What's cheaper - lorry or trailer & 4x4?!

I've had trailers and wagons and I always go back to a wagon in the end. Saying that, I still have my 4x4 as I just hate driving small cars.

I did sell my old Leyland Daf wagon last year and had a van conversion built to spec. The old wagon was fabulous, but every MOT time I would be really stressed out as to how much work it was going to need and decided to move to something newer.
 
How many non-horse miles do you do? That can have a big impact on the costs.

Also, shooting from the hip, I think lorry insurance doesn't vary hugely with age whereas car does...so you may find the insurance on a 4x4 will be huge.

Lorries can cost a bundle to keep going, but actually most don't. The MoT is rather dearer and you have to book it ages ahead....

I would always plump for lorry plus runabout unless your budget stretches to a really good modern tow-tug - Disco or above....ideally Rangy ior Land-Cruiser. But that's just me...
 
Ah, I see that the OP is based in Devon. In that case, speaking as a born and bred Devonian now living in exile, for towing two I'd advise a seriously meaty 4x4 such as a Discovery or Shogun with a 3.5t limit. IMHO a 2.5t soft roader type wouldn't cut it in those parts.

Equally, you'd need a lorry with a bit of poke to get up those hills, plus the crazy hill starts at junctions.
 
turnbuckle said:
How many non-horse miles do you do? That can have a big impact on the costs.

Also, shooting from the hip, I think lorry insurance doesn't vary hugely with age whereas car does...so you may find the insurance on a 4x4 will be huge.

Lorries can cost a bundle to keep going, but actually most don't. The MoT is rather dearer and you have to book it ages ahead....

I would always plump for lorry plus runabout unless your budget stretches to a really good modern tow-tug - Disco or above....ideally Rangy ior Land-Cruiser. But that's just me...
Click to expand...

I do about 45/50 non horse miles a day. That's just standard and not including any extra miles I might do as a 1 off. It's also rural and B roads, so can be windy, so not great for diesels if I understand it correctly.

I am West Devon/Cornwall border, so yes some pretty meaty hills! Have looked at a good 4x4 but I don't think my budget would stretch far enough for something meaty enough, especially if I ever wanted to take 2 :(. And then I am getting into the realms of being expensive to run and maintain. At least if the lorry breaks I can leave it until I can afford to get it fixed to a degree!

I have seen a lorry that that could be suitable, newer engine (2002) so has the speed limiter in it. How do people find those? Its owned by someone on same yard as me, and they are out every weekend with no issues, she just finds it too slow when going on motorways when they go eventing. Says its fine up the hills fully loaded, but obviously she's trying to sell it so I always take with pinch of salt!
 
Speed limiter is only an issue on M-ways.

What bhp is it? Why not ask if you can take it for a spin?

Think you said you had a C rather than C1 licence, there's better value to be had over 7.5T, although fuel probably 12-15mpg rather than 16-19mpg...

Again, daily mileage would suggest runabout/wagon combo....
 
My OH won't let me have a lorry :( he is a HGV mechanic and knows the costs of having them repaired when things go really wrong.

We have opted for a 5.0lt touareg and two run arounds (one for each of us) with the trailer. OH has settled for getting me an Equ trek trailer with living after the wedding.
 
turnbuckle said:
Speed limiter is only an issue on M-ways.

What bhp is it? Why not ask if you can take it for a spin?

Think you said you had a C rather than C1 licence, there's better value to be had over 7.5T, although fuel probably 12-15mpg rather than 16-19mpg...

Again, daily mileage would suggest runabout/wagon combo....
Click to expand...

No idea on bhp?! What is it?

Yes she has said I can take it for a test drive.

With regards to HGV, this is exactly why I took this test rather than LGV, but with some of the lanes I will need to navigate having something too big might be out the question......

If opting for 4x4, what cars do people recommend when towing say in Ifor 510 and 2 horses?
 
BHP = horse power. Nominal ones that is not real ones. Older wagons tended to be 150bhp or less, now more like 170 or 190, which makes a difference on steep hills.

HGV needn't be bigger than 7.5T, certainly are no wider. But they do sit taller (bigger wheels) so ramp angle can be steep unless they have air suspension.
 
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