3.5T or Trailer? Cost of running/maintaining a lorry

[{108361}]

Looking for advice on which to get - a trailer and a 4 x 4, or a small lorry? Ive had 4 x 4 's in the past so know about rough running costs for one but I've no idea about lorries.

Im just wondering what peoples opinions are on running a lorry? No idea what tax and insurance are like on a lorry and do things like MOT's cost more because of their size?

I can't afford anything super new so will be looking at older lorry. Are lorries tremendously expensive to maintain? Or is that an impossible question to answer?

 

[HiPo'sHuman]

I've just upgraded myself, tax was £260 ish and insurance & breakdown c. £300. MOT on a 3.5t is the same as for a car Running costs, I probably get similar mpg as with my 2000 Discovery but haven't owned or used it long enough to be sure. I'm loving it, it's so much easier than hitching up! BUT journeys are faster with the car and trailer, my lorry isn't very powerful on the motorway or up hills, lol.

 

[mcnaughty]

I have a 5.5 T so no idea about the running costs of a smaller one but just a couple of ideas. Really depends on how often you are going out. If you are like us and go out a lot then a lorry is much easier as you dont need to keep loading and unloading it. You can keep your show gear, show grooming kit, studs, tie, hairbands, spare jods etc in there and it make your life a whole lot easier. You can sleep in it if you stay over night at a show. You can keep packet food in it. Your tack is safe in it.

 

[milliepops]

pretty impossible because you never know if something is going to go wrong. But I would say that my little 3.5t is very affordable to run, it's economical in fuel, tax is about £20 per month or so, insurance I pay about £300 for insurance and breakdown/recovery. MOT is not expensive, the class 7 test is same as car.
In terms of maintenance, depends on the age and condition I guess, and luck to a degree. Mine is so old my OH can do most stuff, there aren't any fancy electronics to go wrong.

 

[mcnaughty]

Ah! Going to add - get some decent breakdown recovery insurance too! Absolutely essential for you and your horse to be recovered!

 

[SpringArising]

I know nothing about lorries but have been thinking of getting one (a 3.5) - where is the best place to take them for floor/ramp/everything else maintenance etc.? Will a normal car garage be able to sort everything out or is there somewhere more specialised?!

 

[Hollychops]

I have a 7.5t lorry and my local garage laughed when i asked about maintenance on it! They didn't have the equipment or the experience to do what would be required. If you google lorry repairs or horsebox repairs in your area you should be able to find someone, or contact your local PC or RC and ask if they know of anyone.

I have had a lorry for nearly 10 years now and wont go back to a trailer even though we will eventually only have 1, 2 at the most to go in it. The insurance and recovery aren't that much different to having a 4x4 and trailer but the running costs are more, esp the MOT but the benefits outweigh those if i'm honest.

 

[milliepops]

I know nothing about lorries but have been thinking of getting one (a 3.5) - where is the best place to take them for floor/ramp/everything else maintenance etc.? Will a normal car garage be able to sort everything out or is there somewhere more specialised?!

As HC said, also worth asking on local Facebook groups. If you are handy there's nothing to stop you doing it yourself, my OH and I put a new floor into my 3.5t and he's just been fixing up the ramp on our new 7.5t project.

 

[Northern Hare]

I used to have a 3.5t lorry which I just used for my one horse. It was fantastic when I was using it every week, but as soon as I stopped using it as regularly, it started letting me down - and there's nothing worse than getting ready to go to a show and finding that it wouldn't start, or something else needed fixing. It wasn't a new chassis but it hadn't done many miles - the container bit was new though.

If you don't have to worry about justifying the cost, I'd say go for a 3.5t lorry with as new a chassis as possible, and don't worry that it works out that with all the on-costs (insurance/tax/MOT/maintenance) very expensive per use.

However, if you need something that's more economical, then from my experience, a car+trailer is the answer.

 

[AandK]

I sold my 3.5t earlier this year as was not using it enough now my horse is older and minus an eye. I had a 96 / P reg transit chaissis. Tax approx £240pa, Insurance and breakdown (the latter is a must for me with horse transport) approx £300-400pa depending on your claims history and insurance type. Servicing £150-300 a year depending on minor or major and MOT about £60. Not all garages can do class 7 MOTs (cars are class 4) so try and find a local garage that does horseboxes, then they can do floor/ramp work etc. For an older box, I would also allow an extra £500 a year for works that may need doing to keep to MOT standard; welding, new tyres etc.

 

[ihatework]

It’s a little bit like asking how much a horse costs in vets fees a year!

I’d estimate the basics of tax, insurance, MOT, recovery policy, basic service would be in the region of/year:

Trailer: £250
3.5T: £800
7.5T: £1000

But then you pay for repairs etc on top, and that is how long is a piece of string. Trailer is pretty minimal really.
But the lorries are a bit pot luck. Over about 3 years I reckon I spent about 4K in additional work on a 1996 Iveco PRB

 

[ROG]

How often is it going to be used in year ?

 

[pippixox]

The main issues with 3.5 is they are very expensive to buy (even quite old ones) as you don’t need the extra lisence, plus you need to be careful with the payload: my friend bought a terrible old transit conversion. It had just a 600kg payload! So legally couldn’t even take her horse (ignoring people, fuel, tack etc!)

But if you do lots of miles day to day a 4x4 can be expensive. However, if you don’t use it for months trailers don’t cost anything other than a basic service when needed

 

[HeyMich]

If you are like us and go out a lot then a lorry is much easier as you dont need to keep loading and unloading it. You can keep your show gear, show grooming kit, studs, tie, hairbands, spare jods etc in there and it make your life a whole lot easier. You can sleep in it if you stay over night at a show. You can keep packet food in it. Your tack is safe in it.

I have an EquiTrek trailer which has a tack room at the front, so I get to keep all this stuff in it safely anyway! Brilliant trailer, tows well etc, and soooooo much cheaper than buying and maintaining a lorry. The only downside is having to hitch and unhitch. But hardly a show stopper!

 

[Jasper151]

I have been debating trailer vs lorry for a while now. For me, the biggest thing is the payload in a 3.5T. Realistically you will only be able to travel 1 horse, so for me that wouldn't be ideal. But if you are only ever planning on travelling one that won't be a problem.

With towing I'd have to do the test, which terrifies me. But it does mean that you will always have that ability. Newer 4x4s are more economical now than the older ones, and there are a few cars with good towing capabilities.

As others have said, I think it depends on how much you will use it.

 

[Follysmum]

Had a 3.5t van from new but sold it last year as it wasn’t used enough as could only take 1 horse . I was taking it shopping etc to keep it ticking over. Was really good on fuel and I really liked it but tbh as it wasn’t being used enough to warrant it so wasn’t worth having it. My trailer I have had from new and is much more cost effective so it really depends how much your going to use your van.

 

[{108361}]

It’s a little bit like asking how much a horse costs in vets fees a year!

I’d estimate the basics of tax, insurance, MOT, recovery policy, basic service would be in the region of/year:

Trailer: £250
3.5T: £800
7.5T: £1000

But then you pay for repairs etc on top, and that is how long is a piece of string. Trailer is pretty minimal really.
But the lorries are a bit pot luck. Over about 3 years I reckon I spent about 4K in additional work on a 1996 Iveco PRB

Thank you this is very helpful!

 

[{108361}]

Thank you to everyone who has replied - all very useful info. I think Ill probably go for a trailer and 4 x 4 again then in that case. Whichever way you look at it its expensive but at least the trailer should hold some of its money and is easier to maintain. Won't be going out all that much in it tbh but it'd be amazing to actually be able to go out!