Grrrr, lorry????

[timbobs]

Right I’m back again for help guys.
Spent the weekend viewing some boxes.....and I’m already confused, brain addled and fed up and considering hitting the gin!

Anyway current question is, what is ‘better’? Or perhaps which would you pick?

Choice 1 - Man lorry, 2004 with 500,000km on it, but full service history, air suspension. Lovely living, tack lockers not in the horse area. Immaculate everywhere.

Choice 2 - Iveco lorry, 2000, with 250km on it, part service history, living fine but dated, gears were a bit stiff, tack lockers in the horse area, needs a few bits doing, nothing we aren’t incapable of doing, but I do have a lot of other building projects on, so who knows when it would get done.

Choice 3 - Iveco lorry, 2002, (converted 2006), by the same people as choice 2, 160,000km, part service history, living looks better than choice 2, but still a bit dated. Set up the same.

Obviously the prices for all three are quite different, I Guess what I’m asking is is a higher mileage but on better engine and with air suspension worth the bit extra?

We are likely use it as a bit of a ‘motor home’ for country shows/game fairs even when don’t have the horses with us.

Thanks in advance!

Ive always been a fan of MAN’s over Iveco’s. I’d also rather not have tack lockers in the horse area in case a horse decides to climb them!

What are the payloads of the lorries as this is so important?

 

[CLA85]

Thank you, that is also hubbys view. Payload is sufficient on everything, but highest on the man, which surprised me, but they had super lightweight living put in when they had it built, it’s also a fraction shorter than the ivecos. I think the age on the others means the living is a bit heavier then it would be on a newer build equivalent.

 

[milliepops]

No idea on the engines but personally I would not go for one with tack lockers in the horse bit.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I’m considering getting a lorry too. I just rang one place about the test though and it was £1200!! ? is this normal!!??

That's should be for four days lessons, well half days. With hour lesson and test on the fifth day.

If you do your C, which I recommend as it's about the same price, it will give you options to drive bigger trucks.

Also some places do your 7.4t in a old ambulance which is technically 6t but definitely not the same size as a 7.5t

Ours has an 18ft body on it.
Don't forget you will need to do your theory as well.


As for trucks to go for

DAF
MAN

My dad is a hgv fitter and his one stipulation for us was tilt cab.... Okay two stipulations, also a DAF.

Make sure you have copies of the plating and brake tests to go over.

Also ask to see confirmation of the payload unladen. Ours was 6.9t unladen when we first got it because the body was so heavy. The lady had been taking it out with two big horses in.

We had a new body put on it and its now 5.2 unladen.

Speak to a few fitters local to you to see if they do horse boxes and I if they would do an inspection before you buy it.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My dad, hgv fitter, hates ivecos

I Vibrate Everything Comes Off is what nearly all fitters say about them.

They are also prone to rusting, badly.

Dad would not be maintaining ours if it was an iveco.

What's the payloads?

The MAN sounds like the one I would go for.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I've had a DAF & a MAN. both were built by Tristar so very similar. The DAF had bigger & better living than the MAN. The MAN had the more powerful engine. The MAN had done more miles than the DAF in fact at the moment it's done 402,000 km but without a doubt I would take the MAN. The lorry is strongly built, with the large HP engine it's a pleasure to drive, mine has a 180 hp engine. It's very smooth & travels easily with plenty of power & hills do not pose any real issues. As long as a lorry have been service regularly high mileage is not a problem. Mine is a 2003, the cab is immaculate, no rust at all & underneath is really clean as well. A friend has an Iveco of the same year & it's had loads of issues with rust. The cabs rusting as well as some things underneath. As you can gather I'm a fan of the MAN lorries. Oh just remembered, the only down thing is that on a MAN the cab door locks open on a button & they are really stiff to open, apart from that can't think of a thing against them.

 

[gallopingby]

I’d go with the MAN and no lockers in the horse area. Why is it immaculate though? Not used much or done that way to sell?!!!Good luck!

 

[Ossy2]

I’d have the MAN over the iveco everyday of the week but personal preference for me is a DAF just love the way they drive and conveniently for me hubby gets parts for the DAF through his work. He has never had anything nice to say about Ivecos. So choice 1 for me so far

 

[conniegirl]

A lot of fitters won't work on a horsebox that doesn't have a tilt cab. That is why I would never have a coachbuilt. Because of the skirts on them, you can't get underneath to check things which is a pain.

My lorry didnt have a tilt cab and I never had a problem getting it serviced or getting under the skirts.

 

[cundlegreen]

My lorry didnt have a tilt cab and I never had a problem getting it serviced or getting under the skirts.

You must be very slim, or have an inspection pit!

 

[conniegirl]

You must be very slim, or have an inspection pit!

Neither. You simply turned the wheels to full lock and went under through the gap created, or you shimmied under from the ramp end.

 

[EventingMum]

I'd take a MAN over an Iveco any day although I've loved the two Daf's I'd had.

 

[CLA85]

Thanks all, much to think about!

 

[NooNoo59]

I bought a lorry jan 2018 didn't get it checked but the seller had all the paperwork and seemed genuine. Love the lorry but cost me 2500 in 2019 as it needed welding and it has gone in for pre test today and it has more corrosion and mechanical things need doing which with the test take the bill to about 1000. The corrosion is borderline it might get thru it might not. I made a big mistake buying it should have stuck to a bloody trailer. I now have to decide between spending the 1000 and hoping it passes or trying to sell it as it stands. Could kick myself

 

[conniegirl]

I bought a lorry jan 2018 didn't get it checked but the seller had all the paperwork and seemed genuine. Love the lorry but cost me 2500 in 2019 as it needed welding and it has gone in for pre test today and it has more corrosion and mechanical things need doing which with the test take the bill to about 1000. The corrosion is borderline it might get thru it might not. I made a big mistake buying it should have stuck to a bloody trailer. I now have to decide between spending the 1000 and hoping it passes or trying to sell it as it stands. Could kick myself

£1000 is about normal to get a horsebox through its test each year

 

[NooNoo59]

£1000 is about normal to get a horsebox through its test each year

Yes it is but the corrosion is borderline so if it fails on that then I am looking at another 1000 plus and 2000 plus every year is not doable.

 

[humblepie]

Another who would not have tack lockers in the horse area. We have an Iveco which fortunately seems not to be too rusty but a friend has another almost identical which is very rusty. Think it’s slightly luck of the draw or how they’ve been kept. Much will depend upon how you feel they drive and mechanic’s report. Have fun.

 

[cundlegreen]

Neither. You simply turned the wheels to full lock and went under through the gap created, or you shimmied under from the ramp end.

The problem comes when you want to replace the fuel tank/exhaust. Both of which I've had to do.

 

[cundlegreen]

I'd take a MAN over an Iveco any day although I've loved the two Daf's I'd had.

Agree. My MAN is lovely to drive. Very quiet.

 

[cundlegreen]

£1000 is about normal to get a horsebox through its test each year

Really? I've never spent anything like that over 20 years and different lorries. Mind you, I do a lot myself.

 

[conniegirl]

The problem comes when you want to replace the fuel tank/exhaust. Both of which I've had to do.

That is what a mechanic is for! He has a pit and i do not have the knowledge of how to do it myself nor do o trust myself to do it.

Really? I've never spent anything like that over 20 years and different lorries. Mind you, I do a lot myself.

Yes, if you are reliant on a mechanic then its about right cheapest bill i ever had was £800 the most expensive doesnt bare thinking about.
obviously if you do it yourself then it will be cheaper but that takes time, skill and mechanical knowledge, none of which i have.

 

[luckyoldme]

That is what a mechanic is for! He has a pit and i do not have the knowledge of how to do it myself nor do o trust myself to do it.

Yes, if you are reliant on a mechanic then its about right cheapest bill i ever had was £800 the most expensive doesnt bare thinking about.
obviously if you do it yourself then it will be cheaper but that takes time, skill and mechanical knowledge, none of which i have.

I think the problem is that not all the problems can be solved from underneath. The tilt cab allows access to the top of the engine block...you cant physically get to the top of the engine from underneath.
..some of the conversion jobs stop the cabs from tilting ..they would never have gone to the expense and trouble of making a tilt cab just for fun.

 

[conniegirl]

I think the problem is that not all the problems can be solved from underneath. The tilt cab allows access to the top of the engine block...you cant physically get to the top of the engine from underneath.
..some of the conversion jobs stop the cabs from tilting ..they would never have gone to the expense and trouble of making a tilt cab just for fun.

My lorry i owned for 10 years and had a fair bit of work done in that time, it was not tilt cab, i never had a complaint from a mechanic.
it had an access hatch in the living that allows access to the top of the engine

 

[luckyoldme]

My lorry i owned for 10 years and had a fair bit of work done in that time, it was not tilt cab, i never had a complaint from a mechanic.
it had an access hatch in the living that allows access to the top of the engine[/QU
Oh sorry ...my bad i didnt realise that some horse boxes had engines so far back.sounds like a magnificent idea though?

 

[conniegirl]

Oh sorry ...my bad i didnt realise that some horse boxes had engines so far back.sounds like a magnificent idea though?

Oh sorry, didnt realise you decided to be deliberatly obtuse. Silly me.

Horsebox engines are in exactly the same place as all other lorry engines, though when I was buying I did see some set ups where the engine was on rails and could be slid back into the living area to be worked on, never liked the idea of a movable engine so didnt buy it.
In my last horsebox there was an enormous hatch door in the wall that separated the living from the cab, essentially took up all the space below the cut through. easy enough to access the top of the engine even when my mechanic needed to replace a head gasket.
In the horsebox before that the 2 passenger seats in the living tipped forwards to open a hatch to the to access the top of the engine.

A tilt cab can make things easier however to say that mechanics won't work on them without a tilt cab is incorrect, I moved all round the country with mine and never had an issue with a mechanic saying they wouldnt work on a non tilt cab.

 

[luckyoldme]

Oh sorry, didnt realise you decided to be deliberatly obtuse. Silly me.

Horsebox engines are in exactly the same place as all other lorry engines, though when I was buying I did see some set ups where the engine was on rails and could be slid back into the living area to be worked on, never liked the idea of a movable engine so didnt buy it.
In my last horsebox there was an enormous hatch door in the wall that separated the living from the cab, essentially took up all the space below the cut through. easy enough to access the top of the engine even when my mechanic needed to replace a head gasket.
In the horsebox before that the 2 passenger seats in the living tipped forwards to open a hatch to the to access the top of the engine.

A tilt cab can make things easier however to say that mechanics won't work on them without a tilt cab is incorrect, I moved all round the country with mine and never had an issue with a mechanic saying they wouldnt work on a non tilt cab.

Obtuse? It was either that or to be really rude.
Your advice on the subject of non tilt cab with limited /no access to the engine was bad advice.

 

[conniegirl]

Obtuse? It was either that or to be really rude.
Your advice on the subject of non tilt cab with limited /no access to the engine was bad advice.

I don’t see that it was bad advice as it was simply personal experience.
As i said i have NEVER had a mechanic refuse to deal with a lorry because it didnt have a tilt cab.
My mechanics have NEVER struggled to complete the needed work because my lorry didn’t have a tilt cab.

 

[freddie S]

Right I’m back again for help guys.
Spent the weekend viewing some boxes.....and I’m already confused, brain addled and fed up and considering hitting the gin!

Anyway current question is, what is ‘better’? Or perhaps which would you pick?

Choice 1 - Man lorry, 2004 with 500,000km on it, but full service history, air suspension. Lovely living, tack lockers not in the horse area. Immaculate everywhere.

Choice 2 - Iveco lorry, 2000, with 250km on it, part service history, living fine but dated, gears were a bit stiff, tack lockers in the horse area, needs a few bits doing, nothing we aren’t incapable of doing, but I do have a lot of other building projects on, so who knows when it would get done.

Choice 3 - Iveco lorry, 2002, (converted 2006), by the same people as choice 2, 160,000km, part service history, living looks better than choice 2, but still a bit dated. Set up the same.

Obviously the prices for all three are quite different, I Guess what I’m asking is is a higher mileage but on better engine and with air suspension worth the bit extra?

We are likely use it as a bit of a ‘motor home’ for country shows/game fairs even when don’t have the horses with us.

Thanks in advance!

Do not buy and Iveco 2000-2002 the ECU has an issue, i just pent over 5k sorting a new ECU and found its a common fault. it was when the Iveco went to ECU ie computer run lorries

 

[Ellibelli]

Just to add to the tilt cab debate, I remember breaking down on a motorway on a Sunday afternoon in the pouring rain many years ago and the rescue service sent out a mechanic who clearly didn't want to be there. He announced gleefully that he couldn't do anything with it as it had a luton and therefore the cab didn't tilt and I would have to be towed off by someone else. He was visibly gutted when I explained to him how to tilt the cab, and he repaired it by the roadside very grudgingly! I would never entertain a lorry that didn't have a tilt cab - repairs can be more difficult = take longer = cost more. Also second Freddie S's comment above. Had a friend quoted £6k to sort the ECU problem - although I think that was a 2004 Iveco...

 

[cundlegreen]

I’m considering getting a lorry too. I just rang one place about the test though and it was £1200!! ? is this normal!!??

think you mis understood. Test is approx £95, and the lane fee approx £45