Lorry test and cost of running a lorry?

[star]

I am thinking of spending the money I'm saving on entry fees with Monty being off on taking my lorry test. Cant decide between doing my LGV or doing the HGV as prices dont seem to vary much but I cant see myself ever needing an HGV so if the test is much harder then might as well do the easier one.

Also, can anyone talk me through the costs of running a lorry? I am used to forking out to keep my huge 4x4 on the road and doing 250miles a week in it so fuel costing a fortune. Hoping a lorry might not work out any more expensive as going to replace 4x4 with a midget car that does 60mpg and has free tax.

I was hoping to have around 15k to spend on a lorry as I dont want a knackered old one that will cost a bomb to keep on the road as bits keep breaking. Will 15k get me something half decent? I would like a half decent living with a toilet and somewhere to sleep as would be planning to do some stay away events.

 

[Nicnac]

I did the same as you about 6 years ago and find it's much cheaper than running big 4x4. I have a 7.5t and it doesn't cost me much at all. Insurance (fully comp + breakdown and recovery) is just under £400; road tax £165 and last service and plating (my mechanic takes it for me so includes his time to drive there and back) was also £400. It's really economical on diesel although I don't use it that much compared to the Discovery too! With a budget of £15k for the lorry you should get something really nice (don't forget budget to buy a car too )

Re HGV probably not worth it if you aren't going to use it.

 

[ecrozier]

I'd say £15k sounds like a good budget!
Re HGV vs LGV, they aren't actually called that any more, it's C1 which is up to 7.5t and then C which is any rigid up to about 32t or something. I did my C (old HGV) as price and test were the same just a bigger vehicle! I loved it, really enjoyed the training.
Re costs - well tax on our 7.5t is about £180 a year, ins maybe £300? Then it's just servicing etc, usually between £500-£800 once a year then if I have long journeys planned (eg if we qualify for RC finals in September) I tend to pop it in for a quick safety check which is about £200 as annual service/test is February/march time.
I love my lorry

 

[ROG]

I am thinking of spending the money I'm saving on entry fees with Monty being off on taking my lorry test. Cant decide between doing my LGV or doing the HGV as prices dont seem to vary much but I cant see myself ever needing an HGV so if the test is much harder then might as well do the easier one.

Made me smile this did because LGV is the new HGV
HGV is the old lorry category system (classes 1, 2, 3 & 4)
LGV is the new lorry category system and has been for some time (C+E. C, C1+E & C1)

I am going to hazard a reasonable guess that what you mean is either taking LGV C1 (up to 7.5 tonnes) or LGV C (any rigid lorry)

Some training schools use large 5 or 6 tonne vans for the C1 which makes it easier than doing it in a 7.5 tonne lorry

Others use a 7.5 tonne lorry which means you might as well do the LGV C because they are hardly different apart from the gearbox

MEDICAL using the D4 form
Google - lgv medical - because any doctor can do them and NEVER pay more than about £50

PROVISIONAL using the D2 form
Tick both C & D - nothing else

Assuming that this wil be for private LGV driving only then forget modules 2 & 4 which are the initial driver cpc ones - they are for commercial LGV driving

You are now left with passing these modules
1a - theory
1b - HPT
3 - practical road drive including a reverse in the test centre and 5 safety questions

Costs for every thing should be between £850 and £1150 depending on competition factors where you are in the UK

NEVER NEVER NEVER pay any money until you have met with the instructor(s) and seen the vehicles

You can do the theory on your own but most good schools will help and book it for you usually for free
But you have to buy the theory material

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

Doing your C test will mean you don't have to worry about the tonnage of the lorry in the same way as you would if you were only qualified to drive up to 7.5t. Also, when I was looking, for £15k you would get a nice enough 7.5t, but some very lovely 10/12t that were pretty much the same size as a full up 7.5t (26ft?) but room to take 3 big horses legally and be very comfortable for overnighters.

My lorry was costing pretty the same as whats already posted, and even with what turns out to be a very sick lorry engine I was getting about 30mpg fully loaded which I didn't think was that bad. Am hoping once fixed it will increase, but knowing my luck with it so far it'll probably decrease

I just need to be legal now to drive it! What prices are you finding for the tuition etc? I've been finding that it seems to be cheaper to do it on your own in a shorter space of time so am planning on getting mine fixed and practise driving it again around the yard (I did have a go before they got picky about grandfather/L plate rules...and it died ), learn to do the hard bit of parking and moving in small spaces and hopefully this will reduce the time too. Round here doing it this way means the difference between paying £600 or £1200

 

[star]

oh well, a lot of the websites I've been looking on for training are still referring to LGV and HGV so I just went on that. It's C1 or C which I am debating. Unlikely to ever drive anything over 7.5tonnes but if the test isn't much different then might as well do it - never know when an HGV (sorry, cat C) license might come in handy. thank-you for the other info. Been a long time since I took my theory test - will have to brush up on the highway code!

 

[star]

i dont have a lorry to practice in so was just going to go for an intensive 5 day course. I did my trailer test a few yrs ago and practised loads beforehand so saved on tuition but just dont have that option with a lorry. Seems to be about £1000 for an intensive course.

 

[ROG]

Doing your C test will mean you don't have to worry about the tonnage of the lorry in the same way as you would if you were only qualified to drive up to 7.5t.

THE DOWNSIDE OF GOING OVER 7.5 TONNES IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO COMPLY TO ALL THE EU DRIVER REGULATIONS

Apart from the tacho driving rules the biggest headache will be the daily and especially the weekly rest rules
If working mon to fri then you can only drive a LGV over 7.5 tonnes for one day every other weekend as a general rule

Private LGV driving under 7.5 tonnes means none of that needs to be of concern

 

[ROG]

i dont have a lorry to practice in so was just going to go for an intensive 5 day course. I did my trailer test a few yrs ago and practised loads beforehand so saved on tuition but just dont have that option with a lorry. Seems to be about £1000 for an intensive course.

That is what the greater majority do and that figure is about right but remember to add in other costs such as the theory test fees the medical fee and the books - it all adds up

 

[Nugget La Poneh]

THE DOWNSIDE OF GOING OVER 7.5 TONNES IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO COMPLY TO ALL THE EU DRIVER REGULATIONS

Apart from the tacho driving rules the biggest headache will be the daily and especially the weekly rest rules
If working mon to fri then you can only drive a LGV over 7.5 tonnes for one day every other weekend as a general rule

Private LGV driving under 7.5 tonnes means none of that needs to be of concern

Bognuts...I had forgotten that

Means also if I work 42 hours I can only drive 6 hours or something now doesn't it?

Thanks for reminding me

The lorry I have had a tacho fitted, but it was a commercial 7.5t that did euro driving so assuming that's why?

 

[ROG]

oh well, a lot of the websites I've been looking on for training are still referring to LGV and HGV so I just went on that. It's C1 or C which I am debating. Unlikely to ever drive anything over 7.5tonnes but if the test isn't much different then might as well do it - never know when an HGV (sorry, cat C) license might come in handy. thank-you for the other info. Been a long time since I took my theory test - will have to brush up on the highway code!

Many still refer to them as HGV so dont worry about it
Just be aware that all the categories are under the LGV system

 

[luce1]

studying for my lorry thepry test at the mo oh the joy!!!

 

[ROG]

Bognuts...I had forgotten that

Means also if I work 42 hours I can only drive 6 hours or something now doesn't it?

Thanks for reminding me

The lorry I have had a tacho fitted, but it was a commercial 7.5t that did euro driving so assuming that's why?

All LGVs have tachos fitted but not all have to be used

Forget the 40+ hours thing as it does not apply even if driving an artic at the weekend after doing a mon to fri job (which does not come under EU tacho regs)

 

[star]

THE DOWNSIDE OF GOING OVER 7.5 TONNES IS THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO COMPLY TO ALL THE EU DRIVER REGULATIONS

Apart from the tacho driving rules the biggest headache will be the daily and especially the weekly rest rules
If working mon to fri then you can only drive a LGV over 7.5 tonnes for one day every other weekend as a general rule

Private LGV driving under 7.5 tonnes means none of that needs to be of concern

thanks - didn't know that.

 

[ROG]

You can still take the full C test so you have it for the future.
The EU regs will only apply if actually driving LGVs over 7.5 tonnes after passing the test.

PS - I said to tick C & D only on the D2 form because C covers C1 and D might be useful in the future if you ever decide to go for a PCV licence and in that case you will not need a new medical for it - and its free to do this

 

[ROG]

The BBC rogue traders programme highlighted what can happen if you book LGV training through a BROKER which is why I said NEVER pay anything until you meet the instructor and see the trucks

Brokers do not have trucks etc but are simply middlemen sitting in an office

Well, the odd broker has a truck but generally they farm you out to a proper school after taking their CUT !!

 

[Worried1]

We have just sold our lorry, bearing in mind my Dad runs a commercial lorry servicing company so our lorry was always maintained at cost, we could simply no longer afford running cost. We calculated we spent £2500 per year on plating, insurance, tax and general running costs, this doesn't include fuel.

We had a lovely lorry with a high spec but even selling that and buying a lower spec and or older model, running costs were almost the same, older lorries also tend to need more TLC.

We have a large trailer and older discovery. Although the discovery will also mean I will no longer be stranded when it snows!!!!

The cost of running a second car is significantly less than running our lorry

 

[ROG]

star, why do you want a lorry rather than a trailer?

 

[star]

star, why do you want a lorry rather than a trailer?

coz I want somewhere to sleep when we go away! Trailer floor is bloody uncomfy and cold! I also want somewhere nice to sit in between phases at events. Plus, my 4x4 is on its way out, costing a bomb to keep on the road and spending £400 a month plus on diesel just commuting.

 

[ROG]

coz I want somewhere to sleep when we go away! Trailer floor is bloody uncomfy and cold! I also want somewhere nice to sit in between phases at events. Plus, my 4x4 is on its way out, costing a bomb to keep on the road and spending £400 a month plus on diesel just commuting.

Have you considered something like a campervan with a trailer?

I know that set up is not for everyone but it can open up other options

 

[ROG]

If only one horse or two lightish ones then a 3.5 tonne horsebox towing a caravan is another option

 

[madhector]

I think that if the prices are similar, I would just do the HGV test...you never know what the future might bring and it could be a useful thing to have.

 

[star]

if i had a campervan i'd still have to run that as well as an everyday car. I'd much rather have a lorry. If I had a 3.5tonner and a caravan I'd have to buy both of those as well as an everyday car which would cost way more than a bigger lorry. 3.5tonners cost as much if not more than 7.5tonners to buy.

By swapping my 4x4 for a midget car I am going to be saving approx £2000 a year in fuel alone just based on my commuting costs. I can tax and insure both a midget car and a lorry for the cost of tax/insurance on my 4x4. My 4x4 does 19mpg when towing so if a lorry will do roughly the same then I think I'm going to be about breaking even.

 

[ROG]

if i had a campervan i'd still have to run that as well as an everyday car. I'd much rather have a lorry. If I had a 3.5tonner and a caravan I'd have to buy both of those as well as an everyday car which would cost way more than a bigger lorry. 3.5tonners cost as much if not more than 7.5tonners to buy.

By swapping my 4x4 for a midget car I am going to be saving approx £2000 a year in fuel alone just based on my commuting costs. I can tax and insure both a midget car and a lorry for the cost of tax/insurance on my 4x4. My 4x4 does 19mpg when towing so if a lorry will do roughly the same then I think I'm going to be about breaking even.

You seem to have worked it out well so unless another member comes up with a cost you have not factored in then fair play to you

 

[SpottedCat]

Star I was in the same boat as you - I do about 20K miles a year for work and there was no way it was cheaper for me to run a 4x4 than a lorry and small car.

I did the full class C basically because being a relief driver pays pretty well if you ever need the money! It cost me the same to do class C as it would have been to do C1.

 

[star]

Star I was in the same boat as you - I do about 20K miles a year for work and there was no way it was cheaper for me to run a 4x4 than a lorry and small car.

I did the full class C basically because being a relief driver pays pretty well if you ever need the money! It cost me the same to do class C as it would have been to do C1.

that's what I thought. If i ever get bored of being a vet it would be nice to have a back up option!

 

[KatB]

I'm in the process of doing my C too, as I also thought for £200 difference it will be worth having the option of being able to go driving as an alternative way of earning some cash! I've done my theory and HPT, and did those without a problem with just the help of a cheapish DVD! The practical will be £850 plus the test which is £150 and the trial drive first which is £40.

 

[ROG]

I'm in the process of doing my C too, as I also thought for £200 difference it will be worth having the option of being able to go driving as an alternative way of earning some cash!

DRIVER CPC ISSUES
This refers to those wanting to drive LGVs commercially and not privately

Anyone who wants to drive LGVs commercially must have a driver cpc card (DQC)
Those who had any LGV category on their licence on 10/09/2009, including the free pre 1997 C1, will have a GHOST DQC which expires on 09/09/2014

Those who did not have any LGV category on their licence prior to 10/09/2009 will have to take and pass the INITIAL LGV driver cpc modules 2 (theory) and 4 (practical) before they can use the LGV licence commercially

For those who had a LGV category before 10/09/2009 but leave driving commercially until after 09/09/2014 - they will have to complete 35 hours of driver cpc PERIODIC training before being allowed to drive LGVs comercially

 

[Goldenstar]

ROG ! Help how do people negotiate getting all this right without you online to advise them.

 

[KatB]

ROG yep I know, but it is easy enough to add on if necessary in future if you've already got your cat C, instead of having to "top up" your C1 an do the CPC. We've got a resident lorry LGV trainer on site, who was very helpful about explaining CPC etc thank you though, makes it very clear!