# 7.5 tonne horse box running costs



## GoneBust (2 January 2009)

I am looking to buy a 7.5 tonne horse box. For you guys that have one. How much does it cost for you to keep it on the road. ie. Insurance/tax/MOT/Plating. Obviously you can't really include petrol because this will vary widely. But i am just really looking for an average cost. Thank you for the help


----------



## MrsMozart (2 January 2009)

Insurance is about £200 (I think, can't remember for sure). MOT/Plating is about £150 if you have someone take it for you, not counting whatever needs fixing. Fill up of a tank is between £80 and £110 depending on what the fuel price is doing. Tax last time we did it was £165.

Be carefull. We bought ours six weeks or so after it was plated - I should have asked to see the garage's report! A year later it has failed it's MOT big style 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Everything that could leak has, and everything that could rot has rotted. It looks like it is going to cost too much to fix...


----------



## Teasel (2 January 2009)

As per MrsMozart for costs!
I got lucky with mine I think - bought mine off ebay and it's done me proud for nearly 3 years.  MOT repair costs are usually about £400 to £500 each year but I have been told it will keep going for years but will always cost a fair bit at each MOT.  Am looking to replace it with a trailer as its main fault is that it refuses to start if the temp gets below 5 degrees!  In the summer it starts every time!  Not advertising but if anyone is interested in a genuine bargain 7.5 tonner you know my PM!


----------



## Slightly Foxed (2 January 2009)

Hi there, per year:
Insurance: £320 fully comp
Breakdown cover: £119
Tax: £165
MOT/service: £750 - £1000

Make sure you get the unladen weight of the vehicle before you part with your money. I was looking for a new box last year and was assured that the vehicle I wanted had a great payload but unfortunatly (and naively on  my part) I didn't see the paperwork until I went to pick the lorry up. It turned out to be 6.6 tonnes unladen so I could just about carry a shetland pony legally! I've decided to keep my old box and have it beautified. 

Good luck in your search.


----------



## MrsMozart (2 January 2009)

Ah yes. My box is a 'four horse' box, complete with three partitions, but it has 1.8 tonne to play with, so would only carry four skinny small horses (lol in an ironic sort of way).


----------



## GoneBust (2 January 2009)

That sounds about right - a bit like the 3.5 tonne boxes - that can apparently carry 2 16.2hh horses?!!?

Any way thanks for the replies - the costs do seem to vary widely - especially for the MOT/Plating for it. 

But compared to a 4x4 and trailer would you say that a horse box is the more 'cheaper' option in the long run? (bearing in mind i do a fair bit of milege in my car)


----------



## Slightly Foxed (2 January 2009)

My costs for MOT/Plating include a full service. The MOT itself is about £60 I think, so if you are/have a lorry mechanic in the family you can save a lot of money. 

My horses are too big for a trailer and we do go out a lot and stay away, so there's not really a choice for me. 

Road tax for 'gas guzzlers' is going up soon isn't it? Not sure whether HGV tax is also going up?


----------



## Jane_Lou (2 January 2009)

Insurance and Breakdown was about £400 per annum Fully comp (does depend on age/value of lorry)
Servicing and plating will vary according to the age and make of the chassis - When I had the old Bedford I used to put away £100 per month towards it as it was never less than £1200-£1500, even the new lorry (5 years old) I allowed £1000 for service and plate - I always got it serviced by Iveco dealer not the local coachbuilder.  I also had it checked over annually by a local coachbuilder, the plating does not take into account the safety of your horses, just the mechanical soundness, so I had floor, ramp chekced. They used to charge me £50 for this. I also used to get a "winter check" done in November (annual service was in May), this checked brakes/coolant/tyres etc. (£35 at local Iveco dealer). This may sound excessive but the safety of my horses was the most important thing.
Another thing to consider with a 7.5t is that i has to be plated at a DOE test centre and you normally have to get it booked up to 6 weeks in advance. 
I have now gone down to a 3.5t and the insurance and breakdown is £300 (including insuring a young driver) and servicing and MOT last year cost £350.
As MrsMozart says - do not rely on the plating alone. Get it checked by a reputable mechanic who understands horseboxes (floor/ramp weight distribution etc), even if you are buying from a dealer, they should not object if they have nothing to hide!


----------



## nicnag (2 January 2009)

My Mot costs including work were £600, insurance is £400 including breakdown cover and that is any driver over 25 as I wanted to be sure I could get my horse home if I fell off and hit my head! Tax is £160 if I remember right. My diesel isn't too bad at around £40 a month generally running to the school twice a week and short runs to hacks at weekends. Mine is a K reg Leyland Daf, 3 horse box but really will comfortably take 2 horses, small day living. I watched payload when buying mine and was really lucky to find this as it has almost 3.5tonne to play with! I had to replace the floor this year and that worked out at £200 as dad did the work, the lorry itself was a bit of a bargain at £2500 and hopefully will give me a couple of years service before I upgrade!


----------



## LCobby (2 January 2009)

Ours costs about £1K per year - plus diesel
Big annual service and MOT last month was £400 ish inc them taking it for us, saves hassle of having to get a booking and take a day off work.

So if you save £20 a week in fuel by commuting in a samll economical runabout it covers the 'keep' 
I ignore deprecation costs as a good 4x4 would depreciate just as much, if not more.


----------

