Thorpe/Smart/Tristar

SpottedCat

SpottedCat

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Has anyone had any dealings with any of the above (feel free to PM as HHO doesn't like us having an opinion or an experience of a company on open forum!)?

Going to get a new box built and want to get it underway asap. Think I have narrowed it down to these three companies and would love to hear from other people who've had boxes built by any of these companies.
 
Tristar would be easier on the bank balance, Thorpe seem to last forever but would probably require a trip to Clacton which I always feel is best avoided where possible
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Most importantly, what colour scheme are you going for?
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Know Smart horseboxes as they are based almost opposite me. Have only ever heard good things about them and work always looks top quality. However when I asked Dale for a quote when i wanted a new lorry I needed a sit down and a stiff drink.....
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Tristar, definately.

I have a six horse with living tristar lorry which I have had for over a year now, the same lorry would of cost twice as much from someone another horsebox builder. They even found me the chassis.

Lovely strong build etc, got everything that I asked for in it.

If you like i could send you some pics.
 
Tristar! I have a 7.5 ton on a DAF chassis & with a reasonable living area sleeping 3/4 with cooking & cupboards etc it weighs in at 5.6 tons which leaves almost 2 tons of payload which is pretty good. You can get them lighter though if the actual frame that is steel on mine is made up in aluminium.

With them not being smooth sided & having fancy spray jobs the scrapes down the sides that you pick up off trees & hedges don't show up anything like as bad & the lorry looks good for a lot longer.
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Went to Thorpe a couple of years ago to have a new floor and radiator in my old lorry and they were great. They also did all the work on my current lorry, before i bought it and it has been spot on.
 
I think Smart are fab but expensive - when I was researching mine they went into the same folder as Badminton Horseboxes: "Better than I need/can afford"... I've only heard good about Tristar. Don't know anything about Thorpe. Lucky you
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Thanks everyone.

Think Thorpe are probably just that bit too far from me, and Smart likely to be too expensive. Got a bit more research to do first though....

TD - yes, I am lucky, but also feeling like what goes around comes around....
 
Can 2nd the good service from Thorpe, they replaced the sides on my old lorry and did an excellent job, also kept me informed all the way through.
Friends have just bought a 2nd hand Thorpe built lorry from them too and it is lovely!
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