# Advice sought: wheelchair rack for car (need soon-ish) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 26, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196 "2017-07-26T20:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/1 "2017-07-26T20:59:00Z")
I have a friend who is age 66 and physically disabled. He acquired a motorized wheelchair last year, and is now right on the edge of needing to use it to travel more than a few steps at a time. He bought the wheelchair outright instead of letting Medicare cover it. He now needs a way to transport it, and this is new shopping territory for both of us. The wheelchair disassembles with difficulty, the parts are fairly heavy, and he cannot do it himself. (I’m probably going to do it for the first time tomorrow morning.) He’s called a couple of places and got one quote of just under $4,000 for a rack that will fit on the back of his car. The wheelchair itself only cost $1,400. Any tips on kinds of racks, where to shop for them, does Medicare cover this, what about non-profit organizations that might be a resource. He has a small savings account, and I would be glad to help out with $$, but I know he would never let me. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/2 "2017-07-26T22:25:41Z")
These are “hitch racks”. If he is driving a regular sedan type car, this is probably the way to go. Trailer hitches can be installed on most, if not all, cars. I have zero experience here, so… [Hitch racks](http://www.discountramps.com/wheelchair-lifts-carriers/c/3200/) The site has a lot of different options, might be educational. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/3 "2017-07-26T22:58:13Z")
Great site! Thx! ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/4 "2017-07-27T01:35:10Z")
I once saw a car equipped with a rooftop wheelchair carrier. The user, a young woman who could was paralyzed waist down had to move her body into the driver’s seat and then the rack had a device that came down and stowed the chair. I imagine it was fairly expensive, but after her accident, her coworkers got up a collection to pay for it. This was in Sydney which has no weather problems (there has never been a frost or snow there). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/5 "2017-07-27T04:36:16Z")
It’s also worth ensuring you have the right terminology for the guy’s device. “Powered wheelchairs”, “powerchairs”, and “power(ed) scooters” are three different things. With three different expectations of how they’re used & how they travel with a car. If you use the wrong terms, you’ll lead any salesman or googling effort down a blind alley. If you’re in a decent sized city, a half hour spent at a scooter/powerchair store can be a real education. As well, Medicare is pretty good about paying for these things for people in need. If the guy got it used from a garage sale, it may not be the device he needs; just the device he could scrounge up. The less physically capable he is, the more he needs the right device, not just any old device. His own finances should not really be an obstacle here; Uncle Sam has this almost entirely covered. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/6 "2017-07-27T04:56:05Z")
A rope attached to the bumper? Riding in the chair while it’s being towed is optional. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/7 "2017-07-27T06:52:21Z")
Many, many seniors use mobility scooters. There are many accessories for them. The nicest racks are motorized. The scooter is driven onto the rack. It raises with the touch of a button. The senior can operate it and travel independently. > **[Buy Mobility Scooters at Best Price in Australia - Active Scooters](https://activescooters.com.au)** > > Find the Best Mobility Scooters with 100% money-back guarantee in Brisbane, Australia. Call now at 1800554827. ✅ Lowest Price ✅ 100% Safe ✅ 7 Days Free Trial The cheaper alternative requires someone strong enough to push the scooter up a ramp and onto the rack. [https://goo.gl/images/MLxSSW](https://goo.gl/images/MLxSSW) I would only purchase one locally from a dealer that installs these racks. It will require occasional maintenance that the dealer can provide. Look in the yellow pages under mobility. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/8 "2017-07-27T12:04:17Z")
Thanks, y’all. It’s not a scooter. It’s an actual chair with arms, and the throttle (as it were) is positioned at his right hand. It’s similar to [this](http://wheelchairchic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Jet_7-2T.jpg). I’ll be a lot more familiar with it after I disassemble and reassemble it a couple of times today. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/9 "2017-07-27T18:06:41Z")
That’s a “powerchair”. “Powered wheelchairs” are very different. Those generally weight a couple hundred pounds and are not something you assemble or disassemble to carry in a vehicle. It has a bunch of adjustments to fit people of various shapes, but you don’t snap it apart & throw the chunks in the trunk. The good news is that’s the right type of device for somebody who’s just about done walking. They are stable on unsmooth surfaces and have excellent range and speed. They do need their batteries replaced every 2-3 years for $50 to $100. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/10 "2017-07-27T20:09:03Z")
He had a doc appt today and I went along to take the chair apart and put it back together, which I did twice. It breaks down into five parts plus the battery. The whole thing weighs 120 lbs, and no one part weighs more than 35 lbs. My best time assembling was about 90 seconds. I did “snap it apart and throw the chunks in the trunk.” Maybe the picture I linked to wasn’t completely accurate. I just wanted to show that it wasn’t a scooter. He thinks he’s found a good ramp for about $1,300. It needs to be fully automated as he cannot lift anything over about 15 lbs and has limited range of motion in his shoulders. This morning was his first outing in the world outside home or office and it went perfectlyl! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/11 "2017-07-27T21:23:20Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Thanks, y’all. It’s not a scooter. It’s an actual chair with arms, and the throttle (as it were) is positioned at his right hand. It’s similar to [this](http://wheelchairchic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Jet_7-2T.jpg). I’ll be a lot more familiar with it after I disassemble and reassemble it a couple of times today. Looking more closely at the picture (now that I’ve been intimate with the chair), this is exactly what he has. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/12 "2017-07-27T21:27:14Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Looking more closely at the picture (now that I’ve been intimate with the chair), this is exactly what he has. Did he buy the chair used? Because $1400 is waaaaaaay cheap for _any_ customized chair, motorized or manual. For comparison, my manual fold-up chair, which I buy directly from the manufacturer, costs $1100 more than your friends motorized chair. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/13 "2017-07-27T21:46:56Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Did he buy the chair used? Because $1400 is waaaaaaay cheap for _any_ customized chair, motorized or manual. For comparison, my manual fold-up chair, which I buy directly from the manufacturer, costs $1100 more than your friends motorized chair. I looked it up and 1400 [well below](http://health.costhelper.com/wheelchair.html) the average for a motorized wheelchair. The average is more than $7000. > [@](#): > > Costs for a power wheelchair vary tremendously, starting around $1,200-$1,500 and going as high as $30,000. One study, published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation[3] , evaluated 15 electric-powered wheelchairs, with an average cost of $7,132. Before looking this up, I had no idea power wheelchairs existed that only cost $1200. I’d like to see what those look like. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2017, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/14 "2017-07-27T21:53:07Z")
I guess it’s like cars and their price variations. He bought it about a year ago to use only at work (which required a lot of standing), and only brought it home about a month ago when he retired. So this wasn’t intended to be a robust, heavy duty chair that would go everywhere all the time. It was meant to be a Mini Cooper not a HumVee. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2017, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/15 "2017-07-28T05:51:44Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > It was meant to be a Mini Cooper not a HumVee. Oh! The Irony! ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2017, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/16 "2017-07-29T01:11:04Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Oh! The Irony! I do so want to get this joke, but I don’t. Can you explain? My friend found [this lift](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYPgzBZLaSM&feature=youtu.be) and he’s in love–probably gonna get it. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/17 "2017-07-30T20:47:07Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I do so want to get this joke, but I don’t. Can you explain? The new Mini Coopers are HumVees compared to the original Mini Coopers. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/advice-sought-wheelchair-rack-for-car-need-soon-ish/792196/18 "2017-07-30T21:15:40Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I do so want to get this joke, but I don’t. Can you explain? > > My friend found [this lift](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYPgzBZLaSM&feature=youtu.be) and he’s in love–probably gonna get it. ThelmaLou, Have you found a local place to install and provide service later? Glad you found a product that will work for your situation.