4 door cars that don't suck

[August West]

yep. got a 99 chrysler sebring. 2 door rag top. had a 97 and loved it. found this, from an old guy that kept it in garage more than he drove it. darn near perfect shape and easy to get in/out, chair fits in back seat or trunk. TA DA. thanks for all your opinions.

Personally, the biggest problem with a 4-door car isn't getting the chair in. It's the transfer. The most ergonomic and efficient transfer requires leaning far enough forward while dropping my head such that my butt automatically lifts up. There just isn't enough clearance in a 4-door car to do that. I would hit my head on the steering wheel in the process. As a result, the transfer is compromised in poor form, relying more on the shoulders and less on the arms.

But that's for a complete SCI. If you have an incomplete SCI then I can see how you may transfer differently and not require as much clearance.

Typo edits: I wrote "2-door" in my original post. But meant to write "4-door" and have changed it.

[pfcs49]

AugW: you're not making sense! 2drs have much larger openings to transit. My 15 VW GTI is SO much easier to get into than my 87 560SEL land yacht!

[August West]

It was a typo. Fixed it.

[baldfatdad]

another problem, is the newer the car the wider the threshold. they have moved the seats in and made the door frame wider for crash protection.
only problem with this Sebring is the leather seats, i shoot across them like wet ice. laugh my ass off, sliding around.

[juniorsenior]

that problem is a safety feature for all those 6000+ pound trucks and suvs who could tbone you at any given intersection

[juniorsenior]

For when you guys start to value function over form....https://adaptsolutions.com/product/speedy-lift/

With the speedy-lift and transfer seat (asento or xl-board), I never break down my chair and feel like I have saved hundreds of thousands of unnecessary movements over the last 10 years. Yeah, a van might not be sexy, but with Adapt Solutions there are no structural changes to the van or visual cues that you use a chair, and I like having undamaged shoulders so far and getting in and out in 30 seconds without breaking a sweat

[August West]

There are pros and cons to both. Vans require less strength but are less reliable. Cars require more strength but are more reliable. Time and place for both.

[juniorsenior]

I would argue that the van with a wheelchair lift is more reliable. If the lift fails, the chair can still be loaded manually.

If something fails in the the car loading, it is probably a bigger problem, because what is failing is either a. the person's body or b. a part of the wheelchair

[August West]

juniorsenior commented, "I would argue."

At least we agree on this.

[juniorsenior]

Lol yes I actually had put part something about that (how I'm probably coming off as argumentative) in my original response to you but erased it.

[baldfatdad]

you must live in the nexxus, you aren't getting in or out in 30 seconds. i've had a system like that, i've had a couple different lifts you and the chair ride on, i keep going back to a 2 door car and a folding chair. i can time it, but its the fastest of the bunch. i'll go back to a van when i can't do it, but i've only been in the chair 44 years and i'm only 76 and i can still do one pushup before i get out of bed,so it will be a while.

[juniorsenior]

baldfatdad You are right. It is closer to 28 seconds. I look forward to seeing your video showing me a 2 door car and folding chair can be faster.

https://youtu.be/ea7OtqKbjKw

Regardless of the time saved or spent, I don't find any meaning or value in beating up my arms and shoulders more than I already am. Especially when I can have a motor do the work for me.

[funklab]

I miss my old '66 Lincoln Continental convertible with the suicide rear doors. Was so easy to transfer into and put the chair in the rear. The 6 miles per gallon eventually made me sell it.

That’s my buddy’s dream car. He’s been talking about buying one since the 90s. Though these days I think he’s a little more realistic.

Sadly I also never bought my 1961 Impala convertible that I’ve dreamed about for years. And now I probably never will. The next car is likely to be a van.

[stephen212]

I drive a 2014 Mazda 5. Other than hand controls and removal of the the middle row driver's side seat, there are no additional modifications. This video illustrates someone else transferring into his Mazda 5. I do it the same way except that I use a collapsible snake hook to close the sliding door.

[juniorsenior]

I never thought of using a cane! Excellent. Ive been using the same old dressing stick that I cut down and put a foam grip on it. Or the snake hook! going to look into that as well

[stephen212]

There's no place in the Mazda 5 to conveniently store a cane. The collapsible snake hook fits easily in the front door storage compartment.