Car trailers

Car trailers: how to buy at a good price

Updated 20 October 2026

Start with the car, not the trailer

A car trailer is chosen for a specific car. The car's papers state what weight it may tow with and without brakes. The trailer's load capacity together with its own weight must not exceed this limit. Otherwise it is both unsafe and may cause trouble with the papers.

Also check whether your car has a tow bar. If not, it has to be fitted and approved, which means extra cost and time.

What to put in your request

• Body size — length, width, side height, for example 2×1.3 m.
• Load capacity — for example up to 750 kg.
• Condition — new or used.
• Number of axles — single or two.
• Maker — any well-known one, or “no preference”.
• Equipment — cover, raised sides, jockey wheel, spare wheel.
• Papers — ownership papers, registration.
• City and budget, if you want to state it.

Example: “I need a new single-axle car trailer, body 2×1.3 m, load capacity up to 750 kg, with a cover and raised sides. It must come with papers so I can register it. Pretoria, budget up to R 12,000.”

What decides the choice

For household jobs, like taking away building waste or moving furniture or garden things, a single-axle trailer is enough. For long trips and loads close to a tonne you need a two-axle build. The side height and a cover decide what you can carry: loose material or tall items.

Look at the suspension (leaf spring or torsion), the quality of the welds, anti-rust treatment, wheels and lighting. Small things like the quality of the lamps and the socket show up first.

How to compare offers

• Compare by the same sizes and load capacity.
• See whether the price includes the cover, sides, spare wheel and jockey wheel.
• Check who handles the papers and whether the registration papers are handed over.
• For used ones, ask about history, and the state of the axle and hubs.

A small difference in size or weight changes the price more than you would think. So write numbers in your request, not “medium”.

The first common mistake is to buy a trailer “with a margin” and forget that the car tows no more than the papers say. The second is to ignore the side height: with low sides you cannot carry loose loads, and with high ones it is hard to load by hand. The third is not to check the socket: different electrical standards need an adapter. Finally, do not take a trailer without papers: you will not be able to register it.

How searching works on BlaBlaPrice

You do not have to look for sellers: create a request, and they reply on their own with price, terms, photos and timing. The request is checked, and you get a hint on what to add. The best-fitting offer is shown first, with reviews next to the seller. Sellers see their place and can improve their terms. Your phone is opened only to the one you choose. More on the “How it works” page.

For other loads, look at car transporter trailers, cargo trailers or vending trailers.