Cheap 3.5 tonne or licence Extention, 4x4, and trailer ?

Riding2020

Well-Known Member
Joined
13 June 2020
Messages
56
Visit site
hired a 3.5tonne recently, it was nice and would have cost a lot I’m sure. The gore company woman joked when I said I’d love to buy one, one day! But might have to get a trailer instead as cheaper? She said trust me, that’ll be a lot cheaper!

So I’d like your opinions..

Right now unfortunately its impossible to get trailer towing lessons to even start the process of getting the licence extention for towing (due to corona obviously). But when it can be done. Was it a long process? How much was the cost approx in total once you’d past to get that done?

Then there’s the trailer which at least can cost less than most 3.5tonne’s. Even older ones.

Trailers don’t need MOT’s and separate insurance I believe right?
Whereas a horse van does..

I know from a friend that the older horses vans also drink fuel expensively. More so than towing with a 4x4?

My budget all round for either route will be approx 5k so it’s either the long route with the licence extention, buying a cheap but safe trailer and 4x4. Or buying a cheap And safe 3.5ton / horse van.

Which would you do?
 

L&M

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 March 2008
Messages
6,371
Location
up a hill
Visit site
I have an old Renault master mark 1 coachbuilt horsebox - it is 24 yrs old, but the conversion beats most modern ones hands down. It has the headroom for 17.2hh and is like a stable on wheels. It is diesel and not particularily thirsty, cheap to tax and insure, 110% reliable and the horses love it. There is a huge grooms area compared to the more modern van models and has power steering despite its age, so don't discount a 'golden oldie'. I paid £5000 for it.........
 

mini_b

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 June 2019
Messages
1,937
Visit site
We’ve done exact same and upgraded 4x4 (better towing capacity and better all rounder not newer) and got a bigger trailer; with the budget you had.

we couldn’t justify MOT and general upkeep of a wagon to keep it safe and on road for amount of time we use it. The 4x4 is our daily as well.

I’m also in same boat re license so at moment my old man drives me about (I’m mid 30’s ha) until I’ve passed my test.

with wagons I don’t think there’s a cheap and safe option, think there’s always a lot of work to be done from what we have looked at.

I would absolutely love a wagon but can not afford to run both vehicles at same time. The trailer servicing and maintaining is an absorbable ish cost.
 

phizz4

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 June 2017
Messages
453
Visit site
It depends to a great extent on how many horses, or the size of the horse(s) you want ot transport. If you are only transporting one, and it's not a large or heavy horse, you can get away towing without having to do a trailer towing test. Skoda Octavia 4x4 with a downplated trailer can tow a horse up to around 600 kg without needing a test.
 

huskydamage

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 October 2012
Messages
1,000
Visit site
I'm just going to do my trailer test with my no holiday corona money. Trying to tow without it seems like faff and too complicated for me and I like the idea of being able to ditch the trailer on my horsey holidays to go shops/pub etc. The downside is the car will need to tow but also be economical for work. I used to have a 4x4 and got rid as it was too juicey.
 

Identityincrisis

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 November 2011
Messages
1,473
Visit site
Like a poster above advised, a lot depends on the size and weight of horse/s you are moving.

I have 1 lightweight horse and know i won't ever need to transport 2.

I used to have a large estate car and single trailer, the car was thirsty, expensive to tax and insure. Even though i was confident in my driving and towing abilities, i was always nervous. I worked out i could run a 3.5T and small car for exactly the same yearly cost as my big estate.

I'm much more relaxed about driving it too. I bought mine for £5,500 but it was a bargain and i was lucky
 

milliepops

Wears headscarf aggressively
Joined
26 July 2008
Messages
27,538
Visit site
I have an old Renault master mark 1 coachbuilt horsebox - it is 24 yrs old, but the conversion beats most modern ones hands down. It has the headroom for 17.2hh and is like a stable on wheels. It is diesel and not particularily thirsty, cheap to tax and insure, 110% reliable and the horses love it. There is a huge grooms area compared to the more modern van models and has power steering despite its age, so don't discount a 'golden oldie'. I paid £5000 for it.........
I had one that sounds similar to this. Ideal for one horse and was pretty cheap to run. I've got a 7.5t now and that IS quite thirsty.
 

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
I'm just going to do my trailer test with my no holiday corona money. Trying to tow without it seems like faff and too complicated for me and I like the idea of being able to ditch the trailer on my horsey holidays to go shops/pub etc. The downside is the car will need to tow but also be economical for work. I used to have a 4x4 and got rid as it was too juicey.
Very easy to tow with a B licence - loads on here do that already

My remit on here is to help you with exactly that and I have email alerts for the link below in my signature
 

huskydamage

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 October 2012
Messages
1,000
Visit site
Very easy to tow with a B licence - loads on here do that already

My remit on here is to help you with exactly that and I have email alerts for the link below in my signature

Thanks for the reply, I did look into it once but got put off by the downplating trailers etc seem too complicated for me!? I can't see the link but if you don't mind, could I pm you please for an 'idiots guide' to getting it all under the weight?
 

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
Thanks for the reply, I did look into it once but got put off by the downplating trailers etc seem too complicated for me!? I can't see the link but if you don't mind, could I pm you please for an 'idiots guide' to getting it all under the weight?
Link = https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/threads/welcome-to-hho-towing-clinic.490195/post-13452720
Down plating is dead easy
You contact trailer manufacturer such as IW or Bateson for example
They tell you the price - usually between £10 and £50
You or someone removes current plate
Send plate with money to manufacturer
They send you new plate
You or someone fixes on new plate
Metal drill bit and pop rivet gun needed

The total of the vehicle GVW and the trailer plated MAM must not add up to more than 3500kgs
 

TheHairyOne

Well-Known Member
Joined
18 January 2012
Messages
778
Location
Berkshire
Visit site
I did this last year without doing the test and am happily taking out my horse! However...to get under the weight had less choice on trailers which meant a smaller budget for the car.

The car - which is mostly only used for towing - has worked out rather expensive in the longer term with all the stuff that needed fixing....
 

JGC

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 September 2011
Messages
2,445
Location
France
Visit site
We used to have a tow car and a trailer and it was pretty expensive to run the 4x4 just for towing, and it was too fuel-hungry for me to drive to work as I have a very long commute. We're going to get an older 3.5t in a few months, hopefully. We've tried to work out all the costs and we think it will be slightly cheaper, plus I am not super confident with the trailer on my own.

So I think it partly depends on whether you can use a tow car day to day or not, or whether you'll still need another car. If you can have a smaller, more economical tow vehicle and a 1.5 trailer (the Cheval Libertes, for example, are almost as wide as their two-horse trailers so good stability), that might be a good compromise.
 

ROG

Well-Known Member
Joined
8 January 2010
Messages
8,934
Location
LEICESTER
Visit site
A car with 4x4 is usually a better option such as a Skoda Octavia 4x4 because they are usually a better economical choice
 
Top