To buy a lorry or not buy a lorry - that is the question ??

[Notimetoride]

We have an old ish trailer which we own (i.e no loan). Its very well maintained - husband is slightly obsessive, but we know it is as safe as it possibly can be so we (mostly) trust it. Snag is, i hate towing with a passion and actually wont (unless i absolutely had to). Im far from being a nervous driver, but i just wont tow. We are competing and training a little more than we used to - about twice a month, and we also seem to do quite a lot in the winter. Also looking at travelling further afield.
With the trailer, getting changed is a little tricky for me - keeping beige jods off the trailer floor etc, ducking down low enough to not flash to the whole show ground etc etc. Husband has no-where comfortable to sit and drink his brews other than the car. Cant tack up in the trailer. Trailer is rattly and very exposed to the scary traffic, and we have no direct contact with her.
So we are going to look at a small lorry. Its 7.5 ton so obviously needs plating yearly as opposed to a cheaper MOT, and running costs will be nigher than the trailer. But i feel way happier having a lorry. I cant lie, whilst its v reasonably priced, it will still stretch us. I know that when its not being used it will be costing us, whereas when the trailer is parked up it isnt costing a penny. But basically im really fed up with using a trailer, and want a lorry. Ive had them in the past (previous life) and am happy pootling around driving a lorry, so i will be far more independent. Does the head always have to rule the heart, or sometimes, just sometimes, can you simply go with what you want, even if it may not be the most practical? We have arranged to go and view it and i suspect i will really want it, but common sens is saying stick with the trailer (and the limitations that come with it). But then you only live once . . . . .

 

[McFluff]

Life it too short not to occasionally let your heart lead the way...

On a more serious note, will the lorry a) improve the experience for you, your OH and your horse and b) allow you to do your hobby more often and c) make you happier?
It's not worth bankrupting yourself for, but if you can afford it, do the benefits make it worth it?

 

[Notimetoride]

it will absolutely make life easier and enjoyable for us and the pony. buying it will stretch us but im sure the bank can help (we have nothing on HP and no loans - even on the cars). just a teeny bit nervous about MOT failures and expensive repairs. It comes with 12 months MOt, the seller can be trusted and i believe it has always passed the MOTs easily. We also have a good relationship with someone who repairs trailers so any issues with floors etc can be rectified by him.

 

[Spottyappy]

I could have written this!
Sold my 7.5t lorry as wasnt using it much, and brought a trailer.
Hated towing with a passion. I have now gone back to a 7.5t box, and I'm just so much happier and confident when we go out.
Go for it, life far too short.

 

[Sunny12345]

BUY is the correct answer!

I would advise looking at the 3.5 ton long wheel based wagon if you have big horses. They are great to drive/ park, easy down country roads and you can still have a bed above the cab roof and a table in the living area.

I struggled with the 7.5t due to the size of it when parking and small tight roads... that moment when another 7.5t comes the other way and you have to reverse!

Go for 3.5t with a camera on the back which you can swap to the inside where the horses are when you don't need it.

Cheers,
Lisa
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[doodle]

2 of my friends bought a 7.5 tonnes lorry each within a few days of each other. Both had a trailer previously. Very similar lorries. One loves it, best thing she has done and the other hates it and is selling it and going back to trailer.

 

[Tiddlypom]

If you can afford a decent, well maintained lorry, then go for it. You don't want to buy an ageing rotbox, though. If money is tight, then upgrading the trailer makes more sense.

 

[Notimetoride]

Tbh i wouldnt upgrade the trailer as i cant abide towing. We are going to look at a particular lorry that has come up for sale. If its no good we will stick with what we have as it is well maintained. Problem arises if the lorry is ideal and we like it. Keep old faithful trailer or buy lorry which will stretch us financially but will make getting out and about a million times better and safer. We werent deliberately looking for a lorry, but ghis has come up for sale locally and may be a golden opportunity for us .

 

[ycbm]

Tbh i wouldnt upgrade the trailer as i cant abide towing. We are going to look at a particular lorry that has come up for sale. If its no good we will stick with what we have as it is well maintained. Problem arises if the lorry is ideal and we like it. Keep old faithful trailer or buy lorry which will stretch us financially but will make getting out and about a million times better and safer. We werent deliberately looking for a lorry, but ghis has come up for sale locally and may be a golden opportunity for us .

If buying the lorry in the first place is going to stretch you financially then you definitely shouldn't do it. If something big goes wrong with the brakes or deep in the engine, your bill is going to be thousands to fix it, not hundreds. We had to write off a relatively young Cargo because fixing the brakes was going to cost more than it was worth. A friend has a DAF that is constantly in the workshop and is the same age and roughly same mileage as my MAN. You might be lucky, you might not. It sounds like you can't afford to take that risk.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I had a Bateson Deauville trailer & loved it but then I got another horse so I has 2 16h 2" + horses to carry. The trailer would do it but I felt happier carrying them in a 7.5 ton lorry. I bought a 'Tristar' which is well built & has a large payload & I had no weight issues with it. You need to find a tame lorry mechanic who will repair your lorry as a foreigner so the costs are kept down. Used parts for most boxes are plentiful & much cheaper than new. Steer clear from Lorry garages, they will charge you commercial rates which is mega money. I've been looking to upgrade the lorry & have decided on another tristar. Be careful of 'conversions' not built by recognised horsebox builders as I've seen lorries with holes kicked through their walls due to poor build quality.

Additionally be very careful with 3.5 ton lorries, check the build quality. It may look pretty but is your horse safe in it? Too many people are building 3.5 ton conversions when they have no idea of what is required & what is safe. Also demand a weight certificate because many do not have anything like the advertised pay load they say they have.

I went for tristar because they are proper coach built horseboxes. The company builds from the chassis up & have been building livestaock carriers & horseboxes for years & know what they are doing. They are not as pretty as some but you know you will have a payload of around 2 tons, sometimes more, & your horse can kick as much as he wants he aint gonna do no harm!

Good Luck with whatever you decide.

 

[kevd]

you could always look at 6.5t horseboxes. some are not much bigger the 3.5t boxes but obviously you get a better payload.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Do you need a 7.5t? I only travel 1 horse so although I would love a 7.5 we bought a 3.5 and its fab. Hubby built day living into the back and it suits me perfectly. I still have a hankering for a bigger lorry but Ive allowed my head to stop my heart going completely OTT, I started with a trailer but hated towing, I was always terrified it was going to come unattached and our yard is a pita for reversing so we bought our little lorry. Hubs is quite good at the basic maintenance and its MOT not plating so not quite the hideous expense of some, Perfect compromise for us, might it work for you.

 

[Notimetoride]

As ive said, we havent been actively looking, as our trailer will 'do'. But this lorry is for sale locally, at a price we can just about afford. Cant afford any of these snazzy little 3.5t boxes. We will go and have a look at it and im certain ill love it. Then we need to do the whole heart v head thing quickly before someone else snaps it up

 

[Farcical1]

I have a 3.5t lorry and I love it! It sat doing very little for a year whilst I decided whether to buy a new horse or not,and consequently needed some TLC after this winter.
However, it's so worth it and I love loading up and going off out with my horse. The giant grin on my face says to me it's all worth it.
So I say go for it and enjoy it.

 

[oldie48]

I've had a trailer, a couple of 7.5 tonners and I've just bought my 2nd 3.5. I also loathed towing but did it for several years. I loved my 7.5s but the running costs were horrendous. Our last 7.5 was a reasonably young lorry, built by a quality company and I loved it but it rarely cost less than £1K to get it through the plating, when I worked out the cost per mile (and we were out competing regularly) is was eye watering. The 3.5s are so much cheaper to run, easier to drive and cheap to maintain and hold their value. If you only travel one horse, I'd go for a 3.5 every time.

 

[Notimetoride]

I dont have the budget for a 3.5t

 

[Tiddlypom]

What is your budget?

 

[catroo]

If buying the lorry in the first place is going to stretch you financially then you definitely shouldn't do it. If something big goes wrong with the brakes or deep in the engine, your bill is going to be thousands to fix it, not hundreds. We had to write off a relatively young Cargo because fixing the brakes was going to cost more than it was worth. A friend has a DAF that is constantly in the workshop and is the same age and roughly same mileage as my MAN. You might be lucky, you might not. It sounds like you can't afford to take that risk.

Agree with this

Make sure you're not completely stretching yourself. It sounds like your looking at an older lorry so even more the reason to have a substantial emergency fund.
In the last 6 months I've spent £3k in repairs on my lorry (if it had all happened at once I may not have bothered!) prior to this we'd had three years of trouble free motoring. I get it serviced every year and allow £1k a year in the budget for plating, servicing etc

 

[Notimetoride]

Luckily husband is army and is able to carry out general everyday maintenance so we wont need to pay garage prices unless its major. We also have a fab 'man that can' who will maintain floors and ramps for a reasonable cost. Its all do-able - just. Unless it is something major, then we'll wish we kept thd trailer!

 

[Louby]

I went from a trailer to a lorry years ago and have had a few over the years. We were pretty lucky really although they all needed something doing to them at some point and its never a small amount, its hundreds. If you personally know a good mechanic then thats a massive plus as they are so expensive to maintain. My last wagon was just too big for one horse so I downsized to a 3.5t, I never did use it as I had an accident shortly after buying it and wasnt getting another horse so I sold it and although it was fab and so easy compared to the big wagon, I actually couldnt imagine carrying a large horse in it, it just didnt seem right, all in my head of course but I did regret buying it. Fast forward a couple of months and Ive got another horse, so have bought a trailer. My horse is young, I dont justify a wagon yet but I wanted transport. I used to tow and was fine but I have got the eeby jeebies about it and I hope to go back to a wagon at some point in the future. The massive plus point to the trailer though is it isnt costing me anything apart from the insurance, Im really hoping I will grow to love it!

 

[Tnavas]

I loved my truck - it opened up so many avenues - from camping overnight at shows to going on riding holidays to new places, being able to take the horse with me and be able to stay in the truck as well. Now I can't climb in to it I had to sell it - was a very sad day.

 

[ycbm]

Don't forget to budget that with a lorry you will either need some very good friends with another lorry/tow car, and a recovery fund of a couple of hundred pounds, or breakdown insurance that includes getting the horses home. I've been recovered once due to a failed starter motor. It would have cost a fortune if I hadn't had cover.

 

[alainax]

Sounds like you've already made up your mind op!

It was an expensive mistake for me. Cost me £3k in one year for maintenance, for a very good condition lorry, with great engine etc. Just every little bit adds up. The yard I was on lied to me about storing it, so I had to pay £100pm to store it elsewhere. I fell pregnant and ended up never using it! Total and utter waste of money.

I run a jeep anyway, so it's silly paying all that extra. I do enjoy towing also.

 

[Annagain]

I understand why you're looking at this particular 7.5T but I'd look at smaller lorries too. If you're not confident towing you may not be confident driving something so big either and they'll be better in terms of MPG too. Not all 3.5T are new, snazzy and expensive although you could also look at 4.5, 5 and 6.5T ones too. Have a look at a website called Travel Two. They sell decent, but slightly older and more affordable 3.5 and 4.5T boxes.

 

[Ahrena]

I'm selling my 7.5t due to the repair bills spiralling out of control.

Partly due to an on going issue no one seems to be able to truly fix and just the fact it's old and stuff is rusting away. It's 1998, it's still beautiful and I adore it but I worked out its cost £12,500 in 2.5 years in repairs.

I'm now so terrified of having the same issues with another box I'm going to buy a shiny new 3.5 (I'm very lucky that an inheritance will allow me to do so).

I don't know if I'm just unlucky, I travel a lot and whilst I utterly adore the living I can't afford a relatively new 7.5 and I'm too scared now to buy an old one.

 

[eggs]

If you do go ahead and decide to buy the lorry get it inspected by an independent mechanic before parting with any money. It would be better if the person you use is also used to servicing horse boxes and checks things like the ramp and flooring. Also get a weighbridge certificate.

I love the convenience of having a lorry but never had a bill of less than £1,000 per year for servicing and plating and then there is insurance and breakdown cover on top of that. I actually sold my lorry and now just hire one when needed.

 

[tda]

If it's an old lorry and you can only just afford to buy it, I wouldn't 😐

The repairs on these lorries can be eyewatering!

 

[ihatework]

If it's an old lorry and you can only just afford to buy it, I wouldn't ��

The repairs on these lorries can be eyewatering!

Ditto!

Don't get me wrong, I had a 7.5T for a few years and loved having it. Made life so much easier and I would love to have one now. BUT maintaining an aging lorry is not a cheap hobby and when I was at the point I wasn't competing at national stay over shows any more then I sold up. I just couldn't justify the added expense for an extravagant luxury.

I now have a trailer for what I do - local trips at the weekend.
It is a pain hitching up. It's a pain not being able to store all my 'stuff'. It's a pain not having living. But when push comes to shove I prefer having the extra cash available for what I deem more important things.

It really comes down to what it's worth to you. Just don't underestimate the bills that might come your way and the inconvenience when lorry is off the road

 

[milliepops]

I have an aging 3.5t, and that stretches me, but at least the maintenance bills are low esp with a very handy OH. I hate putting horses on trailers and I would struggle to afford to run a tow car with the miles I do.
I'd love a big lorry but I just couldn't handle the upkeep costs.

Don't rule out a smaller lorry in your search. I paid less than £5k for mine and I can't see it losing its value if/when I can afford to upgrade. You don't have to spend £20k to get something reliable.
I didn't buy mine from TravelTwo but they tipped me off that it was coming on the market as they'd sold it to the previous owner.

 

[ironhorse]

Go and look at this lorry and walk away if it looks like there may be big bills in the future - if your husband knows enough to repair them, he should have a good idea when he sees it. But if this isn't the one, don't think of it as the end of the road - there are always lorries coming up as people's circumstances change, and there may be 3.5t or 6.5t options in the future.
We've had the whole range over the last 10 years - bought a cheap Ifor because the lorries that we were kindly loaned weren't reliable and then bought a cheapish 7.5t because we were staying away at shows a lot.
We absolutely loved it - at the time we both had very good jobs and spent quite a bit upgrading. It cost us about £1k a year to run. The downsides were that although I could drive it I couldn't lift the ramp on my own, plus it was tight on payload and we were thinking about getting another horse. We eventually sold it before it got too old and this liable to be expensive to maintain.
Next came an Equitrek show trek with the small living - at the time we were only showing a youngster in hand and it did the job. Not that comfortable for 2 people to sleep in for a weekend though! We eventually sold it to someone who travelled 300 miles to view it and loved the changing space etc for day shows. One downside was the length/weight etc and the fact that we only had one vehicle to tow it so needed hubby or his car !
Then we swapped to a 3.5 - new build on an recent chassis. The lorry is wonderful - the chassis a complete lemon so it shows you can get caught out even with a newer vehicle and reputable lorry builder. Still have the lorry and have spent a fair bit on it. Advantages are that I can drive/handle it on my own yet it is comfortable for hubby if he comes along.It's also nice and small to park at livery yards and easy to drive. For the past two years it has mainly been for regular trips to the vets and vet hospitals I would have been lost without it and it would have been more stressful with a trailer to hitch up/manoeuvre etc.