Has anyone regretted buying a 3.5t horsebox?

[Anna Clara]

My heart has decided that buying a box is the right thing to do. My head has done the finances and worked out it is most probably more sensible to hire one.

I don't have an arena and not the best hacking so do like going out to ride and would probably use it once a week or so, especially in the winter. If hiring a box I would probably only hire once a month or so as it "feels" so expensive. Even though in my head I know by the time I've paid for tax, insurance and repairs I'm still spending quite a lot a month on owning one! It would just be so nice to have it ready for spur of the moment trips, small trips, even multi day trips etc.

I've got the money to purchase what I want outright (coachbuilt, stallion build) although it's a significant chunk of the money I do have. It seems crazy to spend so much on what is actually a hobby but then you only live once..

Has anyone had any regrets either way? Argh!

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

They hold their re-sale value, maintenance isn't that bad if you get a new one and/or do your research. Tax and insurance is also minimal in the grand scheme of things.
I think in your situation I would buy one that holds its value the best, and pull the trigger. You are only on this planet once, so if it's the thing you love then why wouldn't you spend money you can comfortably afford on it? You can earn money, you can't earn back time spent and memories not made.

 

[ycbm]

I was just working out the sums to hire one and sell mine now I use it so little, and even paying £416 a year just to park it, it still works out no more expensive than hiring one for a day every 3-4 weeks.

I've decided that it's just not worth the saving to give up the flexibility I have now. My box is a 20k mileage 64 plate that I bought as a new conversion. The situation would feel different if it was likely to dump a significant repair bill on me at any time soon.
.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

I could hire a box about 200 times for what mine cost to buy. As I use it one a week on average, that's 4 years of hire if I hired every time I currently use it! But realistically I would not hire it every week. I'd miss out on a lot because it just doesnt seem worth paying hire prices to - say - drive down the road a few miles to a new hacking area or have a 30 minute SJ lesson at the local indoor.
Plus you have to pick up and drop off hires so that is extra hassle. And after 4 years my box will still hold a lot of value. Hire money leaves nothing to show for it.

So no regrets at all.

 

[Widgeon]

I could hire a box about 200 times for what mine cost to buy. As I use it one a week on average, that's 4 years of hire if I hired every time I currently use it! But realistically I would not hire it every week. I'd miss out on a lot because it just doesnt seem worth paying hire prices to - say - drive down the road a few miles to a new hacking area or have a 30 minute SJ lesson at the local indoor.
Plus you have to pick up and drop off hires so that is extra hassle. And after 4 years my box will still hold a lot of value. Hire money leaves nothing to show for it.

So no regrets at all.

I went through exactly the same decision making process before buying (rather than hiring) a trailer. Definitely the right call to buy transport rather than hire it. Otherwise - as you say - you end up not doing things because the hassle and cost seems too much for a little trip out.

 

[SEL]

I love the flexibility. Mine isn't young so I need to keep some money to one side for repairs but I've got out more since I bought it. Hiring is a hassle and I could never bother for 10 mins up the road intro dressage test

Plus if you have a tricky loader you can play around at home with zero pressure.

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Plus if you have a tricky loader you can play around at home with zero pressure.

That is a very useful added bonus

 

[Jambarissa]

If you have the money definitely buy. I went through similar recently, it's a huge chunk of money to spend on a hobby and there is additional stress in owning a vehicle.

But I agree, you only live once and I'm hitting the age where that manta is really starting to kick in. So I bought one, it's fab.

 

[tda]

Buy it if you can afford, I bought one at the end of last year as a friend was selling at a reasonable price , I've used it a bit, friends have borrowed it, it's currently got a cross trainer in it on it's way to the in laws I know I could sell it for the same money if I needed to.
I don't compete any more but working up to going to a Trec clinic and will use it for that

 

[DabDab]

I wouldn't like not having mine. I know myself and that I just wouldn't be organised enough to hire one to do a lot of the trips I currently do in mine, plus I keep mine at home and would be concerned about having no way of getting a horse to the vets in an emergency if I didn't have something

 

[Anna Clara]

Wrong audience to ask for a balanced view or just an obvious answer?

How does hiring feel so much more expensive than spending thousands!? I hate paying to hire a box to go out hacking or to a pole clinic/ whatever. So instead my heart wants to pay tens of thousands to go to said pole clinic...

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Wrong audience to ask for a balanced view or just an obvious answer?

How does hiring feel so much more expensive than spending thousands!? I hate paying to hire a box to go out hacking or to a pole clinic/ whatever. So instead my heart wants to pay tens of thousands to go to said pole clinic...

Sounds a bit hippie dippie but you're not buying the journey, you're buying the freedom it gives you.

 

[Abacus]

I only regretted one, which was a stallion box and I hated it (my horse got injured on the first trip, I think because he didn't have anything to lean on, and he tipped forward and cut his face). But that wasn't really your question. I would say buy rather than hire as they do keep their value. Hiring is a massive hassle. It's pointless to work out how many times you could hire a box for the price of buying one, as you own the box - so you have an asset rather than a lot of sunk cost in the times you hire. It's only worth comparing the costs of hiring vs maintenance and depreciation.

 

[ycbm]

I'm slightly ashamed to admit that I also don't want to hire because you have to return them spotless and I can't even get around to clearing all the muck out after some journeys.

 

[Tarragon]

Wrong audience to ask for a balanced view or just an obvious answer?

Absolutely - guess what response you would get from my non-horsey husband

 

[OlderNotWiser]

I hire and would buy tomorrow if I could afford to. For me the hassle is finding a box to hire on popular show dates. We obviously have more hirees than available boxes in my area.

 

[Anna Clara]

Sounds a bit hippie dippie but you're not buying the journey, you're buying the freedom it gives you.

Ooo I like that!

 

[w1bbler]

Do you know your horse will load in one. A friend had a lovely little 3.5t. When she bought a new horse it would not go in & settle, he hated it, loading took hours & he then fought to get straight back out.
Loaded first time in my trailer & travelled beautifully, she sold & bought a trailer.
If you dont know, hire a couple of times, may help your decision.

 

[Jambarissa]

I guess you might regret buying a 3.5t and not a larger one. Larger gives you scope to take a friend, has better airflow (unlikely to be an issue with just 1 on a 3.5t tho), better travelling position, less likely to get stuck in mud, living....

Go on, buy a big one

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

I love the freedom mine gives. The difference it has made to what I can do is huge. I use it at least several times a month for clinics and comps and take it to camp for several days. The day to day running costs are not huge but as I bought an older box I’ve recently after two years just had the floor replaced and the ramp refurbished.

No regrets.

 

[SadKen]

I bought, because when I wanted to hire for things I wanted to go to, the hire truck wasn’t available. So I couldn’t go.

It’s been an excellent daily driver for the past few months whilst my classic car is being restored too.

I can’t see a downside to buying if you can afford it. You’ll get most of the money back when you sell, and taking that into account it’s cheaper per trip by a mile than hiring, and infinitely more convenient.

 

[Lady Jane]

I've just counted, I've had 22 outings since Apr 23 in my little lorry. I'm doing things I just wouldn't have considered in the 7.5t as it is just too expensive on fuel and more tiring to drive. Some are short trips to meet up to ride with friends. I've done course hire and fun rides, some 1.5 hours away. Little lorry has given me so much freedom. Life is too short and I'm sure in 10 years time I won't want to be going off by myself all over the place.

 

[cold_feet]

I've got a 3.5t which I love. But now mostly traveling a friend who has a lorry to take 2. No way am I selling mine,even though I might only use it once a month. I love the freedom of being able go out when I want to.

 

[Melody Grey]

Amongst all other reasons given above, I like the peace of mind of knowing I could get one of mine/ friends horses to the vet in the middle of the night if needed.

 

[meesha]

I had one, was told it would need to be driven regularly ...they don't like being stood around for days/weeks then being driven short distances. Diesels need a good blast regularly apparently...

Loved my 3.5 tonne but it cost me a fortune in repairs and I didn't regret going back to a trailer. Mine was used weekly and ddidn't have high mileage but still broke !! Much easier to have your own transport though.

 

[McFluff]

I went for a 3.5T and ended up with 4.5t as it gave me more payload (can easily take a second horse if needed) and it had a loo.
I LOVE it.
Done 2500 miles since January, been to shows that are further away than I would have done with the trailer (I hated taking the trailer on motorways), gone out to lessons in the evening by myself, basically I’ve used it more than I thought I would based on what I did with the trailer.
If you have the cash and are happy to lock that into the lorry, it isn’t expensive to run at all. And they do seem to hold their value for when you want to sell.
I would advise hiring one before committing just to check that you and your horse like it and to determine what layout and partition style would work for you. In my case, my horse doesn’t like stallion set up - he likes to look out and have a more open aspect.

 

[catembi]

I love mine! Before I got it, I'd had various 7.5 tons and it's so much more manoeuvrable, far lighter on fuel, a lot cheaper to maintain (shouldn't say that out loud in case it hears me...) I've also had to do an emergency vet run in it for one of mine. It's useful for fetching & carrying as well - I can take my mower or quad to be repaired, pick up eBay furniture purchases, collect hay off the field, get large items from the DIY store... And of course my twice weekly poo run taking all the poo to a muck heap that I'm allowed to use. And a useful 'spare' vehicle - I nearly had to take it to my dentist appt once because my car was in the garage. I feel far more confident driving it than 7.5 ton...it's even been to Waitrose! In fact it does everything but transport my horse to fun things as I do not have anyone capable of fun at the moment.

 

[AppaloosaPonyHorse]

Love mine and don't regret it at all, I did have to get a car/personal loan but less than 12 months to pay off. Love the flexibility, easy to drive and did not need to get towing licence. My alternative would have been to upgrade from a little run around car to something capable of towing, a trailer and lessons etc.
Most importantly my horse travels so much better in this than a trailer and so easy to manage on my own. [And I'm like the size of a young teen]
1st year was a bit pricey but then I found new Insurance company and saved a lot.

They do hold value as I bought mine 4years ago for £20k (new build, older chassis) but now they are like 6-7k more for equivalent

 

[Anna Clara]

Thanks all. They've both had lifts in various borrowed trailers and boxes and travelled well so hoping they will be ok. I'm eyeing up one with a full wall to grooms area and removable breast bar, hopefully that would give me a few options if they end up picky about how they travel. I am so worried about buying something that heaven forbid they end up not liking though!

Good point on it being a useful spare vehicle. I have a fully electric work car so this could be my long journey vehicle...and good for camping in

 

[Surbie]

I haven't got one and I want one...

But I am very wary of payload and the partition set up (horse likes open format ones). I went round all the horsebox stands at Hickstead and so many had quite a low payload because of all the living options in them. They were also quite short because of it and all the mod-cons were in the cab/living area rather than the horse area.

I have a tank of a horse that weighs in around 720kg so with a standard payload lorry with kit, me, a passenger, fuel, water and the horse would likely be over or very near the limit.