I have a Featherlite 20' enclosed bought it right before COVID.It was used by a plumbing contractor.
Not everyone wants a 24' trailer guys with smaller race cars, motorcycles,utv .....etc want them. When I was looking I found some really good deals on smaller trailers.
I have hauled my e-body with mine.

One thing to think about when going open instead of enclosed is ramps. Good ramps are HEAVY and mount under the low trailer. I use my open trailer at least monthly; in March I slid a ramp out and felt a twinge in my back that turned into a week of stiffness and moving slow. That was a great trailer that had been all over the country and was set up exactly the way I wanted, but I sold it off and bought a tilt in May. A tilt will probably cost 50-75% of an enclosed, but what you're doing with it will tell you what you should get.

Been thru 4 of them now. All junk except the last one. NEO Heavy Duty. Very decent quality, finally.

https://neotrailers.com/trailer_nhd.php

Any feedback ?

Any feedback ?

As a steel fabricator I wouldn't consider aluminum unless weight was the overriding factor.

Aluminum doesn't give or bend as much as steel, meaning it's more prone to breaking out right. It also doesn't absorb vibrations as well as steel, which is not good for trailers that are subject to constant dynamic loading going down the road.

Aluminum or steel?

When (not if) the aluminum cracks, its screwed. The material has reached its stress point, any repair increases the problem, it adds new stress points. Steel can at least be repaired.

Aluminum does not rust, but is does corrode, and that corrosion is amplified at any point the aluminum is against steel. Corrosion on aluminum has the same effect as a crack in aluminum, except welding on the corroded aluminum is a lost cause.

I find it interesting that the guy that doesn't want to buy a used trailer because the cost is close to the new price, is concerned about the value of a new trailer he wants to buy and sell in a year. Because the trailer is HIS, people are going to line up to buy his one year old trailer and near the cost of a brand new one?

The deal with trailers is, you buy the one you want now, then 5 years down the road, you can probably can get your money back out of it if its still in good shape. Not because your trailer is now so valuable, but because the new trailers are more expensive, so the one you have, priced at what you paid for it 5 years ago is now a bargain.

Rules for buying a trailer,
1) Don't buy the cheapest trailer you can find. Its the cheapest because someone cut corners someplace.
2) Choose the length of trailer carefully. Long trailers offer more space, but are harder to maneuver, and they take up a lot more space when they are not being used.
3) Aluminum or steel? The older the trailer gets, the more problems they have. An enclosed trailer you don't have much choice, but on an open trailer, if saving weight is not a high priority, steel may be better.
4) On an open trailer, pay attention to the fender height, and the ramp length. Will you be able to open the door on a car on the trailer? Longer ramps weigh more, but improve the loading angle.
5) Hinges on loading ramps. The hinges location on most trailer loading ramps are in bad locations and can deteriorate pretty fast. Those are usually the least lubricated things on trailers, and are usually a royal pain to replace.
6) If you want to get your money back out of a trailer, expect to keep it at least 5 years, and take really good care of it.

When Looking at used trailers make sure you closely inspect the tires or just assume they will need to be replaced. Check dates, sidewall cracks, weight ratings. Also be aware that a lot of used trailers wind up with car or truck tires on them which is very much against DOT regulations. Some years ago Pennsylvania DOT was actively pulling over car hauling trailers and handing out tickets for incorrect tire type and/or weight rating. Probably worse now.

IIRC, the use of truck tires is OK, they are weight de-rated for use on a trailer.

I personally am very skeptical of the alleged real uniqueness of trailer rated tires, other than its a legal escape clause for manufacturer liability. Weight limits and size are of course another matter. Semi's often have all position tires used, steering, drive and trailer.

How’s this compare

Well, it's not a problem with semi's. Any potential issues with sidewall flex will be on a multi axle trailer and at under 5 mph.

Also giving some thoughts to one of these

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/253765690782008/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A0afd0f9f-5ab5-453f-8a0c-d25d24e40233

Well, it's not a problem with semi's. Any potential issues with sidewall flex will be on a multi axle trailer and at under 5 mph.

Told a friend about a nice trailer local the other day.

Also giving some thoughts to one of these.

My fear is the steel decks get slick when wet! So, I wonder if the car will move around in transport,,,,OR make it difficult to load / unload in wet conditions

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/253765690782008/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3A0afd0f9f-5ab5-453f-8a0c-d25d24e40233

Still never met anyone who said "man I wish my garage was smaller or my trailer was shorter." I own three trailers an 18' open, a 28' enclosed and a 34' enclosed. More space is never a bad thing unless its a storage issue I suppose.

I have had steel deck trailers for decades, yes the get slick when wet, but my ramps had anti-skid coating on them and once the rear tires actually got on the trailer and off the ramp there were no issues. Of course you can always winch the car on if it is slick, and ALL trailers should have a winch on them...

I have had steel deck trailers for decades, yes the get slick when wet, but my ramps had anti-skid coating on them and once the rear tires actually got on the trailer and off the ramp there were no issues. Of course you can always winch the car on if it is slick, and ALL trailers should have a winch on them...

I was interested in a 2018 20ft box that had the 3 ft Vnose on it for $9500 , Thats at the top of my budget but it sold before I could make up my mind if I wanted to go that route

it seems anything enclosed of similar length and condition under $10k sells fairly easy/quickly.


One of my concerns with an enclosed, is weight on the truck. Its a 2012 ram 1500 quad cab 2wd. I dont want to overload it by any means.
Going longer only to get additional indoor storage is of zero concern. This is to transport the car with maybe a jack and spare tires and nothing more.
My car is about 17ft end to end. So that rules out an 18ft enclosed so Im looking 20ft , prefer a 22ft if I can find one, 24 ft is maximum (primarily thinking about GVW issues going that long )

A friend of mine has offered me his 20ft enclosed for a heck of a deal, problem is,,,its 2200 miles away.

I plan to have a winch on it / in it regardless of type of trailer so thats not a problem. My concern was it moving around if get caught in the rain, A friend of mine has a steel deck open trailer and he told me it gets real slick in the rain. And loading it under its own power is out of the question, Thus a winch is mandatory.

Im open to steel deck, wood deck, steel frame or even an aluminum frame if price is right. Hell im not against an enclosed if price is right.

My concerns with an enclosed is GVW , seems most of the enclosed under 22 ft or less are only 7000 gvw . Where as most ( but not all ) 24 and up are at least 10,000 gvw

There is a dealer in Glendale I've been talking to that has brand new 20ft opens ( that are 18ft with additional 2 ft dovetail ) for $4000 and for the moment is my 1st choice . Steel frame, wood deck. 2 ft steel dovetail. 5 ft ramps ( shown )

I dont actually need it until next spring. So Im in no rush.


And yes, storing it is a concern.

Mr Mendoza’s prices were decent enough for me to burn some fuel to go visit him when we were shopping for a 14’ trailer for our RZR. The wiring needed a little help as the metal tabs they used to route the wiring through were razor sharp and we lost our running lights on our first trip to Utah. Spent a little time with a dremel and some wiring protector to remedy that. I’d also suggest that on a “new” trailer purchase to check the wheel bearings. We had one axle that the hub temps were a bit higher and I noted pulling the bearing caps that the grease was notably darker. Loosened the nut a flat and they’ve been great since. Between Utah trips and SoDak we’ve probably put 8k miles on it and tire wear is spot on so the build quality seems to be a-ok. On the wheel bearing deal I’m betting about any manufacturer simply gets the axles ready to run and build, install, ship.