Having your own lorry/using someone else's lorry - thoughts please?

[FestiveSpirit]

At the moment I have my own 3.5T lorry, which only carries one horse but is great for taking me and my horse to competitions. I probably compete twice a month (finances stop me doing more) and have my lessons at my own yard.

I am wondering whether it would be more sensible to sell my lorry (and pay off my credit card!) IF I can come to an arrangement with a friend to use their lorry for my competitions?

The main disadvantage would be that they would take precedence over me (obviously!) for use of the lorry, but if there was something I was absolutely desperate to get to (the BD regionals for example

) then I could hire a lorry for that one occasion.

Also I know that insurance would have to be sorted out.

Does anyone do this, or have any thoughts? Thanks

 

[Paint it Lucky]

There are some people on my yard who do lorry sharing. One of them owns the lorry and the other two are allowed to use it as much as they like provided they pay a third of the upkeep costs. This works out best for the lady who owns it as the other two barely use it whilst she uses it alot but they don't seem to mind so everyone is happy!

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Sounds good if they dont mind paying for hardly any use

I was more thinking of a pay-per-use basis rather than a sharing arrangement, but it would depend if I could find anyone willing to consider it (I have several possibilities in mind, but havent asked anyone yet

)

Mind you even a share arrangement would reduce my costs significantly

 

[SpottedCat]

Slightly differently but I will lend my lorry to people I know, like and trust in exchange for them agreeing to fix anything they break and bringing it back with the same amount of fuel in it as it had when it left the yard. It's better for it to be running and I have it insured for anyone over the age of 25 anyway in case I ever need to be rescued when out eventing/competing...as I nearly did the other week when horse mangled my foot.

 

[milliepops]

In a bit of a weird position, so not sure it's any help but ... I currently borrow either lorry or trailer from my YO, who has been extremely generous over the years I've been there. I don't pay for it as she won't take any money (though I always try to leave it with plenty more diesel than we left with, leave it cleaner than it was etc etc !)

However, I have come to the conclusion that it's doing my head in.

I've had enough of having to borrow all the time - it makes me feel guilty that I'm taking the p or inconveniencing her. so I'm quitting competing until I can afford my own transport. Totally gutted, but I can't cope with it any more!

I would be much happier with either pay per use or sharing arrangement, just don't know anyone near me who would do it.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

[ QUOTE ]
Slightly differently but I will lend my lorry to people I know, like and trust in exchange for them agreeing to fix anything they break and bringing it back with the same amount of fuel in it as it had when it left the yard. It's better for it to be running and I have it insured for anyone over the age of 25 anyway in case I ever need to be rescued when out eventing/competing...as I nearly did the other week when horse mangled my foot.

[/ QUOTE ]

That would be ideal SC, are you sure you dont want to move to my yard?

It is a consideration for me that at the moment I am running my lorry around the block at least weekly so it does not sit there and rot, which is really a waste of money

 

[FestiveSpirit]

milliepops you are too nice

But I think I would feel the same, I am very odd in that I hate people doing 'favours' for me, and would rather pay someone to do my horse when I am not able to etc

Perhaps all the people who I ask will say no, but having examined my finances tonight yet again I really think that if someone says yes I will go for it and sell mine

 

[Suffolkangel]

My old yard used to have a lorry especially for the liveries which they hired out for £40 a day + diesel... Worked out well for all of us as we had a lorry on the yard for emergencies (we weren't charged in these cases) and could go out all together so split the cost of hire...

I have my own lorry now, and do find it easier as can go as i please and find that i'm not spending a huge chunk of money in one go!

 

[Bowen4Horses]

how about YOU be the person who has the lorry people can borrow? then they can contribute towards it, and it gets a little run.

OR... sell the 3.5t and buy a slightly bigger one for more than one horse (probably cheaper as 3.5t are selling for silly prices) and share that with someone?

good luck!

p.s. i'm in the process of buying a lorry as i think i'll love the independence it gives me. do you think maybe you'd miss that?

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Had thought of those possibilities clipcloppop, but I dont think that at the moment they are viable

- people tend to want to go with a friend competing, and mine will definitely only take one, and everyone seems to have their own transport on the yard so there isnt anyone who would want to share?

I had thought about the independence, but TBH I cant afford to go out competing or anything else that much, hence my lorry not getting used at the minute

Thanks for the ideas though, really useful

 

[FestiveSpirit]

LOL at the chunk of money in one go - my thoughts are probably influenced by the fact that my car tax is due in January, the lorry tax in February, the lorry MOT in May... it never stops

 

[Bowen4Horses]

[ QUOTE ]
LOL at the chunk of money in one go - my thoughts are probably influenced by the fact that my car tax is due in January, the lorry tax in February, the lorry MOT in May... it never stops

[/ QUOTE ]

*puts fingers in ears*

tra la la la la

my lorry won't cost a penny to run
my lorry won't cost a penny to run

tra la la la la

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Do you wanna buy mine CCP?

 

[crazyponys]

i can borrow a friends lorry anytime .
i leave the same amount of diesel or just over.
and i always leave a "drink" in the glovebox !!

 

[Scoutie]

My understanding was that if you offered your lorry for any sort of reward ie loaning to a friend for £40/day then you would require an operator’s licence regardless of the size of vehicle.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

[ QUOTE ]
My understanding was that if you offered your lorry for any sort of reward ie loaning to a friend for £40/day then you would require an operator’s licence regardless of the size of vehicle.

[/ QUOTE ]

You need hire or reward insurance at the least - not sure about the operators licence without checking with DVLA though - hence in my OP I said that would need to be sorted out

 

[Bowen4Horses]

[ QUOTE ]
Do you wanna buy mine CCP?

[/ QUOTE ]

nope... i've found a darling little 5tonne one... perfect for raff and iggle... and it even has some living to plonk the kids in...

going to collect it on sunday! woohoo!

xxxx

 

[ofcourseyoucan]

the old hire and reward question!!! for financial gain etc? Fine arrangements until you get stopped and have to produce documents, transport certificates etc. best to be independant if you can afford to.

 

[freyaandrogue]

i'm a bit different too, but here goes,

my instructor/YO has a lorry and is competing pretty much every weekend. i dont have my own transport and before this people would offer to take me places in their trailers when they were going and when they have space. in return i gave them petrol money. my YO offered to take me to shows with her in return for me grooming for her at shows. its fantastic, i get to compete pretty much every weekend, she helps me loads, warming me up walking the course with me ect ect. in return i warm her up, tack her horses up, load the lorry and unload the other end and generally just help whilst we are there. i have to say i am very lucky and have the best of both worlds in this respect, but if there is someone who is willing to do this it could be worth a go?

 

[FestiveSpirit]

That is a good point, there are people at my yard who do the same sort of competitions that I would want to do... good idea, I will ask around about that too, thank you

 

[Flame_]

I'd stop the lessons and keep the lorry.

 

[hollyandivy123]

i use to share my lorry, i had 2 basic rules. it was for my horse or my shares horse no one else and there was no drink driving.............................which i thought was a fair rule..............after she broke both she doesn't share any more other stuff happened including taking it when i needed it and had booked it and being told she prioty over me and i could only use it if she didn't need it (i was the owner by the way) if you use a 3.5t why don't you look at hire one when you need it prob work out cheaper than owning

 

[dieseldog]

It won't kill your lorry not being used every week. I wouldn't sell it, you managed to find one that has been reliable, your horse likes, you like driving and it is a nice little box.

I love the independance that having your own lorry gives you. I wouldn't be able to share, and I wouldn't want to borrow someone elses. It is my box and if something happens to it it's my fault.