Do people just not want 3.5 Tonne lorries anymore!!

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H.K.D

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Mine has been on the market for a while now and only one person came to see it, they loved it but then said the won't have it as it is a Q plate.

This seems silly as it is only that because when the horsebox builders built it onto the VW chassis in 2006 it had to be re registered as a horse box!

I put it on for alot first time and reduced it by over £2500 grand and its really smart, no rust, lovely compared to some!!

Lots of people ring, arrange to see it and then cancel!!

So annoying!
 
Sorry to hear you are having trouble selling your box.
When I was looking for a box I looked at a lot of 3.5 ton ones but none had the payload I needed so had to go for a 7.5 ton in the end. I wonder if that might be the issue? Especially as VOSA check up more these days than they used to.
 
Thanks: the funny thing is nobody has asked about payload, they just ask what size the horse area can fit?!

Fingers crossed some more people come to see it as it is great!
 
I don't think its helping much with the cost of fuel! But the 3.5T lorries around me are generally selling like hot cakes, although they do tend to be the older ones!
I'm sure you will find someone eventually! Good Luck! :)
 
Took me nearly a year to find my box!! They are like hen's teeth around here and because I'm on a budget it had to be perfect (and he is..Fred :o is wonderful!!). I only had around £2k to spend so not sure what you are asking for yours but I know the low end of the market is cut throat, we saw ours within minutes of it being advertised and had to drive over 100 miles pretty much straight away to ensure we got it (that was assuming it was as advertised..and it was!)

Where you advertizing? We got our on Preloved, it's becoming a very useful site and free too!!
 
How much is your box up for?

If i could afford one id be having a 3.5t as its the only one youngsters like i can drive without a hgv license? Or so i have been led to believe? Maybe try and make your ad more accessable to younger people????
 
We had our little 3.5 ton up for sale a couple of months ago and no enquiries at all, and then all of a sudden in the past few weeks we've been inundated with enquiries. Had a few time-wasters out to view it (they had less than £5k to spend and the box was advertised at over £12,000 - and they had the cheek to ask whether we would drop to their price!), but sold it for the amount we wanted last week. Since then, we have again been inundated with enquiries about it.

I might know a 3.5 ton going up for sale - which will be less than £5k. If anyone is interested, PM me. I will be able to find out some details about it tomorrow. It's based in Hertfordshire.
 
Samantha008 said:
How much is your box up for?

If i could afford one id be having a 3.5t as its the only one youngsters like i can drive without a hgv license? Or so i have been led to believe? Maybe try and make your ad more accessable to younger people????
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Similar situation in France you need an HGV equivalent license for a 7.5 ton so everyone drives a 3,5 ton. When we go to the races we see trainers arriving towing trailers.
 
It is on for £7400 ono, so a good price for what you get!! x Fingers crossed as I have had interest in the last week or so compared to all winter!!

I will pm anyone who has asked as do not want to break the rules and seem like I am advertising. as I am not.
 
H.K.D said:
Mine has been on the market for a while now and only one person came to see it, they loved it but then said the won't have it as it is a Q plate.

This seems silly as it is only that because when the horsebox builders built it onto the VW chassis in 2006 it had to be re registered as a horse box!

I put it on for alot first time and reduced it by over £2500 grand and its really smart, no rust, lovely compared to some!!

Lots of people ring, arrange to see it and then cancel!!

So annoying!
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Q reg puts people off, it sounds strange why they would re reg it as a Q as this is for kit cars made of second hand parts or a stolen recovered that had lost its origional identity and its real age couldent be verifed... it can be harder to get a insurance quote too ,
 
I think they're still very popular - especially with the younger drivers and also older people like myself who only travel one horse.....the problem is that the market is flooded with them at the moment. Loads of clever people who are able to do the conversions buy them cheap, convert them and make themselves good money. Nothing wrong with that - it's business, but there are a lot on the market. Also the Vauxhalls and the Renaults seem to be the most popular as they are so close the ground that they give the horses a good ride. I have a really good, strong van conversion and get loads of interest from people at shows. Even people who are against them come and have a look and say that they didn't realise that they were actually done so well inside. I'm sure you'll find a buyer eventually - money's tight at the moment, but it can't stay like that forever! Good luck!
 
I want one but again only have 2k ish to spend if people have 5 - 10k why would you buy a 3.5t when you can get a 7.5t and take your friends to shows with you :D
 
Well I've just got back from our friends and seen their R reg. lorry they're putting up for sale (3.5 ton George Smith Iveco Daily). For £5k, it seems well worth it. I've PM'd those of you who contacted me yesterday, but if anyone else wants more details, feel free to PM me. I took a photo of it this morning. I think people are snappping up the older cheaper ones, so don't think they would have a problem selling it. They've not advertised it yet, but I said I'd start to advertise it for them around the Newmarket/Ely area for them.
 
It does seem strange that it was registered as a Q plate. It would certainly worry me. I`ve never seen it before, and i've seen a lot of 3.5ton boxes. I would be suspicious that it was on a chassis with a dubious history. I really think that is the issue.
 
I had a 7.5T and sold it to buy a new build 3.5T it was the best thing we did. It is economical and really easy to drive. I drove over 400 miles to buy it as the people who converted it where recommended. I think that the problem is that young drivers have to be over 21 and they do slap a heavy excess on. I was quoted over £1k for my daughter and me to drive but shopped around and got it down to £400.00 with a reputable company.
 
Winklepoker said:
if people have 5 - 10k why would you buy a 3.5t when you can get a 7.5t and take your friends to shows with you :D
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Presumably because of (1) the price of fuel and (2) License restrictions.

I'm 29 and passed by test in Sept 1997, which is 9 months too late to drive anything over 3.5T without taking a further test.

I should be in a position to buy a box next January, and I'll get going for a 3.5T so that I can easily get out and about on my own. Longer term I'd like to take a test to drive a 7.5T, but it's a great deal of expense and will have to wait until I am no longer a student.
 
I would think the reason is its a Q reg. I always thought a Q reg was a stolen recovered or insurance right off, I could be way out on that though. Most of the horseboxes on the road have had a former life as a delivery van of some sort and tbh Ive never seen a Q reg horsebox. If it isnt advertised as that or people dont know that before they arrange to view then it must be something else. I know we arent allowed to advertise on here but can you give a few clues as to where its advertised etc so maybe people can find it and give you some feedback. :)
 
You will probably sell it ok now the weather is getting better we had a few 3.5 ton horseboxes built last year over the winter and by May they had all sold.
The Q plate might be putting people off because it generally means the vehicle has no previous identity.
 
I was always told "Q" stands for "Questionable" when it comes to car registrations.
Often hard to get decent insurance, although perhaps since you must have it insured, you might be able to calm people's fears by telling them which insurance you use, etc?

More generally, I think 3.5t lorries tend to do better in lower price brackets, also because a lot of people looking for these lorries are younger. That said, we're coming into competition season now, so you will hopefully get more interest.
 
Thank you for the feedback.

Popped it on ebay now hopefully get a few more viewers. It is also advertised on a site where I am from (see my details ********horse.co.uk)

Yes NFU had to do some research into it when I asked to be insured with them, however after finding out why it was a Q (simply re registered by a reputable horsebox building company they said) I easily insure with NFU for a mere £38 a month as a 19 yr old.

I have already reduced the price and have put open to offers, so I will just have to hope that now people are getting out and about they will be more interested!
 
Winklepoker said:
I want one but again only have 2k ish to spend if people have 5 - 10k why would you buy a 3.5t when you can get a 7.5t and take your friends to shows with you :D
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because they dont want to take another test!!! strange realy
because the 3.5 are very expensive, are built on cheap tinny van chassis not lorry and will only carry one big horse no decent living... mind having a big lorry means it soon fills with "fiends" put the kettle on , oh can I just use you loo , oh that looks nice as they spot the bottle of wine in the fridge as you get the milk out imm not sure I want tea now!!! no its tea or hit the road .....:D
 
I'd love a 3.5t lorry but have come to the conclusion I need 7.5t. My horse and my friends will top any payload on a 3.5t so it's not worth it. Plus, I can pick up a 7.5t wagon with living and all the trimmings for so much less than a 3.5t box.

Similar to somebody else, I'm 27yrs old so will have to take my HGV test but all in all it'll work out cheaper anyway! In the meantime, my brother who lives half an hour away could be bribed to take me on a day out or the boyfriend will do it so long as I do his laundry, put it through my dryer (as he wont buy one but loves everything being soft!) and then do the ironing!!

7.5t all the way - I just need to find one I like enough and co-ordinate Dad (luckily a mechanic) to come and see it :)
 
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