How to Pick the Best Car Trailer
Car trailers are useful for a lot of things. Hauling a vintage car to a show, getting a race car to the track, transporting tools and equipment from one site to another. But buying the right one means asking yourself a few questions before you hand over any money. Get the wrong trailer and you're looking at potential damage to the cargo, the trailer itself, and the vehicle pulling both. Here's what actually matters.
What Are You Hauling?
Trailers come in a bunch of different configurations. Boat trailers, car trailers, box trailers for equipment. If you're mainly hauling something expensive like a classic car or a race car, you'll want an enclosed trailer. The cover keeps road debris, weather, and everything else off your cargo while it's being moved. Open trailers work fine for less delicate loads, but anything you care about protecting should be enclosed.
Aluminum or Steel?
This is one of the first real decisions you'll need to make, and it's not just about price.
Steel trailers are cheaper upfront. They're also heavier, prone to rust, and generally don't last as long unless you stay on top of maintenance. The extra weight means you're pulling more even when you're carrying the same load compared to aluminum. That adds up in fuel costs and wear on your tow vehicle over time.
Aluminum trailers cost more, but they're lighter, don't rust, and handle corrosion a lot better than steel. Because they're lighter, you save on fuel and put less strain on the vehicle doing the towing. They also hold their resale value better if you ever need to sell.
One thing to watch out for: some companies will build a heavy steel frame, cover it with aluminum sheeting, paint the steel parts, and try to sell it as an aluminum trailer. Make sure you're getting real aluminum all the way through.
Do You Have the Right License?
You need a full driver's license to pull any trailer, period. If you got your license before January 1, 1997, you might be allowed to tow up to 8.25 tonnes depending on your specific license category. Check to be sure.
If you got your license after that date, you need to look at the combined weight of your vehicle and trailer to see if you need to take another test before you can legally haul more weight. This isn't something to guess at.
Weight Class Matters More Than You Think
Car trailers have different weight ratings, and you need one that can handle the biggest, heaviest thing you're ever going to put on it. Not just what you're hauling today, but what you might haul down the line.
To figure out the right weight class, add the weight of your heaviest cargo to the listed maximum load of the trailer jack. That's the total you need to be able to haul. Buy a trailer that's not rated for that weight and you're setting yourself up for real problems later.
Hitch Type
Bumper-mounted hitches are cheaper and fine if you're hauling light loads. But if you're transporting anything over 950 kilograms, you need a frame-mounted hitch. Those are built stronger and attached to the vehicle's frame instead of just the bumper.
A Class B license lets you pull 3,500 kilograms, and you can buy hitches from Class I to Class III. If you're hauling up to 4,500 kilograms, you'll need a Class IV hitch, but legally you can only use that with a tractor or heavy truck pulling the trailer.
Inspect Before You Buy
If you're buying used, do a physical inspection before any money changes hands. Check for scratches, dents, rust, structural damage, anything that affects the trailer's integrity or price. If the deal includes a vehicle with the trailer, run the VIN number before you commit to anything.
Don't skip this step just because the price looks good or the seller seems trustworthy. You're the one who's going to be pulling this thing down the highway, and you need to know exactly what condition it's in.
Get It Right the First Time
Buying a car trailer isn't complicated, but it does require some homework. Figure out what you're hauling, how much it weighs, what your tow vehicle can handle, and what your license actually allows you to pull. Do that before you start shopping and you'll save yourself a lot of headaches and money down the road.