Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles Bristol WAV Cars Somerset

Michael Harraway Cars is a small family business that has been established since 2005. Our commitment to quality and customer service has meant that over the years we have built up a good reputation not just locally but throughout the country with many customers returning time after time and happy to recommend us to friends and family. Read our Google reviews – these speak for themselves and we feel very proud to have helped so many clients over the past 15 years.

Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, we are currently operating a viewing by appointment only policy this allows us to limit the number of customers on the premises at any one time to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

Our showroom and forecourt are open 6 days a week Monday to Friday 9:30 – 18:00, Saturday 9.30 – 17:00.

Alternative hours available on request for Sunday/Bank Holidays so Contact Us or phone us and leave a message on 01934 820077.

Wav Vehicles South West UK – Nationwide – Scotland to Cornwall since 2005

Mike Harraway recalls one particular memorable customer… it’s a little story over long distance, WAV car remote purchase with the brief help of a youtube video that he uploaded to his iPad on the forecourt after the following scenario:

Last week I received a call from a genuinely nice chap who was interested in buying one of our wheelchair accessible vehicles. As it happened the guy owned a vehicle repair garage based all the way up in Scotland some 350 miles away from us. He had a been asked by one of his local regular customers if he could find them a wheelchair accessible.  We had a nice chat about the vehicle he was interested in I mentioned that I also had a video of the car on my YouTube channel.

He said he would go round to his customers house that evening armed with his iPad and show them the pictures and video of the vehicle and would give me a call the morning.

The following day he called and said the video was a great help because it showed a lot of details about the car and that the customer had agreed to purchase the vehicle without seeing the car in the flesh.

The money was transferred the same day to avoid any delays and I offered a written guarantee that if the vehicle were not as described when the vehicle was collected then I would reimburse them in full. 

Two day later after a flight was organized from Glasgow to Bristol. I had arranged to collect the guy who owned the garage in Scotland at Bristol airport in the morning. After a short drive back to our premises where he gave the car a good once over and the sale was confirmed.  After sorting out the paperwork over a cup of tea and within 1 hour of arriving the garage the car was driven off for the long drive back to Scotland.  

WAV Cars Bristol and Somerset – Local Delivery Possible

We can sometimes offer home demonstrations within a reasonable distance and even arrange delivery to your door. Please give us a call on 01934 820077 or send a message online to enquire about this service. Social distancing and appointments allowing, we are happy to offer this strictly pre-booked service.

Most of our wheelchair accessible are Ex Motability so are one owner, low mileage, vehicles with a full service history. Our stock is constantly changing with new vehicles arriving weekly so even if we do not have the vehicle you are looking always let know and we can keep you updated with our latest stock arrivals.

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles For Sale – Bath, South Wales to Dorset

Michael Harraway Cars have quickly become known as one of the leading suppliers of used wheelchair accessible vehicles southwest. We have a large selection of quality used wheelchair accessible vehicles in stock for you to come and view so finding the right vehicle to suit your requirements should be easy. We are always on hand to offer expert help and advice and guarantee no pressure.

Whatever your needs, we here to help – Online, in person or on the telephone so get in touch with us today and see why our customers keep coming back. If you’re interested in a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle then don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can give us a call on 01934 820077 or send a message online today.

What is Wheelchair accessible vehicle?

A Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle or WAV as it often abbreviated to is a vehicle that has been professionally converted by a specialist company to allow a person in a wheelchair to enter and travel in a vehicle safely.

Are all Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles the same?

No there are many different types of vehicles that are converted into Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles and these conversions vary depending on the different requirements of the customer. However, most of these conversions generally fall into one of these categories:

Rear wheelchair passenger WAV Car

This type of conversion is probably the most common and as the name suggests, the wheelchair passenger sits in the rear of the vehicle behind the front seats. The rear floor section of the vehicle is modified and often lowered; to increase the headroom for the wheelchair user. Additional modifications include the installation of a wheelchair restraint system that typically consists of a four-point floor anchor with retractable belts that are easily attached to most wheelchairs. To allow wheelchair access into the vehicle, the vehicle is fitted with either a fold-out ramp or, on a larger vehicle, an electric wheelchair lift is provided. Most of these ramps and lifts have a maximum working load of around 300Kg which is usually sufficient for most people’s requirements.

WAV Car ride up front wheelchair passenger

This conversion is where the front passenger seat is removed from the vehicle and the wheelchair passenger sits alongside the driver.  This feature offers the wheelchair user a better front-facing view whilst travelling and some say they feel it is more sociable than being sat in the rear. However, due to the supplementary alterations required in converting a vehicle to enable the wheelchair to ride up front, these are more expensive to buy than the equivalent rear passenger wheelchair vehicle but for some, this increased cost is worth it because it is more suitable for their needs. Access to the vehicle is normally the same as the rear passenger wheelchair vehicle by means of either a fold-down ramp or an electric wheelchair lift; more rarely available some converters do offer a side entry option.

Wheelchair driver or drive from wheelchair

This type of WAV is a similar design as the wheelchair passenger ride upfront but instead of the wheelchair user being a passenger in the vehicle, the vehicle is adapted to enable them to drive. This is made possible by fitting an automatic wheelchair docking system to the floor; enabling the wheelchair to securely lock in position behind the steering wheel. This allows the wheelchair user to drive while remaining in their wheelchair.

Many of these vehicles are also fitted with remote controlled electric rear doors and electric ramp or tail lift so offer the greatest amount of independence for the wheelchair user. For even greater flexibility some drive from wheelchair conversions is also fitted with interchangeable front seats so the wheelchair user can swap places in the vehicle and be either a driver or passenger.

Choosing the correct Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle – How to Decide?

Choosing the correct Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle may seem like a daunting task, but it goes without saying that it is important to firstly consider the needs of the wheelchair user, ensuring that the vehicle is comfortable and suitable for them.

Michael Harraway Cars stock a range of Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles, so finding the right one should be easy – remember to ask for Mike!