trailer or lorry?

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SarahRicoh

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As title basically. Im a 20yr old girl who atm owns a peugeot 106.
However i need a new car so planning for the future im wondering wether i get a 4x4 or another cheapish runaround.

A 4x4 may be useful as need to get to yard even in snow and for various other reasons but its not essential.

Because of my age i can.drive a 3.5t lorry(im told) but to.tow i need to take my trailer test(unless i can tow on my license somehow?).
I have a 14.3hh ish gelding and thats all id be towing.

So is it cheaper to have a small runaround car and a 3.5 lorry or a 4x4 as everday car and trailer? Taking into account buying both and trailer test costs!!

Thanks :)
 
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I found it cheaper to have a very economical car and buy a cheap 7.5 tonner but then I was doing shedloads of miles a year and only paid a pittance for the lorry.
 
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Toby_Zaphod

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I know a guy that bought himself a 3.5 ton horse box & he uses it as his normal transport as well. The one he has does extremely good miles to the gallon so he decided he wouldn't bother with the expense of a run around car as well. :)
 
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wildcard

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I was in the same situation as you about 2 years ago and decided to go down the route of Trailer and doing my test.. and buying a 4*4 and a year later ive swopped and bought a 3.5 ton lorry and small run around Car. Now i dont do massive mileage so found running the 4*4 all the time was expensive as have to run even when not towing..

I have found my new 3.5 ton very very economical drives on fresh air and the insurance for both my car and wagon is less than for the 4*4 so only extra i found really is the tax but again cheaper tax on smaller car.

I think try find yourself a nice little 3.5 ton youll have loads of choice with your horse only been 14.3 aswell I found this was a much cheaper option.. also if your like me and have to go places on your own the wagon is a little safer and much more manageable.. Good luck andlet us knwo what you decide. :) xx
 
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That was why I bit the bullet and bought a 7.5 tonner! Insurance and road tax are the same as for a 3.5 tonner, test is a little more, and yes, it can be more expensive to fix them, but you save so much on the purchase price.
 
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wildcard

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I understand they are more expensive, but it depends how picky you are about looks age etc.. you can find some nice older lorries which granted dont look the part but if are safe for the horses and reliable then can generally be reasonably priced.. the lorries which dont quite look the part can often be the best bargains.
saying that you can find the same with 4*4 and trailers so i think is just a personal thing.. xxx
 
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wizbit

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Try www.traveltwohorseboxes.com they do the smaller horseboxes and although i haven't used them myself, know of people who have and are pleased :)
I was in the same predicament as you. I went for lorry and stuck with my little polo. Lorry + car worked out cheaper to isure and tax put together than 4x4 alone. Also the added security in a lorry.
Some of the older renault 3.5tonners are brilliant :) good luck with whatever you decide
 
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SarahRicoh

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Thanks all youve been really helpful :) Whats the lowest price you think I could pay for an old but safe 3.5t lorry? I dont mind it needing a makeover or small things to be fixed(my dads good at things like that) but must start and pref have a good floor.
 
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wildcard

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well how much were you thinking of buying the trailer and 4x4 for and then use that to buy the wagon.. I think if you have around 3-6k you would be able to find something but be realistic about what your looking at. it does no harm in looking so have a nosey about with what budget you have and see what you can get. The key to gettinga good 3.5 tonner is being patient i think. Saying that i do have a friend whos been searching a while now and hasnt come across anything which she likes so is looking at larger vehicles. Like others have said maybe another option... :)
 
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georgiegirl

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Yep have been searching for a long long time now - there have been a few which have come up but the good ones literally go the morning they are advertised hence its a bit of luck and being very quick to get on the phone and arrange a viewing!

I guess it all depends what you want. Ive said from day one I want a coachbuilt box so they are fewer and far between than the transit types but if you want a transit type or similar there are tons of those around! A quick '3.5 horsebox' search on ebay should show you the various different types there are available.

I would still go for a 3.5t if a decent one came up but now leaning towards going bigger as we travel a bit further now with a few overnight stays thrown in too so it makes sense - plus you seem to get an awful lot more for your money!
 
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BigRed

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You need to ask yourself how often you want to take your horse out. Will it be every weekend or once a month ? Or less ? If it's once a month I would look around at the cost of hiring a small 3.5 lorry. Your pony is only small, so that will be fine for him.

Add up the cost over a year, and then add up the cost of buying a lorry, or a 4x4 and trailer and insuring and running these vehicles and the annual depreciation. If you don't travel often, it is cheaper to rent.
 
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