Horse Box Opinions please

[hock]

So I currently have a 13 plate 7.5 tonne canter fuso lorry with a payload of 3.3 tonnes. Stalled for 2 with a small tack locker and basic living (ie bench seats and table, cooker sink) less than 30k miles. It’s also a hybrid with a brand new hybrid battery fitted with a 10 year warranty. It’s bloody brilliant but and this is the only but I’m very nervous to drive it and I really lust after a Marlborough type box of about 4 ish tonnes that I can just take myself off in. My question is really how do I sell it? I’m in the Midlands is there like a horse box place I can go and see if they’ll buy it or part ex it? Everyone has told me I would be mad to sell it and I do love it I’m just miserable driving it and I avoid it at all costs. I paid £35000 for it 3 years ago, just wondering about value etc as well. Please help, thanks

 

[Annagain]

If this was a horse and you told everone it was too big and scared you, they'd all be "saying life's too short", "it's meant to be fun" and "I'd sell if I were you". This is only different as it's easier to let a lump of metal go! There's no point keeping it if you don't want to drive it and it's stopping you doing things. Your only struggle might be finding a 4T as they're few and far between but if you part ex you won't have a gap between selling one and buying the next, it might just take a little longer.

There are a few places in the Midlands, I see adverts for them all the time. Warwickshire Horseboxes is one and the other I've seen is the Horsebox Seller. I wouldn't be able to tell you whether they were reputable or not but they might be a good place to start your research.

ETA - just found this - a few 4.5 - 5.2 tonners on there. Again, know nothing about their reputation but worth a look maybe? 3.5t Horseboxes For Sale | 3.5 Ton Used Horseboxes For Sale Midlands (centralenglandhorseboxes.co.uk)

 

[Northern Hare]

Just a thought, but would having some lessons from an HGV instructor help you feel more confident driving your lorry? The reason I ask is that I had a 3.5t lorry which was lovely except it had a miniscule payload and although the horse section was built new to my spec, the chassis was used and I ended up with lots of problems once I stopped using it very regularly.

I sold the lorry and went for a 4wd and nice new trailer. I had always had a bit of a mental block about reversing a trailer, so I booked up a lesson with an HGV instructor even though my licence allowed my to tow it legally.

Anyway, the HGV instructor was fantastic and by the end of the session he had me reversing the trailer confidently around a slalom course including a full circle between cones! I would never have believed it was possible, but he was so good at instilling confidence - it was worth so much more to me than the session cost.

Perhaps if you had similar lesson(s), it would help you too feel more confident driving your lorry - which btw sounds lovely! ?

 

[hock]

Thank you both for your replies! After I posted I went and had a look at what was on the market and to get any decent payload it’s going to be the same size but much older and an unknown vehicle. My lorry has never let me down (part from
It not being mini size but a tardis lol).
I think lessons might help you know? Im
a careful driver and have done a lot of mileage in my time but there’s something about the width etc of it that just makes me panic. I’m also tempted to start using it to nip to Tesco’s etc in an effort to get used to it.

 

[hock]

If this was a horse and you told everone it was too big and scared you, they'd all be "saying life's too short", "it's meant to be fun" and "I'd sell if I were you". This is only different as it's easier to let a lump of metal go! There's no point keeping it if you don't want to drive it and it's stopping you doing things. Your only struggle might be finding a 4T as they're few and far between but if you part ex you won't have a gap between selling one and buying the next, it might just take a little longer.

There are a few places in the Midlands, I see adverts for them all the time. Warwickshire Horseboxes is one and the other I've seen is the Horsebox Seller. I wouldn't be able to tell you whether they were reputable or not but they might be a good place to start your research.

ETA - just found this - a few 4.5 - 5.2 tonners on there. Again, know nothing about their reputation but worth a look maybe? 3.5t Horseboxes For Sale | 3.5 Ton Used Horseboxes For Sale Midlands (centralenglandhorseboxes.co.uk)

Ohhhh they’re so pretty ?

 

[RachelFerd]

Would definitely look at getting some lessons. I much prefer driving my 7.5t compared to the 3.5t van types as I feel SO reassured that my horses are safer in a bigger, heavier more solid box. I don't think yours has lost any value - in fact I suspect it might even be advertised at more than you originally paid for it. You won't get more for your money by changing.