leigh23
Intermediate Poster
my boy
Posts: 113
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Post by leigh23 on Jan 9, 2011 0:07:49 GMT 1
hi everyone just wanted to know which would be best and how much does it cost to run a box thanks xxx
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Post by anastasia55555 on Jan 9, 2011 0:15:44 GMT 1
only thing i know about boxes, friend had to pay over £1000 to get hers thru MOT eeeek!! Mind u it is quite an old one, but she loves it dearly!
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Post by 2 bays & a grey:D on Jan 9, 2011 10:06:51 GMT 1
I sold my box as it was just to expensive to run, again it was an old one.
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Post by Mellymoo on Jan 9, 2011 11:30:17 GMT 1
Depends on the box and the horse(s) you want to travel in it. I would be worried about the payload in a box if you have big horses.
I have a trailer, and although I have to run a towing car as well, it works out about the same each year or a bit less than a box. When I eventually get a lorry (one day!) it will be 6ton minimum, just so I am not overloaded.
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Post by rifruffian on Jan 9, 2011 11:51:27 GMT 1
The essential (legally required) costs of using a 3.5 ton box on the road are more or less the same as a car suitable for towing. Unless you plan to do high mileages, even the difference in fuel costs is not so very much.
The next two considerations are what counts. A 3.5 ton is generally not suitable for purposes other than horse transport, whereas your towing car often can multi task; and now, maintenance and repairs.........a used 3.5 ton does in my experience need substantial TLC and unless you are a DIY mechanic, garage labour charges rack up some hefty bills.
That is why I have returned to trailer.
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Post by jennyb on Jan 9, 2011 12:09:02 GMT 1
As per Mellymoo - depends on what you want to carry. If you want to take one small horse or a couple of small ponies, you should be ok. Anything more, and a 3.5t horsebox is likely to be overweight. Before parting with any cash, take the box to a weighbridge and find out exactly how much weight you have to play with for horses, tack, equipment and people. There is not much to play with at all for most 3.5t boxes.
The other consideration for the 3.5t boxes is that most only have a single rear wheel on each side. The consequences of having a blow out in a rear tyre with horses on board just don't bear thinking about. Most trailers and bigger lorries have two rear wheels each side, which gives much better stability and gives you a better chance of keeping control and stopping safely if you have a rear tyre blow out.
I have a trailer as I don't have the spare cash to buy a decent bigger lorry, and it's fine. I have a IW 510 and mainly do local journeys with one horse, I've had it about 5-6 years now and it's been brilliant. It has an annual service and doesn't cost me anything else other than insurance!
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Post by heather on Jan 9, 2011 12:16:35 GMT 1
I sold my lorry as it cost me between £600 and £1000 to get through the MOT each year !! I bought an Equitrek trailer with small day living, and it is so well thought out in design. Sadly, I am just too tied up with elderly parental duties on top of running the business, to go anywhere with it, so it is for sale, but I would say go for a trailer- I think they hold their value better too. Heather
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chloe
Grand Prix Poster
Kai's Mum
Posts: 2,609
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Post by chloe on Jan 9, 2011 12:34:08 GMT 1
Another one to vote for 4x4 and trailer. I love the fact that when I'm not using it I can just park up the trailer with the handbrake off and mats up and it'll be the same when I come back to it as it was when I left it, and in the meantime the car's proved itself useful getting to the horses and work etc in the ice and snow.
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Trouble
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 2,263
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Post by Trouble on Jan 9, 2011 14:03:04 GMT 1
I guess it depeds on your general vehicle usage as well as the cnsiderations mentioned above.
I've been looking into transport options with a view to buy something in the next 12 months (was going to be sooner then I spent the savings on Rhythm!!)
I drive a company car, I could get a 4x4 but the benefits tax is extortionate because I earn in the 40% tax bracket (is high even without that!) and I also do 145 mile round trip 5 days per week, so fuel would also be extortionate if I went for a tow suitable 4x4.
I looked into a 3.5T lorry, which would be fine for just taking one horse etc, but as Jenny mentioned the singe wheels means a blow out would be catastrophic.
Also because of licensing laws now the price of 3.5T lorries is high in comparison to 5T and bigger.
SO, I have done my sums and it would be the best option for ME to do my HGV license and buy a 7.5T lorry.
Benefits are:
Could carry both of mine legally Can buy a better 7.5T lorry for my budget than I could a 3.5T (in this area 3.5T is approx 2x the cost of an equivalent 7.5T lorry!!!) safer - debateable but I believe this is so
If I owned my OWN car, and was working locally then I would, without a doubt, have a 4x4 and trailer by now....though I would need to do a trailer test so still not a particularly cheap option!!!
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Post by rifruffian on Jan 9, 2011 15:39:14 GMT 1
Trouble you raise some intriguing points.
What are these licencing laws that make a difference between operation of a 3.5 ton and, say, a 5 ton ? Is there a difference in driving licence required ? I'm aware that 3.5 ton and 5 ton have different annual vehicle test requirements, but that is quite a small difference in annual cost. As far a driver licence is concerned I thought that a car driver licence was good for vehicles up to 7.5 tons. Am I wrong there ?
As far as your idea to obtain a HGV driver licence is concerned......that would enable you to drive substantially heavier vehicle if you so choose. My own market research indicates you get much better value for money with say, a 12 tons or thereabouts, than with a 7.5 tons.
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maislow
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 1,815
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Post by maislow on Jan 9, 2011 15:58:31 GMT 1
my friend has a short 7.5 tonne lorry & its fab
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Trouble
Grand Prix Poster
Posts: 2,263
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Post by Trouble on Jan 9, 2011 16:05:53 GMT 1
If you passed your test after Jan 1st 1997, you can't drive anything bigger than a 3.5T on a normal car licence, so as more and moer people in this bracket are buying lorries, the cost of 3.5T goes up - higher demand.
I'm lucky that my livery yard is also hme to Cambridgeshire Horseboxes who hire, buy and sell, , refurbish and build lorries and trailers of all sizes so I get some good insider info!
Also means when I do buy, I can buy something that maybe doesn't look so pretty, but is a 'better' lorry, and then have it done up on site to pretty it up.
I think the bigger the lorry the better value for money they are, but 7.5T seems to be a good equilibrium as a bigger one would be difficult for me to find parking for etc, so 7.5T is what I'm going for....if ever I needed to carry more than 2 on a regular basis (unlikely) then if I've done my HGV licence I'll have far more options up to 13T....I *think* beyond that you have to have done the artic HGV licence.
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Post by Mellymoo on Jan 9, 2011 16:57:06 GMT 1
HGV class 2 licence lets you drive rigid wagons - these generally are up to 20 tonnes. Two lorry drivers in the family - they keep me up to date with these things!!
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sundance
Olympic Poster
Advanced Poster
Posts: 690
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Post by sundance on Jan 9, 2011 17:33:15 GMT 1
Just changing from a trailer to a small van type box. Easier to drive and much more economical than a larger lorry. Normal car licence and MOT. And won't have to have a 4x4 which is only used for towing. If I wasn't doing much travelling then I would probably stick with the trailer, but I will get good value out of the small box.
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emma
Olympic Poster
Posts: 714
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Post by emma on Jan 9, 2011 21:05:56 GMT 1
We have a trailer at the moment, they all travel well in it but we're looking to change it this year for a 3.5t box. We borrowed a box last year and it was so much easier than the trailer and I think the horses travel better. We have a discovery for towing which we'd still keep if we didn't have the trailer as we use it for towing the other trailers and checking the sheep etc. I've only just passed my test so it would save me doing the trailer test if we got a box. It's all down to cost though but I'd have a box over a trailer any day
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