4.5/5 ton secondhand horseboxes

[Bubblewrap]

Im looking to update my box and Ive been looking for months with no luck. Im very nervous about buying something secondhand, although I have a fab mechanic who would look it over. I just can't find anything - loads of 3.5's about. Has anyone bought this size recently? is there a fab person out there not on my radar! I can travel as I'm central England.
I need something with a small living area, i.e. sink, little hob and seat/table that makes into a bed, bit of clothes storage, nothing grand but I sleep away a few times a year. Needs a tack locker and although i usually carry just my small horse, my old boy sometimes comes for the ride so needs to be able to carry him as well.
Ive looked at all the good manufacturers, and I love their boxes, but they are a little over budget and I don't know if I can justify spending that amount of money but i will if I have too!! Ive done all the google stuff, search the web, looked at all the usual selling sites but its a minefield out there!
So is there someone out there who has bought recently and knows someone I can trust to source or who sells decent reliable secondhand boxes. PM if needs be. Budget is about 30K - 35K ideally.

 

[ponios]

We were also looking for same sort of second hand box but in the end we bought a second hand van and had it converted.

We went with Equihunter. They were great. The way he operates is that he sends over (or talks you through in the phone) a spreadsheet that has every possible option available so you can build it up to suit your budget/needs.

We have a big horse, currently standing at over 18hh and we wanted as light a box as possible so we have nothing in the living and a slightly longer horse area and longstall/stallion configuration and dont have a breast bar- by building your own you can add only the things you need.

One of the main reasons we went down this route rather then buying secondhand (aside from them being like golddust) is so that we knew everything was done to spec, especially important on the safety side of things. We know that behind driver is reinforced (they all should be but some dodgy builds out there), we reinforced the ramp as horse is such a heffer! and know exactly what is under the floor.

We bought at 2014 plate fiat ducato (in April 2016) with lowish milage (was owned by a gardening centre so wasnt going all around the country) and with the build costs I believe total came out at £33k but of course you could always buy an older chasis/more milage. Equihunter can find you a chassis or you can sort yourself. I think they recommend no older then 4/5 years as with the cost of coachbuild it isn't worth putting it all on a knackered van. he is very good at telling what you should be looking for if you source your own van.

ETA that we are very happy with build quality. I have been using it at least twice a week since we bought it and had no problems(runs to touch wood!) our big lad is an impatient traveller at times and often kicks out when waiting at traffic lights etc and the box has barely any wear- just a few dents in the rubber wall covering!

 

[kevd]

With £30- £35k you should be able to get a good new build. Definitely stick with a chassis no older the 5 years if you can. Have you thought about 5-6 ton chassis. Do you know what chassis you want ie low to the ground like a 3 ton box?

 

[Bernster]

I check these out every now and again. I've occasionally found some on sales websites but on the whole I'd prefer to use a reputable dealer. Best bet is to stay in touch with the guys who build them, to see if they get 2nd hands ones in a part ex. But agree, I wonder if you could get one built yourself for that money.

I like the smaller versions that look a bit like an oversized 3.5t. Freddie Gover, Peper Harow, Thorpe, Kevin Parker seem to do decent ones in that range.

 

[Bubblewrap]

Thank you for your replies, I would like a sort of bigger version of the 3.5, Ive already got Equihunter on the list, as is Bloomfields and a couple of others. I haven't investigated these too much as seen adverts for 50K builds on FB that are similar to what I want and I really don't want to spend that much and its put me off contacting them. I don't want to waste their time by getting there and finding out I'm 20 K under their build budget! I think I need to go to them with my budget and see what they come back with. I would certainly feel happier with a new build.

 

[Myloubylou]

Huntsman horseboxes in Northants