A Buyers Guide To Horseboxes For Sale |
Just like buying a car, a boat or a horse; when buying a new horsebox there are many things to look out for and to think about. In this article we are bringing you some great tips for searching for cheap horseboxes for sale.
Tip Number One: Budget. I can’t stress this enough. Budget, budget, budget! I have heard some real horror stories of people who set out to spend a few thousand pounds on a horsebox and end up spending three, even four times over their budget and ending up with some real financial problems. Remember to factor in maintenance, service and spares into your budget.
Tip Number Two: Research. Find out as much as you can about any horsebox that you are interested in. Again this can’t be stressed enough. So just what should you be finding out about?
- How many horses can it carry - you don’t want any surprises and should know an exact number.
- What is the flooring like? - Is it rubber matting or is it wood or something more solid? Are there any holes under the floor covers?
- Is the horsebox easy to drive? Is reversing going to be a lot of work?
- Does the box have a tack locker, this might not be something that everyone is looking for but it is important that you get the perfect horsebox.
- Condition of the vehicle - are the tires new or balding, do the breaks squeak?
- How heavy or light is the horse ramp, can it be worked by you alone or does it need a couple of people to lift and secure it?
- What are the living conditions like? Is there plenty of space?
- Are the partitions solid? Does the box have good ventilation?
If you are satisfied with most if not all of these questions then you could be on to a winner. So where do you go next? Well you want to test drive the vehicle, especially if it’s a second hand horsebox. Think about your animals and how they would fit and find the horsebox.
Tip Number Three: Don’t rush your review. As with any huge purchase you don’t want to splash out only to find that what you thought was your dream buy turns out to be a nightmare. Check, check and triple check. Test everything. Test the ramp, test the tyres, check how the horse wagon drives. I am pretty anal about checking when it comes to buying a new horsebox. I even check electric windows and sunroofs.
Sit in the cab, how does it feel? Do you like driving the vehicle? I am luck and served my time as a mechanic so I know the sound of a bad engine when I hear it but does everything seem ok to you or is there a strange knocking noise that you just aren’t sure about. Check the service history (always a good sign).
If you are still happy that this horsebox isn’t a lemon then it’s time to start thinking about price. Always go a little lower than the asking price and work up (you don’t need us to tell you how to haggle).
If you are putting down a deposit then make sure that you get something in writing stating what you have paid, what is left to pay and the day of collection.
I hope you have found this article to be useful and find it a useful guide to buying a horsebox.
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This article was written by Charis Alexandra on Thursday, April 16th, 2009 for Horse Searchers
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