horsebox shopping - am i wanting the impossible?

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Walrus

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Am currently perusing every online resource looking at 3.5t boxes and am struggling to find anything to even view, never mind buy!

I don't know if I'm being too picky but everything seems to be either ancient or dodgy. Looking for a nice, less than 10 years old 3.5t don't mind if coachbuilt or van type as pony is small, have been mainly looking at van types. Soundly built preferred aluminium lined floor. Layout inside less important as oh is quite handy. Budget is about 5-6k , am I just wanting too much?
 
Good condition 3.5t vans that are less than 10 years old can be quite pricey even without a horsey bit.

If there isn't anything complete on the market, then consider getting an Ifor Williams van box body from the likes of ebay, gumtree, etc and then getting that fitted to a chassis cab you can get on the open market.

Check aluminium flooring carefully, as it still corrodes - and horse urine is full of salt ions that cause quite a bit of corrosion if it's not cleaned out regularly.
 
We have a lovely one for sale in fab condition with 12 months MOT at offers around £4500 but it is 15 years old so not under 10.
 
Thanks for your comments, maybe I should have been more clear cobden, I presume your marlborough is the coachbuilt style? I know I'm very unlikely to get one of those but thought I wasn't being totally unrealistic for a van style. MAybe I am just out of touch with what things are worth. Not totally discounting slightly older boxes completely but would need to be proven very sound.
 
I've not seen many decent van type ones for less than £15k really. Slightly less for a 3.5 lorry, but I think you'd be extremely lucky for your budget. You would probably get a 7.5 ton one in that budget as they are a lot cheaper.
 
You 'could' go DIY?

2008 (08/58) Movano/Master vans are going for around up to 3k in the auctions with less than 100thou miles on them (usually ex-fleet vans so kept up to date with routine service work etc).
Then either get a body put on it (tho sounds like well over your budget) or find out who can do conversion for you & costs.

Actually, find out the latter 1st :D

Our 'old' 51 plate LWB high top Movano van we use for other things is in v good condition & maintained & has around 130thou miles on it - if we sold it on as a normal van, its around £1,500 all day long.
So If I spent around £1.500 on converting it for horses (ramp, 2 x windows, breast bars, partition, flooring & upgrade bulkhead etc) I would get approx £5-6k for it as a horse transporter van............. makes you think!
 
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Thanks all for your replies, am going to have a sit with a spreadsheet and have a think. Am definitely considering buying a van and having it converted, although quotes for the work in the post above are coming out about 3-4k. Might save up a bit more and then see. :)
 
I was in the exact same situation as you and same budget wise, I looked and looked and looked. I saw one put a deposit down only to find that the mileage had been clocked, another the same ( and these where having them clocked at +100k miles so god knows what the actual miles are) so many vans I saw were dodgy built and over 6k (no ventilation, no reenforced bulkhead, warped ramps) etc. in the end I broadened my search (after being pointed to www.traveltwohorseboxes.com by another lovely hho'er) to older boxes and have ended up with a genuine low mileage older coachbuilt master, a lot of the older boxes where built as boxes so haven't had a previous hard life and where built by specialists before it became popular to do the conversions yourself. Like with anything unless you can up your budget you're going to have to make a compromise somewhere alOng the way and you have to make the choice as to what you can live without- for me I wanted a good solid conversion, with good service history so the age of the vehicle was my compromise - after refusing to look at anything with a lettered number plate I ended up with a 20yr old box!


I think doing your over conversion is a good way of getting exactly what you want. PaddyMonty on here did his own conversion and I really really like it, but I think he did all the work himself and it still cost him more than your budget.

Good luck, I'd definitely check out traveltwohorseboxes as the website is full of handy info about the master boxes. Good luck!!
 
Hi, we looked for over a year before finding a P reg LT35 coachbuilt in february with a little bit of living. It is a good solid but underpowered box which is treasured by us. The mileage was 70k but a lot more now !! we paid 6k if that helps.
Whereabouts are you ? there is a really good conversion specialist in Kent that will do part conversions so you can get started and convert as you can afford it. PM me if you want their number they were very helpfull when we were considering it .
good luck
 
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