3.5T horseboxes

fits

I'm really not a fan of jeeps, and am thinking that when I'm finally employed, I'd like to invest in one of these and keep my car for everyday.

Lots of reasons why...

More comfy for horse
Don't need B+E license
Easier to manoevre
Commercial tax
Less depreciation (I'd imagine)

Theres a few businesses in the UK that convert Renault Masters into horseboxes... Would it be a better idea to buy a converted one? Or bring a van over, get it converted and change use when you bring it back?

Does anyone know the ins and outs of this?

Also do you insure a horse box as a commercial? Or does it fall into a leisure vehicle category like a camper?

http://www.3countieshorseboxes.co.uk/default.asp?pagesID=5

togster

fits wrote: »

I'm really not a fan of jeeps, and am thinking that when I'm finally employed, I'd like to invest in one of these and keep my car for everyday.

Lots of reasons why...

More comfy for horse
Don't need B+E license
Easier to manoevre
Commercial tax
Less depreciation (I'd imagine)

Theres a few businesses in the UK that convert Renault Masters into horseboxes... Would it be a better idea to buy a converted one? Or bring a van over, get it converted and change use when you bring it back?

Does anyone know the ins and outs of this?

Also do you insure a horse box as a commercial? Or does it fall into a leisure vehicle category like a camper?

http://www.3countieshorseboxes.co.uk/default.asp?pagesID=5

Hi Fits.

My dad bought a lorry and converted it. It took alot of time and money. And he did it all himself! He said never again and it would have been cheaper to buy one. He sold it after and made a small profit. It had everything though.

As far as i know it falls under commercial and should be insured accordingly.

Fillie

hi fits

are you talkin about a lorry?? r a box been pulled by jeep??

fits

neither

I'm talking about one of these babies....

Fillie

we converted a lorry into abo during the summer, worked out great as in it can hold 12 horses, as 2 purchase a loory that size would have needed a mortgage.. it doesnt have anything other than partitions... worked for us.

if you want something small and comfy then buy, if you need big and cheap then convert.

insurance is the same and it is comercial

fits

Fillie wrote: »

if you want something small and comfy then buy, if you need big and cheap then convert.

l

Small comfy and usable for me please ..

you can get mini kitchens in those vans too, great for a nice cup of tea after a days hunting!

Fillie

ohhhh................im afraid i havnt a clue :rolleyes:

Fillie

kitchen for tea????? be cheaper to bring a flask ha ha

TheB

The 3.5t are a great idea.. but be careful.. they became very popular in the UK after the change on driving licences.. as you can drive them on a car licence (after 1996 you have to take a seperate test to drive over 3.5t and also a braked trailer).. After about 5 years of them becoming mega popular (they are also cheap) people are selling them and reverting to either trailers or taking the extra tests.. They are nicknamed BurgerVans in the UK now

Problems soon appeared though with them - not all of them obviously and it also depends on what you want to put on them horsewise.. These probs were under current UK laws.. not sure how it stands here with vehicle weights etc but there the 3.5t is fully laden.. ie with your horse(s) you, your tack, dogs, sandwiches, flasks etc etc. Not what the lorry weighs on it's own..

People were buying these small lorries and finding out ;

(1) The lorries were not able to take 2 horses for weight reasons - A good friend got points on her licence and a biggish fine when randomly stopped. Licence says 3.5t.. if you are over that need a HGV2 - her wagon weighed 4.1t laden.. empty it weighed 2.9t.. so even with just one 550kg horse (which is @ an average LW/MW) and it's stuff she was over weight.. She had never realised.. As it was sold to take 2 she put two in and never even thought about it.. she has sold it now and bought one of the "new" type trailers..

(2) Lots of reports that they are unstable, the engine sizes are not sufficient for the weight (heard several stories of people having to stop, turn and then reverse up steep hills!) and that at over 40mph the steering can't cope with the shifting weight of live animals.. Most of these vans are built to carry weight but not weight that moves erratically.. have even heard of chassis problems from this..

I sold my lorry to help with buying our house..It was a W reg (2000) 7.5t partitioned for 4 but I only carried 3 in it so they had lots of space! Nice living with flatscreen TV, microwave, fridge, oven, DVD, plenty of storage, laminated floors, Sky TV etc, slept 6 easily, 9 squashed.. drove like a car with FSH & built in SatNav / CCTV to horse area.. I sold it for only 29k.. lorries are not making the ££ they made before.. we had it built so didn't make a loss on it luckily..

I have my Ifor Williams 505 now until I need a lorry again and tbh I don't miss the wagon.. Car (Discovery) has plenty of room for stuff and trailer is very easy to use.. doesn't need tax or fuel either! .. only thing I want is a CCTV hook up to the trailer! Christmas is coming!

Bx

TheB

Further to post above...

I know you don't fancy a 4x4/trailer but if you did these are gaining popularity fast.. I've towed one roughly 120miles to help out someone at a show.. (their car had a problem so I took their horses home..) They are called Fautras trailers.. although they also make a small lorry..

I towed a Fautras Oblic 4+ ... had 5 x 14.2hh in it.. on a herringbone.. and it towed beautifully.. much less tug and brace than the Ifors or Rices.. not heavy either..as it's longer it's easier to reverse too! they are becoming more and more the choice instead of a lorry these days.. Total trailer luxury! Have a look.. I want one asap but the OH says he's not buying another trailer unless the new neddy doesn't fit it! (I plan to buy a 17.2!!)

There is a tab on the page I've linked for them..

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.horsetrailersales.co.uk/fautras1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.horsetrailersales.co.uk/&h=170&w=250&sz=8&hl=en&start=1&sig2=Ogme6eQXvir4VtLEPeEtdQ&um=1&tbnid=kW8pvmcMg55dQM:&tbnh=75&tbnw=111&ei=XxIrR4ThIZKM0wS6lYjmBQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfautras%26svnum%3D10%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Check out Andersons Horseboxes for 6t versions of the BurgerVan..

http://www.andersonhorseboxes.co.uk/

fits

V Informative post there TheB...

I was actually aware of the weight issue, and it is something I would consider when buying. At present I cant really conceive of needing to transport more than one horse at any time. I would still weigh a vehicle independently before purchasing. I believe the laws here are the same as in UK re weight and licensing.

I looked at your Fautras link... they've a lovely small lorry ... I dont think I'd need such a large trailer.

The 6ton burger van is the height of luxury... hmm.. I think I'd rather do a c than a b+e test.