Your Opinions - 3.5ton with living?

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Tinks81

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I really like them and the Alexander one is top of my wish list - if you're only carrying one horse I think you wouldn't go over-weight - but you'd need to check of course. I know nothing about the technical specifics however!
 
Beautiful but I'd be fascinated to know what the unladen weight is. How on earth do they get all that in? My 3.5ton was 2.4tons unladen which is about the maxium weight I'd want to go to and that just had a small living area with shelves and a bench. Ideal for getting changes and for keeping stuff in but you couldn't have stayed over in it.
 
i dont have any room to really change in mine!!

I have one now and i love it - cheap on diesel (cost me £80 to go from Kent to cheshire and back!!!) anyone can drive the horses travel well but i cant sleep in it or make tea etc x
 
almorton said:
speak to the bloke here:
http://www.thoroughbredhorseboxes.co.uk/new-van-transporter.htm
ive just had one built, longwheelbase movano, seperate living area and full size bunk on luton, 1300 payload. :) i love it! were having a small lightweight sink fitted and i tow a trailer behind with shavings hay and extras. and fab on fuel!
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hmmm i dont really want a bed over the luton to be honest i do prefer the ones above !!

I also cannot tow a trailer x
 
Im looking at down sizing to a 3.5 ton aswell. We have been looking at Boss horseboxes, they seem very good.
Will read the replies with interest.
 
Tempi said:
Id be interested to see what the payload was on one of those - although i guess with only one horse in they must be ok.

When i was selling my 7.5t (decided to keep it now!) we were going to get EquiStar to build our 3.5t to our spec for us. They are really good:

http://www.equi-star.co.uk/Home/VehicleSale
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They look really nice Tempi, i keep toying with the idea of one, i currently have a 7.5t & it's very compact only takes 2 but has a full living. It doesnt cost much tbh as my dad looks after it for me, but we all hate the plaiting. This is the only reason i would swap to a 3.5t, i think in years to come the plaitings & regulations are going to get tougher for horseboxes.

I just really worry about the weight issue & head room with the 3.5t boxes, i have one horse who's 18hh.
 
On my wishlist for our 14hh pony!!! Spend about 4 weeks a year away at shows- have to stay in tents or hotels & I don't want a big lorry! I think these are ace!!!! Gunna buy a lottery ticket............:D
 
Friend has a Boss lorry and she loves it - masses of storage and she really likes the bunk in the cab. Not so good if there's two of you tho....
Nice lorries altho quite pricey I think.
Would be keen to hear any opinions on the Alexanders...
 
the payload on some of the alexanders is as low as 650kg!!!! not even enough for a 13hh pony, and adult driver and a kid, never mind tack, hay, extra rugs etc!!!!!

be SO careful with 3.5tons. i would go as far as to say if you have a proper living, you cannot legally carry a horse in it as its impossible to do and remain under weight unless built from the flimsiest GRP (which is plain dangerous, imagine if you were in a crash, eeeek!).

my 3.5 ton (PRB) has no living, just a seperate changing cubicle as the back with a roller shut door to make a wardrobe. enough payload for one, never ever in a million years enough for 2.which is fine for me.
 
I really like the horsebox from Alexanders, the Grand National. When I strart looking in a few months (after weaning the foal) I will be looking into Alexanders horseboxes. Let us know how you get on :)
 
Had this convo with Dad many a times as he comes home with storys he's heard when been with VOSA.

Fuel, how evermany passengers, horse(s), water, hay, tack, rugs grooming kit essentials etc, without living loads are over weight. VOSE hate ones with living with a passion.

Like Prince33Sp4rkle said, be SO careful, if your overweight your breaks will have less impact if you need them asap. Very easy to go over weight with them with out living.... I wouldnt touch one without living let alone with living.
There to flimsy for my liking aswell, will never travel mine in one again.
 
Ive seen a couple of these boxes and IMO they are pony boxes only as they are flimsy. I wouldnt put my 16.2 in one. They look lovely from the outside but the ramp bent as the horse went in and the mats were up the walls rather than on the floor after the journey. This one was built a couple of years ago so maybe things have improved since. Without naming, this box was the popular one :)
 
dressagecrazy said:
They look really nice Tempi, i keep toying with the idea of one, i currently have a 7.5t & it's very compact only takes 2 but has a full living. It doesnt cost much tbh as my dad looks after it for me, but we all hate the plaiting. This is the only reason i would swap to a 3.5t, i think in years to come the plaitings & regulations are going to get tougher for horseboxes.

I just really worry about the weight issue & head room with the 3.5t boxes, i have one horse who's 18hh.
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Um you still need a annual test on a 3.5 ton unless you are going to change it for brand new every 3 years !!!!
 
Tinks81 said:
they do look nice !!! how much are they x
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They range from 16k for a basic model to 35k for a full spec model on a brand new chasis. Have a look at their for sale page as there are loads of ideas on there. They also do stallion partitions which i was going to get as you dont have the breast bar - which I hate as im paranoid about horses going over it/getting stuck etc.
 
I had a nosey around the Alexander ones (they are rather gorgeous) and was asking some questions about payload (was curious how they compare to my box). Many that were the small size were plated as 3.9 or bigger; one of the ones plated as 3.5 had a payload of only 800kg, which you might just about get away with with a large pony...not sure what the point is of partitioning it for 2...

Mine doesn't have a living; just a really really big empty locker at the back. Its payload is over 1.1t, which I hope to increase just a little by having a lighter partition installed (current one is so massive that it takes two people and a lot of grunting to shift. I think it's meant for impatient, tall racehorses!). If you're going the 3.5t route, think very carefully if a large tent might not serve your needs better than a full living.
 
We looked at getting an alexanders, went round and looked at them etc, and talked money with the guy. IMO they are not worth it, payload is nothing, and they really aren't that well made - partitions etc seem really flimsy, wouldn't want to pu my horse in there. They are fancy looking though, so if you only had ponies they could be good.

I don't think its possible to have more than a bog standard box if you have a 3.5T - not legally anyway. We have a 7.5t with a basic ish living (has toilet, but not swish) and we couldn't carry more than the 2 16h horses we have weight wise. the 5T boxes are good though, they seem the perfect middle ground :)
 
But 3.5T lorries are ime quite a bit more expensive than a 5T or a 7.5T just because more people are able to drive them. £1k spent on doing your HGV will save you in the long run, and imho, make you an overall better driver. I feel much more confident having passed mine, and am far more observant on the roads. It was like having a week long further driving skills course tbh, and reminded me of all the stuff I have forgotten to do through bad habits :)

Thos little ascot lorries are lovely :)
 
Tinks81 said:
but i would still need to take my HGV ???
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You would need to take your LGV C1 if you passed your normal driving test AFTER Jan 1997. However, if you passed your test BEFORE Jan 1997 you can drive lorries over 3.5 ton but under 7.5ton on your standard licence. (That's how I understand it anyway - I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong!) I know our lorry is about 5 ton and both OH and I are legal to drive it on our normal licence.
 
TGM said:
You would need to take your LGV C1 if you passed your normal driving test AFTER Jan 1997. However, if you passed your test BEFORE Jan 1997 you can drive lorries over 3.5 ton but under 7.5ton on your standard licence. (That's how I understand it anyway - I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong!) I know our lorry is about 5 ton and both OH and I are legal to drive it on our normal licence.
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no im 1999 - how annoying !!!

i would just take my HGV then i can drive everything but my groom would also have to
 
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