Lorry running costs

elles

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Joined
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Hello,

Can anyone enlighten me as to the average running costs of keeping a lorry each year (I realise maintainance will vary)? I currently have a trailer but am considering a lorry in order that I can get a smaller more fuel efficient car to get me to and from the yard as I drive MILES each day!

Many thanks
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p.s. If anyone can recommend any lorry builders that would be great!
 
Well, I did the same, and went from a 4x4 and trailer to a 7.5t Bedford TL this time last year.
Fuel wise, it is MUCH cheaper - I now have a car that does 55mpg, and the lorry itself is cheaper to fuel than the car/trailer combo for the miles I do with that.
Tax is the same for my lorry as it was for my 2.8l jeep.
Insurance - I had an imported jeep, which was expensive to insure, so my car and lorry now add up to less than the jeep was before!
So the only thing I ever worry about really is maintentance/repairs. I think I've probably spent about £1000 this year on the lorry - that includes the service/plating, bits it needed to pass that, a new starter motor and a new battery. The only other one was one tyre repair (bl**dy nail) and one new tyre (had a blow out) so that lot came to about another £300.
Bearing in mind my lorry is 21 years old! I am very happy with it and because I had an older jeep, to be honest I was spending about £1000 a year anyway (had a new diesel pump one year, cracked cylinder head the year after....!)
We actually changed to a lorry because my husband's horse was too big/heavy for our trailer/jeep combo, she is now injured and unlikely to compete again, but I don't want to give up the lorry so travel around with just one 15hh horse in most of the time
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We worked out maintenance on ours last night - old V reg Bedford TL - owned for 13years - total maintenance bill = £1570 = £120 pa - think we've been extremely lucky
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Insurance is £183 fully comp any driver over 25yo
Tax was £99 for 6 months
Fuel = 22mpg unladen 18 laden with 2 16.2hh's

Hope that helps
 
We budget on average of £1,000 a year to keep a lorry legal and ready for use - road tax, insurance, breakdown cover, servicing, MOT , typical wear / tear repairs.
So save £20 on commuting fuel a week, and it pays to have a lorry and a small cheapie runabout c/w trailer and 4x4.
 
Yup, we did the same, I had an L reg landrover that was starting to 'go', so sold it and the trailer and had enough to buy an older lorry and a little fiestsa First MOT was quite exspensive, last year it passed with no work, Probably works out about the same for us to have the lorry and the car. Its easier and more comfortable to transport too, I feel quite smug at shows with my cup of hot chocolate sitting in the comfy lving in my lorry, daughter has also taken to bringing her lap top and doing homework between classes!
 
Yep, agree with all above, mine is 26 years old, I've had it 4 years and, apart from paiting, tax and insurance, the only thing I've spent money on is new tyres. Sails through its plaiting, has bed big enough for 3, so pony camps are great, cooker, seating, loo! ( very important)
Paid £5000 for it, and its geat to drive. ( trailer would scare me to death)
 
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