I have been actively looking for a new enclosed Car Hauler trailer to replace my current one, and find there are many options to choose from..

Spoke to a few salesman and others and opinions vary and contradict one another so I figured I would put it to the folks on FTE..

I have decided on a Haulmark Transport 8.5x20 10K GVW and the round top..

This seems to be a good compromise..

Now for the contradictions...

I want a round top because I feel water and Snow will slide off easier than a flat top.. The Saleman I spoke with said the flat tops are better for that..

I think he is blowing smoke up my ****.. What do you think??

My current trailer is a flat top and it almost caved in due to snow and ice.. Now I put some boards up to support the weight..

What brand trailer do you think is the best??

He was pushing the Carmate brand saying they are built with wooded 2x3's instead of steel 1.5" tubing..

I think the steel would be better.. No problems with rot and lighter than the wood..

Any other comments you have about trailers and must have options let me know...


Mainly the trailer would be used for moving things and storage.. I don't have a car to haul, but maybe someday..LOL

Thanks

 

Haulmark is second to none. Good luck with it. Will the snow be left on after a storm or will you brush it off? Reason I ask is I have snowmobile trailers at an unoccupied camp and it is usually a PITA to get the snow off after its been sitting for a few days. You would think rounded would be easier to get the snow off but I really don't know. Is it a finished surface? Maybe a good coat of wax in the fall will help...

 

Thanks

The snow would be left on it unless it was a large amount then I would clean it off..

I believe the surface has a coating on it but not sure.. I guess I will ask before I buy it..LOL

 

carmate is trash. yes it is made of wood and is lighter.
and the wood breaks from road vibrations. i have seen 3 carmate trailers fall apart within 3 years of purchase, 2 of them after carpenter ants got in them and ate them from the inside out

 

I have an EZ hauler. The entire frame is made of aluminum. Very light weight and won't rust.

Mine has a flat roof and the snow slides off right in the driveway as soon as the sun comes out.

 

Thanks Tom


That's the first thing I thought of when he said they used wood.. I did like they have a one piece roof with no vent..

 

Thanks, I'll have to check them out..

 

I have just the guy to help you out bud, I'll drop Tom a PM and ask him to chime in.

Stewart

 

Hi Don.

If you plan on hauling a car in the future you really want a longer trailer than that. I've had 24' and 28' trailers, and I wouldn't go shorter than 24' unless you only plan on hauling really small cars or none at all.

Yup, sounds to me like he's trying to sell you a flat top trailer and will say anything to make the sale. Round top is definitely going to be better for that, plus water won't pool in places and cause leaks. Both of mine were flat top, and after a few years they looked like they would start having issues. I sold mine before that happened though.


The Carmate WEBSITE says otherwise. They say they use a tubular steel frame.

Yup, aluminum trailers are great if you have a large budget. When I was pricing out trailers a few years ago aluminum-framed models sold for nearly double what a comparable steel frame trailer would be. I was comparing 8.5 x 24', and I could have a steel frame for around $8,000 and an aluminum ATC model of the same size was around $15,000. That's a lot of money for a trailer IMHO, so I've always had steel frames.

 

well let me temper by what I will say with this: I live 6 miles from the carmate site. I am personal friends with the owners, many of the employees, and I own one.

that being said I have always liked the 18' beavertail I got from them 15 years ago. It has outlasted the competition and I live where they spray acid on the roads to melt snow. Things like axles and brakes etc are top notch suppliers ONLY. Other brands do tend to use whatever is cheapest...including Chinese sourced parts. (In fact when they did retail sales from the main shop I used to source my parts used for customer repairs from them.)

I have recently entered the market looking for an enclosed 3500lb GVW cargo trailer for my Carlisle trips et al. I have been calling dealers all over the tri state PA/MD/WV area and every, not some, not most, but EVERY dealer with multiple brands has listed carmate as their top brand. Is it because they make the most from carmate? dunno, but 2 dealers I talked to said they make more per unit from 'carry-on' brand. Reasons given are the quality of construction, std options, available options, price, shipping and the best warranty by far (go see the website)

While I have looked at carry-on the longest because of the lighter tare weight, reality is, lighter = less solid. I will be buying over the winter and id say better than 50% odds I will buy a carmate sportser with brakes - their inclusion price is competitive with my add on costs to do it myself.

BTW - about 5 years ago I refurbed my beavertail, took off the wood, wiring, blasted the frame, repainted etc. even after years of salt and once having a calcium filled massey ferguson bleed tires all over it, the frame is/was unmolested other than pitted paint. They weigh more (1800lbs tare) than the competition because the steel IS thicker. Does that matter to you? you make the call. The boards - true PT wood, (okay, it was more legal back then than this crap today) that all I did was flip the boards and paint again. The wiring was all good - but I replaced anyways and I converted from filament lights to LED - an option not available back then. Would I buy it again? The price for the same trailer today, is about $1000 higher - 15 years plus you must use a dealer and not direct retail but yes I would.

 

Howdy Tom... Thanks for replying

That is the thing.. Don't have the need to haul a car, but I do have a small Kubota that I might.. It is probably mostly going to be used as a mobile Shed..


That's what I was thinking.. My current 24' car hauler has the water puddling up on top when it rains


Haulmark says the same.. 2x6 Tubular steel

I would opt for the steel also..

 

I am sure there are both good and bad stories on trailer quality..

That's why I asked the question to get some other view points..

Seeing that your connected can you get me a deal on one???

 

I wish I could get a deal for me....since they went to 100% dealer network, you cannot talk price to the factory. However...wolfs auto outlet in shippingville seems to do the best, they do not pay for shipping as they are 7 miles away on river hill in clarion and they pick up the trailers a couple times a day on the way into work...all other dealers in the area tack on transportation which starts at $75. So if you are local and want carmate talk to them. btw - special order build time? 8-12 weeks. if you cannot order off the rack, be prepared to wait...

 

If you're willing to make a drive you can save a lot of money. I've bought both my trailers from a dealer in southern Georgia that ships them right from the manufacturer.

I paid $4,800 for my 8.5 x 24' trailer back in '07, and I paid $6,500 in '12 for my 8.5 x 28'. That one was a special order with tandem 7,000 lb axles, 7' interior, and extended tongue. I picked it up directly from the manufacturer, and I paid thousands less than any local dealer could have done. I don't believe they are quite as good of quality as your better brands like Haulmark, but for the price difference it was completely worth it.

 

Georgia would be a 20 hour drive from here..

We have some knock off brands around here going about 2K cheaper than the Haulmark..