What lorry would I need?

[Redders]

I may be considering purchasing a lorry in the not too distant future. Or I might not, I don’t know, but I would like one.
I could do with help from you wise beings to tell me what I would actually need.
I definitely don’t want a trailer - I like my little car and don’t want to replace it for one to tow with or run a separate car.
I want to be able to take 2 horses (16.2 and 16h) plus 2 humans, plus water, plus tack.
not bothered about living as I’ll
use it for mostly hacking trips and local shows/clinics etc.
I don’t want to worry about being over weight or unsafe! I want it to be easy to load and go.
As I know nothing about capacities, I have assumed a 3.5t wouldn’t cut it.
Im happy to take C1 training and test.

what do I actually need for what I want to use it for?!

 

[Ambers Echo]

A 3.5 definitely won’t cut it. Payload is typically 1-1.2 tonnes and you aren’t going to get under that.

I’ve loved my 7.5 tonne. Day living is very useful at shows if you are hanging around. I just have got so used to the idea that when I’m out with the horses I basically have a living room to change in, wait around in, eat lunch in, chill with friends in, that I’m finding downsizing hard!

Sheltering from rain in the front seat of a car is not the same!!

if 7.5 feels too big you can get 4.5 or 5.5t lorries too. But there don’t seem to be many of those around. You still need a C car licence for those.

 

[ycbm]

All what AE says. If you're on a tight budget, (you haven't said so ignore if not relevant) you'll get a better vehicle if you go for a 7.5t, there are lots around and they aren't selling. Cheaper 3.5s are selling at a premium compared to 7.5s.
.

 

[Cowpony]

I find that 5.5 or 6.5t lorries have the best payload, enough space to put everything and are small enough to cope with country lanes

 

[Leandy]

I would go for a 7.5t and agree with other comments above. Beware payload though also on older 7.5t with fully loaded living as can be surprisingly small. It doesn't sound as though you are looking for lavish living though so you should be ok.

 

[ROG]

LGV C1 test is virtually the same cost etc as taking the LGV C test which covers C1 so I strongly recommend you do C and not C1

 

[Redders]

Thanks guys. It’s an idea still in its infancy, but I needed to know what I actually needed before I thought about it any more! A good point about rain, living would be very handy in those instances. I’m not fussed about fully loaded all singing all dancing, but an ‘area’ that isn’t the cab to sit in would be great. I read on another thread that 7.5t aren’t selling so much. I think there must be loads of over weight 3.5 being drives around because I do see 2 big horses going in them. I am too much of a safety first person to be brave enough to risk any of that.
plating - how much does that cost?
I assumed like £250?

 

[milliepops]

about half that, but it's what maintenance might be needed beforehand that can push the cost up. do you have a nice tame mechanic? OH does all my lorry maintenance, very handy esp as a non-tilting cab as many cheaper ones are if they have a luton, things can be much more time consuming and fiddly to sort out.

this year mine had a new fuel tank and exhaust plus a bit of welding on the cab and some other odds and sods, i guess we'd be getting on for £2k if I'd had to use a garage to sort it out. though in fairness before that it's just been a few lightbulbs here and there

I swapped from 3.5t to 7.5t and the living is a godsend, on a cold or wet day having somewhere civilised to sit is really nice, you quickly get used to being able to quickly make a nice cuppa just the way you like it etc .. i had a camping stove in my 3.5t but the hob is right there so you can pop it on while getting changed etc... all so much easier

 

[Leandy]

Thanks guys. It’s an idea still in its infancy, but I needed to know what I actually needed before I thought about it any more! A good point about rain, living would be very handy in those instances. I’m not fussed about fully loaded all singing all dancing, but an ‘area’ that isn’t the cab to sit in would be great. I read on another thread that 7.5t aren’t selling so much. I think there must be loads of over weight 3.5 being drives around because I do see 2 big horses going in them. I am too much of a safety first person to be brave enough to risk any of that.
plating - how much does that cost?
I assumed like £250?

I fully agree on your points. I like the extra space in the 7.5t for miserable days and also just to store stuff so you don't need to fully pack and unpack and can keep supplies on the lorry. It is also nice to have more space in the horse area for tacking up etc. I have hired 3.5t in the past and find them v short on storage space and often you get hay all over your stuff in the back too where no separation between horse and living/storage bit and if there is, the living is too small to be much use at all. Also safety wise I hate breast bars with a vengeance due to experience long ago with pony over breast bar in a trailer. Even more horrific in a 3.5t and there are many horror stories. Herringbone in larger lorry much safer in my view. I'd also rather be in a 7.5t in the event of an accident. Too many flimsy smaller ones around. Note though that where you see two horses in what looks like a 3.5t it may actually be 3.9 or 4.5t as they can be the same size but will have a much larger payload.

I usually pay around £400 for basic service plus MOT for my 7.5t (it isn't actually called plating, it is just an MOT) with local chap although I'm sure one with a main dealer would be more. Need to allow something for repairs/new tyres etc etc also from time to time.

 

[Redders]

Yes I just looked up the fees on the DVLA site, not too terrifying. Good point about the weight of lorries I’ve seen with two big horses in, I shouldn’t make assumptions!
my brother is a tame mechanic, but he isn’t a HGV mechanic, just normal car. Not sure if that would be ok.
the idea of being able to have a nice fresh cup of tea after a hack out somewhere or a clinic sounds heavenly!

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I used to have a 6.5t and it had 2t of payload. It was a fab lorry but at the time my oldie stopped competing and the lorry bodywork was rusting so I sold it. I think even with a 7.5t you gave to be careful it still has a decent payload as some builds have so many extras there is little left for horses. It was nice having day living but I rarely used the kitchen as at most things I went to I didn’t hang around and they had on-site catering anyway.

I have gone the other way and have now got a 3.5t. A 3.5t can be adapted and uprated legally. Mine was plated at 3.9t so 1.4t payload and some boxes only slightly larger can be plated at 4.5t I’ve had it down-rated which is a paperwork exercise and so it only needs an ordinary MOT.

 

[Redders]

Yes I am seeing how checking payload is important even with a bigger truck as I had my first browse at sale adverts and saw one wiTh only a 1.5 payload! Must be all the extra things in the living and the add ons. I think I would want a minimum 2t payload so I felt safe and wasn’t worrying all the time.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Yes I am seeing how checking payload is important even with a bigger truck as I had my first browse at sale adverts and saw one wiTh only a 1.5 payload! Must be all the extra things in the living and the add ons. I think I would want a minimum 2t payload so I felt safe and wasn’t worrying all the time.

I know someone who has a 5 ton lorry who says that it struggles with a full load up our hills - she brought it with her from a flatter area, so that is something else to consider

 

[milliepops]

yeah there's a lot of variation. mine runs off with me, i have to pay attention with one horse on because it's a powerful engine and on a motorway you can find yourself going a bit quick

 

[Asha]

It totally depends on your budget. If you had a good enough one id be going for a 4.5-6t. They are so much easier to get serviced / parts for etc. easier to drive as well. I had an old merc 814 which i sold before lockdown. He was brill, but really struggled going up hills. The living was great, but if im honest the novelty wore off. I slept over in malc many times and had some great laughs, but was never 'snug as a bug' . Ive now got a 3.5t for taking one horse, and a trailer if we need to take 2 or 3. We do have a bench in the back of the 3.5t, which does provide somewhere to sit/sleep ( it converts to a bed ). But i much prefer booking into a nearby hotel. Ive just done a recent trip and the drive in my 3.5t was fabulous. Far superior than my old truck, and the hotel was much nicer than camping in malc .

 

[Ambers Echo]

See I loved sleeping in my 7.5T. I always slept so well in there. I had plenty of storage in the base of the sofa bed where pillows, blankets and duvets lived so I was more or less cocooned in it! Was never cold and was definitely 'snug as a bug'. I've got an equitrek now with bunks. Not stayed in it yet but I'm sure I will miss the space. It is a nice trailer though so I'm sure it will be fine.