3.5t box vs. 4x4 and single trailer

[Sparklie]

I passed my test after 1997 so would need to take a towing test in order to tow a double trailer. In fact until yesterday I thought I would need to do this to tow any trailer but...apparently I can tow a single horse trailer as long as its replated to make it legal.

I currently drive a Toyota Yaris so would need to upgrade my car to be able to tow anything more than a skateboard!! I drive a fair bit to work and back every day probably 40 miles so having a small engined car is useful and economical.

I'm desperate to get some form of transport to be able to get Bobby out and about so my two options are:

1) buy a 4x4 (looking at a Toyota rav4 as it should be able to tow bobs ok and also can do 40mpg if I get a diesel. Current car does between 45-50mpg so not a huge loss there) and a single horse trailer.

2) buy a small 3.5t box and keep my little car for every day driving.

Looking for experience of the two options and general running costs of having a box or trailer, insurance, tax, maintenance etc.

[laceyfreckle]

I have a little pony trailer and we have a landrover discovery. I'm in a similar boat to you and only passed my driving test 2.5yrs ago.

I did think i would have to take a tow test to tow any trailer though? How does the re-plating work and what are the rules about that?

currently I persuade my husband to tow the trailer for me but i dream of a little 3.5 T box simply so i could drive myself!

[Sparklie]

It's complicated...this is the best link I could find to explain

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...es/DG_10013073

Replating seems to work by taking trailer back to manufacturers to get it down rated. So if it says it can carry up to 1.8tonne for example changing the plate to say that you will only carry up to 1.6tonne. To make sure that it is legal to tow within this weight category. I'm sure someone else coud explain better than me.

I'm just wondering which would be best value for money for me really. It's a confusing business!!

[juliecwuk]

But if you have a rav4 you won't be able to tow two horses anyway weight wise (I assume the towing limit is low for a rav4?) so why don't you buy a small single trailer and get it replated instead then problem solved instead of a double?

I did my test last year following a short course, cost around £500. I sold my focus and bought an older Kia sorento, it is expensive to run but I needed something big to tow two horses so didn't have a choice as it would be too much for a 3.5t lorry anyway. (Moet is 540kg, second horse is usually heavier than Moët)

How much is your budget? I would be tempted to get a 3.5t in your situation. I imagine Bobby to weigh similar to Major who on the weigh scale was 443kg, if you carry another of similar weight then you would be within the carrying limits of a 3.5t depending on its unladen weight. My friend has a fabulous transit conversion, think she paid £7000 for it.

[Sparklie]

Not towing 2 Julie, just a single trailer with one pony so able to have a slightly smaller and cheaper to run towing vehicle. A friend has just done her test and together with the training it cost her £1,000 and her land rover costs as absolute fortune to run.

Don't have a budget as yet, looking at how much each option will cost and then working some figures out to see if it's realistically affordable

[popularfurball]

Don't forget the 3.5t needs an mot etc

I think you still need the trailer test for towing him - I think the max weight of trailer and contents can only be 750kg?

[laceyfreckle]

Originally Posted by popularfurball

Don't forget the 3.5t needs an mot etc

I think you still need the trailer test for towing him - I think the max weight of trailer and contents can only be 750kg?

yep, I just read that too, and that is what i thought.

Oh well, looks like i'm back to saving for a shabby little 3.5T box lol

[Sparklie]

Originally Posted by popularfurball

Don't forget the 3.5t needs an mot etc

I think you still need the trailer test for towing him - I think the max weight of trailer and contents can only be 750kg?

Taken from that website...

" or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM."

Like I said, complicated

It's all about working out the maximum weight of the car and the maximum weight of the trailer and making sure that the combination comes in at under 3.5t. My instructor explained it far better than I can. There's also a useful thread on (shhhhhhh) horse & hound :redfaced: explaining it well.

PFB, that's what I was thinking. Obviously with an extra vehicle (horsebox) there are MOT and tax costs. Just wondered if there were any hidden costs to having a trailer.

[laceyfreckle]

Originally Posted by Sparklie

Taken from that website...

" or a trailer over 750kgs MAM provided the MAM of the trailer does not exceed the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, and the combination does not exceed 3.5 tonnes MAM."

Like I said, complicated

It's all about working out the maximum weight of the car and the maximum weight of the trailer and making sure that the combination comes in at under 3.5t. My instructor explained it far better than I can. There's also a useful thread on (shhhhhhh) horse & hound :redfaced: explaining it well.

PFB, that's what I was thinking. Obviously with an extra vehicle (horsebox) there are MOT and tax costs. Just wondered if there were any hidden costs to having a trailer.

problem is on working that out on say my disco, it comes above the combined MAM weight and i only have a very small pony box.

Another thing, just to throw something else in the pot, the web site you linked might be a official one but my husband was fined for some info on it which they said was wrong! (can't remember what it was now, but to do with cat C and something he was doing). I couldn't find another site to back it up either.

[juliecwuk]

The only hidden costs of a trailer i foresee are - i have it serviced once a year (£50) and pay annually £300 to park it at a farm (our yard doesn't have space for trailers). I pay annual insurance via my petplan horse policy, which is around £90 per year for the trailer....

The biggest cost is upgrading the car to accommodate towing. In all honesty though i feel much much happier towing a horse with a bigger 4x4 (safety wise), i did my test in a sporty astra pulling an unladen horse trailer, didn't feel right in my opinion.

[Sparklie]

Thanks Julie, definitely worth considering.

LF...I've only started looking into it as met a couple of the girls on the pony day I've just been on who tow in this manner. One of them spoke to both the DVLa (who she did say were less than helpful!!) and the police to double check everything and they confirmed all legal.

[tiga]

I have a 3.5 tonne and love it. I had my license changed over from Australia post '97 so would have to do trailer test. And I would be rubbish at backing up a trailer.

Love having a lorry and it is really easy to drive. I can take two horses but not with other person and kit. So if taking two the other person comes in car with gear, water etc.

[popularfurball]

So a single ifor would be 780kg - with a max weight of 1600 laden - this means you need to get you, horse, all tack and any other people/water/fuel in about 800kg - BUT - the car would need to tow 1600kg - which would take you over the 3.5t - it will be pretty close to find a trailer that fits in.

I think I would chose the box - simply because although bob isn't huge in the scheme of things, I would prefer the peace of mind that
a) my trailer was sturdy enough to accommodate a bigger horses ability to destruct things
b) my car would easily tow the trailer - which being so close to the max towing weight I would worry about with being so close to the edge.