Where do I find a handicap motor home

[Dave E]

They have to be out there without having one built. Way too exrensive. Is the only way I'm going is dealer by dealer?

[NorthQuad]

I remember a guy posting pictures of his RV and it looks awsome. Darn, I forget his name but I believe he has a fighting Irish dude or a clover as his avatar. I'll try and find the thread.

[NorthQuad]

I found it!

It's McDuffs RV, how could I forget? Geeze, eh?

Anyway, here's the thread. It's great!

http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=75977

[spinky88]

some of the rv manufacturers have handicap accessible lines, factory made without having to have them customized. i know winnebago does. thor used to make a unit too, but they were taken over by damon so i am not sure if they still have their units. most dealers do not carry these on their lots and order them in when someone wants one. we looked at the thor one at an rv show, it was pretty basic but had a lift. most all of the companies will adapt one...for a price...and it isnt cheap. i think we were quoted that it would be an extra 25,000. for it to be adapted. if you could find a used unit that is already adapted, it would be much cheaper. i dont know if they still have it, but tom johnson in concord had a unit a few months back that we looked at. it had adaptations but had no lift.
maybe you could find one used listed here...
http://www.rvsearch.com/

good luck in your search!

[sjean423]

Wierd how things work. I have spent the afternoon poking around about the same thing. McDuffs thread was great, but we are looking for something smaller (and cheaper ... Lol). This link to Road Trip America (http://www.roadtripamerica.com/rv/RVing-With-Physical-Challenges.htm), and all the links inside have a LOT of good info.

We are thinking of converting one of these Toy Hauler (http://www.rv-toy-hauler-info-and-more.com/)type rvs, they already have ramp access for atvs or mororcycles.


(http://www.coachmenrv.com/products/?ProductID=6&Product=Toy%20Haulers)

[NorthQuad]

Right, I've checked these trailers out. They're very nice. I'd love to have one. The toy haulers that is.

[SCI-Nurse]

You can also often find used adapted RVs. Keep hunting for ads on-line:

http://www.handicappedtravelclub.com/used_rv_ads.htm

http://www.rvproperty.com/handicap_rv's_for_sale.htm

http://www.rvauthority.com/94%20%20Marathon%20XL%2045%20Wheelchair%20Lift.htm l

http://rvclassifiedsonline.net/viewlisting.php?view=636

http://www.disabled-world.com/ads/detail.php?siteid=1630

http://www.disabled-world.com/ads/detail.php?siteid=1365

(KLD)

[sjean423]

Kld .... thanks for all the links!

I am planning at the moment to go to the rv and camping show in springfield mass next weekend. I don't expect to find much if anything in the accessibility area, but there should be some of the toy haulers there. I am hoping to be able to see what would be involved in modifying them. http://www.springfieldrvcampingshow.com/

[ginamarie]

I have seen several of them on ebay.

[darrel]

I have been looking and pricing motor homes myself, I do not require a handicap equipped. but I have looked at them just in-case it got to the point I do need one. at this time I can struggle the steps. I do require the shower and toilet to accommodate my needs. I have been going through www.motorhomesused.com (http://www.motorhomesused.com) and several "motor home dealers in your state .com" I came across several dealers that install lifts and customize the motor homes as needed one was down in Texas, if I recall it was like the largest dealer in the state they do custom work on used motor homes so they can make the sale easier I saw one listed in private owner sales that was completely converted up in Chicago, IL. if I recall it was a 2003 and they were asking $23,000 it had the lift for the chair and it had a lift from the bathroom to the bed all on a rail. They had it set up pretty nice.. You can find "Class C" and "Class A" that are not too overly priced.. If you buy new remember they depreciate 25% once you drive off the lot.. It is in your best interest to buy used unless you do have more cash to play with and don't mind spending it.

McDuff has a nice looking Class A and he has made comment to me that he would be glad to discuss it with me.

Good luck in your search.


by the way, thank you KDL for the extra sites to check out.

[mrpockets]

Try using the website disableddealer.com

[McDuff]

Well, just about anything I could say, has been said already. lol.

I definitely recommend going used, I bought my 3 1/2 yr old unit for almost 1/2 of MSRP. But if you do go new, make sure and "deal". People in the know on the rv sites like www.rv.net all state you should be able to get at least 20% off list. Think of the old days of car shopping, inflated list prices.

I "watched" all of the sites listed above for about a year and a half before the one we wanted showed up. It seemed the w/c accessible ones came in waves, you could go months w/o seeing any, then boom they'd show up. If you go to one of the mainstream sites, make sure and use their search functions, using both wheelchair and handicap, seperately as keywords, as people write up their adds differently.

Good luck, and feel free to ask any questions.

Oh yeah another big online shop, www.rvonline.com

[Dave E]

Thanks to all! I will have something productive to do today! Here is a question that I think we all must ask........................

KLD, Is there anything you don't know? :} THANK YOU! Dave

[spinky88]

since the subject of toy haulers has come up on this thread, i thought i might add some ideas my husband has been toying with in regards to this type of rv. he has a degree in computers, but a second one in engineering so he is always looking at problems and trying to find solutions, and as of today i havent had him NOT come up with an answer! lol we were talking about this thread today and discussing how in a toy hauler you lose so much living space. he said this is what he has been considering doing if we were to end up with a toy hauler. we do not want all of our living space taken up with dead area since we wont be taking "toys" along. so his idea is that he will go in and make that hauling area usable living space. probably a bedroom for us. the problem in doing that is, once you put in a queensize bed, how do you get the wheelchair in the back? his solution is to install an electric murphy bed! makes perfect since because you could raise up the bed and have plenty of space for me to get up the back ramp into the motorhome and access into the rest of the mh. then when we are ready to sleep, we just lower the bed. of course he would also add some cabinet space and storage as well and try to finish it out as living space instead of the industrial look or the hauling space. the problem he has forseen and he has also done measuring as we go to rv shows, is that in a normal unit that is not hc accessible, the doorways are not wide enough for a chair. so we would have to be conscious of measuring the doors to make sure once i get into the back via the toy hauler ramp, i can actually get through to the rest of the motorhome and, into the bathroom. another problem in some units is that they have a step inside so we would have to be mindful of looking for that too. i know that getting a handicap toilet is not a big problem as all the dealers have said they are easy to change out. one of my big problems in any rv is the shower area and they also say they can change those out, but now, most rvs have a tub which is a barrer. our other consideration is a tow vehicle. my wc is motorized and requires a larger vehicle to transport it, so most class c mh will not tow a vehicle like that. now we are finding that newer mh with multiple slides, are so heavy they do not have a lot of towing capacity either. if you are in a manual wc, this will not be a big deal though. :)
i just thought i would add this to the discussion in case it would help any of you as you find just the right mh. enjoy your hunt!

[sjean423]

Some of the ones I have been looking at do have a moveable bed that uses that area.
http://www.skylinerv.com/product.php?ID=464&model_num=240&brand=nomad&type=WKR&feature=m&region=mwse

A point against using the toy haulers in my research last night. A lot of sites don't have the space or layout to have the ramp/door down and accessible at all times. So it is limiting, I hadn;t considered this. Discussion was on rv-net. (http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/20888675/gotomsg/20968019.cfm#20968019)


I've been finding a lot of good info here on cc by searching for camping as well .... pages of threads. We had always been tent campers, and while I think I do want to move up to a camper instead of a tent, for lots of reasons, here is an interesting thread about a h/c accessible tent. (http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/showthread.php?t=48697&highlight=eureka+tent)

[spinky88]

ok..so how goes the hunt? anything promising yet??

[Notwoodward]

i bought mine brand new at the end of 06. i love it! it's a 20ft funrunner. my friends modified the bath/shower door and made it double doors so i can transfer easier. it's not the easiest, but we make it work..

some of the best times i've had since i got hurt were on trips with this trailer.

[ancientgimp]

We are selling our 23 foot Play-mor travel trailer. It has a split platform Ricon lift, ADA height toilet with grab bar and shower enclosure with bath bench. We transfer to bench then slide into shower enclosure. The cabinets are regular(not wheelchair height) but we have always been able to manage. We use a full sized van for tow vehicle - trailer weighs 5000lbs. unloaded. Let me know if your interested, we live in Michigan.

[gpbullock]

but this is listed on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Winnebago-Diesel-Pusher-with-WheelChair-Lift-No-Reserve_W0QQitemZ280200732248QQcmdZViewItem?hash=i tem280200732248

[Tiger Racing]

this is listed on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Winnebago-Diesel-Pusher-with-WheelChair-Lift-No-Reserve_W0QQitemZ280200732248QQcmdZViewItem?hash=i tem280200732248
That's pretty cool, but a few things seem odd about the design as far as accessibility. For instance, why is the microwave installed in the upper cabinet? Don't know about you guys, but mine sits on the counter where I can safely reach it. Also, those hand controls are backwards! Push for throttle, pull back for brake? That goes against instinct.

C.

[RoJo]

I don't want to sell in this thread but I have a lift equiped 2000 Southwind for sale. If you are interested give me your email and I can send you info. If there is interest I can post it in the classifieds.

[rcechser]

Also, those hand controls are backwards! Push for throttle, pull back for brake? That goes against instinct. C.
I think that is a mis print or I would hope so.

[McDuff]

That's pretty cool, but a few things seem odd about the design as far as accessibility. For instance, why is the microwave installed in the upper cabinet? Don't know about you guys, but mine sits on the counter where I can safely reach it. Also, those hand controls are backwards! Push for throttle, pull back for brake? That goes against instinct.

C.

I looked at this one back when we were looking, then it was for sale by the owners. Price hasn't gone down any in a year and a half.

TR - in all that I looked at, none of them were "truly" accessible in all aspects, though I'm sure some are out there. Counter space is a premium so none put the mw there. Guess most PWD's travel with an AB. Also, looking at the pic of handcontrols, looks like a push down for gas, push for brake setup to me.

I passed on this one for 2 reasons. One, the bathroom was not converted, can't get in the shower or on the pot. The owner had a colostomy so didn't need the can and only took whores baths when on the road. Two, the lift. It folds up in the cabin and takes up ~2ft of valuable floor space. My UVL eats up underneath storage, but much more preferrable to me. Also no rattles when going down the road.

If somebody got it for ~$100K, then that would be a good deal. It was a higher end model to start with for Winnebago.

[RaeRae]

I passed on this one for 2 reasons. One, the bathroom was not converted, can't get in the shower or on the pot. The owner had a colostomy so didn't need the can and only took whores baths when on the road. Two, the lift. It folds up in the cabin and takes up ~2ft of valuable floor space. My UVL eats up underneath storage, but much more preferrable to me. Also no rattles when going down the road.

As I looked at the picture I was thinking, WoW. The points you brought up crossed my mind also though. I could hear the lift rattling right when I looked at it and the shower isn't accessible. I wan't sure if the toilet was accessible or not, but it looked small to me.

[gpbullock]

although it is a trailer. The auction ended but it didn't sell:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=007&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=170189335221&rd=1

[Dave E]

WOW!! There is so much more than I ever imagined! Thanks for all the help. McD Could I get one like your for oh ,say, 75,000.00? LOL! Keep the suggestions comming. I do need a roll in shower if possible. I can do my BP w/o a handicap toilet. I just don't want to go much over 50K if it just doesn't work out. I would like a class a,b,c rether than a trailer but..... Thanks all again! Dave

[Tiger Racing]

in all that I looked at, none of them were "truly" accessible in all aspects, though I'm sure some are out there. Counter space is a premium so none put the mw there.
Our toterhome was designed to work for me. It's not very big at all (we couldn't convince the team owner to get a slideout), just enough room for my wheelchair, a table and two chairs, a tiny counter with a sink and a couch that pulls out into a bed. There is a flat screen TV on a wall that tilts up and the microwave is behind that, just within my reach. There is also a bathroom with a shower that is exactly big enough for my chair to fit into and turn around. Ricon gave us a lift so that I could get in and out of the truck on my own, which is awesome because I had gotten tired of depending on one of the guys to remember to check on me in the old rig.

I passed on this one for 2 reasons. One, the bathroom was not converted, can't get in the shower or on the pot. The owner had a colostomy so didn't need the can and only took whores baths when on the road.
The bathroom being accessible is a big deal. No point in traveling in an RV if you still have to hunt down accessible toilets and showers.

Two, the lift. It folds up in the cabin and takes up ~2ft of valuable floor space. My UVL eats up underneath storage, but much more preferrable to me. Also no rattles when going down the road.
Hmm... I was actually wondering if the lift on this RV might not be a better idea than the kind we have which goes underneath. We've had very few problems with our lift, but occasionally it needs a bit of a tweak because traveling over thousands of miles of bumpy roads can cause it to twist and stick a bit. I thought that might be avoided with the lift inside the rig.

C.

[sjean423]

That one was huge! A lot more than I am looking for. Beautiful tho. We used to tent camp all the time, so I am looking for something closer to what was posted by Notwoodward .....

[Bill]

Hey Dave, Mine is for sale. WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE 1997 Itasca Suncruiser Motor Home by Winnabago. $27,000.Cdn. firm.Great shape! Vortec sfi 290 hp. Auto trans. Hyd level. 3 ACs. Large awning. Onan 6500 gen. Drs. full power leather seats. Backup monitor.Heated/power mirrors. Stereo. Sleeper sofa. TV. Wooden table and chairs. Stove. Micro/convection oven. Dual SS sink. Water purification system. Fridge/freezer with ice maker. Queen bed. Drivers door. Wheelchair lift. Air ride. Rear ladder. Weather station with outside monitor/ ice warning .Propane/gas detector. Air max vents on roof. New alternator. Almost new tires, steal belt radials. Night shades. Brand new alternator, New parking brake assembly, New spare tire. Just completed Provincial Safety inspection and Federal safety inspection. Very nice motorhome! Call Bill -