Horsebox and Diesel

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Daisy1905

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I am looking to buy a horsebox soon and still haven't made up my mind if a small 3.5 or a 7.5 would be better.

I can drive both on my licence and am aware of payloads etc.

There seem to be more cheaper 7.5t around than 3.5 but if you go to many shows and take your horse on holiday, would it pay off to pay a little bit more for a smaller box and save on Diesel?

How many litres do your boxes do per 100 miles and what sizes/engines are they?
 
Its all down to personal preference

pros:
Larger box more room generally in living
more room in horse area
generally wide too good for big horses
more storage area
more facilities like kitchen area toilet
i find the more secure on the road long wheel base gives smoother ride
specially in windy conditions

cons:
more road tax
diesel usage depends on age new more economical
more area need to maneuver turning etc
careful with certain bridges
width restrictions
can be more expensive plating time








smaller box

easy to drive
lightweight
can more or less take it anywhere

cons:

limited room inside for horse and human
can move about in heavy winds
i find them less stable on roads unless its a wooden body

I like wooden body's sturdy on road easy to maintain 5 year wood-stain where as painted ones gets scratched.



When i try a box i first check out the outside for rust damaged rotten bits

then go into the horse area and with one of those knife sharpners

Item number: 180587847632 on ebay

i bang it down all around the side of the body the floor i mean round the edge to check for soft spots.
then i would act like a horse stand sideways on ( face front of lorry legs apart) and try rock it from side to side to see how much movement it gives if it gives allot as in rocks i say nah nah if that does it with me when wind comes be to wobbly for horses

i then look underneath to check floor and any suss area


then get into cab ask for engine keys listen for smooth engine.


ask guy or seller to drive for a bit i would stand in back to see what sort of drive the horses get then i would test drive
after
depending on drive and feel i would then ask if ok to get my mechanic to come view and check if he say is ok to box i buy


at the end of the day truck has to be

road worthy
safe
stable on the road,
give a nice drive to your horse
have the specs you want
and be within your capability to drive
and price range
all makes have faults

i like the ford iveco parts are easy to find still ford cargos the 811 not much omph 813 has parts are harder

also check cylinder 4 cylinder very sluggish makes sure at least 6 cylinder

hope this helps

i dont know what engine size mine is its a ford iveco 7015 i think but its around 6. something tons so not supposed to drive more than two but have done as its wooden bodied
diesel i find it is economical being a 1998
 
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I realy dont think MPG is a issue unless you are doing 100s of miles a week but depriciation is... That is the main cost and finacing it !!! however you are looking at about low 30's mpg for for a renault master and about low 20's for a 7.5 ton so work on about a 10 mpg difference ... £50 for the 3.5 mot and £95 for the 7.5 but the tax is cheaper on the 7.5 ton at £165 ..£215 for the 3.5 so the yearly fixed cost is about the same for both ,then serviceing, not much different apart from more oil and bigger tyres, and remember all the 3.5 toners are built on a cheap van chassis so where a proper lorry is just run in at ten years old a van is about buggered mecanicly and body .. personaly I think if you buy right and look after a 7.5 ton it will work out cheaper in the long run..
 
Thanks. So you would both recommend a 7.5 more sturdy box.

I usually drive a 3.5 Boss box which in comparison with my friends 7.5 older box uses half the Diesel for a 80 mile trip.
 
Daisy1905 said:
Thanks. So you would both recommend a 7.5 more sturdy box.

I usually drive a 3.5 Boss box which in comparison with my friends 7.5 older box uses half the Diesel for a 80 mile trip.
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well I would .. but you need to do the sums and work out what suits your personal budget and needs best... hope that helps .....
 
Daisy1905 said:
I am looking to buy a horsebox soon and still haven't made up my mind if a small 3.5 or a 7.5 would be better.

I can drive both on my licence and am aware of payloads etc.

There seem to be more cheaper 7.5t around than 3.5 but if you go to many shows and take your horse on holiday, would it pay off to pay a little bit more for a smaller box and save on Diesel?

How many litres do your boxes do per 100 miles and what sizes/engines are they?
Click to expand...

3.5 ton sell at a premium due to the driving licence changes of a few years ago limiting what people can drive without taking a further test. As a result of this many old & very tired vans, which had one foot in the scrap yard as they were worth very little, began being re built into horseboxes & then sold with shiney paint jobs for large sums, but underneath they were still an old tired van. Some were done reasonably well but many were not.

I feel that unless you buy a 3.5 ton that has been built by a reputable builder you can be putting yourself & your horses in potential danger. You could also lose your investment if it turns out to be a right lemon on closer inspection.

MPG is obviously something to think about but, as has been said, unless you are out several times a week doing masses of miles then it is not that important against other things. A 7.5 ton is obviously heavier & is more stable on the road. The horses still manage to rock them but nothing compared to what they can do to a 3.5 ton. You will always have payload issues in a 3.5ton as the margins are so small, you won't with a 7.5 ton. You will have more room to change, drink tea, stay overnight at a show etc in a 7.5ton.

Insurance is relatively cheap to have it covered for anyone over 25 to drive & recovery is reasonable also. Tax wether it's a 7.5 ton or a 15ton is still £165 per annum as a private vehicle. 7.5 ton lorrys can be cheap to buy & quite reliable, certainly cheaper than many 3.5ton but buy possibly a DAF or Iveco as parts are plentiful & cheaper than some other makes.

The decision in the end is yours but I think you will get on the road for considerably less with a 7.5 ton & it will probably last longer than most 3.5tons.....look around a show carpark & see how many ancient lorries are there still being used. :)
 
perfect11s said:
however you are looking at about low 30's mpg for for a renault master and about low 20's for a 7.5 ton so work on about a 10 mpg difference .
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I don't think those MPG's are realistic !
My 7.5t 150BHP does 14 mpg
A 130 would do less and bigger engines more. However low 20's would be exceptionally good for a 7.5t, most are in the teens!
 
Jen_Cots said:
I don't think those MPG's are realistic !
My 7.5t 150BHP does 14 mpg
A 130 would do less and bigger engines more. However low 20's would be exceptionally good for a 7.5t, most are in the teens!
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Depends how you drive it Jen_Cots!

My 7.5t 150bhp Leyland Daf does 23-28mpg - obviously better on long journeys :D
It's fab - I love it - if I had the choice between a 3.5t and a 7.5t, it would be a no brainer - tbh I would rather have a trailer than a 3.5t for all the reasons listed above :)
 
Jen_Cots said:
I don't think those MPG's are realistic !
My 7.5t 150BHP does 14 mpg
A 130 would do less and bigger engines more. However low 20's would be exceptionally good for a 7.5t, most are in the teens!
Click to expand...

I seemed to average about 22 from my mercedes atego and would guess most of the post
2001 lorrys do about the same because of the later more efficent engines and being limited to 56mph, got a daf lf now but not had chance to check it yet ... the older cargos etc and anything that is heavy will do less and alot will depend if its short runs, hilly , flat or trundleing steadly on the motorway one horse on or 3 flat fronted luton or a wind deflector how well serviced it is and tyre presures all affect fuel consumpion....
 
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I have a 130hp DAF FA45 (2000). If you keep the engine in the green & don't stray too often into the orange on the rev counter then you can get around 17mph. If you are 'enthusiastic' with the throttle then you can reduce that considerably, specially if you are stopping & starting around towns. :(
 
Unless you keep your horse on the motorway system you will get about 20 M.P.G on a 7.5 Ton and about 30 M.P.G. on a 3.5 Ton.

Your big costs are going to be the costs of servicing and repairs.

To keep these down you must make sure that if you buy a 7.5 Ton that the cab is fully and completely tiltable. Many people will tell you that you can do with a service hatch but do not believe them. For instance if the radiator goes in a fixed cab vehicle it is an absolute nightmare to replace.

If you buy a 3.5 ton van type then they are built to be serviced from the bonnet or underneath and they do not need a tilt cab.

As regards safety of your horses and yourself you are far safer in a 7.5 ton as they have a proper chassis and are stronger and larger than a van type.

You can get van types up to 7.0 tons now as Iveco make a 7.0 Ton van.
 
spacefaer said:
Depends how you drive it Jen_Cots!

My 7.5t 150bhp Leyland Daf does 23-28mpg - obviously better on long journeys :D
It's fab - I love it - if I had the choice between a 3.5t and a 7.5t, it would be a no brainer - tbh I would rather have a trailer than a 3.5t for all the reasons listed above :)
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Are you calculating this by hand?
My DAF LF 150 has a blinkin computer on it and its quite depressing reading

Usually its around 19 litres/100km -
British Miles per gallon 14.87

All I know is that 6 to 8 hours of driving costs me over £200 per weekend!! :eek:
 
I only get just under 14mpg out of my 7.5t Leyland :(

I used about 32 litres for a 120 miles journey at the weekend. Good job I don't travel that far very often!

Saying that, wouldn't swap it for anything. Good old fashioned wooden box, 20 years old, fly's through its plating the last 3 years with only a bulb being replaced! Kitchen area, large luton, fits three ponies, power steering, tilt cab :)

If you have the ability on your licence to drive a 7.5t one then there's no contest really!
 
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