Any Solitaire horsebox owners about?

[Muddy unicorn]

I’m slowly losing the will to live looking for a 7.5 horsebox that ticks all my boxes and I don’t have to sell several vital organs to fund … I’ve seen a couple of Solitaire boxes that have a decent payload, look tidy and have an OK MOT history however they don’t have a tilt cab. I’ve had it drummed into me by every mechanic I’ve spoken to that I should only be looking at boxes with a tilt cab but Solitaire say their design has engine access panels so it’s not an issue . I see a lot of them at events so presumably they’re ok but I was wondering if any Solitaire owners could share their experience?

 

[Spottyappy]

I don’t have it now, as I downsized to 3.5t, but I did have one.
It was a great lorry, I loved it.
It had a cut through in the living area, to access most of the engine, however I was warned that if the engine needed to be lifted out for any reason, it would be very difficult.

 

[Melody Grey]

My lorry (not a solitaire) isn’t tilt cab and that did worry my slightly, though my mechanic pointed out that it is what it is in a second hand and in my case, older, lorry.

Provided you’re buying something as mechanically sound as you can reasonably tell and it’s not overpriced, I wouldn’t let it put you off.

I live 5 mins up the road from where solitaire are based so we see a lot of them around here and they have a good reputation locally.

 

[Squeak]

I used to have one before I swapped to a 3.5t and loved it. Great lorry, well built and solid and everything worked as it should. We had it for a good few years and it was never an issue that it wasn't a tilt cab.

If I was going to get another 7.5t I'd go for another Solitaire.

 

[PeterNatt]

As long as they don't have to remove the engine then all is well. But if they do then it is a nightmare because the engine has to be dropped down and everything under it removed to facilitate this. This will take many hours of labour just to remove the engine before they can start working on it or establish if it needs replacing. My advice would be always to buy one with a tilt cab because if the vehicle needs a road side repair and the cab can not be tilted then it will have to be towed away. Always buy a vehicle with a tilt cab as it is so much easier to maintain and repair should a fault occur.

 

[Puzzled]

I had one for 10 years….was very happy with it. Only sold as went down to 3.5 tonne.

 

[anguscat]

Had one about 5 years. ‘New’ from
Solitaire. Pleased so far.