Am i mad??? Lorry to Trailer....

[dressagecrazy]

Right here it goes i basically want to cut down my expenditure's.

So im thinking of selling my dream lorry for an Equitrek.

Lorry is a 2 horse with full living basically it's kitted out with everything. The only thing i didnt have fitted was a Shower i scrimped & saved to buy this lorry even sold a Kidney. Ok the Kidney bits a lie but it did feel like i had sold it lol.

Now Im thinking of getting rid of the above for an Equitrek Star Treka, which in a way is similar to my lorry.
Selling my lorry would free up enough money to buy one of these & give me enough to cut down & really make a dent in my existing loans. It's not that im not managing the loan's it's just im absolutely sick of the debt, when i could be almost debt free.

My lorry has had one overnight stay in all the time ive had it owned it for getting on for 5 years. It is used on at least a fortnightly bases though.

Lucky for me, I already have a more than capable 4x4 to tow the Star Treka with which is only just a year old so the car is already here. Another reason for making me think selling Lozza the lorry might be the best thing. But i love Lozza!!!

What would you do

, i think im going mad, but then on the other hand i think it might be the best thing.

Also if i did this i wouldnt be able to go back to a lorry of the same standard i have now if it didnt work out.

Need you guy's to knock sense in to me.

 

[Morrigan_Lady]

Hmm, tricky one that.

I had to sell my lorry years ago becuase I needed the money and I regreted it ever since.

But if you need some extra cash, getting the trailer is wise.

Ive never been one for saving money though, just spending it!
Not much help am I.

 

[PaddyMonty]

keep the lorry. In just a few years at most the debts will be paid off and yu will still have your pride and joy.
We had a trailer for 5 years, since getting the lorry there is not way we could go back to the trailer, even one as nice as the equi.

 

[mlm]

i sold my lorry in 2006 and bought a brand new trailer.we have had 3 lorries the last one being all singing and dancing with all mod cons. we only stayed away 3 times a year and every week just went local. it used to cost £50 an outing for diesel then entries etc and was getting silly. my daughter was in her last year at school so we knew there was no stay away shows for 2007 so sold it. i will get another when she starts to want to stay away again BUT would never part with the trailer now as it is so much easier for day shows.

 

[Super_Kat]

TBH I'd keep the lorry

 

[digger2]

I am in exactly the same position, and i dont know what to do either. Do you

My 4x4 is quite old so i think i'd need to upgrade that too so prob not have too much change from the sale of wagon and trailer buy.

So not quite the same but the hope would be to cut back on maitenance and outgoings.

SO:-

What would the insurance be for an Equitrek? box was around 250 last year?
How much desiel would i use in my terrano to tow in comparison to what the waggon would need?


Am we better to down size 4x4 to car to save money and keep the box.

Sorry very rude of me to impose on your post

 

[mccarron6769]

This thread is making me think hard. I am having the lorry versus trailer argument between my head and heart. Want a lorry but worried it will spend too much time being under utilised and still costing dosh just sitting there. I have a Range Rover so plenty of pulling power and am thinking of the equi trek too.

Incidentally - if you do sell your lorry what kind of price are you looking for, just in case my head loses the argument????

 

[dieseldog]

My sister sold her lorry and bought an Equitrek, she has just bought another lorry and is selling the Equitrek. She lasted about 4 months.

 

[SALLYT]

I would sell the lorry, just think the sooner you pay it off think of the money you could be saving.I'm sorry but why keep paying the interest on loans when you don't need to.

It does sound as though your lorry is fab, but on the other hand many people would give their eye teeth for a trailer like that and at least you can still go.

Sorry to sound boring, its just I work in Fianace and often horrified at how much people actually pay back compared to the amount they actually took at in the first instance.

 

[mlm]

another thing with lorries is the plating mine had not been used for 6 months and when it went for plating it cost me £1300. and it was only an 18 month old conversion on a 7 yo engine so not ancient really. insurance was £350 a year Breakdown was an extra £70 a year also road tax.

 

[NewHeights_SJ]

I'm going to go against the grain here and say sell the lorry!!

Yes a lorry is nicer, but if you are not staying away on a regular basis i dont think swapping to an equitrek would be a problem, especially if you already have something to pull it with.

Being almost debt free is something not many people have these days, and if you decide that you really prefer a lorry there is nothing to stop you saving up for another, especially if you dont have debts to pay!! You'd be saving money straight away, because you wouldn't be paying interest on your debts.

Personally i'd prefer to be in a better financial situation for the future than to have the lorry (especially if you can still get out and about in the trailer)....

Good luck in your decision!

 

[digger2]

[ QUOTE ]
My sister sold her lorry and bought an Equitrek, she has just bought another lorry and is selling the Equitrek. She lasted about 4 months.

[/ QUOTE ]

My fear entirely, although they seam to sell quickly.!!
Apart from an odd break i'm often out every weekend, so its not like the box isn't well used.

 

[dressagecrazy]

The lorry is paid for my loan for it finnished a year ago. The other loan is to do with something completely none horsey!!

But all the same it's still money going out isnt it.

My biggest worry is regreting selling it after working so hard to get this lorry. I can cope without selling it,but im just going through a life clear out so to speak & feeling a bit fed up with everything atm as well so it isnt helping my desicions. Its almost like im telling myself the grass is greener if i sold it!!

I think that Fuel wise i wouldnt be any better off than what i am now. My lorry eats through it & my car does & my car would eat through it even faster with a wacking great trailer on the back.

Insurance would be cheaper but i dont think it would be that much. So again i think that it would be negligable.

For my lorry i would be looking for at least £25k if i sold it. Its a lot of moneys worth sat in the yard.

 

[dressagecrazy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
My sister sold her lorry and bought an Equitrek, she has just bought another lorry and is selling the Equitrek. She lasted about 4 months.

[/ QUOTE ]

My fear entirely, although they seam to sell quickly.!!
Apart from an odd break i'm often out every weekend, so its not like the box isn't well used.

[/ QUOTE ]

Looks like you a me Donut are in the same boat!!!

It sounds like you use your's more than me. My lorry was used every week until my main comp horse couldnt go out. Now he is back up a running its now used once a fortnight!!

 

[digger2]

What about selling and buying a lorry with less mod cons?

That's my other thought. I'm not convinced on running costs, as you say pulling a trailer is going to take some desiel!! and insurance and breakdown cover not enough difference to warrent the debate, but if you dont need full living just a bunk and somewhere to brew up etc then might be an option.

Also for me mine doesn't have a tilt cab and that costs so much extra come servicing and MOT time so thats what im thinking of.

 

[Merlotmonster]

I would sell it. You will soon get used to the new trailer. Or if you really want a lorry, why not buy a cheaper one? A well looked after older lorry will have just as much character once you have added all your personal stuff.

I sold my 3 yr old lorry when I bought my advanced event horse, and bought an old one. It basically paid for him. Its just as nice now Ive added cushions, carpet etc and at the end of the day, if it gets you to shows, does it really matter?

Just think how nice it would be to be debt free. You can always get another lorry in the future once you have the money again.

 

[BeckyD]

I agree completely with Fee fee.

Tough decision though!

 

[conniegirl]

we had a trailer for 12 years before buying my lorry, i could never go back to the trailer now.

Also If your 4x4 is only a year old how about selling that and getting a little run around? might be a way to pay off your debts and still keep the lorry.

Or as others have said, sell the lorry and get a cheaper lorry.

 

[dressagecrazy]

Thanks for all your responses. A lot of stuff to think about, selling the car isnt an option as it's co-owned & where we live it's needed.

Don't think i could do a cheaper lorry tbh i would rarther keep the one ive got. Im going to go & have a look at the Equitrek as i can't really make any desicions without going & looking. Plus i would need to know how the horses would get on with one.
Hopefully they would let me have one for the day to try. That would be ideal even if i had to hire it.

 

[Noodlejaffa]

Think it depends what you compete in! I sold my lorry last year, got a brand new trailer plus 4 x 4 (not so brand new!) and now I'm looking at selling my trailer and getting another lorry.

Admittedly, the trailer's great for nipping off to lessons, or for when I hire a local school, but when it comes to competing, I hate it!

I event and with all the stuff I take with me to each competition, there's hardly enough room left in the 4 x 4 for a passenger and the dog!

And that's if I'm only taking one horse!

 

[Halfpass]

We did the same. Had a lorry with living and sold it to buy and new Ifor. We couldn't justify the expense of a lorry we only used once a fortnight and never used the living. TBH we have never looked back and our finanaces are in better order. Our horses also travel better in the trailer.

 

[Hersom]

I'd love a lorry and I could afford it and I could park it at home. I've looked at the Equitrek too. But I'm going to stick with my Ivor Williams 510.

Vehicle regulation is getting tougher each year. There are more and more rules, and more of them cost money to meet.

Old lorries are going to be regulated out of existence (£200 to cross London if you don't meet the latest exhaust emissions. Spot testing is on a rapid increase, and if you've missed all the weight limits legislation...

I'm sticking with the IWT because in 10 years from new it's been a gem. It looks agricultural because it is. It's a dream to tow whether across mud or up a motorway. It's just plain bloody solid. In a tight lane £5 of damage on my IWT is £500 on the Equitrek. We went down a tight lane the other day....

Of course it depends whether you already have a meaty 4wd. £10k for a trailer and £30k for a tow car won't leave a lot of change from £25k

 

[OWLIE185]

I find that with a lorry one gets greater respect from other motorists and that in the event of an accident or breakdown the horse is better protected than in a trailer. They are also more stable on the roads and give a better ride to the horse.

Lorries are designed to do several 100,000 miles per year so their component parts should last for ever and thus apart from the plating each year the maintenance costs should not be high.

However if the horse box has a non tilt cab this increases labour costs dramatically as everything takes so much longer to do. (Whatever the horse box manufacturers tell you!). So the secret is always make sure that the cab can be tilted for maintenance.

 

[Merlotmonster]

[ QUOTE ]

Don't think i could do a cheaper lorry tbh i would rarther keep the one ive got. Im going to go & have a look at the Equitrek as i can't really make any desicions without going & looking. Plus i would need to know how the horses would get on with one.
Hopefully they would let me have one for the day to try. That would be ideal even if i had to hire it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why couldnt you do a cheaper lorry?? It seems a bit snobbish to not even have a look at some. Sorry, but if you do really want to resolve your debts then you need to be realistic. If you are happy the way you are however, then keep it.

 

[DiablosGold]

I am also going to go against the grain, if it was me I'd prefer a better financial situation than better transport.

 

[dressagecrazy]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Don't think i could do a cheaper lorry tbh i would rarther keep the one ive got. Im going to go & have a look at the Equitrek as i can't really make any desicions without going & looking. Plus i would need to know how the horses would get on with one.
Hopefully they would let me have one for the day to try. That would be ideal even if i had to hire it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why couldnt you do a cheaper lorry?? It seems a bit snobbish to not even have a look at some. Sorry, but if you do really want to resolve your debts then you need to be realistic. If you are happy the way you are however, then keep it.

[/ QUOTE ]

No im not being snobbish at all i worked so hard to get the lorry of my dreams i would rarther keep it than downgrade to a potential lorry with problems. If you get my gist i could be opening the door to a lot more finacial problems.

So in effect im better with the one ive got the Mod cons don't cost me anything but i no my engine is good, which is the main thing.

Thats why im thinking of no lorry & a trailer instead!!

 

[kick_On]

would you consider selling part share in lorry? half the costs???????

 

[Daisychain]

Just think of the extra money each month saved, by getting rid of the loan, a lorry is depreciating in value every year to, get rid of your pride and be sensible and get a trailer, a lorry really isnt necessary unless you are proffessional.

 

[Sooty]

A lorry is a total luxury, as it means taxing, insuring and taking the depreciation on two vehicles, not to mention the maintenance. Unless you travel hundreds of miles and stay overnight, I would always advocate having a trailer. It just makes sense in so many ways.

 

[flyingfeet]

If you compete at least once a week - then keep the lorry.

Now to the finances - what rate are you paying on your loan? You could get a credit card with a 12month 0% balance transfer deal. It will cost around 3%, but that's relatively cheap for a 12 month deal. You can then put aside the interest you are saving and extra to work towards paying off the loan.

It should give you another 12month of breathing space. However its still a loan, so you haven't got extra cash and you still need to be frugal!