When you’re in need of a trailer, you may find yourself split between the choice to buy or rent. It’s just like getting a van: will I use it again? How much money will I save? Is it worth the investment?
The decision to buy or rent is irrelevant until you know exactly what you need the trailer for. If you’re looking to transport farm animals, for example, a flatbed trailer with no roof or sides probably isn’t the best choice for you.
The trailer for you
Flatbed trailers are best suited to heavy, indelicate cargo (machinery, construction), as the absence of walls or a roof aren’t exactly ideal for moving fragile furniture. If you do want to transfer delicate cargo, an enclosed trailer – with walls and a roof – is the choice for you.
Dump trailers are great for moving the waste from construction sites – think demolition waste or gravel. These trailers employ a hydraulic system to raise and tilt the trailer bed, allowing the material inside to collapse out – or get dumped. As for horse trailers, we think you can guess their use yourself.
Sometimes, there isn’t a perfect trailer for your needs, but you can find trailer parts to customise your ideal trailer online, for example at https://autoandtrailer.com/shop/trailer-parts
Buy or rent?
For business or frequent personal use, buying is often the best bet. Not only does it contribute to your collection of hard assets in the business – in turn providing lucrative options – but you’re also less likely to be subjected to extra costs and clauses hidden in the fine print. Above all else, owning something is more convenient than renting, which is ideal if your schedule doesn’t have much wiggle room.
Of course, on the other end of the debate, short-term needs will only require short-term responses. Although buying a trailer is more convenient in the long term, renting is far quicker the first time, avoiding all the bureaucratic registering, licensing, signing, etc. etc. Buying a trailer also means you need somewhere to store it – an irrelevant worry when renting.