Horsebox mileage.

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Louby

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Ive just started to look for a horsebox and when I couldnt afford one there were loads in my price range but now I can I cant seem to find anything. Anything I do see has what I thought high mileage or is not high enough or an electric ramp etc. Im looking relatively locally now as its so scary. I just know if I travel miles I will have to make a decision without someone looking at it and Im scared I will buy problems as I know nothing about wagons.
Whats the highest mileage you would consider?
 
Im no expert but lorries are designed to be able to cope with high miles as long as they are serviced regularly. My friend runs a transport company and he says that lorries go wrong when they are left standing around..
 
Personally the mileage wouldn't worry me too much
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I bought my first wagon nearly 3 years ago, it's a ford Iveco 6.25ton and it was the first I saw, I didn't know much about them, mileage was high but had full history from previous owner before conversion, got someone independent to check it over and it was money well spent
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Good luck finding what you want.
A girl on our yard is selling a 7.5ton, if you want details I can find out more for you? PM me if you want?
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We are only in Buxton
 
Thanks for replying, Ive seen a few advertised at over 300,000km, do you reckon thats high? I was expecting in the 200,000 range but feel put off when its so high, these boxes are arround the years 1998 to 2000
 
If you are looking at older boxes, lower end of the market... ignore the milage. The chances of it having the original engine is virtualy nill.

If you find one that you are interested in, take a mechanic with you. The whole thing needs looking at unless you are handy with a welder. The fact that the box has an MOT says nothing about its suitability for carring horses.
 
Thanks Yorkshirelass, Im looking at arround 1997 to 2000 so Im hoping it wont be too bad. If we are quite local then I will be able to get someone to have a look, thats whats putting me off traveling too far. Ive seen the Essex horsebox inspections, Im sure they say they will reccomend people in other areas to check them out.
 
Tiffany, yes please. I tried to pm you but it wont allow me to, says you aint accepting private messages.
 
Many companies that do conversions say that it is better to use a donor vehicle that has high mileage but has a service history that an older vehicle with low mileage but with no service history. This is why many of the donor lorries are ex TNT, Electricity Board etc as they are regularly serviced & normally come with a computer printout of everything that's ever been done to the lorry.
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Lorry engines are designed for 1m miles and regularly get there when used solely for haulage - tbh the amount of miles a horsebox does is neglible so wouldn't bother me - we've just bought a MAN chassis to put our box on and it has done over 300k and is in immaculate condition (apart from being full of coal dust as it was local coal merchants lorry!) and runs brilliantly
 
Well I've got a ford Cargo 0813 coachbuilt by Wilcox (smooth sided) 1999 plate with only 158, ??? KM, been a horsebox all its life hence the low mileage.... but its got an hydraulic ramp (has manual safety release - in fact we never open it with the hydraulics, we always use the manual release and then use hydraulics to close it) Had new floor in it two years ago, and all horse area refurbed.... would come with a full 12 months MOT if asking price or as near as dam it was paid, still plated till end of this month....
But I guess we are 1) too far away
2) has a hydraulic ramp so doesn't fit your criteria

Never mind!!!
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Awww Ovidius, please dont think Im being picky.
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Suppose I am a bit though arent I? We just started looking, well seen 2 up to now and its all new to me. I started off wanting something safe and reliable, then all these other things are creeping in. I really wish hubby knew something about mechanics as then we would def travel further. Theres just nothing up North, everything for sale at the mo seems to be down South and I havent got the confidence to just buy. Bobbins I know!
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Whispers .... where abouts are you?
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Many companies that do conversions say that it is better to use a donor vehicle that has high mileage but has a service history that an older vehicle with low mileage but with no service history. This is why many of the donor lorries are ex TNT, Electricity Board etc as they are regularly serviced & normally come with a computer printout of everything that's ever been done to the lorry.
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agree totally, high mileage is not always a bad thing, i would be very wary of buying a lorry/chassis with super low mileage which would shout to me that either 1) the vehicle has had a tacho change or 2) it has been standing idle...why?..problems??. Look for something that has been very well maintained, with service history or dealership maintained history. As already said the engines are designed to do 900K plus miles - running up and down motorways 24 hrs a day, not to be a horsebox in "retirement" . You will find that the engine runs better with plenty of Clicks on the clock.
 
Wouldnt worry about mileage too much if a diesel. Personally my horsebox engine is built to do over a million kms, not even 10% there yet!
 
Dont be put off by high milage as every one has said if the chassis has belonged to a commercial company by law they are thoroughly serviced and safety checked every 4-6weeks and if anything is wrong they are not allowed back on the road till put right. And as you mention about getting some one to check it out,well i once rang Essex vehicle inspections and he will go personally any where in the country to inspect a lorry he inspects all the mechanics of it plus floor and body etc etc he really knew what he was talking about. Good Luck. Iam told there is a lot of rubbish out there.
 
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