Another lorry v trailer post

[Britestar]

Was there a particular stage in which the Equitrek’s were deemed “no good” - I notice the newest Night Treka seems to have aluminum etc so it does seem like they’ve upgraded the build? What I’m trying to get at, is if I brought new, do you think I’d have more assured safety than say if I brought one that was 2 years old? I don’t think the iFor’s are going to work for the size of my horses. I think if I go a trailer it looks like it will have to be an Equitrek or Böckmann ?

If buying 2nd hand, you want to ask for the service history, and if you can speak to the person who did it. The guy who looks after mine is excellent, and was happy to speak to the person who bought it. He had that much faith in it and his work.
The new one has composite panels, so no rotting. They always has aluminium floors.

 

[WarmbloodX]

i know this is an old thread but interested in what your outcome was. i currently have an 08 pathfinder and 08 ifor510 and starting to think about changing. costs are:

insurance on pathfinder a year £300
tax on pathfinder per year £550 (please don't comment on this cost it stresses me out as it is!)
breakdown for both car& trailer £115
trailer insurance £50
trailer service £80 assuming no repairs or new tyres

so my costs before MOT are £1095 per year, and car tows on about 30p-50p per mile depending on if one or two horses or if motorway journey or not.

for me to move to a lorry it would need to be able to have the payload for 2 decent size horses - mine is 625kg and friends is 550ish. so i'd say 1200kg net before tack and people etc. pathfinder tows 3000 so ive loads of leeway with my current set up

 

[Kahlua]

i know this is an old thread but interested in what your outcome was. i currently have an 08 pathfinder and 08 ifor510 and starting to think about changing. costs are:

insurance on pathfinder a year £300
tax on pathfinder per year £550 (please don't comment on this cost it stresses me out as it is!)
breakdown for both car& trailer £115
trailer insurance £50
trailer service £80 assuming no repairs or new tyres

so my costs before MOT are £1095 per year, and car tows on about 30p-50p per mile depending on if one or two horses or if motorway journey or not.

for me to move to a lorry it would need to be able to have the payload for 2 decent size horses - mine is 625kg and friends is 550ish. so i'd say 1200kg net before tack and people etc. pathfinder tows 3000 so ive loads of leeway with my current set up

No worries at all! I ended up going for a 4.5T Bloomfield, (obviously much higher than my initial budget but my husband decided he didn’t want anything used) and we purchased two small cars for our day to day. The trailers weren’t going to be able to fit my horses comfortably and the 3.5T didn’t have the weight, so that’s where we ended up!

 

[Muddywellies]

I've just sold my 7.5t and reluctantly gone back to a trailer. Loved my lorry so so much, but the MOTs were becoming more and more of a pain. I always budgeted about £700 for the MOT (they varied between £250 and £1300). What the problem was, was having to book the test 3 months in advance, coordinate getting it in with the mechanic for the pre MOT work, then taking it to the test centre and going through the ordeal of the test ( tho some mechanics do that for you). This year's MOT was due in June so it was booked in March. Then covid happened, test cancelled. It was extended for 6 months but for love nor money I couldn't get it booked back in at the test centre as delivery vehicles were (understandably) taking priority. MOT ran out so we just dumped it at the mechanic's and let him MOT it in the end. It was waaaay more stressful than it should have been and I decided to sell it and get a low maintenance trailer for a while as we're not competing much at the moment. Although I loved the lorry, I think if we ever go back to one, it will be a 3 5t (with decent payload) then it can be MOTd at the local garage.
Re Equitrek, wouldnt touch one with a bargepole. Designed to look pretty and be people pleasers. Our trailer mechanic absolutely can't bear them and doesn't hold back with his views on them. (sorry all happy Equitrek owners)