Automatic horse boxes anyone seen any for sale?

Haphazardhacker

Haphazardhacker

Well-Known Member
Joined
2 June 2013
Messages
795
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site
My friend is looking for a 3.5-7.5 tonne automatic lorry. She’s not bothered about living so it can be as basic as you like. We have been looking for ages and not found anything. Budget is up to £20,000.
 
You have such limited control though, I hate automatic trucks with a vengeance, I will just about tolerate a auto car. It no way would I want to drive livestock in a auto it's bad enough to drive palletised goods.
 
I'm the opposite of GW, I found driving a Volvo fully auto brilliant on the autobahn, same with semi auto, and the Actros fully auto when it came out. Never had an issue with them, even going through some of the steep passes. But they were not tonka 7.5s but 18t plus.
OP, I've only driven 1 auto 7.5 for one summer season, probably in around 92, it was a nice run around but a bit of a pig on boggy show grounds, otherwise v easy.
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
I'm the opposite of GW, I found driving a Volvo fully auto brilliant on the autobahn, same with semi auto, and the Actros fully auto when it came out. Never had an issue with them, even going through some of the steep passes. But they were not tonka 7.5s but 18t plus.
OP, I've only driven 1 auto 7.5 for one summer season, probably in around 92, it was a nice run around but a bit of a pig on boggy show grounds, otherwise v easy.
Click to expand...
I love autos on motorways, but around towns especially islands so.e are horrific, the delay between acceleration and engagement is dangerous in so.e autos, add the mirror configuration and you have an accident waiting to happen, some of these autos are awful, they go up the box, can't decide what gear they really need and sit in netural till they go into 3rd or 4tj. Now I do not give a dam if I have 28t of steel in the trailer as if something hits it well it's going to hurt but not my livestock. Also this a e b s, advanced emergency breaking system is going to be lethal if you can't disengage when driving animals and your insurance may be invalidated if you do.
 
Gingerwitch said:
You have such limited control though, I hate automatic trucks with a vengeance, I will just about tolerate a auto car. It no way would I want to drive livestock in a auto it's bad enough to drive palletised goods.
Click to expand...

I have an auto 3.5 (uprated to 3.95) tonne, it is FAB.

It is perky to set off, goes up the gears smoothly and best of all, when you come off the motorway down the off ramp, it realises you are slowing and goes down the gears, so often I barely need to use the brakes, so the nose doesn't even dip.

I have taken it round city centre as I take my horse to see mum, who is in a city centre nursing home. No problems at all.

Oh, and if you so wish, you can drive it as a semi auto, so select your own gears on a paddle shift.

Mine is a Renault Masta.


ETA - I just asked Mr Red, mine does have a diff lock, but I have no idea how to set it and have never needed it.
 
Last edited:
Gingerwitch said:
I love autos on motorways, but around towns especially islands so.e are horrific, the delay between acceleration and engagement is dangerous in so.e autos, add the mirror configuration and you have an accident waiting to happen, some of these autos are awful, they go up the box, can't decide what gear they really need and sit in netural till they go into 3rd or 4tj. Now I do not give a dam if I have 28t of steel in the trailer as if something hits it well it's going to hurt but not my livestock. Also this a e b s, advanced emergency breaking system is going to be lethal if you can't disengage when driving animals and your insurance may be invalidated if you do.
Click to expand...
I'll still disagree, sorry! ?
Never had a problem in towns, maybe the 90s ones were different.... even with 12 up in the back I never gave them a shitty drive. I cannot compare to yours as never had those problems, always found the synchro absolutely fine.

Mind you, an auto or manual still beats double de clutching on a crash box!
 
The Fuzzy Furry said:
I'll still disagree, sorry! ?
Never had a problem in towns, maybe the 90s ones were different.... even with 12 up in the back I never gave them a shitty drive. I cannot compare to yours as never had those problems, always found the synchro absolutely fine.

Mind you, an auto or manual still beats double de clutching on a crash box!
Click to expand...
FF I known darn well you would never give any animal a bad ride, it's just not in your make up. It's the newer trucks that are the issues, the torque has been messed about with and the only decent auto us a Volvo in my honest opinion, just test drive Merc with no mirrors hated it at first as I could just not judge the width. Give me a 3 over 3 with a splitter and i would drive anywhere with anything on. But we're all entitled to our likes and dis likes
 
Ooh the paddle gear sounds interesting and possibly an option, has to be an auto unfortunately as unable to drive a manual, she’s desperate to go out and about and wants a to be independent, will keep looking but they really seem like hens teeth.
 
I was having a brief look at 3.5t earlier this week and noticed that there just weren't any full stop. When I was seriously looking last autumn there was plenty. So if the market is quiet in general that may mean finding an automatic will be even harder.
If your friend can hang on a little longer, I'd expect more to come on the market as we head towards winter and people don't want them sitting around doing nothing/costing them money when they're not being used.
 
chaps89 said:
I was having a brief look at 3.5t earlier this week and noticed that there just weren't any full stop.
Click to expand...

When I was looking late last year, I couldn't even find any manuals that fit my requirements (under 10 years old, nothing horrifying in the MOT advisories) so ended up getting one built.

I think that may be the OP's best route - buy an automatic van/truck and get it converted.
 
Get in touch with Essex Horse Transport, Ollie that owns it may well know of or have one for sale, he works with/along side a coachbuilders as well as doing transporting and is ? honest and decent, in all his business dealings
 
I’ve also been looking for a 3.5t auto - but as you say like hens teeth.

The one on eBay isn’t available and the Marlborough one has done 80k miles in 4 years as a horsebox ( high mileage doesn’t put me off (if the majority miles was in its prev life) - but not keen on 20k a year travelling horses on a 10yr box )
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top