HGV car transporter advice

[CanoeSniffer]

Is anyone on here running a HGV or LGV to transport their cars who can give me some advice re running costs?

I hold C1 with CPC so weight isn’t an issue, I can drive any rigid body- but I don’t have +E and the price of trailers plus the fkery of trying to get hold of a suitable tow car + trailer combo >3.5t including spares is driving me towards a lorry, not to mention the prospect of heated living quarters, kitchen plus mobile workshop!

I understand that tax is actually a bit of a bargain once registered as private, and tacho use is no problem >7.5t as I’ve got the licence and no reason to stray from EU regs.

My main question is about insurance costs, what’s it like relative to road car insurance? Usage being a typical club calendar, 10-15 weekends a year plus the odd test day or track day.

Also has circuit access ever been an issue? Is it easy to get by with a HGV roadmap nav or once you’re off the beaten track (ie most circuits) is plotting a route difficult?

Whilst I’m happy that I can find a local farmer type who’ll rent me a corner of his yard for storage I’d also likely be leaving parts, tools, tyres, and.. err, the race car in the wagon. Should I have security concerns? I’d deffo be keeping the ‘manky old lorry’ look so as not to advertise my wares, but just in case what can be done to protect the inners from the would-be scrotes on the outers?

And what’s it actually like keeping on top of the maintenance for a lorry? (Especially considering long layup periods). My mate who bought and kept a fleet for an instructors school thinks it should be reasonable, most smaller lorries being on leaf springs with understressed motors. Air brakes will be a learning curve but seems relatively manageable bar a compressor fubar. I’m happy with the idea that tyres will be expensive, but can a lorry throw anything at you that a car wouldn’t?

In case it’s not obvious, I hold HGV but only for occasional use of an 18t MEWP at work so I’m out of the loop wrt actually keeping one going! Cheers

[andrewcliffe]

I used to regularly drive a 7.5t lorry converted to race truck. We used it to transport a single seater. Truck could theoretically transport two cars but we always kept the car on the upper deck and all the stuff required to run cars underneath.

It also had an awning and had bunk beds and a kitchen from a caravan, and re-registered as a motorhome.

Never had a problem accessing circuits - although Brands Hatch had to be done early or late as couldn't go through the tunnel if garages.

Can't help with insurance as that was covered on a multi-car policy.

Maintenance was pretty straightforward.

[CanoeSniffer]

andrewcliffe said:

I used to regularly drive a 7.5t lorry converted to race truck. We used it to transport a single seater. Truck could theoretically transport two cars but we always kept the car on the upper deck and all the stuff required to run cars underneath.

It also had an awning and had bunk beds and a kitchen from a caravan, and re-registered as a motorhome.

Never had a problem accessing circuits - although Brands Hatch had to be done early or late as couldn't go through the tunnel if garages.

Can't help with insurance as that was covered on a multi-car policy.

Maintenance was pretty straightforward.

Thanks for the response- your usage sounds identical to mine with the most likely candidates being 7.5 tonners registered as motorhomes.

I’ve been told a firm ‘no’ wrt adding such a vehicle to my multi car policy and my regular insurance provider won’t entertain a separate policy for it either, hence my asking. If you don’t mind, can you recall what the insurance cost was like relative to what you would have expected to pay to insure a car under the same circumstances? Ie, was it vastly more expensive, a little more expensive, surprisingly cheap?

[andrewcliffe]

All running costs were pretty acceptable.

By registering as a motorhome, more breakdown cover people would cover it, and I could take it on a ferry at better rates. Had an agreement with a national tyre company to change tyres etc., in case of punctures.

The awning needed ideally three people to put up, but once up gave plenty of dry space.

Took a while to determine the best layout of the things needed, and trollies on castors meant loading and unloading things became fairly easy. On board catering - gas/electric fridge, gas hob meant not beholden to circuit cafes.

Fuel consumption was approx same as a van lugging a covered race shuttle trailer.

[iguana]

I've just put my Iveco car transporter in the classifieds if it might suit?

I can't post a link due to rules but in big stuff - car transporters section.

[77racing]

Insurance.......................Most people use Stevenage insurance services. mine was 320 per year. I,m older than you

[andye30m3]

I use a 7.5t truck, in terms of running cost it's generally not too bad at all and the sleeper cab and storage is very useful as everything stays in the truck between races.

Off the top of my head

Insurance £250
Tax £14/15 per month
MOT £350 this year with a brake line being changed and a re-test (has been worse in the past)
Think mine does high teens for MPG which isn't much worse than a 4x4 and trailer.

I would recommend breakdown cover, I think mine is £180 a year, used it twice for tyres blowing.

The only Issue I've found is that it starts getting expensive to take to Europe, from memory I was quoted about £180 a weekend for breakdown cover and the ferry was quite expensive.

[CanoeSniffer]

Thanks for the advice people. Iguana, thanks for bringing my attention to it- if it's the 3.5t curtainsider with the green cab it looks nice (and some of the kit you've been moving with it ) but I'm really after a bit of accommodation space hence looking at >7.5t.

Went to look at my first 7.5t on the weekend, it was in really great shape and the accommodation space was beautiful but unfortunately only had a 3.5m load bay which I would need to extend. I haven't ruled it out as I can lose 50cm from the accommodation (it's more than I'd need) but it's still more labour than I need to put myself through if I can get away with a bigger truck. So I'm looking at my first 18 tonner this weekend

The big burning question I was left with was if anyone has any ingenious security solutions? I'd be leaving the truck with car and tools in a farm yard or similar so keeping it locked down is a must. And I don't underestimate the power of 3.14keys to find their way past mechanical locks.

[iguana]

Fair enough squire, I have a 3.5t enclosed also but that's a 6.5t, so better capacity than most 7.5t & no air brakes to faff with.