dodge Wheelchair Van

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2013 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT VMI Northstar DR552571 front right side
You’ve found the ideal Dodge wheelchair van to meet your needs and now it’s time to determine exactly how you’re going to pay for the vehicle. Here are some things you can do to improve the buying experience.

Are You Purchasing from a Dodge mobility dealer?

If you’re buying a new Dodge wheelchair van, you’ll want to consider these pointers before you even think about opening your wallet.

Time is everything.
You can get the best possible prices on a vehicle in the last two weeks of December and between July and October. If you can hold off on a purchase until one of these date ranges, you’ll pay less.

Do your research.
You can pay less for a new vehicle if you do your homework. Know what other dealers are doing and seek out the best possible deals. Knowing what’s happening in the market can give you real negotiating leverage.

Don’t limit your choices.
You don’t need to restrict your choices to the vehicles on the lot. You can have a mobility dealer order the wheelchair van you want and those vehicles that come from the factory shouldn’t cost you a penny more than the ones that are already at the dealership.

Are You Purchasing from an individual?

Paying for a used Caravan, Grand Caravan sold by an disabled individual or caregiver can pose a few unique challenges. Keep the following advice in mind:

Be careful with cash.
Unless you personally know the seller, you should be cautious about showing up anywhere with a large quantity of cash on your person.

Be prepared to pay with a cashier’s check or money order. Many individual sellers will be wary about accepting a personal check from a buyer.

Stay away from wiring money.
Don’t utilize services like Western Union or Moneygram to buy a used wheelchair van. These outlets are often used in fraudulent activity and may not provide you with adequate protection.

Exercise caution.
If you’re considering using an escrow or shipping service when paying for your Dodge wheelchair van. Many people have lost their money due to criminal behavior on the part of those claiming to offer a legitimate service.

Are You Paying for Dodge Wheelchair Van Conversion?

Buying the underlying vehicle may only be part of your plans. If you’ll be paying for modifications, as well, consider the following:

Look for assistance.
Your state’s Department of Vocational Rehabilitation or development services offices may have a program to provide financial assistance for wheelchair van conversions. The Veteran’s Administration may be able to help vets qualify for funding.

Check with your insurance.
Depending upon your personal situation, you health or worker’s compensation insurance may provide benefits that will pay for part, or all, of the necessary modifications. Thoroughly investigate the opportunity.

Talk with your Dodge dealer.
Some dealers can actually wrap the financing of your mobility package up with your vehicle loan. You’ll end up with a single payment and you may save money on the interest rate in the process.

Get a prescription.
If you can get a doctor’s prescription for your planned modifications, you may be able to exempt the expense from sales tax. If you’re not responsible for those taxes, you’ll be spending less money.

Buying a Dodge wheelchair van requires a little bit of planning, thinking and investigation. If you follow these recommendations, paying for a Caravan, Grand Caravan or Sprinter should be more enjoyable and less expensive.

Paying for Toyota Wheelchair Vans

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Toyota Wheelchair Van Payment Considerations
You’ve found the perfect Sienna. Now you need to think about how you’re going to pay for your Toyota wheelchair van. Different situations call for different actions. Here are some tips that can help you make the payment process easier whether you’re working with a dealer, an individual seller or need to pay for additional wheelchair van modifications.

When purchasing from a Toyota mobility dealer, you want to take smart actions that will protect you against paying too much for your wheelchair van. Here are a few ideas:

Buy at the right time.
Did you know that you can get the best deals during the last few weeks of the year and during the months of July through September? Prices tend to be lower during those periods.

Resist the extras.

Your Toyota dealer will undoubtedly offer you extra features and protections. Some may be great investments. Others may be unnecessary. Be smart and resist sales pitches for the extras you don’t need.

Know the market.
Investigate what other dealers are doing and what is happening overall in the marketplace. Knowledge is power. That information will protect you from paying too much and can help you negotiate the best possible deal.

When purchasing your Toyota wheelchair van from a private seller, you’ll want to use a cashier’s check from your bank or a money order. This protects both parties and avoids risks associated with the three most common alternatives.

Sellers don’t want your personal check. You’re not the only person who will want to make paying for your Toyota wheelchair van safe and convenient. The seller will be interested in protecting himself or herself, too. A personal check requires a leap of faith on the part of the seller. He or she probably won’t take it.

Cash is too risky.
You don’t want to pay for your vehicle in cash. It doesn’t create a paper trail and it’s simply unsafe to visit someone you don’t really know with a large quantity of cash on your person.

Moneygrams and Western Union are not a good idea. These services exist so that people who know one another can send money in a pinch. They’re poorly designed for transactions like this. Additionally, these services are frequently used by those who are less interested in getting you a nice Sienna and more interested in robbing you!

Paying for your Toyota wheelchair van may be only part of a bigger picture. You may also need to pay for conversions to the vehicle in order to make it a perfect wheelchair van for you. Here are a few considerations to keep in mind when paying for conversions.

Look for “free” money.
Before you spend your own money on conversions, find out if you’re eligible for any government assistance. You should also check with your health insurance or worker’s compensation insurance to find out if your situation will compel them to pick up part of the overall modification bill.

Work with the dealer.
In many cases, your Toyota dealer can include the costs associated with wheelchair van modifications into your auto loan. That leaves you with only one monthly payment and may allow you to finance equipment and conversion services at a lower interest rate.

Visit your doctor. See your doctor and find out if you can get a written prescription for your wheelchair adaptations. If you have a prescription, you may be exempt from paying sales tax on your conversion.

Following recommendations like these can make paying for your Toyota less expensive and more convenient.

Tips to Save Money When Converting Honda Wheelchair Vans

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New and Used Honda Odyessey wheelchair accessible vans for sale at VMi New England Mobility Center
Transforming a Honda Odyssey into an ideal wheelchair accessible van can be an overwhelming experience. Not only are you making important decisions, you are also confronting hefty price tags.

Conversions are not cheap. That is not just true with Honda vehicles either. The process involved in taking a “factory” vehicle and transforming it into safe, smart, reliable wheelchair transportation vehicle is a major undertaking. You will be dealing with skilled professionals who use the best possible equipment–and who expect to be compensated accordingly.

Fortunately, you can do a few things to keep your bill down. Your Honda wheelchair van will never be a “steal,“ but it can feel like a bargain if you follow these recommendations.

Proper Needs Assessment
You should undergo an evaluation from a licensed professional before making a purchase. They will give you a full report of the adaptations you will need in a wheelchair vehicle. They will also talk with you about those different options and what you must have, comparing that to other options.

In some cases, that report may say you will need a ramp. Obviously, you should follow the recommendation. However, the report may leave some discretion in terms of what ramp you will want to buy. Do you really need a full power option or could you function with a spring-assisted ramp? The goal here is to select adaptations that meet your needs while avoiding overspending on those that exceed your actual needs.

Remember, the average wheelchair van may only last ten years. That means you are buying the Odyssey you need now. You are not trying to “have all the bases covered” for your later years. This is not a lifetime decision.

Understanding Funding and Financing Options
You should look for every available source of funding assistance for your Honda wheelchair van. Are you eligible for a federal or state program that can help reduce costs? Is there a mobility rebate available? Did you serve in the military and follow-up on potential Veteran’s Administration assistance? Will your health insurance or worker’s compensation coverage help with the conversion bill? You may or may not find ways to decrease costs, but it is definitely worth a long look.

If you are financing, you should be certain you are getting the best possible deal on your loan. You can get financing for a Honda wheelchair van from your bank, an auto finance company, a home equity loan or a variety of other sources. You should be choosing the best option available. If you have not yet purchased your Odyssey, talk with your Honda wheelchair van dealer. They may be able to bundle the price of your conversions into your auto loan.

Shop Wisely
You should do extensive comparison shopping before making decisions about your disability equipment dealer and conversion manufacturer. You do not want to cut corners on quality or safety to save money, but you do want to be sure that you are getting the best possible deal from qualified professionals.

Making wise equipment selections based on your actual needs, investigating all funding and financing options and being a motivated, well-informed shopper who’s willing to negotiate can help you find the best possible deal.

With a little extra effort, you may be able to dramatically decrease the amount of money you spend on your Honda wheelchair van.

Adaptive Driving Aids: Reduced Effort Modifications

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Experienced users of adaptive driving aids, as well as those who have just been introduced to them, will appreciate the depth of experience and the number of options available to them here at VMi New England Mobility Center and Automotive Innovations, Inc.

Adaptive driving aids are as diverse as the people who use them, but they do fall into several distinct categories; basic driving aids, reduced effort modifications and advanced driving controls.

Reduced Effort Modifications

Reduced effort modifications are used in conjunction with hand controls and other adaptations to reduce the physical strength required to perform the operations of braking and steering. Reduced effort braking and reduced effort steering are modification packages that make the steering wheel or brake pedal easier to turn or push. The level of assistance or “reduced-effort” is adjusted to the level prescribed by the driving rehabilitation specialist, based on the strength of the driver.

Drive-Master’s low effort and no effort braking modifications significantly reduces the required pressure needed to press down on a pedal to brake.
Drive-Master’s reduced effort steering modification reduces the amount of effort it takes to move a steering wheel. There is low effort to no effort available depending on the model of car and tire size.