Normal car and 4x4 vs horse box?

[Aniseed]

I have my own trailer but can no longer borrow my friends truck to tow it. The plan was to exchange my car for a 4x4 but I have just got a job with a 1 hour commute so that isn't an option. I can either buy a cheap 4x4 as well as my other car to use just for towing, or sell the trailer and get a little box but I know they are expensive.

Which would be the most economical solution? Either way I'm going to be paying for tax, insurance and mot on two vehicles but I'm not sure if one is cheaper than the other.

Thanks

 

[asmp]

I know you say using a 4x4 isn't an option for commuting to your new job but we were in this sort of predicament and were thinking about buying a 4x4 as an extra car as our 2 cars weren't capable of towing. However, when I worked out how much the tax, insurance, MOT and repairs on an old 4x4 was going to cost, it was going to work out a very expensive way of getting to shows. We then decided to sell my husband's car and get a newer 4x4 than we originally planned. I think you have to work out how much the extra diesel would cost for your commute in a small 4x4 (is it just the one horse to tow?) against the cost of running another vehicle - you may find it works out cheaper. Regarding 4x4 vs horse box - the horse box will cost you a lot more to keep on the road and a 4x4 comes in very handy at other times, especially in the snowy winter we had last year. Although we now run a BMW X5 (to keep the husband happy!), my friend has an old (Daihatsu or something similar) small jeep which tows 2 horses with ease.

 

[Kat]

What about a 4x4 with an LPG conversion so your commute isn't too expensive? Or a 4x4 and a motorbike/scooter you could avoid all those rush hour jams then.......

 

[magichorse]

Depends on your weight requirements for towing, but I have a Ford Kuga and just tow one horse. Max towing capacity is 2300kgs I think, so plenty, and it is a 4x4. It does 39mpg so not that much different to the old Focus that I had previously. My journey to work is 45 mins so not too much different to you. Just a thought

 

[Flashpaddler]

You can tow with a normal family car if you do your homework. For example, a BMW 3 series can pull 1600kg and these are very common on the second hand market. If you get a lightweight trailer, this will use circa 800kgs (we have a Richardson - Ifor Williams are very good trailers but tend to be the heaviest). A pony is 400kgs and a horse, such as a TB 500-550kgs. This leaves some weight for tack etc. Towing with cars on the continent is very common but a lot rarer in the UK.

Some 4x4s can not tow as much as some people think, especially if they are models based on a normal car. Even a Landrover Freelander can only tow 2000kgs. Compare this to an Audi A6 3.0 tdi which can pull 2200kgs, so it's worth researching options as there are many ways of pulling economically. My BMW has been remapped to increase torque and thus economy (cost £200) and on a recent 170 mile round trip up and down the A1 pulling a TB for an event, averaged 39mpg (this is the best I've had - off the dual carriageway I get 30-34mpg). Nevertheless, this has more than halved our transportation costs and gives us a decent car when not horseying. A lorry is great but we haven't missed it half as much as I expected and with fuel costs it just wasn't essential. With fuel prices increasing using the right car and trailer combo will, I think, become more common.