New Van Options

[Burgerman]

Centre drive??

Sirus are a waste of time. The ford is too. Too small. You need either one of mine (chrysler) but new model, or toyota version. From VMI or Rollx. Or the VW varavelle with full lowered floor and side entry. Only GMs conversion is any good. The VW Colarado. The others are no good as floor isnt lowered or isnt lowered enough. Of floor space isnt adequate.

I have looked at and tried everything else worth looking at.

[stevelawiw]

Yeah but the VW Caravelle Colorado is 65K+ https://www.gmmobility.co.uk/private-purchase/vw-caravelle-se-colorado-wheelchair-access-vehicle, the Ford Custom Colorado is £55k+ https://www.gmmobility.co.uk/wheelchair-driver-private-purchase/ford-custom-colorado

That Toyota you're on about looks interesting, the Sienna? I'd have to import that from the States tho, how do I go about that? I haven't a clue where to start

[Burgerman]

Well I did mine 13 years ago! Mostly because there was 2 dollars to the pound at that time in 2007. Making the van half the price of a UK one.

Contact the company. Discuss. They drive it onto a rollon rolloff ferry. In my case from canada. And collect at the docks in liverpool. In my case I had bekker mobility collect it. Fit hand controls, and take it for a one off special MOT as an import. It needed a gog light adaptation to pass. And thats was about it from memory. Also seagreen just bought one from VMI canada - a toyota - so maybe PM him.

[Seajays]

i just bought a 2020 Toyota, they are very expensive. List is 96k CDN, I paid 86K CDN

[Burgerman]

Thats 50K in pounds and some bits. Thats 20K cheaper than a fully specced up VW Caravelle from GM (Colarado).

So not actually that bad.

[Seajays]

This Toyota is a lot nicer than my 2013 Honda, VMI has changed the computer system on these new Vans and it is a real improvement. Lots of turning room inside.

[stevelawiw]

What ramp did you choose Seajays, and what model sienna?

[Burgerman]

Segreen bought one two around a year ago from memory in the UK. I think it was a toymotor at least. May be wrong.

Just looked it up earlier on the thread. My brain isnt working correctly. It was a new chrysler but with a huge 14 inch floor drop in place of the normal 10. Too much for me! Makes it worse rather than better.
Heres a link. viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7536&p=158732#p158732

[stevelawiw]

Yeah, saw that, but thanks anyhow.
Can you explain why the 14" floor drop make it worse, I'm just interested? Also, in the same vein, like me you don't want an underfloor ramp but wouls prefer a fold down one, can you verbalise your reason for this?
For me it's the complexity,more to go wrong, and having it underneath the floor must be bad for ground clearance.

[Burgerman]

Ramp? The other day the fuse went. I was stuck in the van. No ramp or neal only door opening. So I just pushed the ramp... Drive down no prob. Imagine no power in an accident. Van on fire... You can push a door open wihout power, and the ramp down too. You can get a volunteer to lift the ramp if you need to get home. And yes complexity, and theres the muck that gets inside.

Also my ramp is looking brand new because I can get to it to clean or spray mat black over any scuffs or scratches. How do you maintain the underfloor one?

Other than those reasons I would prefer the in floor ramp.

14 inch floor drop?
Van sits way higher up and obviously must handle worse. As it is they have a 2 inch approx suspension raise. It makes it less stable and increases body roll. And I cant imagine how an extra 4 inch on top can improve things... Plus it looks a bit silly. Huge tall wheel arches, and extra deep skirts at the bottom. It offends my eyes! Your mileage may vary... And it means I have an extra 4 inches of headroom I dont need... And so will be sitting 4 inches lower in my van which I really dont want. Segreen was trying to build a wooden ramp or floor spacer to make it feel more sensible for a bunch of reasons. 10 or 11 inches is perfect for most normal powerchairs.

[Seajays]

I have the VMI in floor, VMI haas a sure deploy system that you can over ride the computer and it also has a crank out in the floor so you can manualy get the ramp out

[Chairman]

Side lifts are superb, I've used them with no issues to speak of for the last 25 years. You don't need the Caravelle to convert when the Shuttle SE is perfectly well appointed. The Caravelle to tear apart and convert is overkill, everything and more than you need comes with a Shuttle SE.

Before a couple of VWs and Mercs I had a LHD Ford dayvan and loved it, mainly for the 5.8 V8 but I much preferred to sit driving in the kerb letting oncoming cars pass with me sitting out the way. Oh and I did the reversing thing a few times for barriers and payment kiosks.

[Burgerman]

You don't need the Caravelle to convert when the Shuttle SE is perfectly well appointed.

I would tend to disagree here! The shuttle is bog basic. Having looked at both and owned a caravelle with most of the best options. But its a personal choice.

The other thing is that with the VWs theres only one company that do a proper lowered floor conversion. And thats the GM Colarado. The rest all have inadequate headroom and need a special low powerchair rather than a real one...

[Burgerman]

Theres also these from GM with properly lowered floor too. Not seen one yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loDUinMaOd4


youtu.be/loDUinMaOd4

[Chairman]

You don't need the Caravelle to convert when the Shuttle SE is perfectly well appointed.

I would tend to disagree here! The shuttle is bog basic. Having looked at both and owned a caravelle with most of the best options. But its a personal choice.

The other thing is that with the VWs theres only one company that do a proper lowered floor conversion. And thats the GM Colarado. The rest all have inadequate headroom and need a special low powerchair rather than a real one...

Bog basic! You're talking out of the top of your head and making yourself look a little daft! Nothing the Caravelle has above the SE Shuttle is an advantage to a wheelchair user that'll chop it up to suit.

I don't use a lowered floor either as I transfer into a driver's seat and keep the back row of seats disposing of the centre seats where the chair locks down.

[Chairman]

Your Caravelle was a T4 and things have moved on since the 90s.

[Burgerman]

I know. It was a VR6 one with powered everything. But I have been looking at new caravelles and all the transporter or other options too. Ever since. With a view to buying one sometime soon.

So I have a very detailed knowledge of the differences between the various options and also what each company does. So no, I am not making myself look daft. I enjoy the better looking caravelle with all the options it allows. So no, I wouldnt want the 2020 version transporter or the shuttle. Its not as good and the price difference after the cost of the mods isnt worth the saving. To me.

The caravelle has higher quality materieal and interior that the van derived shuttle. One look at the two side by side shows the difference in the dashboard alone! One is cheap and plasticky and the other is well made from better materials and just looks class. These things, the details, matter to me.

http://www.rev.ie/volkswagen-transporte ... alifornia/ A comparison of the T6 variants here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loDUinMaOd4 Is going to be on my drive alongside a T6 drive from wheelchair colarado to examine again, in 3 weeks. I suspect the ford will be a little too tight. I have already seen the differences between the transporter/shuttle and the caravelles at my local van dealers.

And I am including these VW specialists that are 3 miles from my house! NEXT post!

[Burgerman]

This place is a 7 minute ride from my house by wheelchair and I spent a lot of time looking...

They specialise in ONLY caravelles, Vans and shuttles. And special ones with mods to make them more attractive and better equiped. Theres big differeces between caravelles and shuttles and transporters. It cost a LOT to try and get a shuttle up to the level of a transporter. But its cheap to make them appear similar at first glance.

Choose any of these that he has for sale currenty.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChMPK6 ... Moq9GJ8KKA

[Burgerman]

Heres one of his modded caravelles that I would want. No shuttle is as good as this. But thats why they are cheaper. Its your choice.


youtu.be/pVr5yssNW6k

[Burgerman]

Heres another.

Theres a LOT of detail differences between a shuttle/transporter and the caravelle. Even if we ignore some of the options and standard equipment differences.



youtu.be/MPysVF7VRhY

[Burgerman]

This is even better.


youtu.be/b2c_1RE1sKk

[Burgerman]

These are all new or almost new demonstrators, plus a few mods. These can be delivered straight to GM - the only company doing proper 10 inch right through floor drop, for conversion for drive from wheelchair use. And all trim and parts matched up to oem trim levels. You may lose a few of the interior things a caravelle includes, but everything else remains. And if you are interested in having a nice vehicle, is much better than a van/shuttle conversion. Theres a huge number of differences between parts.

[Chairman]

Yup, confirmed in the above, you've made yourself look daft. Do a bit more homework. When you're even considering a Ford after what you've stated is confirmation number 2.

All the vehicles you have posted have a look from the outside of any modded Shuttle SE. Both share the full side glass, the Kombi doesn't but can easily be made to, as could a base transporter with it lowered and running on 20s and a bit of black gloss. The interior can be as you like it on any model but paying for a Caravelle and removing most of it for a conversion is plain daft but then a choice daft people can make.

Oh and you're now mixing up your 6s and your 6.1s. How informed?

[Chairman]

Spot the difference?
https://www.autoweb.co.uk/usedvans/volkswagen/transporter-shuttle

[Burgerman]

If you were to bother to go and actually look at the difference in that guys workshop/showroom as I have many times you will see for yourself. Theres differences in most of the parts underneath, suspension, plastics quality in and out, dashboard, interior trim as well as many of the options.

Which is why Top Gear for e.g. try to explain that while theres a fairly big price difference the caravelle is worth the difference. They state specifically for those like you to understand not to confuse the two.
https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/vol ... /caravelle

Firstly, you mustn’t confuse the Caravelle with the Transporter Shuttle, which actually is a van with windows and seating for up to nine passengers. You can buy one of those for around £37,000, and if you’re a jobbing minicab driver that’s exactly what you should do. It’s far more difficult to sluice sick out of a Caravelle – they cost from just over £47,000 and are much more richly appointed, though they seat two fewer people.

One is taken from the van production line with the commertial van suspension motor gearbox etc. The other is produced as a people carrier from the start. Theres a lot of small differeces in details and parts quality especially imternally. Theres a lot of parts and part numbers that are different. They are built to be a personal passenger vehicle. They are similar. But one is literally a van with windows inc the can dashbord and steering wheel etc. Same with much of the interior trim. The reason the caravelle is 10 to 14k more expensive is obvious when you park the two side by side and take a good look. Which its obvious that you have not done yet. That link you posted is to the same van expert dealer that is literally a few mins from my house. Go there and take a look. The caravelle is better apointed, has a more luxury feel, and has options that are not available on the van/shuttle. The shuttle makes a great taxi. Thats what it, was designed to do. But the caravelle with all the best options - many already included, makes a beatiful personal vehicle.

Both are OK. But as a car freak and ex bike nut I like and appreciate vehicles. By the time you have specced all the options you really want on the shuttle its not much cheaper than the already better apointed caravelle, and added the cost of dropping 10 inches from the floor and added a side lift, it just makes more sense to do the conversion to a caravelle. Which is why GM do exactly that.

As for the ford as I say I am interested only to see how much space there is, and the cost. And what options are available. But its not really me. I do not think it will do anything for me. If I decide to do equity release I will be spending around 70k on the caravelle with many of the expensive auto lane, auto criuse control, and around 30 other options. Many of which the shuttle doesent allow. I keep my vans 10 to 15 years and as new. And want the best possible spec. The shuttle is not that. And thats why its a lot cheaper! You can make it very similar on the surface with some effort and parts as they do at that van dealers. They specialize in them. But then its not much cheaper. So why would you do that?

[Burgerman]

Oh and you're now mixing up your 6s and your 6.1s. How informed?

No I have not.

[Chairman]

No I have not.

Yes you have.

"going to be on my drive alongside a T6 drive from wheelchair colarado to examine again, in 3 weeks. I suspect the ford will be a little too tight. I have already seen the differences between the transporter/shuttle and the caravelles at my local van dealers.

So you then add images of a T6.1, a different entity.

Anyway, you'll argue black is white, that much is evident. Buy a Caravelle, it's your choice of course but to a sensible thinker and given the amount of destruction a conversion will do it's a daft one.

[Burgerman]

Daft why?
The convesion standard is high. The shuttle isnt much or any cheaper once you add all the essentials and a few desirable options. Thats why GM who have done rather a lot of these chose the caravelle. And most get the EX one. They used to do the shuttle years ago. But dropped it for the reasons I am stating. And its the only comany doing a proper floor drop on tha VW.

Look below. I just wasted 40 mins on VW website on their configurators. https://www.volkswagen-vans.co.uk/en/ne ... uttle.html

If you attempt to choose all the options that the caravelle already includes, and a few essentials that you need for easy disability use, the caravelle I would want comes out at 70K although we dont pay VAT. So once specced similar to the caravelle its the same price, and its STILL not a caravelle and still inferior.

So if you want a cheaper one at 40k with standard spec then thats fine for you. But I certainly dont! That 40K price is really basic. No power doors, not even power tailgate or dark glass. And a weedy engine. Even the best engine is 200hp. Thats crap in a 2 ton vehicle! So that is included in the caravelle and the shuttle/van.

Go down the list. Theres around 60 options. Many of which are already fitted to the caravelle. The shuttle ends up worse than the caravelle at the same price. And some caravelle options are not even possible.

SHUTTLE PRICE with all the stuff I would want to make in closer to a caravelle. So as I said already, why would you bother with the shuttle? Unless you want a low spec van?

[Chairman]

Look. I just wasted 40 mins on VW website on their configurators.

If you attempt to choose all the options that the caravelle already includes, and a few essentials that you need for easy disability use, the caravelle I would want comes out at 70K although we dont pay VAT. So once specced similar to the caravelle its the same price, and its STILL not a caravelle and still inferior.

So if you want a cheaper one at 40k with standard spec then thats fine for you. But I certainly dont! That 40K price is really basic. No power doors, not even power tailgate or dark glass. And a weedy engine. Even the best engine is 200hp. Thats crap in a 2 ton vehicle! So that is included in the caravelle and the shuttle/van.

Go down the list. Theres around 60 options.

SHUTTLE PRICE with all the stuff I would want to make in closer to a caravelle. So as I said already, why would you bother with the shuttle? Unless you want a low spec van?

But we aren't attempting to spec up to match a Caravelle which is my point. Plus the 40K is what that dealer has his vans for and a Shuttle SE is certainly not standard spec, again my point that you fail to understand. I have 2 power doors and a power hatch plus privacy glass all round to start with. All VW transporter engines can be deemed weedy if you go by the old school metrics, a tiny 2litre turbo or twin turbo in the case of some models but actually they drive very well for a van. If you want more power as well then buy a petrol and have it mapped.

Once you're allowed out of bed and can actually see and drive one you'll understand you are talking through your arsé crack but then if you didn't occasionally some might think you were ill.

Go buy a Caravelle as I said earlier, daft lad.

[Burgerman]

I am not daft. But I also want a nice van/car and the shuttle is bog basic unless you start selecting all the options. The vans are used/modded/demonstrators. So cheaper than new.

And when you do its no cheaper! Unless you buy used...
And worse its still not as good. And the only one talking out of his arse is you. I dont wish to slum it to save a few k. Sorry its a basic van with windows as reviewed by top gear compared to a caravelle. Unless you spend a lot of money on options. And then you have defeated the purpose of buying the shuttle. Which is the very reason that those that convert them use caravelles...

I might add that as a disabled driver options such as adaptive cruise control and in town emergency stopping and the ability to keep constant safe distance etc is an option I REALLY want. This is one of those that isnt even available on that configurator for the shuttle. Or maybe I missed it.