From 1984 through 2000, Plymouth churned out its signature Voyager minivan, and customers looking for a safe, no-frills but reliable vehicle steadily bought them. The Voyager is history now; the Plymouth brand disappeared in 2001, and all of its vehicles were either discontinued or renamed under the Chrysler brand. But savvy shoppers can still find used Plymouth Voyager conversion wheelchair vans on the market.

You might be able to find these wheelchair vans at local mobility vehicle dealerships. But you’ll probably have better luck scanning your newspaper want ads, searching craigslist.org or the Motors section of online auction giant eBay. The Plymouth Voyager rampvan makes sense for wheelchair users who want a functional but economical conversion vehicle. And since any Voyager you find will undoubtedly be of the used variety, you can expect to spend significantly less than you would on a new wheelchair van. Be careful, though: Safety should be your first priority when buying any wheelchair van. You may find a Plymouth Voyager conversion at a great price. But don’t buy any van until you can first verify that it’s safe to take on the roads. That low price won’t seem as attractive if you suffer a serious accident and your vehicle doesn’t provide enough protection.

Protecting Yourself

Anytime you purchase a used vehicle, you must take certain steps to make sure that you are not buying a clunker. And you need to be just as diligent to guarantee that you’re buying a vehicle that is road-safe. It goes without saying that these concerns are heightened if you’ll be transporting passengers who are in wheelchairs or scooters. Safety need to be your top concern. Once you find a used Plymouth Voyager wheelchair van, make sure to give it a lengthy test drive before putting down any money. You should also take it a local mechanic who can give it a thorough examination. The mechanic should be able to tell you whether the conversion is road-safe or a potential hazard. Of course, you can’t expect any used vehicle to be perfect. There will be problems with any older-model car that you find on craigslist.org or eBay Motors. It’s a matter, though, of determining whether the vehicle’s problems are easily, and inexpensively, fixed, and whether the problems are potentially dangerous. Some sellers will advertise their vehicles as being in “as is” condition. Make sure, then, that when you purchase them, you’re willing to spend the money needed to get the wheelchair van in road-safe condition.

The Proper Features

When you’re buying a used wheelchair conversion van, such as a Plymouth Voyager model, remember that conversion technology has changed over the years. Today’s mobility specialists put extra effort into ensuring both comfort and function in their conversions. Years ago, this wasn’t always the case. Many older wheelchair van conversions lacked many of the amenities that we take for granted today. If you’re considering buying a Plymouth Voyager rampvan, make sure that the vehicle boasts enough headroom and interior space to allow for a comfortable ride for passengers in wheelchairs or scooters. Make sure, too, that the folding ramp is sturdy enough to handle the weight of both the wheelchair or scooter and its occupant. Many older ramps were only designed to handle the weight of unoccupied scooters or chairs. You may need to operate older wheelchair conversion vans manually, too. The push-button technology common today was a bit rarer years ago. Make sure that you’re physically up to the task of extending the ramp from the Plymouth Voyager conversion van yourself. When buying a used wheelchair conversion van, you’ll be balancing the benefit of a smaller price tag against the potential negatives of fewer amenities and the cost of potential repairs. But if you find the right bargain, and the used vehicle you are considering is safe, an older Plymouth Voyager wheelchair van may be the right choice for you.