piaffe
Well-Known Member
Suggestions, if you dont mind, please!
And, what to avoid!
And, what to avoid!
Best 3.5?
- Thread starter piaffe
- Start date
hollyzippo
Well-Known Member
Done lots of research here myself! Renault master or vauxhall movano (the same) are seemingly the best in terms of reliability (OH is a mechanic!) and weight.
Plenty of weight for 2 little ones or a big one plus tack etc. Insurance is cheap too. My friend is 34 and pays about 180 a year.
Plenty of weight for 2 little ones or a big one plus tack etc. Insurance is cheap too. My friend is 34 and pays about 180 a year.
Forget_Me_Not
Well-Known Member
Good post! figered will need a 3.5 without having take second test, could trust dad to drive, oh and should be big enough for my big lad!
luckilotti
Well-Known Member
i have a transit and havent (touch wood!) had any problems with it, not much headroom in mine though. my friend has an olddddd LDV and that seems good in the respect its always passing MOT etc - hers takes her huge horse (not sure if she is overweight or not! guess she would be) and see seems happy with it - i think there are good and bad in all of the makes just depnds on the actual box in question, if its been a conversion and who's owned it before!
good luck with your search
ps - for my transit - i was paying about £300 a year for insurance and i am under 25.
good luck with your search
ps - for my transit - i was paying about £300 a year for insurance and i am under 25.
LifeofRiley
Well-Known Member
I've also got a transit - I looked at the Renaults but heard stories about the horse jumping over the back into the storage area and getting stuck!
Twiglet
Well-Known Member
I had a Transit, but wasn't keen on its stability particularly, and my horse became quite a poor loader travelling in it regularly.
I think they're great for ponies, but in hindsight, wouldn't travel horses in them.
I think they're great for ponies, but in hindsight, wouldn't travel horses in them.
clairencappelli
Well-Known Member
I have a transit with a large alloy lambourn body on it. I took the partition out so my horse has the whole box to herself.
Its not the most powerful but so far ive been pleased with it- its perfect for what i want it for. Ive only had it for 8 months ( 5 of which my horses had laoding issues ). We are off out in it now tho and its very stable to drive for a small lorry.
Due to its height i dont take it out in winds but other than that im very pleased with it.
It just depends on your budget transoprt is expensive and id love a hunter but its a distant dream to own one.
This is mine.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v410/c...nt=PA080139.jpg
Its not the most powerful but so far ive been pleased with it- its perfect for what i want it for. Ive only had it for 8 months ( 5 of which my horses had laoding issues ). We are off out in it now tho and its very stable to drive for a small lorry.
Due to its height i dont take it out in winds but other than that im very pleased with it.
It just depends on your budget transoprt is expensive and id love a hunter but its a distant dream to own one.
This is mine.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v410/c...nt=PA080139.jpg
Eceni
Well-Known Member
Renault/Movano are essentially the same vehicle. They have a low centre of gravity and are easy to drive. Like all 3.5t they have a relatively low weight carrying capacity - usually around 1200Kg which is barely enough for two 14hh ponies plus all the gear, whatever the manufacturers tell you.
The 'van' type are smaller, but cheaper. The coachbuilt ones have exactly the same weight load, but seem to be more popular, presumably because they have more head room. They are, however, rather more expensive unless you want to go for the old Mark I models, some of which don't have PAS (Personally, I wouldn't bother)
the Mark II come i the old turbo diesel - go for a 2.8 120 bhp, not the 2.2 90 bhp which is seriously underpowered. The new dCi engines are gorgeous, and have the advantage that the extra grunt is all through the rev cycle (in the old dti, the turbo buts in at 3,000 revs, which isn't much use overtaking - you won't be up to 3k by the time you need the grunt). That said, the newer ones only came in in 2002 so are more expensive.
Get one with good insulation or you're driving an oven in the summer and a fridge in the winter. Also make sure it has *sealed* drain holes in the floor of hte horse compartment or the urine's going to rot the floor. The cheaper conversions tend not to have any drain holes at all, which makes me think that mucking out will be difficult.
good luck with your search
E
The 'van' type are smaller, but cheaper. The coachbuilt ones have exactly the same weight load, but seem to be more popular, presumably because they have more head room. They are, however, rather more expensive unless you want to go for the old Mark I models, some of which don't have PAS (Personally, I wouldn't bother)
the Mark II come i the old turbo diesel - go for a 2.8 120 bhp, not the 2.2 90 bhp which is seriously underpowered. The new dCi engines are gorgeous, and have the advantage that the extra grunt is all through the rev cycle (in the old dti, the turbo buts in at 3,000 revs, which isn't much use overtaking - you won't be up to 3k by the time you need the grunt). That said, the newer ones only came in in 2002 so are more expensive.
Get one with good insulation or you're driving an oven in the summer and a fridge in the winter. Also make sure it has *sealed* drain holes in the floor of hte horse compartment or the urine's going to rot the floor. The cheaper conversions tend not to have any drain holes at all, which makes me think that mucking out will be difficult.
good luck with your search
E
Stella
Well-Known Member
I've got the Renault Master Conversion from here www.northernhorseboxes.co.uk and I love it. they do cost a fair bit more than the more traditional 3.5t, but they have a low centre of gravity, making them nice and stable, and they are beautifully made and great to drive. There have been a few 'snagging' problems, just little things with my conversion, but the aftersales service has been very good at getting them sorted.
Kate_13
Well-Known Member
I have an oooooold Bedford CF. Just gne through MOT only needing slight work to brakes after being stood for 6 months. However I have just replaced the floor and doing some cosmetic work.
It costs me £120 a year to insure (I am old though, only a couple years ahead of my lorry!)
It costs me £120 a year to insure (I am old though, only a couple years ahead of my lorry!)
Eceni
Well-Known Member
Stella - can you say why you chose northern horseboxes Scothorse shuttle over the other makers of renault vans? (Foxlea or Marlborough particularly)
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Stella
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Stella - can you say why you chose northern horseboxes Scothorse shuttle over the other makers of renault vans? (Foxlea or Marlborough particularly)
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[/ QUOTE ] I don't know Foxlea. I saw some that were looked cheap and I worried that they might not be well made and may not be as strong as they should be. I considered Malborough, but I wasn't keen on the single opening door at the back and the double door above the ramp (different to the Scothorse). I also prefered the living 'fittings available in the Scothorse and the water tank with the sink and the bucket filling tap was important to me because I have a dodgy back that can easily be 'put out' by lugging big water containers about! The clincher for me though was that the guy at Northern Horseboxes could answer all my question and clearly knew exactly how they were built and how many pounds of pressure each bit could withstand. That helped me to feel more confident about it, as the safety factor was my primary concern.
Stella - can you say why you chose northern horseboxes Scothorse shuttle over the other makers of renault vans? (Foxlea or Marlborough particularly)
ta
E
[/ QUOTE ] I don't know Foxlea. I saw some that were looked cheap and I worried that they might not be well made and may not be as strong as they should be. I considered Malborough, but I wasn't keen on the single opening door at the back and the double door above the ramp (different to the Scothorse). I also prefered the living 'fittings available in the Scothorse and the water tank with the sink and the bucket filling tap was important to me because I have a dodgy back that can easily be 'put out' by lugging big water containers about! The clincher for me though was that the guy at Northern Horseboxes could answer all my question and clearly knew exactly how they were built and how many pounds of pressure each bit could withstand. That helped me to feel more confident about it, as the safety factor was my primary concern.