Should I Purchase a Salvage Title Wheelchair Accessible Van?

Here are a few reasons a Wheelchair Accessible Van would have a Salvage Title:

• FRAME DAMAGE

  When a minivan is converted to a wheelchair accessible van, the lowered floor structure becomes part of the frame.  This lowered floor frame structure also houses all of the wiring to the ramp components and wiring for rear of the van. Even though everything may look repaired there could still be structural or electrical issues in the future.

• FLOOD DAMAGE

  Like frame damage, if a wheelchair accessible minivan is flooded all of the wiring, ramp system and conversion controller (computer), not to mention the computer that makes the van itself run are all subjected to water in places water should not be!

• STRUCTURAL RUST

  If a vehicle was totaled due to structural rust, there are huge safety concerns in a wheelchair accessible minivan. this could mean welds could break and the structural integrity is not there anymore.

• FIRE DAMAGE

  As you can imagine heat and wires don’t go together. As metal is a conductor of heat. Even an engine fire that gets hot enough could heat the lowered floor and melt wires.

• and the list goes on…

Here is a Statement from VMI regarding Wheelchair Accessible Vans in Accidents:

To whom it may concern,

Vantage Mobility International converts Toyota, Honda, Ford and Chrysler mini vans for use by the physically challenged community. Our conversion involves the removal of the front and center floor areas of the vehicle. At this point a new rigid framework is installed and is integrated into the uni-body structure of the vehicle. The conversion is designed and crash tested to meet all FMVSS requirements for that model vehicle. Vehicles involved in a collision should be carefully inspected to insure that the vehicle structure is still intact. More specifically, that the portions of the frame that join the Vantage conversion to the OEM uni-body construction are not compromised. It is the recommendation of Vantage Mobility International, that if ANY part of the CONVERSION frame assembly has been bent or is broken away from the OEM structures, and/or the CONVERSION frame or floor is pushed or twisted from its original position, that the vehicle be considered NOT repairable. This recommendation is based solely on our concern for the safety of the occupant. Our conversion is carefully designed and assembled to meet the special needs of our physically challenged community as well as maintaining all FMVSS criterion. Our conversions are fully crash tested to insure this. We cannot warrant the usability or safety of modifications or repairs made to the conversions’ structural members. If a repair is attempted or performed on a vehicle displaying damage as noted above Vantage Mobility International will revoke all Warranties and Liabilities, and place sole responsibility on the party initiating the repair.

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