3.5 box (van conversion type) costs

[Mrs C]

Hello. I currently hire transport which costs typically around 140 per month. Just wondering if I could buy my own and wondered what the typical insurance/maintenance/running costs are. Any information would be great, thankyou

 

[poiuytrewq]

£140 a month including fuel?

 

[Quigleyandme]

I had a Vauxhall Movano with circa 40,000 miles on the clock prior to conversion. It was inexpensive to insure, tax and MOT because our local mechanic was able to service it. It was also extremely reliable. Fuel consumption was pretty good considering I lived in Devon and was grinding up a lot of hills.

 

[PeterNatt]

At £140 a month I would not buy one.
If you bought one you would have to pay Tax, Insurance, Breakdown Insurance with Horse Recovery, Servicing and Maintenance, Annual MOT Test.
Also if you buy one get one which is built on a chassis pan cab as they are stronger.

 

[Abacus]

I’d estimate (annually): insurance and breakdown at about £400, MOT, service and say one repair at £300-£500. Tax on mine is £336. Maybe a total £1200 per year excluding fuel so it is similar to your hire cost. More if you’re unlucky and have a bigger repair bill. But you have the advantage that it’s there all the time and maybe you’d go out even more, if that’s what you want. Also good for occasional moving furniture and so on…

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Mine is approx £850 a year (tax, test, insurance and breakdown) before it turns a wheel.
Add approx £120 for basic service and safety check.
Even something quite new can have things go wrong or wear, maybe std things like brake pads, tyres, wipers, bulbs and deeper mechanical items. Then add on safety issues for the horse area - most I know have to do some form of at least minor repairs, from little things like door or window catches to bigger stuff like replacing a ramp, floor or fixing a partition.

As mentioned above, a 3.5 coachbuilt will be more sturdy (usually!) And you have more headroom for horses.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’m never quite sure. Are the van conversions the like courier van shape and a coach built the “lorry” type?
Mine was converted years ago but is the lorry style and I’m never quite sure!
Mines £28 a month to tax, £300 ish a year to insure.
Mot is whatever they cost these days usually plus a bit of welding because it’s older.
Fuel id day is £10 per lesson so £50 pcm roughly.
I couldn’t afford to have a lesson a week if I had to hire one.

 

[Mrs C]

Thank you

 

[poiuytrewq]

Thank you

Another thing to take into account is just that’ it’s so amazing having your own freedom and the ability to get up and go

 

[Pick and mix]

I bought a 3.5 tonne van with the intention of selling it
I was just using it while my
7:5 tonne had breaks done , I absolutely love it , I was
Putting £100
In my big lorry to
Do one trip , I know but 60
In and does be 2/3 trips all
An hour away every week at least twice a week , I do prefer the Luton but you don’t actually gain that much space really x

 

[ycbm]

Even something quite new can have things go wrong

This definitely budget for. Mine was only months out of its manufacturer warranty when the air bag sensor failed and cost £500 to replace.

Repairs aside (busted spring last year due to road conditions) it does about 40 to the gallon and costs about £850 in MOT/ tax/ insurance.

Where would you park it? Many yards charge these days and I pay £416 a year in parking charges.
.

 

[phizz4]

You could look at it this way. Assuming that you have a budget of £20,000 to buy a half decent vehicle, if you put that money into a top paying cash isa you would earn £1200 a year in interest. This goes a long way towards paying the rental costs. You also retain the capital, there is no depreciation, no maintenance costs, no new set of tyres every 7 years. Worth thinking about.