Thorntrees Garage has created a video demonstrating a VW Sharan, which Brotherwood has converted. The video is to show the conversion type & how effective this vehicle and conversion can be for wheelchair users.
A video allows you to see the vehicle's moving parts and demonstrates how to use important pieces of machinery, such as the winch & giving you an idea of the available space.
Please get in touch if you have any questions or enquiries about this WAV or any other WAV we have in stock, and a member of our team will be in touch.
We have added a video transcript underneath if you want to watch it without sound.
Today we want to show you what a brilliant wheelchair-accessible vehicle, a brotherhood conversion of the Volkswagen Sharan, is.
Walking around the car, we can see it's nice-looking. This is a 13-plate with 73,000 miles on the clock, but with the diesel engine, that's no problem. The car is automatic.
Right, let us show you how the back of it works. You open the tailgate by pressing the button and stepping back. It's very easy. Then the ramp comes down with a little handle that you need to push. The ramp itself is very lightweight.
Now the Brotherhood system has both a winch & electric belts. So, if your wheelchair passenger is heavy, the winch will come out and pull the wheelchair user in. The winch will come out slowly. When you have attached them to the wheelchair, you can pull them in straight away. Alternatively, you can use them as electric belts. As in other wheelchair conversions, you press a button at the back to turn them on, and then you can pull the electric belts out.
Now you must attach them to the frame of the wheelchair as it wouldn't be safe if you put them around the footrest. Once attached you then turn the button off so that as you push the wheelchair user, they will go into the car. The straps will hold them if you must let go for any reason. When you get to where you want to be, put the brake on the wheelchair, and the front straps will hold it there. Then, you take the back straps and, wrap them around the frame of the wheelchair & fasten them up. You can use the pull strap to tighten them up.
Now there is a seatbelt that goes around the person in the wheelchair so that they can travel as safely as if they were in a normal passenger seat. In addition, you can see two smaller rear passenger seats in the front. So, four people plus the wheelchair user can comfortably travel in this car.
When you get to your destination, undo the straps. They will come off if they are in your way, and you can store them on the left-hand side of the wheelchair.
Switch the button on again, push the wheelchair forward a little bit & take the brake off. Then the wheelchair comes back down the ramp. Once it is down, unfasten the straps. Sometimes people like to store them on their seatbelts. Turn the button off because otherwise, you will flatten your car battery.
Then, the ramp comes up very easily, and you can click it into place & press the button for the tailgate to come down. This car has automatic side doors, which is another useful feature. You can see from the side angle that the wheelchair user can travel in between them & they can chat as they go along.