Trailer crew, help me make decisions

[SirHustlerEsq]

I'm getting very close to buying a van. I need to get a trailer, and I live in an apartment so I'll need a place to store the trailer. Here we go with the facts:

Fees:
Trailer storage is no cheaper than $45/month
$50 annual registration
~$300 Title fees
bullshit maintenence
So we're looking at $600 in annual expenses.

Renting a trailer is $25/day.
I'll probably need 4-days if I leave on Friday, and return on Sunday to return on Monday morning.

If I use the tire trailer for local events, then I'll only use the van and trailer for over-night stuff.
I plan to attend:
MSR-H
College Station
HHR
Hallett
Hallett
HHR
College Station
NOLA

So, that's roughly $800 before tax to rent the trailer from Penske. What do you guys think about all this nonsense?

[trickyrix]

As much as you're going to use it, I say buy the trailer and store it. Then when you're done with it, you can get some money back out of it.

[Titus]

As much as you're going to use it, I say buy the trailer and store it. Then when you're done with it, you can get some money back out of it.

That is a good point... Buying a decent used trailer is much like a hardtop... a pain to store but can be easily flipped for what you paid for it after years of use.

[Rob®]

Think of all the time wasted with the logistics of having to rent a trailer. What if the local Penske doesn't have a suitable trailer available that particular weekend? You're left scrambling to find one somewhere else.

I know it's not car-related, but when I lived in NY I had the same issue with my jetskis and boat trailers. I lived right on the river, so all were docked in the water. I didn't buy trailers with either (boat was bought from a guy a few miles down river from me - jetskis fit in a pickup bed), which usually wasn't an issue since I had no need for a trailer. Then I started wanting to take a ski or the boat to a lake not connected to the river. I had to rent one (yes, places up there rented both like it was a common thing) every time I wanted to go somewhere else. Some times there would be no trailers available, some times the only ones available would have the incorrect tie down setups, etc etc. It was a pain. I owned a house, so I eventually gave in and bought trailers. Regardless, I would have gladly owned trailers from the get-go, even if I had to pay storage fees on them. That one time you need it and can't get it right away the storage fees pay for themselves.

[Rob®]

And wtf trailer are you renting for $25/day?? Are dollies even that cheap?

[jrj512]

Don't forget 10 MPG towing and trailer eat tires like POS Racing eats donuts.

[miataspeedracer]

I think he's realizing that all $25 trailers have been rented out by unicorns...

[OZMDD]

Altian knows a guy who has a beautiful tandem car hauler for sale, $5K trailer, probably can get it around $2K. We've used it twice and it was a really easy to pull trailer even with my 92 Chevy 1/2 ton w/ 200K miles, got 14 mpg. Nice ramps, custom built low deck that will let you drive a lowered car on without backing the truck onto ramps. With a Miata, you'd be able to build a massive storage box/tire rack and still have rooom to spare.

[cwisenheimer]

Don't you know somebody that would let you store the trailer on their property for less than $50 a month? Let them use it when you don't need it. A shop like Track Dog or Rogue could probably use a spare trailer to retrieve dead cars and get paid to do so (maybe they already do, for all I know).

[nomadtrash]

I'll sell my 18' car trailer for $1500. It could use some TLC but is in sound condition. I've used it since 92 but the new race car is too wide to fit between the fenderwells. I just registered it with a new title and new plates which cost me $140 plus $15 for an inspection sticker. (don't even get me started on trailer inspections).

[ckearns]

I found a place in Lewisville to store the car hauler I just picked up - $75/mo for a 25' spot, and they had 20' spots for 60. This place is only boat/trailer/RV storage (no lockups, so everyone coming and going has a common purpose) and access is 24 hour and there's cameras all over the lot.

Annual costs aside, if you buy a trailer, you own it, it's an asset, and the maintenance program is yours to do with what you will. Rentals, not so much. They don't give a spare bearing set with the rental and it's quite likely they'll have hydraulic brakes in an unknown state rather than electric. Then there is the logistics of picking up and dropping off, which will be a pain in the ass.

The golden rule for trailers isn't whether they'll break on the road but when.

[IMG] 50' of track ready goodness by clkearns, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG] 10k WD hitch with sway control by clkearns, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG] Car Hauler 017 by clkearns, on Flickr[/IMG]

I'll be getting pictures of my southsport tire trailer this weekend and putting it up for sale as well.

[Stubbs]

I want to know where you can rent a trailer for 25/day. A uhaul dolly is about 50 bucks a day after taxes.

[altiain]

Altian knows a guy who has a beautiful tandem car hauler for sale, $5K trailer, probably can get it around $2K. We've used it twice and it was a really easy to pull trailer even with my 92 Chevy 1/2 ton w/ 200K miles, got 14 mpg. Nice ramps, custom built low deck that will let you drive a lowered car on without backing the truck onto ramps. With a Miata, you'd be able to build a massive storage box/tire rack and still have rooom to spare.

Yep, Billy's trailer is really nice. He had it custom built for his Honda Challenge car about 5 years ago. He picked up a nice enclosed trailer earlier this year, which is why he's selling this one.

It’s a Texas Trailer Man Challenger (http://www.texastrailerman.com/New27.htm).

18’ deck w/4’ dove tail

Add ons:
2 360-degree tie downs (6 total)
Split tail
Electric brakes on 2nd axle
Spare tire w/mount
Winch mount
12V loading lights
Lowered fenders (the Prelude doors clear the fenders, even when it was super low on 225/45/15s)

I think there might be a couple more, but I can’t recall off the top of my head. It has all brand new tires on it (trailer tires, not passenger tires that it came with!).

He's looking for about $2000 for it.

If you're interested, send me a PM and I'll put you in touch with Billy. Mike and I have put a couple thousand miles on this trailer this year, and it's a damn nice trailer. If I were in the market for one I'd buy this one in a heartbeat.

[miataspeedracer]

Trey--buy that trailer! I will gladly pay you $25/day to rent it when I need it. See, I'm off-setting your capital outlay already!

[Titus]

I have seen that trailer in person... The pictures do not do it justice IMHO. If I had the cash, I would be all over it. If you buy it, you can store it at my house for $10 a month (to appease the wife) plus the occasional free usage (to appease me).

[altiain]

I have seen that trailer in person... The pictures do not do it justice IMHO. If I had the cash, I would be all over it. If you buy it, you can store it at my house for $10 a month (to appease the wife) plus the occasional free usage (to appease me).

Hell, at those terms I might just buy it myself!

[Titus]

Hell, at those terms I might just buy it myself!

Works for me

[SirHustlerEsq]

I don't have that kind of scratch. I'm looking for a cheap, single axle. For now it looks like I'm borrowing Daddy's trailer for Hallett.

[OZMDD]

No offense, but if $2k is out of your budget, then you might rethink owning a trailer. They break often enough and go through tires and bearings regularly that you can easily spend $500/year pulling a car as many times as you plan to. It might not cost you hardly anything one year, then $300 in a week.

Also, like many things in life, investing in quality up-front will save you $$ down the road. Think Chinese turbo kits.

Lastly, I'd never want to put my baby on a single-axle trailer, no matter the load rating. A blowout at 70 mph can spell "flipped trailer" in a second.

Good luck!

[SirHustlerEsq]

No offense, but if $2k is out of your budget, then you might rethink owning a trailer. They break often enough and go through tires and bearings regularly that you can easily spend $500/year pulling a car as many times as you plan to. It might not cost you hardly anything one year, then $300 in a week.

Also, like many things in life, investing in quality up-front will save you $$ down the road. Think Chinese turbo kits.

Lastly, I'd never want to put my baby on a single-axle trailer, no matter the load rating. A blowout at 70 mph can spell "flipped trailer" in a second.

Good luck!

My tow vehicle is $1700, lol. I can get a brand-new wood floor, steel-frame trailer with twin 3000lb axles, brakes, and ramps for $1600....new, from the factory. I can do the maintenance myself. A trailer and the "Chinese turbo kit" are an invalid comparison because the turbo parts are significantly more complex and experience a much broader range of stresses than a trailer. I also drive a $1300 car every day, and have for the last 4-years without any major expenses. You could say the same about "quality investment" on my car choices because they were cheap.

I ran cars for two years when I worked for a wholesaler and drove coast to coast frequently and stand behind my logic that no one "needs" a 6000lb twin axle trailer to pull a 2200lb Miata. If I've pulled a single-cab F250 Superduty on it, then it's too big for a Miata. I never had a problem with the single axle trailer as long as I'm paying attention to realize when the tire goes down. Single axle trailers lose tires less frequently that dual axle because they don't get debris kicked-up into the rear tire as easily. I've lost a tire on a single axle trailer and it's not the end of the world. I can get an aluminum dual axle with brakes for $3100.

Also, that $2000 was $300+ new, not $5000.