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Things to Consider When Buying a New Trailer

Jun 28, 2022||Daniel Thompson

Remember when you bought the push mower seven years ago and you got the smaller, lower quality engine option to save $100? Now you have to make two passes at some thicker sections and the engine dies at times when bogged down. Plus, there’s a higher risk of problems which are expensive, and lower resale value. No judgment from Affordable Trailers. We’ve all done it. We’re going somewhere with this, so please stick with us for a minute. We’re going to propose that we look at buying a new trailer the way we wish we had bought the mower.
Let’s say you mow once a week for half of the year for seven years with that mower. That’s 26 weeks times 7 years and totals 182 mows.  Then $100 divided by 182 mows equals $.55 per mow. That’s less than the Ad-Free version of a nerdy wordy game app on your smartphone. You saved 55 cents a week when you chose the cheaper mower.  For many people, it’s worth it to pay .55 a week for a stronger, more reliable mower with a greater value.

Well, we see the same principle apply to buying a new trailer. You can save money on payload, axles, type, configuration, brand name, dealer, and even something like tires, but is it worth it? Do you want to worry daily if you are overloading the trailer, or if your goods are going to get rained on? Do you want to avoid hauling loose materials like rocks because dumping without dump capabilities makes a 10 minute job last an hour? And, unlike a mower, many people use their trailers year round, and often for their livelihood. Plus, there’s more critical work and usually more expensive consequences involved.

Because the practice of skimping isn’t usually best (you can get off-brand corn flakes and they’re decent), when it comes to buying a new trailer, it begs the questions:

WHAT DO I ACTUALLY WANT?

To determine what you are looking for in a trailer, there are several ways to go about it.

  •     DETERMINE THE USES. For example, if you know you are going to be moving antiques, you’ll probably want an enclosed trailer. If hauling mulch for gardening, you may want sides on your trailer. What is the heaviest load you’ll want to haul? What vehicle do you have to tow the trailer? Does it need to lock?
  •     RESEARCH by reading blogs, participating in forums, and hunting reliable reviews. Focus on what features owners enjoy or don’t enjoy, and on what they would do differently. Keep in mind that many forum threads died years ago, so watch out for outdated info.
  •     COMPARE COMPANIES and PRODUCTS. To find information on our products, visit here, then when you find something close to what you’re looking for, go to the websites of their manufacturers, such as Tophat Trailers.
  •     TALK TO THE EXPERTS like us at Affordable Trailers. We’ve sold many, many dozens of trailers and we’ve talked to hundreds of trailer owners before and after the sale. We have a tremendous sampling of information with which to guide you.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO BUY IT?

The previous section focused on What to buy. This one will focus on the Where to buy when buying a new trailer.

  •     MAKE THE SAFE CHOICE and go with the professionals. Not only does buying a new trailer have obvious advantages, there are also consumer protection laws that are pretty tight for dealers, unlike individuals. Although Affordable Trailers does not need a law for this, we have to be upfront and honest.
  •     LOOK AT THE TOTAL PACKAGE. Does your place have the inventory to meet exactly what you want, or be able to get you what you want? Otherwise, they may try to put you into something that isn’t what you need. Are they beholden to one particular brand, or do they offer what’s the best? Do they have service capabilities and support? We don’t recommend buying a new trailer from whoever sells you just a product. You’re getting more for your money with a full service dealer.
  •     ASK AROUND the community. Do they do business with integrity, do they value their customers, do they honor warranties without rigamarole? We’ve been blessed to have a great reputation in the North Myrtle Beach area and we plan to keep it that way.

In our years, we’ve learned to really help customers think through their needs. So we ask questions and chat in order to listen. What you want is important to us. We are also eager to talk with you because we know that a happy customer starts with a well informed purchase. Contact us if we seem like the kind of folks you want to do business with. Give us a chance to prove you right!