Starting to think about buying a trailer.
Not in use storage is a major factor. So Im not sure an enclosed is a viable option for me.

Im weighing the options to go open , or enclosed

18 ft opens average little under $4000 for brand new 2023 models And these are brand new I can pick my color 7000 gvw Brakes on the rear axle only. Steel frame, wood deck spare included.

I found a seller in Phoenix that has 2023 Pace American new 8.5' x 22' enclosed cargo trailer at $14,800 and for bonus points ( to me anyway ) it has 5200 lb Drop Spring Axle w/ Superlube Hubs, Plus 12 in of Added Height - Vertical Post Height - 96 3/4 in which I think is good. BUT well aboce waht I really prefer to spend of at all possible. UNLESS, when I resell, next year will it retain its value enough to offset the purchase price difference, Meaning how much will it depreciate in my allotted time frame, or will it ?

Ive found a used 24 ft enclosed, Hallmark but its a 1995 model for $7000 it has a few small dents and dings, but nothing major and overall looks solid . Just old. . Plus Im sure it was a lower grade model when new


I like the 24 ft enclosed . But deep down I think it will require storing in one of the RV storage pay lots. And Ive not looked into how much that costs yet . Keeping it at my house is not an option. For more than a few days


My thought process is keep it a year,,,, maybe a little longer . To do what I want to do in the next 12-18 months . Then sell it. Ideally get all or most of my money back. Which is why Im thinking enclosed. But Ive not kept up on trailers and values in any way. Ive looked for a decent used and they are not much , if any less $$$ than the brand new one.


Pics attached of the used Pace and the new open

The new pace, But its only 22ft which Im sure will work just fine for me.

But deep down, I dont think I want to spend this kind of money for what I want to do. And keeping it long term is really not my intention.

That used enclosed is probably at the bottom of its depreciation, and better for storing stuff, even a car you want to keep indoors.
2 influencing factors might be your tow rig and cost of trailer storage - if you know someone with property, the storage might not be much money.
Seems to me - and I have a very nice open trailer - that enclosed trailers are more highly regarded and better ROI.
Heck, you could rent it out (carefully) and make money off it.
I rented an enclosed to pick up my '69 RR in SD 3 years ago for $100/day.

My truck is a 2102 Ram 1500 quad cab short bed, hemi auto. Pulling an enclosed should not be a problem. (Friend of mine has the same exact truck and 24ft enclosed combo and has zero issues pulling or stopping it all over the country )

Ive had opens behind it several times and it pulls and stops it just fine..


A friend of mine has offered I store it at his house, but he's at least 45 minutes, closer to an hour away. So thats a factor to consider. Although . its free


Keeping it beyond my initial time frame will be an issue more so with the enclosed than with the open.


Ive thought about the renting it option, But not sure Im ready to trust complete strangers to actually bring it back

FWIW, we pulled the 24' enclosed with a Ford Excursion Diesel, and it was no big deal.
Weirdest thing was the V-nose gave an aero effect of initially moving away then sucking toward the big rigs we passed; especially empty.
Same scenario with a flat nose hasn't done that.
What the rental guy does is charge a deposit & have the trailer insured, said he'd had no problems except occasional minor damage.
The trailer was pretty tired, had a lot of miles & years on it, and up here folks (and weather) can be pretty hard on stuff...YMMV, hopefully.

Thanks, MY gut tells me dollar for dollar the 24 ft enclosed is the better option.

BUT storage will be an issue more so than with the open


I also have seen an aluminum open for sale as well for $6500 but its only 16ft and think length wise that might be an issue for my use AND potential resale to keep its value . Which then makes me think for $500 more the enclosed is a better buy even if it is almost 20 years old


decisions decisions

16 feet is OK for an A-body - the rear will hang off of it - but pretty tight for a B-body.

Well from recent personal experience DO NOT buy a Quality Cargo enclosed trailer! I have had it about a year and the whole right side is falling off, cold welds on the gussets that hold the siding to the frame, in fact the fender on that side tilted at an angle and blew both tires out! I dropped it off at the manufacturer in Georgia (another place NOT to buy new trailers that were manufactured there) and they haven't even looked at it going on two weeks now. I have owned over a dozen enclosed, and 6 open trailers in the last 40 years and have NEVER had anything like this happen to me... My experience with axles is NOT to buy spring axles, go with torsion axles, they last a lot longer with little maintenance while the spring axles are weaker and I have actually had a spring break recently and the shackles don't last long anymore because they are all Chinese made. And one last thing, you definitely get what you pay for with a new trailer...

A 22 foot enclosed trailer will really limit resale. Not many guys are looking for 22 foot trailers. I went from 24 to a 26 foot trailer when I ordered a new one in 2017 and love it.

I've use borrow doulble axle trailers with no brakes or suspension when we first started racing, never again after wrecking one (and totaling the race car) due to a dog running out in front of my 1960 1/2 ton Ford long bed pickup truck. I had a old 1955 Dodge D500 flatbed truck I had converted to haul cars and used that for several years, one of the guys at work offered me more for it to haul a small tractor on it than I could turn down so I sold it. I bought a 1973 Ford F350 crew cab 8 Ft. single rear wheel pick up and converted it int a car hauler by having the frame stretch 5 ft. and adding a twelve foot long flat bed with a 30 inch long adjustable dove tail onto the end of it along with going to dual rear wheels and tires.: up: That truck was a pleasure to use empty or loaded
I ended up selling it also and bought an old 1957 dodge 1-ton Roundy round race car hauler that needed a lot of work, STUPID
After that got fixed up and sold 3 yrs. later I bought my first enclosed race car trailer, it was a 24 ft. inside Braceo, It was really heavy, 6,000+ lbs. empty. Full of tools, spare tires and rims and the 3000 Lb. race car it was almost over the 10,000 Lb GVR
Next was a custom ordered and made 22 Ft Pace Shadow with a 7,000 Lb GVR that was way heavier new empty than the salesman had told me it would be, it weighed right at 4300 Lbs. empty at the factory in Hurricane Utah when I picked it up, the salesman had said it should weigh under 3000 Lbs. empty, wrong
Bottom line is I now have a 1999 24 ft. enclosed Pace Shadow 10,000 Lb. GVR car trailer that I have had since around 2003 that I like a lot and it will probably be my last race car trailer
Maybe not a 35 Ft gooseneck with a living and sleeping quatres would be nice for out of town races next year
I forgot to mention that I ended putting electric winches on all my car hauling trucks and enclosed trailer with a 30 Ft. long cord Makes loading them a breeze with no hassles straining your self driving them up or into or using a come a long to load them like we use to do years ago

I have a 15? year old Featherlite open alum tandem torsion axle trailer, it's seen a lot miles/use been t boned and had axles ripped off, can sell it today for nearly what i paid for it. Best trailer I have own, tows great.
Everyone says I never have to worry about them stealing the car on the trailer, the thief will be stealing the trailer.

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.

I have a 32' LQ trailer with a 20' garage, it has been just find hauling my Darts and I even used to haul my 69 D200 long box in it along with my 69 Monaco 500 convertible. Sure it is tight tying them down, and anything else I need to bring along goes in the LQ area, but 20' is adequate for most vehicles just going to car shows.

Heard back from the seller of the used 24ft enclosed. It sold yesterday.

I would like to have an enclosed for the safety - security factor. But storing it will be a problem, / expense.

Im in no rush as I dont really need it until next spring anyway. So I can be patient / picky / choosey.


EDIT,,,, been 2 like new Aluma Trailers pop up near me. A 2023 and a 2022 model. But both are only16ft, flat deck no dovetail. And am giving thoughts to go take a look at them.

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.

I bought a set of 7' aluminum ramps for my open trailer 15 years ago, some of the best money I have ever spent! I carry them in the back of my pickup when I am using the trailer, the original steel ramps are still under the trailer, I wonder if they will ever come out again?

New listings near me

Scored this one for $3,000

Mine $6500

With an enclosed if your hauling a car nothing smaller than a 24' that will give you a small area for storage up front, also get a 60" tongue, If an open 18' is the minimum.