Tag Archives: Toyota

WIN a Brand New 2015 Toyota Sienna VMI Northstar Access 360 Wheelchair Van!

VMI’s Star Spangled Salute
The 2nd Annual Operation Independence Star Spangled Salute Veteran Contest has now been launched by VMI (Vantage Mobility International) alongside Toyota Motor Sales USA. Enter for your chance to win a brand new 2015 Toyota Sienna with a VMI Access 360 in-floor ramp conversion system.

Eligibility
Only U.S. disabled veterans are eligible to win the free mobility van. If you are a disabled veteran or would like to enter the contest on a veteran’s behalf, simply fill out the form. Only one-entry per household.

Contest Details

Registrar to win a 2015 Toyota VMI Wheelchair Van
Entries must be submitted by 11/09/14
Winner announced Veterans Day, 11/11/14

Important Dates

04/02/2014 – VMI will begin accepting The Star Spangled Salute entries
11/09/2014 – The Star Spangled Salute Entries End
11/11/2014 – VMI will draw and announce The Star Spangled Salute on Veterans Day
12/31/2014 – The Star Spangled Salute Winner MUST claim prize before December 31, 2014

Terms and Conditions:
The 2014 Operation Independence Star Spangled Salute campaign is valid from April 2, 2014 to November 9, 2014 for all Disabled U.S. Veterans.

Winner will be randomly drawn and announced on November 11, 2014 and must show proof of military service. Winner will receive any 2015 Toyota Sienna with the VMI Northstar Conversion; no exceptions will be made.

No purchase necessary. Valid in the United States only. Limit one entry per household. Entries may be made at www.vans4vets.com or by calling 800-488-6148.

If the winner already purchased their Toyota VMI Northstar conversion between April 2, 2014 and November 10, 2014 – they can elect to be reimbursed for their out of pocket cost of the wheelchair accessible Toyota VMI Northstar minivan by December 31, 2014. Reimbursement will be coordinated between VMI and the winner directly if the vehicle was purchased prior to the winner being announced.

Campaign is not valid on any added accessories. Winner is responsible for the payment of applicable taxes and registration fees. Prize must be claimed by December 31, 2014 and is non-transferable. No exceptions will be made.

Service and Repair for Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles and/or Accessible Ramp/Lift?

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Are you having trouble with your wheelchair van, ramp van, braun ability van, vantage mobility van, eldorado, amerivan, ricon lift, braun lift, grey market van, ams Legend, Edge, Edge II, Freedom, FR ?

No Worries We Can Fix It!

Even if you have had other Toyota dealer, Dodge dealer, Ford dealer, Honda dealer or a different adaptive mobility equipment dealer try and fix it. Call us, we can help.

Almost all wheelchair van and lift problems can be attributed to three main things. I would like to talk a little about each one and what you can do to be proactive in preventing problems that could stop your lift from operating.?

Reason Number 1: Operator Error. It may not be P.C. to bring it up, but many issues are caused by the user hurrying, not taking the proper precautions, or simply attempting to operate the van or lift in a situation it is not designed for. Let me expand on this a little.

We all know the obvious things an operator can do wrong. Lowering a lift on to extremely uneven ground or folding a platform into a van door that is not fully opened, if you have manual doors. The things that you need to think about are the issues that aren’t so obvious, but can still cause damage. Things like making sure you fully fold the platform when you are putting it in the stowed position. A lot of times people tend to release the fold switch too soon because the lift makes excessive noise when it cinches tight. Far from being a problem, that noise is a good thing What you’re hearing is the electric actuator “ratcheting,” which tells you that the lift is fully stowed and will not rattle as much while you’re driving. A tightly stowed platform will prevent certain lift components from wearing out prematurely, so be sure to keep the fold button pressed!

Another not-so-obvious issue is to make sure the outer roll stop deploys fully before you exit the platform. Think about it. If you are in a hurry and the roll stop is not completely down on the ground, your weight when rolling off of it is going to put excessive stress on those parts and you could cause problems that are easily avoidable. Even if the tip of the roll stop is up just a little bit, take the time to lower it completely before you exit the platform.?

Reason Number 2: Lack of Maintenance. Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance – I can’t say those words enough! Your dealer should set up a maintenance program for you and your lift should be in their shop for a regular check up at least twice a year. Every lift built after 2005 has a cycle counter on it that will tell us the total number of times you’ve used your lift, and all lifts should be maintained every 750 cycles. This is a short point. All you need to know is that if you don’t maintain your lift, something will eventually stop working!

Reason Number 3: Broken Parts. No matter what the product, we’ve all encountered that unexpected broken part that seems to go bad for no apparent reason. This actually represents a small percentage of wheelchair lift failures, and it can usually be avoided if the van or lift is maintained on a regular basis (see reason #2 above!). A typical situation might be a wiring harness that gets cut by component. This type of issue rarely happens out-of-the-blue, and with routine maintenance your dealer should be able to see the problem starting to occur and fix it before it gets worse.

That about sums it up The bottom line is that a properly operated and maintained wheelchair van or lift should give you years of reliable service. Read your manual and work closely with Automotive Innovations to make sure your lift is ready to go whenever you are. If you have any questions or are having an issue with your wheelchair van or lift feel free to call us at 508-697-6006.

Toyota Mobility Rebate Information

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Toyota Mobility Assistance Program
This program provides cash reimbursement of up to $1,000 of the cost of any aftermarket adaptive equipment or conversion, for drivers and/or passengers, when installed on any eligible purchased or leased new Toyota vehicle.

Under this program, the cash reimbursement will be provided for the exact cost you paid to purchase and install qualifying adaptive driving or passenger equipment for transporting persons with physical disabilities
This offer applies to all purchased or leased new Toyota vehicles

The program also applies to purchasers of the Toyota Factory Installed Auto Access Seat, where the full $1,000 cash reimbursement will be paid directly to you.
Expect to receive payment within 6-8 weeks after all the paperwork is submitted. Incomplete paperwork will delay the payment.

Leased vehicles require advance written lessor approval of adaptive equipment installations.

Only vehicles sold or leased and delivered to a retail customer by an authorized Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc. dealer are eligible under this program.

The adaptive equipment must be installed within 12 months of vehicle purchase or lease.

A Reimbursement Application Form must be submitted to the Toyota Mobility Assistance Center within 90 days of complete installation of adaptive equipment

Qualifying adaptive equipment or conversion is defined as any aftermarket alteration or equipment installation on an eligible Toyota vehicle that provides to the disabled user convenient access and/or the ability to drive the vehicle.

Prepare Your Mobility Equipment For the Colder Weather

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Cold temperatures not only slow wheelchair users down, but can also slow down their vans and accessible equipment. For example, if you use a hydraulic wheelchair lift, you may have noticed that the colder the weather, the slower the lift reacts. The cold thickens the fluid, making it move slower through hoses, valves and cylinders.

There’s not much you can do about that, but preparing other equipment for cold weather is important to help avoid accidents and breakdowns.

If you live in the New England area · call our Mobility Center today (508) 697-8324 · We’ll rust proof your wheelchair accessible vehicle, give you an oil change, tune-up, and/or semi-annual ramp/lift service and have any other accessible equipment checked before the temperature dips. If you ask we can also check your battery, antifreeze level, heater, brakes, defroster and thermostat.

Do It Yourself:

Purchase winter wiper blades that cut through snow and ice.
Keep the gas tank at least half full. It reduces condensation and makes your vehicle easier to start on cold mornings.
Buy tires that have MS, M+S, M/S or M&S on them, meaning they meet the Rubber Manufacturers Association guidelines and can bite through mud and snow.
For better traction and control, rotate tires so the best ones are in the front.
Get an electric engine block heater. It warms the engine so the motor can start. It connects to normal AC power overnight or before driving. In extremely cold climates, electrical outlets are sometimes found in public or private parking lots.
Cold weather is tough on accessible van batteries. Buy one with greater starting power, higher cold cranking amps and reserve capacity for energy when the engine isn’t running.
Use synthetic oil to make starting a cold engine easier.

Before you drive:

Keep rock salt on hand to melt ice off walkways for a safer wheelchair ride.
Clean the snow off the roof and hood so it doesn’t “avalanche” onto the windshield and block your vision.
Clear the head and tail lights for best visibility.
Scrape the ice off mirrors and windows.

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Here at VMi New England Mobility Center and Automotive Innovations we’ll service and repair your wheelchair accessible vehicle and/or equipment even if you didn’t buy it from us! So bring us your mobility van no matter the year (old or new), chassis (Honda, Dodge, Toyota, Ford, Chrysler, excreta..), or conversion (Side Entry, Rear Entry, VMI, Braun, Ricon, Rampvan, Elorado, Amerivan, excreta..)!!

Toyota Sienna wheelchair van Information

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As you search for the wheelchair conversion van that best fits your needs, the number of choices available to you today is likely overwhelming. We can help make that choice easier for you. Whether you’re interested in new or used wheelchair vans, VMi New England Mobility Center can assist you every step along the way.

Deciding which vehicle manufacturer you should choose is one of the most important steps in the purchasing process. Here’s some useful information about new and used Toyota wheelchair vans that you should consider:

Why Choose A Toyota Wheelchair Van?

As soon as the Toyota Sienna Minivan was available, there was a lot of interest generated in using it as a wheelchair conversion van. The good news for Toyota wheelchair van consumers is that from the start, Toyota was working to make the Sienna available with a low-floor wheelchair conversion.

Toyota recognized the potential to broaden Sienna’s market to individuals who are disabled, as well as to the rapidly growing senior population. As a result, Toyota was proactive in seeking out a U.S.-based wheelchair van conversion company to supply this market. Toyota selected Independent Mobility Systems, Inc. (IMS)—located in Farmington, New Mexico—to be their mobility conversion partner because of IMS’ quality manufacturing capabilities and extensive U.S. dealer network. The result was the 2003 IMS Sienna Rampvan.

Conversion Van Features

IMS was purchased by The Braun Corporation in 2004,

Now manufactured by one of the best and largest wheelchair van supplier in the world, the Toyota Sienna with a Vantage Mobility Northstar Conversion is considered one of the premier Toyota wheelchair vans in the industry. This partnership with Toyota has created new wheelchair van manufacturing techniques and processes that have increased quality and shortened lead times, making VMI Northstar and Summit conversions seem like it’s manufactured directly by Toyota. In addition, VMi New England Mobility Center set’s a higher standard than other mobility dealers in the area.

The following are some of the outstanding features of the Toyota Sienna wheelchair van:

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Sienna the highest possible front and side impact crash test ratings.
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy voted the Sienna the “greenest minivan” for its ultra-low emissions and high fuel efficiency.

By combining the Toyota Sienna with Vmi New England’s superior upgrades to the wheelchair conversion process, the Northstar rampvan provides among the safest, most comfortable Toyota handicap vans available today.

More Choices for Toyota Wheelchair Conversion Vans

While Vantage Mobility has been focusing on Side-Entry, Automatic Wheelchair conversions for the Toyota Sienna, other companies have been building Rear Entry Wheelchair Van Conversion with a Manual ramp and door. Some companies have always been exclusively focused on the rear-entry market and their customers were asking for product on the Toyota Sienna platform.

Some people prefer a rear entry wheelchair van because of their parking situation, the environment in which they drive or their budget. With a VMi New England Mobility Center Toyota Sienna, these wheelchair van consumers now have all the benefits of a rear-entry wheelchair conversion van on the Toyota Sienna that they desire.

Models Available for Your Toyota Handicap Conversion Van

Toyota offers 4 Sienna models, and all of them can be converted into a wheelchair accessible minivan:

CE: Toyota quality for the budget conscious consumer
LE: Familiy value with additional option packages
XLE: Well appointed with many standard options included and many more available.
Limited: Includes luxury appointments and standard options for those that desire the finest Toyota Sienna available.

Toyota Models Typically in Inventory

VMi New England Mobility Center works very hard to make sure that we have the Toyota handicap vans that you want in our inventory at our Bridgewater facility. This allows you ample opportunity to see, and drive them and they are available for immediate delivery.

The Toyota Sienna LE and Toyota Sienna XLE are, by far, the most popular models with our customers and we do our best to have these in stock in colors that will please the majority of wheelchair van consumers. For wheelchair van buyers who are seeking the low cost of the Toyota Sienna CE or desire the added features and luxury of the Toyota Sienna XLE, we can place special orders or draw from the inventory of other Mobility Centers across the country.

Depending on availability, we can usually have the exact Toyota handicap van you are looking for within as little as three days.

Toyota Wheelchair Van Conversion Specifications

See the following table for the various conversion options we make available to you for the Toyota Sienna Minivan:

Wheelchair Conversion Vans available on Toyota Sienna
Mobility Conversion Style	Product	Manual/Automatic
Rear-Entry Wheelchair Ramp	Toyota Sienna	Manual Ramp
Side-Entry Fold-up Wheelchair Ramp	Toyota Sienna Summit	Automatic/Power Ramp and Door Conversion Only
Side-Entry In-Floor Wheelchair Ramp	Toyota Sienna Northstar	Automatic/Power Ramp and Door Conversion Only

We are the oldest NMEDA Quality Assured Dealer in MA

We are your local mobility fitment center offering you the best Lowered Floor vans available. We have been the leader in Custom Handicap van fitment for decades in the New England area including the Toyota Sienna, Honda Odyssey, Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country power or manual side entry and power or manual rear entry.

adaptive mobility equipment installations are no problem.

Call us for Veterans resources or to find out more about our FREE to Veterans maintenance program.
We are minutes from Providence RI, not far from Warwick RI, very close to Fall River MA, a short drive from Boston MA, right up the road from Cape Cod MA, in the back yard of Plymouth MA , 20 minutes from Attleboro MA, 45 minutes from Worcester MA, a little farther from Springfield, MA, a short boat ride from Mystic CT, and a short helicopter flight from New Haven CT (call ahead of time if you need space to land your helicopter). Call 506-697-6006 for more info.

Wheelchair vans MA for sales and service. Wheelchair vans RI, MA, CT, NH, VT, ME