Car transporter trailers: how to buy or rent well
What exactly is the trailer for
A car transporter trailer is a platform trailer for carrying vehicles: cars, quad bikes, motorcycles or small construction machines. For one car you take a two-axle trailer with ramps and a winch, while for motorcycles a light platform with wheel channels is enough.
Before choosing, work out the weight of the load, the track width and the wheelbase. The car must sit so that the load falls correctly on the axles, so the platform length and the space for the wheels must match the vehicle's wheelbase.
What to put in your request
- For what vehicle — car, SUV, quad bike, motorcycle, mini tractor.
- Load capacity — with a margin over the vehicle's weight.
- Condition — new or used.
- Platform length — for example 4.5 m.
- Number of axles — one or two.
- Equipment — winch, ramps, tie-downs, overrun brakes, lights.
- Buy or rent — for rent, the period, for example a day.
- City and budget, if you want to state it.
Example: “I need a new two-axle car transporter trailer for a car weighing up to 1.8 tonnes, 4.5 m platform, load capacity up to 2 tonnes, with a winch and folding ramps. Ottawa, budget up to $2,500. If there is a rental option for a day for one trip, I will consider it too.”
Which parameters matter and what limits them
First compare the gross weight of the trailer with the loaded vehicle against what your car allows. This applies to the tow hitch and to your licence category too. Heavier two-axle trailers usually have overrun brakes, while light single-axle ones may not.
Then come side rails or wheel stops, the platform height (a low one is easier to load), the ramp angle and wheel-locking fixings. A winch saves you when the vehicle cannot move under its own power.
New or used
A new trailer gives you a warranty and clear equipment. A used one is cheaper, but check the frame for cracks and rust, the axles and hubs, the brakes, the tyres and the lighting. Papers are a separate point: the ownership papers and registration.
People often buy a trailer “by eye” and then find that the car's wheelbase is longer than the platform, or that the ramps are too steep for a low sports car. Another mistake is not counting the weight of the platform itself, the winch and the tools. Lights can also be a problem: if the socket does not fit the car, you will need to buy an adapter. So write in your request the model of the vehicle you will carry, and its length and weight.
How it works through BlaBlaPrice
You write one request, and makers, sellers and rental owners reply with offers. You see the price or what it depends on, the equipment, timing and photos. The request is checked before it is shown, so there are no ads or contacts in it. BlaBlaPrice puts the best-fitting offer first, with reviews beside it. Sellers see their place and improve their terms. Contacts are opened only to the one you choose. More on the “How it works” page.
For loads other than vehicles there are car trailers, and large machines are carried on low loaders. All options are in the “Trailers / motorhomes” section.
