another lorry thread - helios and prestige

[blood_magik]

so the 3.5t lorry idea went out the window due to needing a bigger payload and Im now looking to take my cat c test and get a lorry over 3.5t.

Has anyone got or travelled in a prestige windsor 2 stall or a helios box?
Both seem to be what Im looking for - a decent sized horse area, a seating area for when it's raining and a lovely big tack locker.
so yeah .. any reviews good or bad would be appreciated

if money were no object, I'd be straight down to whittakers

the cupboards are pretty bare at the moment so I can only offer snack-a-jacks and diet coke

 

[mil1212]

I'm on the lorry hunt at the moment too. I have neither a helios or a prestige, but was parked next to a helios the other day and had a look in it, and it's owner was pleased with it and said she'd had excellent service from them. The are also built very light weight, so you'd get a good payload with one. Alas, when I found how much they are, that idea went out the window! My only other thought was about the special coating they use in the horse area, I wondered if it may be slippy?
I have had my eye on a second hand prestige too, they are excellent quality (a friend had one a few years ago), unfortunately it appears to be sold now!
I think the prestige will be heavier than the helios and quite a lot more expensive, but both good quality!

 

[blood_magik]

yeah the Helios comes in at 4.9t and the 'lady' version at 4.7 I think.
I had a look at the Whittaker lorries - £105k for a two stall!
I quite like the look of the prestige Windsor - I wouldn't think it was only a 2 stall from looking at it

 

[blood_magik]

meant to add that the prestige is 6.5t, whereas the Helios is lighter and takes 3 big horses..
there's too much to think about - my brain might explode before I make a decision

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

The Helios lorry is really nice, it's well built, has a good payload & very nice living. I don't know the price as Kevin Parker Site doesn't give it.

Normally horseboxes start to get much more expensive when you have quality living in them, they also get a lot heavier & you lose payload. The Heios does however have a good payload, normally over 2 tons.

It's very nice to have a lorry with fancy living but have a real think about wether you will actually use it? The majority of box owners rarely if ever stay overnight at shows. If they do it would probably only be 2-3 times a year maximum. If that is the case a lorry with reasonable dayliving would be enough & a lot cheaper.

I have a Tristar, it has nice day living but has a few extras I've fitted (generator, Microwave/hook up etc) & this is perfectly adequate for when we stay away at shows (Scope/Blue Chip/Wales & West). All venues doing show over several days have showers etc so you don't really need them in your lorry. Most are in the spring/summer so you don't need heating etc either.

Basically write a list of what you really need out of a lorry when you go hunting & you'll be surprised that you can get what you need for considerably less that what you dream about wanting.

 

[mil1212]

The Helios lorry is really nice, it's well built, has a good payload & very nice living. I don't know the price as Kevin Parker Site doesn't give it.

The ladies helios box starts from over £60000 I believe.

I think it depends how much payload you require too, 1 tonne (for the prestige) isn't much really - I am having this problem as I may want to carry 2 horses which are 700kg a piece! Even if you are carrying one horse, with a couple of people, tack, essentials and bits and bobs can add up to at least 1 tonne.

Also as T_Z says, it's weighing up what you need, although I will stay over in mine I really won't need an all singing dancing living, but it's hard to find something with just the right amount of living, it's all or nothing!