Anyone gone from 7.5 ton to 3.5; been unhappy & gone back up??

catembi

catembi

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As per title really...

I am very seriously thinking about downgrading from a 7.5 ton DAF 130i, selling it with 12 months' MOT & then getting a 3.5 ton for lower running costs, but...I'm used to the sturdiness of a 7.5 & the room in the living.

I always have 1 1/2 horses on board - Trev the racer & Jenny my ancient 14 hh pony, cos Trev doesn't like to travel alone. Might be getting another ex-racer within the next year as o/h is starting to ride again.

Not sure if there's a viable alternative - Jen doesn't load into a trailer, & I strongly suspect that Trev wouldn't like it much, & we don't really need another car. O/h & I are both ancient enough to drive 7.5 ton on a car license, but I don't like driving something that big. I think we really need 4 ton or 4.5 ton to cope with 2 ex-racers...but do such vehicles exist & would they be cheaper to run than 7.5 ton...??

Really flummoxed, so all advice & experiences much appreciated.

T x
 
I went from a 7.5t to a 3.5t as I went down to one horse competing and it saved me a fortune in diesel costs/servicing. It also meant that K could drive it without taking a test. Even with a fairly new 7.5t my annual service and plate never came to less than £1k wheras the most I ever spent on the 3.5t was the last one which was £280 and mine was an oldie. If I get another lorry I will go for a 5.5t, you get a small living and a payload of about 2t which is excellent. The one I fancy is a trophy twin
http://www.phhb.co.uk/trophy.htm
 
I'm doing the same as you are thinking, but I only need to travel one horse. Sounds as though you and OH may well want to go places together and so really this will make a 3.5t an impractical idea. A 5.5 ton would probably serve you well and allow you a little bit of living but unfortunately good ones are quite hard to find and are pretty expensive. Running costs might not actually differ that much to a 7.5t given that it still needs to be plated in the same way. Fuel costs might be less but really depends on what you are used to. My 7.5t is actually cheaper on fuel that a 4x4 towing......
 
weight wise i very much doubt you would legally get jen and trev on a 3.5ton unless you took EVERYTHING else in a car following you, and even then i suspect you would be pushing your luck.
5.5ton much better.

think about how often you use the bells and whistles of a big lorry-loo,heating,shower etc.

what you will prob most miss is the space. you wont have anywhere to sit really,except in cab.

doesnt bother me as pref to sit in cafe/watch the warm up anyway.
 
I've had a 7.5 tonne lorry for the past 5 years but during that time I have had cause to hire 3.5 tonners - and I had a 3.5 tonner before upgrading.

I always love the thought of the ease of driving and parking but when I'm actually driving and parking I don't really seem to notice the difference. The actual driving is great, provided there are no horses on board, when there are horses on board I find them a little scary, the "feel" is wrong. Once you have two ponies on board - and they won't really take a horse and a pony legally, there is room for only the equipment you will be using that day - so woe betide you if you leave anything behind. That's a nuisance for those of use who fill the lorry with everything including the kitchen sink and expect to have spares of most things available on board.

I love having space to sit, space to change, the ability to move the partitions and leave the horse loose if there's only one on board. In the 3.5 tonner I'm very aware of where the horses are travelling in relation to the cars around - an impact at that level would be so much worse for them than one effectively underneath the floor. I'm also very cautious about the design of many of the 3.5 tonners. I've always hired Theault as you can release the horses through the back, and the design does not encourage the horses out, plus the workmanship is good and the necessary strengthening has been done.

In your position I'd be inclined to hire a 3.5 tonner, load it, take it to a weighbridge and then, assuming you're legal, go out and do whatever you normally do in the 7.5 tonner as there's no point in changing if you're not going to be able to use the 3.5 tonner for what you want.
 
I went from a 7.5t to 3.5t... thankfully we didnt sell our 7.5t cause we quickly changed back. Was only competing one at the time, and I was unable to drive the 7.5t so thought it made sense. Unfortunately, my older horse didnt like it, not sure if it was the travelling backwards or just smaller surroundings (dont get me wrong we dont have an all singin all dancing 7.5t). The other issue I found was that I didnt like the way it travelled with a horse on board... didnt fell solid enough and moved about quite a bit.
If I were you I would either stick to your 7.5 or as suggested go for a 5.5 or 6t as I would say with two on board you would be over your weight limit.

I ended up taking my HGV the end of last year, so now I can go off on my own... if only I could get my youngster going !!!!! haha
 
I have also been thinking about this, i have 7.5 tonne and just got a bill for nearly £1600 last week. When i spoke to my mechanic about it he didnt think i would really save that much and as someone else says i think lorry is better on fuel than our 4x4.
 
Iv got a 3.5ton and I love it, really easy to drive, great on fuel. However, I doubt you'd be able to pull 1horse and 1 pony in one. You'd have to check the payload.
 
I have a trailer, and won't get a lorry until I can afford a 7.5tonner - my older mare has repeatedly travelled badly in a 3.5otnner
 
I went from a 7.5t to a 3.5t and have to say i love it.
Cheaper to insure, cheaper to tax, lot cheaper to mot and service and really nice to drive with pony in.
Also i can park it at home on the driveway and hubbie uses it for his building business so everybody happy :D
BUT i wouldn't travel two in it.
They are like marmite, people love them or hate them, you have to make up your own mind. :)
 
I only travel max 2 14.2s, gen lighter. Went from a 3.5t van conversion that I loved, low ramp, cheap on fuel smooth ride no plate needed, to a 5t as needed living really for overnight stuff
Swopped to a 6.5t as 5t had no power steering but really miss the nippiness of the little box
Would find it really hard to give up the living though!
Hopefully getting a 3.9t with small living next!
 
i am just getting a 3.5 conversion done with small but seperate living, and am downgrading from a 7.5.
ill have a minimum of 1250kg payload and have just weighed my horses, the 15.3's (WB) are 500 and 520 each, and the 17hander WB is 600. so im legal with 2 on as long as minimal tack etc.
but check your weights carefully, most 3.5 wont give you enough payload!
check the guys out at thoroughbred horseboxes, knutsford, cant praise them enough!
 
I'd agree with the marmite thing - you either love 'em or you hate 'em.

I love my 3.5t (Vauxhall Movano van conversion). It has 1.3 tonnes of payload so I can get away with 2 lightweight horses if careful. I find it really nice to drive, very stable with 1 or 2 horses in and every horse I have travelled in it seems to have liked it. However in order to get the maximum payload I have minimum bells and whistles and really it is a self-propelled trailer! I also had mine built by a reputable firm so I know it is safe, there are some scary cowboy conversions out there!

It suits me fine for what I do (hunting and local competing) but I can imagine anyone doing more serious competing would want some kind of a living, and the problem with 3.5t is that the more you put in them the less payload you have. Mine literally has 2 saddle racks and a small storage compartment over the rear wheel arch.

I'd love to have a lorry with a civilised living, but time, money and needs make my 3.5t ideal for me at present.
 
almorton said:
i am just getting a 3.5 conversion done with small but seperate living, and am downgrading from a 7.5.
ill have a minimum of 1250kg payload and have just weighed my horses, the 15.3's (WB) are 500 and 520 each, and the 17hander WB is 600. so im legal with 2 on as long as minimal tack etc.
but check your weights carefully, most 3.5 wont give you enough payload!
check the guys out at thoroughbred horseboxes, knutsford, cant praise them enough!
Click to expand...

The 1250kg payload you have will be total for the vehicle. Commonly people are mistaken to thinking that the vehicle has to weigh under 3.5 ton and everything is ok. Actually it has to weigh under its stated GVW and both axles must not be over their stated maximum weight to avoid prosecution/fines etc. If you find me a 3.5 ton van conversion that can carry 1250kg, is under 3.5 ton and is legal on both axles then I will eat my hat. All of the van conversions when loaded to the 3.5 ton they need to be to have any chance of a payload will be way over on the front axle loading. If in doubt ask any reputable builder what the unladen weight of the vehicle is on front and rear axle and then ask for the maximum axle weight.

I have weighed these vans and they have perhaps 800 to 1200 kg payload collectively between front and rear axles but sometimes only 100-200 left on the front axle before being overloaded. With two bums on the seats and two bums in the rear it is impossible for them not to be very tight on weight.
 
If you do get pulled in and weighed vosa say they give 5% leeway on the entire 3.5t so you'd have to be more than 3.5t + 175kg extra to be done. Obviously safety is another matter!
 
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