Should I buy a horsebox...

[FlyingCircus]

When I only intend to keep it for 2 years and have access to a 3.5t to hire for £70 a day locally?

Umming and arring about whether it is sensible to buy a 3.5t. I have a young mare who I want to start getting out and about, and she's pretty crap at loading so would like to be able to do more of that. Would be looking to use horsebox atleast once a week, if not more in the summer.

Have room to keep it at home, so storage wouldn't be a problem.

Someone talk some sense into me!

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

Travelling once a week is 53 weeks per year, financially adding up to £3,640 per annum. You say you have a young horse so presumably so the going out would be for quite a few years, 10 years would be £36,400. That's a lot of money spent with nothing to show for it in the end. If you purchased a 3.5 ton box at least in the end when you stop going out you will still have some value in the horsebox which you can realise into money. I've always preferred to buy a horsebox for the very reasons I mentioned earlier.

 

[Lady Jane]

Sounds like you can cost justify quite easily. Why not?

 

[Marigold4]

I love mine but a couple of expensive repairs have had to be done and I have paid for equine rescue insurance in case of breakdown. If you have a trailer, you can call someone else with a tow bar to get you home, but you're pretty stuck if your lorry breaksdown and can't be quickly fixed. So lorry is pretty expensive option.

 

[AFB]

The market is pretty nuts at the moment so you wouldn't necessarily get the best deal - then you need to do the maths on hire vs running/depreciation costs. Personally though, it's just SO much easier having my own and I wouldn't hire to go for a hack relatively locally, so it ups my use again.

 

[SpotsandBays]

I’d say yes. Much more flexible having your own transport. And if you look after it well then the market is usually pretty good for 3.5ts - if you do continue to sell it in a couple of years.

 

[Annagain]

I wouldn't think you'd lose much money on it in 2 years if you buy a good one and look after it. Once a week is plenty of use to make buying your own worth it. You're likely to use it more if it's there rather than having to make arrangements in advance to hire it. £70 to hire a box to go for a hack somewhere else feels very expensive. I understand that it's not really when you consider wear and tear, maintenance, tax insurance etc but it feels a lot at the time, whereas putting a bit of fuel in it and heading off doesn't feel expensive so you're more likely to do it.

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

There’s not much about at the moment as I’ve been looking myself. Depends what your budget is. I always find that every time I want to go anywhere the local boxes are already booked. I think you have to plan about 6 months in advance for weekend dates especially.

I’ve also been considering a trailer but I then need to buy and run an expensive tow vehicle as my main vehicle as I don’t have room for two. I don’t think a small Horsebox is any more expensive to keep than a trailer plus tow vehicle. I used to have a 6.5t and mostly it was no more expensive than running an old car.

 

[Tarragon]

Can you keep it under cover? It really helps to keep it in a good condition for reselling.

 

[FlyingCircus]

Thanks guys.

Budget of up to 18k ish, with hopes that something in that bracket won't lose value as quickly as something under 10k.

Have been lusting after the Foxy boxes though...no where near 18k lol.

Would end up going out a lot I imagine as we have loads of awesome places locally in the new forest, the forest itself, beaches, gallops, lots of venues. So really main thing holding me back is booking the current box and the loading stickiness, which I imagine would go away with some trips in close succession.

 

[Annagain]

I'd have a look at any being sold off by hire / transport companies. They're often a bit higher on the mileage but have been well looked after and are usually well built in the first place. Two years with you would probably bring the average mileage down a bit so the thing that made it cheaper for you won't be such a big thing when you sell it.

I tend to look at higher mileage, slightly cheaper cars when I'm buying as I don't do much mileage and it nearly always works out well for me.

 

[QuantockHills]

i bought a 3.5 lorry 18 months ago and love it! i paid £23000 for it, it's 8 years old but had less than 2000 miles on the clock. It's easier to manoeuvre than the equitrek trailer and shogun I had. I took it in for a service and the dealer i bought it from offered me £25000 for it... i'm considering redundany and thought of doing local hire with driver type thing (depending on insurance etc). How much would you pay for a driver with a lorry for the day, just out of interest...?

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

When I hired for the day with driver there was a charge for the mileage and then £15 per hour on top (a couple of years ago) A trip of 60 miles total was £75 plus 4 hours time was £135 in total. On that trip I qualified for a champion of champions so ended up costing me around £200 for the day as we had to hang around so long. The driver was excellent as a groom and even did my quarter marks for me.

 

[BethanT]

Depends what the budget is to buy something. Prices are crazy stupid at the moment, I sold my 7.5ton for £2k when I would have struggled to get that for it a year or so ago. A friend of mine has just advertised her 98 Reg one for £7k! But if you are savvy with the buying, and look after it well you shouldn't loose money when you come to sell.

Yes you have more maintenance costs, and would probably be more expensive over the year by the time to add everything up, but I think for flexibility (and education for your horse) it would 100% be worth it.

Just don't get duped in to buying something crap. There are a lot of builders that have popped up in recent years, but not many build to last.

 

[BethanT]

Thanks guys.

Budget of up to 18k ish, with hopes that something in that bracket won't lose value as quickly as something under 10k.

Have been lusting after the Foxy boxes though...no where near 18k lol.

Would end up going out a lot I imagine as we have loads of awesome places locally in the new forest, the forest itself, beaches, gallops, lots of venues. So really main thing holding me back is booking the current box and the loading stickiness, which I imagine would go away with some trips in close succession.

You should be able to pick up a decent Marlborough Hunter for that budget. Plenty of those second hand

 

[Barlow]

Definitely! Having your own means you can spontaneously decide to do stuff eg trip to the beach etc without having to book and plan it like a military operation

 

[FFAQ]

Yes, I have a 3.5T Renault Master for sale!!

 

[Renvers]

There is a good market for them and good ones seem to hold their value. So if you buy a decent one you should be able to sell it after 2 years and recoup most, if not all your outlay.

Do the rentals include any maintenance, like some lease cars do? If you buy you are liable for all repair costs, but might not with a rental.

 

[FlyingCircus]

Yes, I have a 3.5T Renault Master for sale!!

Want to send me the ad?


Thanks everyone. The option of trailer isn't really one I'd go with as the idea of towing gives me the shivers. Always has made me nervous at the thought! Glad the H&H collective have justified my additional purchasing (or attempting- they do seem to be in short supply!!)

 

[FlyingCircus]

Yes, I have a 3.5T Renault Master for sale!!

Want to send me the ad?


Thanks everyone. The option of trailer isn't really one I'd go with as the idea of towing gives me the shivers. Always has made me nervous at the thought! Glad the H&H collective have justified my additional purchasing (or attempting- they do seem to be in short supply!!)

 

[FFAQ]

Flying circus, as soon as i have put one together i will send it to you!

 

[MrsMozartleto]

I'm also in the but one camp.

I bought a new conversion 4 years ago to go get a non-loading new-to-me big young ID. Since then I've moved horses and furniture in equal measure ?

Nearly sold her last week. Very glad I didn't though. I can leave stuff in, she's always ready to go, I can manage on my own with horse and her, easy to drive and park, plus being a 3.5t my local garage who I trust implicitly can work on her.

Now I've decided to keep her I'm going to do a 'pimp my lorry' thing ?

 

[Kizzy2004]

Take a look at Trevett & smith website, they are based in Landford and build excellent boxes and build for most of the local hire businesses.

New build is top of you budget without the chassis but they do get in 2nd hand horseboxes for sale