Anyone have a VW LT35 3.5t Horsebox?

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asterid

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I am looking again at trasnport for the coming season. Have toyed with 4x4 and trailer which is an option.

However, I like the look for the 3.5 t VW LT35 horseboxes with side ramps.

Has anyone got one? What are the pros and cons? Is it slow? Does it pull uphills? Are they reliable? What are parts like to get hold of etc.

Any info gratefully appreciated.

Thankies :)
 
I had one which was pretty old - A reg - and I LOVED it :D Everyone looked down on it because it was old, but mechanically it was very sound and although it was slow it always got up hills etc without any problems :) (including Birdlip hill if you know Gloucestershire at all, it is notorious and we went up it with full eventing gear + me + horse just fine :))

There were absolutely no 'cons' as far as I am concerned - it was very cheap to run, incredibly reliable, incredibly low maintenance and I would have another like a shot

I sold mine to RoanyPony who used to post on here cos I needed the money :(
 
Great, I will keep saving!

Any ideas on a good price? Probably looking for an Areg - E reg lorry. The prices vary so much! Needless to say that my budget will be limited. I already owe money to the bank of Dad for my new saddle!
 
A friend of mine has got one, which I sometimes borrow. It's very solid and quite heavy to drive round the lanes (as opposed to the 2 Transits I've had) but, I think the horses get a better ride because it doesn't roll about.

Hers has got an 'upside down' gearbox which always confuses me! Meaning that first gear is down, 2nd gear up etc. My car is opposite. Plus her handbrake is beside the drivers side door, rather than on the left hand side.

It comfortably sleeps 2 in the luton (above the cab) and has a sink and cupboards and seat in the living, and a tack locker on the inside.

What I don't like about it is it's just a tad too small inside to comfortably move about.... the jockey door seems a bit narrow when you're trying to load saddles and haylage bales in it, but on the other hand, it's easy to park, get the ramp up and down on your own, and has never let her or me down as far as starting and going. So all in all, passes muster I think!
 
I used to have a LT35 it gave the horses a good ride but it was heavy on fuel and VERY VERY SLOW uphill and my horse was only 15hh TB X at the time. I think Lorries have moved on a lot since the LT35 came about. Another thing is you have to watch the unladen weight. I bought a fantastic Lorry form a company in Kent called Equi-Star. It is a Renault master, i took it to a show in October which was 350 mile round trip, it sat happily with my 16.2 WB at 70 on the motorway, and used just under half a tank of fuel. It has a side ramp and a changing area , a place for my tack , hanging space for my show gear, and somewhere to sit in the dry plus so easy to drive, it even has CCTV from the cab so i can see my horse while she is travelling, this then turns into a reversing camera, I am lucky as it is a 2008 but compared to what i paid for it is amazing quality and an investment that i haven't regretted. Theie website is equi-star.co.uk Worth looking at the Renault master, i think Vauxhall do a modle which is the same as well.
 
I have an E reg LT35 with a GC Smith body on - the same body as CareyR had - we love our little lorry! Yes it is slow up hills but it pulls really well, and fuel economy is amazing, friends were using it fin the summer for regular vet visits and could not believe how little it cost to run compared to their normal Defender and Trailer. Horses travel really well in them as they don't wallow around and the body I have is really well built. With 2 people, small horse and eventing gear it will sit all day on a motorway at 50-55mph which is plenty fast enough for me with a horse up. I have had a new exhaust fiited and had the brake drums replaced last year but my mechanic keeps going on about how easy she is to look after as they are typically german, solid, well built and very little to go wrong. Parts are easy to find as well as refurbished parts so that is no issue. Last years service and MOT including 2 tyres was less than £200. Yes, we do have the smallest and oldest lorry in the park when we go eventing and last year at Aston we ended up parked behind Mary King with Pippa Funnell and the massive Billy stud lorry next to us but no one has ever looked down on us :D
 
I am on my second LT35 and I love it. It is a P reg and admired wherever we go. It is so compact and sturdy, the horses travel so well in it and it is easy to manouvre. Haven't had any problems with either box = the only donwside I suppose is that they are not as quick as the newer lorries but not a problem for me as I always drive very slowly with horses on board anyway. Thoroughly recommend.
 
We changed ours as firstly we have to go into the low emission zone and we needed to buy and fit a very expensive bit of kit onto the LT to allow us to drive in in that zone. Also we got stop and had it weight checked, we were over by almost a ton, we only had one horse onboard but had camping gear, 3 adults and alamost a full tank of fuel. We got let off, luckly but with a warning. So just be warned that they are looking out for 'old smokers' as they said to me.........my LT never smked (unless going up hill :-))
 
To give you an idea on price:

I paid £1500 for mine 2months ago. Its a J REG, SO 1991 (19 Yrs old)

Fantastic lorry, brand new ramp just before we had it.

Have travelled my 17hh in it, was a squish, but lorry coped fine!!

hope this helps!

x
 
I have a P reg LT35 and I love it. Much much more solid than the transit I had before, which was absolutely horrible with lots of roll, it also used to run away with you downhill and it took me ages to get used to the fact that the LT didn't! We had it built about ten years ago and it is unusual in the fact that it is herringbone with a small amount of living, it carries my 16.2 comfortably but I would not carry two in it because it would prob then be overweight, although I will admit to carrying two before weight became the issue it now is.
 
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