Trailer hire: goods trailer, car carrier or boat trailer — which to pick
Check that your car can tow a trailer
Before you look for a trailer to hire, make sure your car has a tow bar with a working socket, and that the trailer's permitted weight does not exceed what your car is allowed to tow. Rules on towing and on the licence you need depend on the trailer's weight, so check them in the car's papers, with the owner and, if in doubt, with the local transport office.
What you carry matters too. For an ATV or a motorbike, an open trailer with a ramp works; for a car you need a car carrier; for household goods, a flatbed or a covered one; for a boat, a special boat trailer with rollers or cradles.
What affects the price
- Type of trailer: a car carrier usually costs more than a simple car trailer.
- Size of the bed and load capacity.
- Period: a day, a weekend or a week; a longer period often gives a lower daily rate.
- Deposit: it affects how good the deal is.
- Extras: a cover, straps, a jockey wheel.
What to put in your request
- Type of trailer — flatbed, car carrier, boat trailer, covered.
- Size — length of the bed, for example 2.5 m, and a load capacity of up to 750 kg.
- What you are carrying — an ATV, furniture, building materials.
- Hire period — a weekend, a week.
- Tow bar and your licence.
- Deposit — whether you can pay one or not.
- City or area and budget.
Example: “I need a trailer to carry an ATV in Toronto, for the weekend. Preferably with a ramp, bed of 2.5 m or longer. My car has a tow bar, and I hold a valid licence. A deposit of up to $84 is fine. Budget up to $14 per day.”
How to find a trailer through BlaBlaPrice
Create one request instead of scrolling through ads and calling everyone. Trailer owners reply in the chat: which trailer, the price per day (or what it depends on), the deposit, and whether they can deliver it or you pick it up. The platform shows the best-fitting offer first, with reviews of the owner next to each. Your contacts stay hidden until you choose.
Compare more than the price: the condition of the axles and wheels, working lights, the trailer's papers, and whether its weight fits what you can tow. Inspect the trailer with the owner and record its condition in photos. Ask what happens in case of damage and when the deposit is returned. Before you set off, check the tyre pressure, strap the load down, and place it slightly towards the axle so that it does not make the trailer sway. Drive slower with a trailer and allow for a longer braking distance.
If you need to move a big load over a long distance instead, see a truck or low-loader, and for a trip without hauling see a car. More is on the “How it works” page.
