Category Archives: Ramps and lifts

Ramp and lift controls for wheelchair van and vehicle users in New England, Boston MA

Trade In a Vehicle Towards a Wheelchair Van

cash paid for your wheelchair van

VMi New England Mobility Center accepts trade-in vehicles toward the purchase of an wheelchair accessible van. Get a trade-in quote with some of the best rates in the mobility industry. Update your current wheelchair van, or trade in a car, truck, minivan, full-size van, sports car, or accessible vehicle towards a new or used handicap accessible ramp van. We use a variety of modern up to date appraisal tools, including Kelley Blue Book, NADA, and the Manheim Market Report. We will assess your vehicle’s trade-in value and provide you with a great offer towards the purchase of new wheelchair van or a used handicap van with new or used conversion.

Trade In Vehicle Requirements

We will accept virtually all non-modified vehicles that are preferably under 10 years old with odometers at 100,000 miles or less. You can also trade in a converted mobility vehicle from Braun, VMI, Rollx, and, even a AMS converted handicap vans.

Submit Your Vehicle’s Information
The first step is to call or email us about your trade. The basic information you provide helps our mobility consultants create the best trade-in deal possible for you. Be sure you include the correct VIN and mileage, and submit photos of your vehicle.

Trade-in Inspection
A mobility consultant will typically give a trade-in quote as soon as your vehicle is brought in for inspection. After a price is agreed upon, we will write you a check. For nationwide customers, we will pick up your trade-in at the time that we deliver your new or used handicap van.

All trade-in offers are based on a first hand inspection, and if a vehicle isn’t represented accurately, we reserve the right to withdraw the offer once the vehicle is personally inspected by our evaluator.

cinemAbility disAbility, film, and changing society

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If art is a reflection of life, than we should look to film to examine the progress we’ve made and the lessons we’ve learned about inclusion.

That’s exactly what a new documentary titled CinemAbility, which premiered in Los Angeles last week, seeks to do. The film, sponsored by BraunAbility and produced and directed by Jenni Gold, a longtime friend and customer, takes a detailed look at the evolution of disability in entertainment. As a wheelchair user who lives with muscular dystrophy, she was the perfect catalyst to set the project in motion.

She brought a few well-known friends along for help, including celebrities like Jamie Foxx, William H. Macy, Ben Affleck and Beau Bridges. All shared their experiences with disability in film or television and any pre-conceived notions they had about playing such a character.

Unbeknownst to each, the actors and actresses were asked the same question: What is the first portrayal of a disability that you remember in entertainment? Answers ranged from a blind Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark to Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot to Tom Cruise in Born on the 4^th of July.

The common theme among each interview: we need more. We’ve come a long way from the days of black and white Charlie Chaplin films when people with physical disabilities were portrayed as carnival freak show entertainment. Hollywood doesn’t always get it right, however, and many of the industry’s notable actors, actresses and directors are intentionally seeking to change that.

CinemAbility premiered Friday, July 26^th, which was, appropriately, the 23^rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For a list of cities that will show the film on its national tour, visit www.cinemability.com or follow CinemAbility on Facebook.

The Ralph Braun Foundation enters new Grant Cycle

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The Ralph Braun Foundation will be opening a new funding cycle on August 1, 2013. The two month time period will be operated similarly to the past cycles with the application process closing on September 30th. The grants are awarded to those who have most of their funding secured and just need a little additional help to meet their goal.

The Ralph Braun Foundation has been awarding grants for three years with 12-15 grants being awarded annually.

Ralph Braun

The entire application process must be completed online. The application must be filled out completely and all attachments sent electronically with the application. We will be funding mobility transportation equipment such as new or used accessible vehicles, wheelchair lifts, car-top wheelchair carriers, scooter lifts, access seats, etc. Eligible products may be funded at 25% of the cost with a grant cap of $5000.

All applicants must be working with a NMEDA (National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association) certified mobility dealer to determine and quote the proper product to meet their needs.

The grant applications will be reviewed after the process closes on September 30, 2013, and grant award letters will be sent on October 15, 2013. All purchases must be completed and checks sent to dealers by December 15, 2013. Please read all application rules and fill out applications completely and submit your completed application along with all requested attachments together. We are looking forward to receiving many good applications again this cycle and assisting several people with their purchases.

The Ralph Braun Foundation was created in honor of what Ralph stood for, ability for all. The Ralph Braun Foundation exists as an entity outside of BraunAbility. Funds from the grant can be used towards any mobility need from any manufacturer.

Copies of Ralph’s autobiography, “Rise Above” can be purchased from the foundation. The foundation graciously accepts donations on their site as well.

The application can be found here.

are you looking to trade or sell your wheelchair van?

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Used Conversion Vans and

Non-Adaptive Autos Can be Used Toward a Down Payment

We often get phone calls or e-mails asking if we take trade-ins — or if we’re interested in purchasing a used accessible van. In some cases, the trade-in vehicle is a non-adaptive regular automobile, van, SUV or truck. The answer in all cases is yes. For trade-ins, we can give you a fair market value for your adaptive and non-adaptive vehicle. The trade-in vehicle can be used toward a down payment on any new or used wheelchair van for sale. We do all the paperwork on your trade-in as part of the financing process. All you need is the title.

If you’re looking to trade in your current wheelchair van or looking to sell one that is no longer being used, contact us online here. We can often have a representative in your area respond within 24 hours. Live on-site inspections and a test drive by one of our technicians may be required before a final assessment and offer can be made.

What If I don’t Live Near One of Your Locations?

If you live outside of our service area and have a converted van for sale, we have national buying specialists who handles all of our out-of-area used vehicle purchases.

vmi to deliver honda odyssey with northstar to local heroes contest winner, steve herbst

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PHOENIX, Ariz. – August 6, 2013 – Vantage Mobility International (VMI), a leader in the manufacturing and distribution of wheelchair accessible, full-size and minivan conversions, will deliver a 2013 Honda Odyssey Touring Edition with VMI Northstar conversion on August 7, 2013, at MobilityWorks in Villa Park, Ill., to Steve Herbst, a winner of the 2013 Local Heroes Contest.

The Local Heroes Contest, which provides an opportunity for people with disabilities to win a wheelchair accessible vehicle, attracted over two million people who submitted and voted for their Local Hero. The contest is a part of National Mobility Awareness Month and championed by the National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA). Herbst, a Palatine, Ill., resident was identified as one of three winners in May.

“Being a part of the Local Heroes Contest is a special way for VMI to help raise awareness of the amazing people in our communities who live with disabilities,” said Monique McGivney, director of corporate communication at VMI. “It also gives us the opportunity to help deserving families, like the Herbsts, enjoy greater independence with a wheelchair accessible van that meets their specific needs. I’m confident the 2013 Honda Odyssey Touring Edition with VMI Northstar conversion, which has been customized specifically for Steve, will make a positive difference in his life.”

The black 2013 Honda Odyssey Touring Edition with VMI Northstar conversion includes the following standard features:

Maximum interior space for wheelchair maneuverability
SURE DEPLOY backup system allows users to stow or deploy the mobility ramp van conversion even in the event of complete power failure
Wider, usable accessible ramp surface with an ultra-low, 8.0 degree accessible ramp angle with 800lb. wheelchair ramp capacity
Easily accessible interior buttons, handles and switches
Obstruction-free doorway allows easy entry/exit for able-bodied passengers

“The Local Heroes Contest couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Herbst. “I lost the ability to drive my previous vehicle shortly before we heard about the contest. Throughout the contest we had tremendous support from friends, family and co-workers. We received almost 38,000 votes, which is very humbling to think about. We’re especially grateful to VMI for being a part of this contest and providing us with their Honda Odyssey with their in-floor ramp, which was customized with the hand controls that will allow me to drive again. VMI’s generosity will help me regain my independence and stay involved in the community, which are very important to me and my family.”