anyone have an auto 3.5ton?

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showpony

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Shame on me, learnt to drive in an automatic.... So doing manual test isn't an option as new licence would be required! ! Need to get sorted with something to take out and about but legally cant pull a horsebox without the relevant licence which would restrict me for 6mths... So not an option really .. Want to possibly look at an automatic 3.5 ton... Anyone have one? All i can find are manual ones ... I honestly don't mind diesel cost as would be only using once a week.. .
 
3.5t are converted from a normal van or coachbuilt onto avan chassis. So there will be ones out there, if not are really having trouble you could buy the vehicle and have it converted (I did this).

Only thing I would say is, that driving a horsebox with the horses in is VERY different from driving the van on its own... I was taught to stay away from the brake as much as possible, and slow down by changing down through the gears to make things a lot smoother for the horses onboard.

A friend of mine towed my mare in a trailer with an automatic car and I hated it... so jolty!! That would be the downfall with me.
 
I have one - for the same reasons as you. I got a horsebox company to source an auto chassis and then build the box. It was more expensive, particularly as I wanted asap, but they are out there.

I find mine gives my horse a really smooth ride and other people who have driven it have loved it as well. Not sure about the using of gears rather than brakes issue, but i would always use the brakes gently anyway to give a smoother ride.

Diesel wise - have never compared to a manual regarding cost, but mine is very economical.

Love mine - I use it about 3-4 times a week. Wouldn't be without it.
 
showpony said:
Shame on me, learnt to drive in an automatic.... So doing manual test isn't an option as new licence would be required! ! Need to get sorted with something to take out and about but legally cant pull a horsebox without the relevant licence which would restrict me for 6mths... So not an option really .. Want to possibly look at an automatic 3.5 ton... Anyone have one? All i can find are manual ones ... I honestly don't mind diesel cost as would be only using once a week.. .
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I assume you have only 1 horse to transport at a time so why not get a towing set up which conforms to B licence towing rules?
 
showpony said:
I have a Discovery 3 which with box & horse in it would be above the weight restrictions..
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None wil work with that vehicle because from memory I think the GVW is around 2500+ leaving well under 1000 kgs for the weight of the trailer plus the weight of the horse = not goingto happen for B licence towing

Something like an auto nissan xtrail with a lightweight horse trailer (perhaps downplated) with one horse would work

If you only ever tow on hard ground then an auto car or estate with a lightweight trailer and one horse will work for B licence towing
 
yep, thats what I meant!!! Jeep was only bought 2mths ago so getting something else right now is not an option - & can't see my OH giving up his 6speed golf lol...
Thats why am looking at the 3.5ton option.
ROG said:
None wil work with that vehicle because from memory I think the GVW is around 2500+ leaving well under 1000 kgs for the weight of the trailer plus the weight of the horse = not goingto happen for B licence towing

Something like an auto nissan xtrail with a lightweight horse trailer (perhaps downplated) with one horse would work

If you only ever tow on hard ground then an auto car or estate with a lightweight trailer and one horse will work for B licence towing
Click to expand...
 
Yes, I have one. I sourced the chassis myself and had it coachbuilt into what I wanted. It even has a small overnight living at the back. It is ever so slightly jolty but not enough to bother the horses, I worry more about wear and tear on the gearbox. Although it has done 145,000 miles.

If replacing, which I might be soon for a bigger box, I will definatley be getting another automatic. I often drive myself to shows, and its tiring, hence I don't want to be dealing with manuals as well. Plus most luxury horseboxes now tend towards the auto version anyway.

You can also get a trailer downrated to carry a certain maximum weight (e.g. one big horse as opposed to two), which may increase the range of vehicles you can legally tow it with.
 
I have a 56 plate Renault Master 3.5 with a 'quickshift' gearbox, which is as close as Renault ever got to a proper auto. There's a metal pole where the clutch should be and it drives like an auto *but with no biting point*, so you still have to do hill starts etc. using the handbrake.

It drives fine and gives a smooth ride - but it does seem to change up very late compared to my auto car.

To get an auto I had to set the coachbuilder off on a needle in a haystack hunt of the auctions to find a suitable donor van (which took several months) and I couldn't be too fussy about what they found. Hence mine is fully loaded with aircon, alarm etc. which I wouldn't have picked as it all added to the price and the alarm drains the battery so I've had to have an iscolator fitted.
 
montanna said:
A friend of mine towed my mare in a trailer with an automatic car and I hated it... so jolty!! That would be the downfall with me.
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There's either something wrong with her car, the trailer or her driving, because auto tow vehicles give the smoothest ride IME.
 
ROG said:
A 3.5 tonne van used once a week - what are the yearly costs divided by 52 ? - is that going to be value?
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It's not about value though is it Rog?

I hate towing, don't like the ride trailers give horses, and have a 7.5 tonner used an average of once a week that I am really happy with.

I also plan to have a 3.5 auto when I next change.
 
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