Wanting to buy a trailer-should I go brand new or nearly new/2nd hand?

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Fifty Bales of Hay

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I am going to be buying a horse trailer in the next couple of weeks, and been looking at the prices generally. Should I buy new or 2nd hand? And how much saving on the new price will I make on say either a 1yo or 2yo or 3yo trailer?

Where is the best place to go or look? I am not too sure on which make yet, but have in mind either Ifor Williams, Bateson or Richardson. I love the Fautra's but don't think my budget will stretch that far, unless i can find a reasonably priced 2nd hand model.

I read on here about being able to buy the Bateson from their factory and get a 7 1/2% discount - what price does this make them as can't seem to find out how much they are even without the discount?

If anyone has a suitable trailer that they are looking to sell, maybe they'd post on here or send me a PM?
 
Hi, it all depends on how much you want to spend. The 2nd hand Ifors are nearly as much as the new ones anyway unless you are lucky to get a bargain. I bought an 18 mth old ifor off Ebay for £2500 and sold it for more 12 mths later. Have a look on Horsemart, Ebay, Horsequest, Horsedeals etc. I think if you want something so new you will end up buying new as they really hold there prices.
Im sure theres a price list on the Bateson website, they are more expensive than the Ifor but are lovely.
 
I bought a brand new Ifor Williams classic last year (special edition in silver grey to match my 4 x 4). It cost £3500. It tows fantastically, you dont know you've got it. Goes up steep hills no problem and doesn't snake or wiggle when on motorways etc. It's brilliant!!! I would highly recommend Ifor Williams. They dont lose the residual value much either (not like a car does). My horse travels well in it. I wouldn't touch a Richardson because I saw one which rolled over with two horses in, due to an inexperienced driver towing (fortunately the horses both survived their terrible injuries and made a good recovery), but when I looked at the wreck when the owners brought it back to the yard, I was horrified to see the panels were made of some kind of thin plywood which broke like cardboard. Granted, it was quite an old trailer, but it was so badly smashed to bits it certainly put me off!! If you buy a second hand one, make sure it's not a stolen one as there are many of them about.
 
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I bought a brand new Ifor Williams classic last year (special edition in silver grey to match my 4 x 4).

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Me too, except in black to match my 4x4. What a pair of posers
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Mine was the 510 and cost just under £4000 including tack locker and various other odds and sods. When I'd been browsing for a 2nd hand one I couldn't find a 510 cheaper that about £3500, so was happy to pay that bit extra, get the customisations and the reassurance that it didn't have a 'history'.

As everyone is saying, they do hold their value extremely well, so you would never ultimately be out of pocket either way.
 
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I wouldn't touch a Richardson because I saw one which rolled over with two horses in, due to an inexperienced driver towing (fortunately the horses both survived their terrible injuries and made a good recovery), but when I looked at the wreck when the owners brought it back to the yard, I was horrified to see the panels were made of some kind of thin plywood which broke like cardboard.

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Sorry, but this accident could happen to any trailer. I was in an accident a few years ago with pretty much a brand new Ifor which flipped onto its side (flipping the car too). Fortunately both horses were fine, barely a scratch and I don't know how, but its enough to put me off for life. Have always had boxes (was a friends trailer) and I now wouldn't have anything else.
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I've noticed recently that it is a really good time to buy new and not secondhand. Why you ask? A morning on the phone ringing around trailer dealers does get you some cracking prices. The credit crunch affects them too, and they still need to make sales. Plus you generally get 12 months warranty on new trailers ( unless someone is offering warranty on private), which is a real peace of mind. Old shape ifors seem to making mental money, sometimes more than they were new!!
Its a crazy world!
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Old shape ifors seem to making mental money, sometimes more than they were new!!
Its a crazy world!
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Could that be because the materials in new design is more than a little crap? We saw the new ones at Bolesworth and they are so trashy with the materials and finish to be almost unrecognisable as an Ivor. They're certainly not built with a long working life in mind, that's for sure and I was very disappointed as I'm looking to replace my 505 and I wouldn't touch those with a bargepole. They certainly do look made for posers and not for someone who needs their trailer to stand up to a job of work IMHO. (we had this conversation before on here around 10th June if you look)
 
ive been having the same quandry...

having done a lot of searching round, i realised that there was only really £200-£300 between a 2/3 year old used and a new one.
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OK, i am after the mare&foal (single) 401 2nd hand - which I could not get for love nor money... now I dont know what to do because I ordered a brand new snazzy black 403 (£3100) meant to be ready 20th June - iv now been told there is a problem with production and Im looking at at least another 10 weeks!!
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The trailer centre I use have been very good though and have loaned me a 3 year old double classic 505 in swanky silver
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They want £2750 for it... and have said if I want to keep it instead i can. Its had 'moderate' use, but everyone who has seen it thinks its split new - I just dont know what to do.......
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If it was me, I'd grab their hand off! That model was made to a much better standard, both in materials used, quality and workmanship than the new ones that we saw IMHO. Also, the mare and foal model are just that, for a mare and foal or a single; what happens when the foal won't fit in any longer, you'd need to change then anyway? As long as you've been happy after your trial of it, you will have found the advantages to that size and any niggles it has too already and if you can live with them so you have a head start on anyone else! I certainly would give it a lot of thought as to why you actually want new when a model like this is almost as new and made far better to last longer. No contest as far as I would be concerned but it all depends on what you want, you're the customer! Let us know what you decide though out of nosiness!

Meant to say, it does to a certain extent depend on how big your foal is likely to grow and if he is a keeper anyway.
 
thanks
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oh i just dont know.... i fancied a brand new one, i liked the black. Also, I only ever tow 1 horse, who is a fab traveller, and my vehicle can tow the 403 with no probs. They have had to downrate the plate on the double for me to 2tonnes... not that thats any problem, it still gives me 1100kg of load to play with.

i liked the idea new one had a warranty, and no history. I know this one we've got looks new, but i also know they said it had had moderate use.... but it is very nice, and my vehicle is silver too
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Thanks for all the responses. I'm going to phone round a few of the dealers and see what offer's they have on new ones, because the price's of the 2nd hand seem not much less than new. I would rather pay a few £100's more for brand new without any unknown history and get a warranty with it.

Also browsing all the websites, the trouble is most are so far away, by the time I've spent a day travelling and paid the diesel, I'm not going to be any better off?

Its not very encouraging news about the new Ifor Williams as this was one of my favourites. I wonder what will happen if they keep getting problems with them?

BlueWicked where did you order your's from? Did they say what the problem with production was? Thinking they might be dealing with lots of call-backs and this is it?
 
hiya,

that was just the response from Ifor Williams direct - the production problem has only been with the 403 though. I know a few people with the brand new doubles that are delighted with theirs.
 
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