The ins and outs of choosing a car (view report contents)
Getting in and out
Look for: wide doors, that open wide 
If your legs are stiff you will need room to swing them in with the least
possible bending. Two-door cars usually have wider doors. Remember that
wider doors need more space to open into (this can be a problem in garages),
and you have to reach further to close them.
Watch out for bulky door pockets that get in the way. It may be possible
to remove them.
Features found on some cars:
Some MPVs (people carriers) have sliding doors which may be easier.
Adaptations which may help:
A car dealer or adaptation firm may be able to make the door open further by modifying the hinges. The cost depends on the vehicle. You may need to attach a length of cord to help you close the door or use a walking stick.
Look for: easy to open doors
Nowadays door handles are likely to be the type you just pull on - no buttons or levers involved.
Features found on some cars:
- Remote central locking is very common on a wide range of cars.
- On some cars the remote lock automatically closes the windows.
- Keyless entry systems are now more common. You carry a small card with you and as you approach the car, it unlocks automatically (see photo below).
Adaptations which may help
- Central locking can be added by adaptation firms, from around £200.
- If the car key is too small, a key holder gives more leverage. £4-£18,
from Aremco and general aids suppliers,
see addresses section.
Key holders are cheap and make turning keys easier
- Some exterior door handles are hard to grip. There are various tools to help. Around £19 from Aremco.
- Electric door closers cost £1300-£2500 from adaptation firms.
Different types of door opener suit different locks
Look for: space around the seat
The more space between the seat and the door the better. Look for seats which slide back some distance if you need a lot of room.
Adaptations which may help:
It may be possible to make the seat go back further by extending the runners or changing the fittings. This may not be worth doing on 4-door cars because the door pillar may be in the way. Try your car dealer or adaptation firms (£100-£300+).
Look for: high doors
The higher the door the less you have to duck to get in.
Look for: low and narrow sills
It’s easier to lift your legs over shallower and narrower sills. Avoid having a low seat and a high sill.
Adaptations which may help:
- Leg lifters help you lift your legs over the sill. A simple DIY solution
is to loop a stiff length of webbing over your foot and pull on it.
Some people use a hooked walking stick or a plastic bag (step into it
and use the handles to pull your leg up). General
aid suppliers sell equipment to do the same job - around £8 - £40.
- If you travel as a passenger it is possible to fill in the footwell to bring it level with the sill, but this may mean you end up in an uncomfortable position. Around £120 from adaptation firms.
A simple leg lifter made of stiffened fabric
Look for: a flat floor
If you get in on one side of the vehicle and slide across to the other seat, look for a vehicle without a transmission tunnel and where the gear stick and parking brake do not get in the way. Most MPVs and some other vehicles have flat floors. Some cars have dashboard mounted gear sticks which may help, particularly if the car has an unobtrusive parking brake. An automatic parking brake using a button on the dashboard is available on some cars by Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Toyota.
A dashboard mounted gearstick on the Honda Civic
Report contents
Introduction
Car design
Choosing a car
What to look for -
- Useful built-in features
- Getting in and out
- Seats and seating
- Major controls
- Secondary controls
- Accessories
- Loading and stowing
- Wheelchair users
- Staying in your wheelchair
- Buying second hand
Checklist
Techniques
Who can drive?
Getting insurance
Finance
Helpful organisations
Mobility Centres
Useful publications
Addresses
