lorry decision

[Eve]

opinions and views welcome.

Fed up with trailer and 4x4 as kids now event and we spend so much time competing I want somewhere to be able to sit etc.

My budget is not big £10K

Lorry1 ) MAN, r reg , tilt cab, no cut-through, no skirts, no luton, big living area with sink but no gas hob. toilet which I would take out for a tack area, big horse area , hydraulic ramp.

Lorry 2) MAN, n reg, no tilt cab but engine accessible from living, skirts but not tack lockers, toilet which again would be tack storage. cut through and luton.

Lorry 2 £1k dearer than lorry 1.

need to see plating and weight certificates for both.

what would your opinion of each be?

Option 3 trailer with living?

We upgraded from Ifor Williams trailer to box back in 2012. We had a box built for us on an older (53) Iveco chassis. We only needed 2 horse box but wanted decent living as we can spend so much time at shows and wanted some comfort including overnight sleeping for 2/3.
We spent 18,000 all together but it has cost us quite a lot of money to keep it on the road - Iveco's can be a nightmare even though this was ex-local authority so presumably maintained well enough.

We're now thinking of upgrading it so are going through the same mind processes as you. However we're really thinking hard about realities. Do we really need so much living. Do we really need sleeping over the Luton? Would we like to take 3 horses instead of 2 etc.

You need to think about exactly what you want in terms of size and comfort. These sound like big lorries. The sort of thing a riding stable may have rather than a family outfit. I presume they are 7.5 tonnes?

We definitely didn't want a toilet as they are heavy (weight is a constant issue with horseboxes now) and take up space. There is always a loo wherever we park up. I wouldn't go for a hydraulic ramp either - just another thing to go wrong and you do hear of nasty accidents.

Are you definitely keen on these? I notice you've not mentioned mileage (which is probably more important than age). Do you definitely need 7.5 tonnes?

Are you looking at buying off companies (with lots of choice and do part-ex) or individuals?

don't want a trailer, fed up with hitching and unhitching with cold wet hands in the dark and want to get rid of 4x4 for a small car.

Have now narrowed requirements down by looking at a few:

want a 7.5 ton. I don't think that the 3.5 ton can be legal with living and horses.

day living, with gas 2 ring minimum burner.

must have a tilt cab,

options seen to be very small basic living but enough weight to carry 3 or better living and tack storage but weight only to carry 2.

...and been told to avoid iveco and get a DAF or a Man.

Yes this was pretty much why we switched to a lorry as well.

We went for a 6.5 ton which is shorter and smaller than 7.5 ton but has lovely space for 2 horses, great living and tack lockers. We are very happy with the design (same a Peper Harrow Twin or Equicruiser) and particularly they are forward facing. Also the side ramp allows us to have a good size tack locker on the rear. The only downside to ours it is an Iveco but they are the only ones who do 5.5 tons.

We have looked at 3.5 tons (Alexanders) with just day living. They are legal for us as we'd only have ponies rather than horses.

However now we really want to be able to ship 3 horses we think we'll go for a 7.5 instead. We'll need comfortable day living but def no loo or anything that bumps up the weight. Tack storage would be vital though - we'd need to be able to carry 3 saddles/bridles/gear in a locker rather than somewhere where they would get filthy.

10K should get you something half decent though if you're prepared to go old. Look at Thorpe Horseboxes they have some fitting your spec and price. Why are you so keen on a tilt cab?

Every mechanic I have spoken to has said tilt cab for maintenance. Something that takes an hour with tilt cab takes 3-4 with a non tilt cab.

With labour at £70+ per hour can make. Considerable difference.

I had heard that tilt cabs were better too.
I had one converted, worked out cheaper than ready made and could have what we wanted. Have 5t iveco with about 2t payload. Max we take is two 14.2 usually less so works for us.
I think Luton is really useful, think you will find you use the living more once you have a lorry. Luton is a really useful sleeping,lounging area for kids, even during the day.
Gas hob essential but you could easily get one put in if you found a lorry you otherwise liked.
Yes to toilet being heavy, also waste of space. We have a little cupboard in horse area with a portaloo in, at destination, sweep out horsebit, pull out loo and you have a spacious bathroom :)
When lorry shopping I found it amazing how many people had no idea what their lorry weighed or got offended if you asked, it's so important.

Is not buy one that's not cut through , it's a pain.

Ah Daytona... can I ask why you find no cut-through a pain??

Can't imagine me climbing through over the seats. ( dont bend that much) but can imagine kids will.

How do you find you use it?

Just for integration with people your travelling with, also the extra space for the bed above is great

I had a non cut through once before and I swore I'd never get one again, I hates it.

It's nice to hear what's going on too.

Oh noticed it's a non tilt

Hmmmm that would be a deal breaker too

Costs more to fix when in garage

I'd keep looking if it was me personally.

Yes Id not have a no cut through either as when you drive off and realise child has left cupboard door open and everything is falling out all over the living, you can make said child climb into back to sort it out :)

I would definitely go for a cut through wherever possible, we had one horse who used to have a paddy every time we stopped for more than 30 seconds, very useful to be able to send someone through to hold his head if we were sitting in traffic in and out of show grounds, without that he would be kicking hell out of the back of the wagon and doing his best to bite through the partition. Also handy to keep anyone sitting in the living in order!