7.5t Running costs.....

Dusty85

Dusty85

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Hi all,

So, Ive recently been thinking about doing my 7.5t /C1 test. I know nothing about running lorries and running/upkeep costs so thought I would ask all you lovely people.

I currently have a B+E (i took the extra test) so I can use that to get about, but I absolutely hate towing. I have thought about a 3.5t, but you don't get much payload for two big horses, and all the 3.5t lorries seem expensive when compared to the 7.5t (presumably because you don't need an extra licence).

So, can someone please enlighten me to the costs?

Upkeep/maintence?
Plating/tax?
Insurance? (Im 30 with 7 years no claims)
Running? (id probably use it 2-3/month)

Also- How much is the test to take? I understand you have to register for provisional, then health check, then lessons /theory then take the test.

Many thanks!
 
Hi, I just sold my 7.5T, and may be able to help with costs...

Mine was a fab 54 reg, 3 horse, a bit of living, very safe with air susp, air con, cruise control Leyland Daf with years left in it, and I sold for £10,000.

The insurance was about £250 including breakdown insurance, fully comp any driver.
The Tax was £160 a year.
Running costs - diesel worked out at about £10 an hour.
Maintenance is a bit of a lottery. Ours averaged about £700 pa, including test. We were unfortunate though, with new batteries, exhaust, tyres, a gearbox repair, brake repairs, suspension repairs... over the 5 years we had it.

Watch out for the weight on 7.5 tonnes as a lot of those are overweight too. Ours was pretty basic, but weighed nearly 6T with water, fuel, and a few bits and bobs on.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks- yes it does help.

The insurance and tax is not as much as I thought, in fact the tax is lower than my 4x4!

However, but budget would be considerably lower, probably 4-5K so I would be looking at an older one. Therefore Im pretty sure the maintenance would be higher!

Good tip about the unalden weight, thanks

This may all be pie in the sky but I grew up going off to shows in a lorry and I really hate having to tow!
 
Our 7.5 ton weighed 6.1 t I be unleaden so we had a new body put on it, lighter and less living, stalled for four but weigt wise can only taken three until we upgrade to a 14ton. It's now 5.3ton unleaden with full tank of furl in.

I'm doing my class two, 18ton, test. It's about the same money as the 7.5 but gives you more room to drive the bigger lorries. So my advice would be to look into doing you class two.

As for running costs, at the moment it's about £650 to insure as both sister and I are on L platers (dad is class one driver with over thirty years experience so can sit next to us) once we both pass it will go down to about 250/300.

Can't remember tax but it's not bad, just had some work on it to get it through it's mot (tiny value went but was a bleep bleep to find) but since dad is also a hvg fitter we only pay for the bits.
 
One point, we did have a 12.5 tonne class 2, but the DVLA or whoever started to be funny about drivers hours, even though it was just for fun. H&H did an article, or ROG would be able to be prescriptive, but basically if you work Mon-Fri you could not drive your lorry Sat and Sun. You needed a full day "off" work or driving.

Edited to say Tax was the same for class 2 as for 7.5 tonne.

3.5 tonne costs more in Tax!
 
Bottom less pit on running costs.
Mainntenence - I have spent night on £6000 over 18 months. New clutch, steering rids, tyres, recon gear box, and so on.
It's impecably maintained, serviced etc, but things just seem to "go" on Horseboxes. My mechanic says it's because they're not designed to sit about as much as horseboxes do, maybe used once or twice a week at the most.
However, I love it!
 
I don't think you can carry over any no claims that you have on your car, so don't think that will make a difference.
I pay:
£350 fully comp insurance and breakdown with ERS. Milage restricted to 5000 per year.
About £165 tax per year.
Plating is about £150
Servicing has cost about £500 each year.
Diesel costs about 50p per mile.

Total is roughly £1200 per year (not including diesel!).
When I was deciding whether to buy a lorry I costed it all up and worked out that I would have to use my lorry on average twice a month to make it worthwhile having it, otherwise it was cheaper for me to just hire instead.
 
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