3.5T horsebox owners....

[Ginn]

Can I ask a few questions please? After a serious motivational boost this weekend I am now determined to crack on a get out more with my girl so although it will probably take 6 months to save, I'm hoping to look into getting me some transport!!!

Couldn't have a big box as it literally wouldn't get on the yard so I'd always be loading on the road and realistically I think that a 4x4 and trailer isn't going to work as it takes up more space, I'd need to sit a test, 4x4s are damned expensive to run and I haven't got room for a 4x4 on the drive and YO would in no way allow me to keep a 4x4 and trailer on the yard - atleast with a small box she could move it easily (yard is very small).

So some QUESTIONS:
1) What make of box do you have? Is it a coachbuilt or conversion?
2) Where did you buy it? How much (if you don't mind me asking) did you pay for it? And how old is it?
3) How much does it cost you pa in insurance, servicing, MOT, repairs etc?
4) What mpg do you get on average?
5) Have you had any major problems?
6) Any do's and don't's?
7) When buying, what sort of things should you look at in particular?

Before anyone jumps on me about legalities and weights I'd like to point out that the box would purely be for me and my 1 horse - not 2!!!

 

[KatB]

I have an LDV 2500 which is fab. Its not the prettiest but it is twin axle behind which I think is a MUST, and is something that puts me off alot of the Renaults. Its cheap to maintain, and run. It cost me about £40 in diesel to take it fully loaded to norfolk and back from nottingham, so about 250-300 miles. Have travelled 3 horses in it and all have been 100% (obviously not travelled them together!) Its an S reg and cost me £6750 about 15mnths ago.

 

[Ginn]

Cool, have you got any pics? What is the horse bit like - is it a conversion, coachbuilt or container?

 

[Halfstep]

I have a coachbuilt Marlborough box, on a Renault chassis. It is an M reg.

Costs me just under £300 a year for insurance and breakdown cover. It is not too heavy on fuel, but it is a 2.5L diesel so obviously it isn't that cheap to run. MOT is as for a car. Tax was £180 last year. Because its quite "basic" it is relatively cheap to service, plus I have a fantastic mechanic friend who does it for me.

Easy to drive, horse likes it. I have a weighbridge cert so I know exactly how much payload I have.

Do: check the floor carefully. Also check the quality of the build, I've seen some shocking 3.5t conversions which you wouldn't travel a dog in. Go for a well known manufacturer like Marlborough.

 

[ColouredFan]

Hi We used to have a VWLT35 coachbuilt and we olny sold it as we got bigger horses and carring 2 we were overweight, it would take a 16.2 had an external tack locker and a small living area with seats and storage and a large luton. It was coach built and we sold it 4 years ago for £6500, they sold it on last year for the same money. It was a H reg I think. We moved onto an LT50 and sold that last month, K reg for £8,500 but that was in very good condition.

 

[jewel]

really interested to see what replies you get as i'm hoping to get a 3.5t before next show season

 

[crackersluvrat]

I've got a Ford Transit, M reg. I bought it privately for £6000 about 18months ago, I regularly travel between Lincoln and East Sussex which is 200miles-ish not 100% sure how much diesel it uses but around £50 one-way maybe? Only major problem I had with it was when both my rear left wheels fell off when I was taking my horse for a lesson, apparently this is something which does occur on the older fords something to do with the wheel nut thread running the same way as the wheel turns (can you tell i'm not mechanically minded!!!) so I must admit I wouldn't recommend getting an older Ford for this reason!! Other than that be aware of the headroom especially in a herringbone lorry as mine will only carry up to 15.2hh. Not sure on insurance/MOT as my dad pays

but think it is pretty reasonable (and i'm only 20) otherwise we wouldn't be able to afford to run it! As far as repairs go I have very rarely had trouble starting mine, normally it only occurs when either I haven't used it for a while or i've left the lights on

and the battery goes flat, therefore I would recommend getting an isolator switch fitted (also helps guard against theft)! Hope that helps!

 

[KatB]

Oh insurance for me for a year fully comp is £260, Tax is the same as my Peugeot 306 used to be!

 

[OWLIE185]

You say you could not have a big box but I have a 6.5 ton. The length of the container is 12 feet from the rear of the cab to the rear of the container. It has got a massive 3.5 ton payload and only costs £160 per year to insure and an additional £120 for breakdown and breakdown recovery insurance. It is also a lot stronger than a 3.5 ton.

 

[Marquire]

Hi I just bought a Cirtoen Relay 3.5T box from Regent Horseboxes. They built it specifically for me (see below). I looked at quite a few before I got one built as to be honest the quality and specifications ranges massively depending on who builds them.

Its a 55reg and it cost £16500 (which hurt I must say). I've been out in it 3 times now and I have to say I am seriously impressed. It handles like a car and is a very smooth ride for my ponio (I have CCTV thingy and I can see him while driving which is ace!).

It took 3 attempts to load him the first time because stupid mother didn't realise that I'd have to load him leading him on the off side, up the left hand side of the ramp to make sure he went in rear facing- ponio was great he just reversed out when asked them walked straight in again- I am a muppet! He now loads himself into the right place as I obviously can't be trusted- lol

He had never travelled facing backwards before but seems to much prefer it. I down sized from a 7.5T adn the only thing I have found to be a problem is the decrease in storage but then as the 7.5T truck ended up as a mobile tack room it's probably not a bad thing- I now realise that I really don't need 6 rugs, 10 buckets and 50l of water when I go to a show 15 minutes down the road.

On the plus side it is very economical on fuel- I'm getting 40mpg carrying ponio and it has plenty of grunt going up hills etc.

 

[KatB]

Prob with anything over 3.5ton though is the extra ££ to take the test to drive bigger vehicles....

 

[seche]

Yes I have one!
1. Its coachbuilt, RENAULT MASTER came from TravelTwo - google them! its masses takes 16.1. and his 17hh friend only thing id say is i wish its engine were alittle bigger for taking two - its fine with one plus 3 people and eventing kit
2. Its N reg with insanely low milage - did 55 thou the otherday! and was over £12.5k
3. Im not sure what the full costs are as Dad does that bit but im 22 and the insurance is no more than my golf (which is london registered) where as box is shropshire registered.
4. no idea
5. no problems major or minor - couldnt find the oil underbonet - its under drivers seat
6. make sure you know how much its pay load is so you dont over load it. Buy a coach built one that isnt small! they are so easy to drive the size difference is minute. Most important horses have correct amount of room - ours have more room than in the herringbone 5 horse lorry we used to have!
7.I made sure I could test drive it, - start on a hill - test the handbrake etc. Travel Two were brilliant!!! Helpful beyond words and knowledgable too - Dr Polly Xanthos runs it with her husband who is very good at makeing any alterations you want.

 

[luckilotti]

I have one,
I have a G reg Ford Transit conversion. I bought it 5 years ago, i got a bargin as i am pretty sure i would get more if i sold it now! (when i bought it, 3.5tonne boxes didnt seem in demand) Insurance wise, it cost me about £350 orginally as iwas 20, had no previous insurance and that was 3rd party, fire and theift, I think it runs great, i went up and down the country in it quite a few times, its a petrol engine so god knows how much it would use now! its been off the road for a while as needs some jobs for its MOT (welding, a new bonnet catch, headlights adjusting slightly, new tyre) it hasnt really been run for a few years but a liveries hubby had it out on saturday and it all seems fine - just needed a new battery.
I dont have any issues with it at all, my ramp and i had an accident when i 1st got it (i was overkeen to play with my new toy, slipped as i opened the ramp alone, bash! concussion all over xmas!) so i had a newer, lighter ramp on, although i could manage the old one alone, i had mini flashbacks lol!
I have a friend with a k reg transit, her wheel did nearly come off on her way over to Ireland, it turned out though that with them, you have to check the wheels about 150/200 miles after having a new wheel put on, she didnt know this

thankfully her and the youngster was all ok.
Also had a friend with a E reg LDV, mechanically it was sound BUT, it didnt seem a stable box at all, maybe a bit of a cheapo conversion!!!
Then another friend had a c reg Bedford CF, app it could be a bit heavy to drive, no power assisted but she never had problems with it, that was a conversion but IMO, not fab as you had to undo the breast bar before you could undo the side ramp!
then their was the ex livery with the home converted renult van, i would travel anything in that! it really was a DIY disaster by a unhorsey person!

My advice is look at quite a few so that you get to see the differences between them, and enjoy it once you have it

 

[Jane_Lou]

I have a George Smith coachbuilt 2 horse forward facing on an old VW LT35. It is slow but really solid and will happily carry up to 2x15.2's. There is plenty of storage in the luton and we have easily taken 2 out to ODE's with all the water, tack, hay etc that we need. It is old (e reg) but flew through its MOT this year and drives like a car, it unusually has a cut through cab with a little sliding door so you can check horses and if necessarily climb through to horses. Everyone calls it the tardis as it looks tiny from the outside but is very light (big windows on both sides and horses head) and airy )high level slit vents along sides and twin roof vents)

One piece of advice, when I insured it I wanted to add me (lets just say over 30!) and a driver of 23 and the original quote to add the young driver was an additional £280. I left it for a month as they had advised I could add the driver if required for £10 for three days and when I called back to do this they actually charged me £30 to make it any driver over 22 for the rest of the year! So total insurance costs, including full breakdown and horse recovery with the young driver was at renewal £310. (NFU)

Tax is the same as my car and I recently worked out I was getting about 35 to the gallon (diesel) I paid £4000 for it May last year and when it was serviced recently the mechanic said he had someone in with thier (dead) lorry who asked him to offer me £4500 for it!

 

[ponypatter]

I have an LT35 with small living which may be for sale as I have just bought another pony and will be overweight with two fatties on board (fine with one horse or two smaller ponies). PM me if you are interested.

 

[Halfpass]

I'll second Regent Horseboxes. Our 3.5 tonne that we use for self drive hire transport is from them. We picked it up last week and I used it for the first time today. I have driven it for 6 hours today and must say I am also very impressed. My horse is just 4 and is not a good loader she went in on the 2nd attempt and travelled like a dream. You can see some piccies here - www.horseboxselfdrive.co.uk Its an 02 but very low mileage and only 1 owner on a vauxhall movano chasis. It came with CCTV as standard which I must say is fab and really useful. I'm not sure on the MPG but did 300 miles on £50 when we picked it up.