What would be cheaper Re. Diesel? 4x4 or lorry?

[Ahrena]

We were thinking of buying a lorry, but seeing the earlier threads about diesel..

Currently we have a 4x4 and a trailer - would it cost more in diesel to have a lorry and a smaller car(on petrol), than a 4x4 which is on diesal all the time?

At the moment we can afford to go out every weekend up to about an hour and a half, and I don't really want to compromise that...Were gonna buy a lorry as I stay away 3-4 times a year.

 

[lucemoose]

Its not just about the diesel though- what about MOT, Tax, Insurance etc?

 

[Ahrena]

That's all fine, we've worked that out. I'm more thinking what would take up more diesel especially if its gonna keep on rising ;S

 

[christine48]

I don't know what milage a 4x4 does, but my 2 horse DAF does about 22 -25 mpg. 3 horse lorries do around 18 mpg

 

[DuckToller]

Don't forget to add at least £1k to annual running costs for when the bl***y thing breaks down or needs to pass its plating. My old lorry cost me around £800 in running repairs just to get it through its MOT. Spent years nagging OH to buy me nicer lorry. Since when we have nearly doubled that figure on things that have broken down (clutch, masterhead cylinder, fuel injection pipe 3 times, tyre, waterpump, etc etc).

Sorry, not in the best mood to recommend a lorry as broke down (for the third time in 2 years) on way to fantastic lesson with top sj trainer and spent 3.5 hours by the side of the road instead. OH walked home, daughter boiled kettle for hot chocolate and spilt it all over her hand. Best part of the day was when my awkward to load horse then walked almost straight up the ramp of a cattle truck that was sent out by rescue people. Oh the joys of owning a lorry

ETA: just worked out it has cost me £2500 in mechanical bills alone this year, and its an 01 plate, my friend has an old lorry and hers just cost £1500 to get it through plating, and she only bought it 4 months ago. That's alot of diesel!!

 

[Fiona]

We changed about 3 years ago from a Izuzu trooper £160 tax and £900 insurance, to a 6 ton lorry (160 tax and ~£250 insurance) and a nissan micra for me (£110 tax and £180 insurance).
Because I have quite a long commute to work and am using a v economical small car now I think we made the right decision. Don't fancy filling up a jeep every other day at £80 per tank.
Lorry had about £800 spent on it this year for MOT, but nothing the year before.
Hope this helps
Fiona

 

[Stella]

For me the cheaper option was the horsebox and the small car, but I had to take into account that the 4x4 would be my only vehicle - so my run around! My Renault Master is on a 2003 chasis and has only needed front brake discs since I bought it. This type of vehicle also just has a commercial MOT rather than plaiting. Mine does 25 miles to the gallon loaded with one heavy hunter.

 

[dieseldog]

I've got a small car and a horsebox. It is actually cheaper to tax and insure a lorry compared to a car.

It has also worked out a lot cheaper for me to have a lorry as my horse broke and I've driven it about twice in the last year. Last time I put diesel in it, in September, I paid 96p a litre and I still have 3/4 of a tank left

So all it is costing me is the insurance, but stupid to let that lax. If I had had a 4x4 and trailer I would have been hit with the worse MPG for a year with no benefit.

I admit the potential that your horse *might* break is not a very good reason to buy a lorry, but I'm always searching for ways to justify the vet fees

 

[Taboo1968]

I also did the small car and a lorry thing as I always said I could not justify running a four wheel drive throughout the week for general use because of the fuel used etc.... however all that changed last year and I'm not running a 4x4 petrol!!! and still have the lorry (having just bought an HGV, means the 7.5 sits there till its sold) and when it does finally sell I'll be buying a trailer as I cant drive the lorry yet and get rather stuck if other half isn't around to drive it!

7.5ton last year cost £900 for plating etc... £265 insurance and then tax.... It really depends on whether you can justify having a lorry sitting there!

 

[the watcher]

I changed over to a lorry last autumn after decades of running a 4x4 and trailer. I run a small car and the savings have been huge. Yes, there is several thousand £ of vehicle that spends most of the time sat on the yard, but my day to day petrol costs are tiny by comparison

 

[miller]

I have a 29 mile each way commute so can't justify running a 4x4 every day - have had 7.5t lorry for years and never had the running costs others have mentioned - maybe just lucky but my old 1980V plate Bedford has cost no more that £1k in repairs since we bought it 14 years ago

Just about to swap lorry onto an M plate chassis (when I can afford to) - so maybe things will change

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

I have a 4x4 & trailer & had the same thoughts as you. I worked out that if I sold the 4x4 & trailer I would still have to find several thousand pounds to buy a decent lorry. Then in addition I would have to find more money on top to to buy a car to run around in.

In the end I decided to keep the 4x4 (the insurance isn't too much) & trailer & use that purely for travelling the horse & I bought a car for every day use. With this resolution it appears to be the cheapest way round & I also have the 4x4 as a back up should the car break down.......it's difficult parking at work or going shopping in a lorry

 

[RedVendetta]

I have a trailer and admittedly my dad pulls it round with his 4X4 but I used to have my own 3.5t lorry which cost me a complete fortune in tax, insurance etc and I sold it as it was losing money every day. I prefer having a trailer as it can sit there all year and it wont cost me too much, but I suppose I ought to shut up as my opinion is nul and void as I dont run the vehicle that pulls my trailer. Ill shut up now. LOL

 

[conniegirl]

we swapped from a 4x4 to a lorry and it is much cheaper on fuel and particularly on insurance. We swapped mainly because of the insurance, i'm 22 and have had a major accident in a car, to insure me on my mums insurance for her 4x4 to pull a trailer would cost £2500 a year (posh powerful car), we bought a lorry and it costs £300 on my own insurance.
i also spend less on fuel as i used to pau for any fuel mum used towing my ponies to shows and i had to run my little car as well. Worked out that the lorry is actualy very efficient and when on the motorway does about 25mpg if not slightly more. car does less then 20mpg when towing and it eats diesel every day. Lovely car to drive long distance in though.