Choosing a car hauler comes down to four numbers, and only one of them is the trailer's length. You need the curb weight of the vehicle you haul plus 20 percent of margin, the usable deck length between the fenders, the usable width between the fenders, and the loading angle your ramps produce. Get those four right and the rest of the decision is preference. Get the fourth one wrong and the car will not load at all.
Start With the Vehicle, Not the Trailer
Almost every bad car hauler purchase starts the same way. Someone measures the car's overall length, finds a trailer a couple of feet longer, and buys it. Then they discover the deck is only usable between the fenders, the ramps are too steep, and the tie-down points are in the wrong places.
Work in the other direction. The vehicle sets the requirements. The trailer either meets them or it does not.
Curb weight is heavier than you think
Modern vehicles are heavier than their reputations. A few current examples, all from published specifications:
| Vehicle | Curb weight |
|---|---|
| 2026 Honda Accord | 3,239 lbs (LX) to 3,532 lbs (Touring Hybrid) |
| 2026 Tesla Model Y | 4,061 lbs (Standard RWD) to 4,264 lbs |
| 2026 Ford F-150 | roughly 4,000 to 5,900 lbs depending on cab, bed, drivetrain and engine |
Two things jump out. First, a mid-size sedan that people still call a 3,000 pound car is closer to 3,500. Second, an electric crossover the same size as that sedan weighs roughly 800 pounds more, because the battery pack is a permanent passenger.
The F-150 range is the more useful lesson. A single model name spans nearly 2,000 pounds across configurations. This is why the only weight you should trust is the one on the driver's door jamb label of the specific vehicle you are hauling, not a number from a spec site or from memory.
And curb weight is not what rolls onto your deck. Add fuel, tools, spare wheels, a jack, and whatever else rides in the trunk. That is easily another 150 to 300 pounds.
Track width, length and clearance
Three measurements matter beyond weight:
- Overall length, which determines whether the car fits between the ramp gate and the front of the deck
- Track width plus mirrors, which determines whether it clears the fenders
- Ground clearance and front overhang, which determine whether it loads at all
That last pair is the one people skip, and it is the subject of the most important section in this article.
Deck Length and Width: The Numbers That Matter
Car hauler listings advertise three different lengths and buyers routinely confuse them.
Overall trailer length includes the tongue. It tells you what fits in your driveway, and nothing else.
Deck length is the platform itself, often quoted as something like "18 + 2," meaning 18 feet of flat deck plus 2 feet of dovetail.
Usable length between fenders is what actually holds a car on a standard bumper pull hauler. This is the number to ask for.
The same distinction applies to width. A typical open car hauler runs roughly 82 to 83 inches between the fenders. That clears most sedans and many crossovers. Wide performance cars, dually trucks and anything with wide aftermarket track will not fit between standard fenders, which pushes you toward a deck-over design, removable fenders, or a wider enclosed unit.
Ask for the between-fenders number in writing before you buy. "18 foot car hauler" is not a specification.
Loading Angle: Why Some Cars Will Not Load on Most Trailers
This is the failure mode that costs people the most money, and it is pure geometry.
Your loading angle is set by two things: how high the deck sits, and how long your ramps are. The approximate angle is the arcsine of deck height divided by ramp length.
Run the numbers on a deck sitting 22 inches off the ground:
| Ramp length | Approximate loading angle |
|---|---|
| 6 ft (72 in) | about 18 degrees |
| 8 ft (96 in) | about 13 degrees |
| 10 ft (120 in) | about 11 degrees |
Now drop the deck height to 18 inches with 10 foot ramps and you are near 9 degrees.
Why this matters: a stock sedan or crossover loads fine at 13 to 18 degrees. A lowered car, a classic with a long front overhang, or a sports car with an aggressive front splitter will contact the ramp well before its wheels reach the deck. Front overhang is the real enemy, not just ride height, because the nose swings down as the car pitches onto the ramp.
Three ways to fix it, in order of how well they work:
- Longer ramps. The cleanest solution. Ten foot slide-in ramps turn a marginal load into a routine one.
- A tilt deck. Gravity or hydraulic tilt eliminates the ramp break entirely, since the deck itself becomes the ramp. Best option for low cars, and priced accordingly.
- Wood blocks or ramp extensions. A field fix. They work, they are what everyone at the track is using, and they are the reason you see cars loading at odd angles in parking lots. Fine occasionally, not a plan.
If you haul anything low, measure before you buy. Bring the car to the lot and try it on the actual trailer. Ten minutes now beats a scraped bumper and a trailer you cannot use.
Open or Enclosed
Notice this comes after the technical section, not before. Open versus enclosed is the most-discussed question and the least determinative, because most buyers already know which one they want.
Open haulers are lighter, cheaper, easier to load, easier to store and easier to see around while towing. The tradeoff is exposure. Road spray, salt, stones and weather all reach the car.
Enclosed haulers protect the vehicle and double as lockable storage and a mobile workspace. The tradeoff is weight, and it is bigger than people expect. An enclosed trailer's own empty weight eats into your payload before the car is on board, and the box acts as a sail in crosswinds. Plenty of buyers spec an enclosed hauler that their half ton truck cannot legally pull once loaded.
The honest framing: open versus enclosed is a decision about the value and use of the car, not about the trailer. A work truck or a project car does not need a box. A finished restoration or a race car with a season of events ahead usually does.
Bumper Pull or Gooseneck
Bumper pull is the default. It works with any properly rated hitch receiver, maneuvers in tighter spaces, and costs less.
Gooseneck puts the pivot point over the truck's rear axle, which improves stability and tightens the turning radius at length. It carries more, and it requires a hitch installed in the bed of a truck rated for it. If you already have the truck and the hitch, gooseneck is the better tow above roughly 14,000 pounds combined. If you do not, the hitch installation is a real cost to factor in.
Ramps, Tilt Decks and Winches
Ramps. Slide-in ramps that store under the deck are the most common and the least annoying. Side-mount storage keeps them accessible but adds width. Whatever the style, check that you can actually lift them. A pair of heavy steel ramps is a genuine daily inconvenience.
Tilt decks. Gravity tilt is simpler and cheaper. Hydraulic tilt is faster, controllable, and worth it if you load alone or load frequently.
Winches. A winch is not just for dead vehicles. It gives you controlled, repeatable loading and keeps you out from between a rolling car and a trailer. If you buy one, sort the power source at the same time: a dedicated battery on the trailer tongue with a charging line, not a set of jumper cables run to the truck every time.
Decking, Tie-Downs and Brakes
Deck material. Treated wood is cheaper, replaceable in sections, and grippier when wet. Steel and diamond plate last longer and clean up easier but get slick. In New England, add one more factor: road salt. Whatever the deck, the frame underneath is what salt attacks. Ask what the frame coating is, and expect galvanized or a quality powder coat to outlive plain painted steel by years here.
Tie-downs. The federal cargo securement rules for commercial carriers set a useful benchmark even if you are hauling privately. Under 49 CFR 393.128, automobiles, light trucks and vans weighing 10,000 pounds or less must be restrained at both the front and the rear to prevent lateral, forward, rearward and vertical movement, using a minimum of two tiedowns. Heavier vehicles fall under 49 CFR 393.130, which requires a minimum of four.
Two things follow from that. First, the rule is about restraining in all four directions at both ends, which in practice means four straps, not two. Second, straps are only as good as what they attach to. Count the D-rings, stake pockets or E-track on any trailer you consider, and check where they sit relative to where a car's wheels actually land. Anchor points in the wrong place are decorative.
Brakes. Almost every car hauler will need them. New Hampshire's brake requirement and the narrow exemption that applies to lighter trailers are covered in our guide to trailer axle capacity, along with how to calculate the axle rating you need. A loaded car hauler is not a trailer to under-spec.
Five Mistakes We See on the Lot
- Buying by overall length. The number that matters is usable deck length between the fenders.
- Ignoring the enclosed trailer's empty weight. It comes straight out of your truck's payload and towing headroom before the car is loaded.
- Never checking the loading angle. The single most common reason a new trailer sits unused.
- Too few anchor points, or anchor points in the wrong spots. Four directions, both ends.
- Forgetting what rides along with the car. Fuel, tools, spares and wheels are real weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long a car hauler do I need for a typical sedan? Measure the specific car and compare it to usable length between the fenders, not overall trailer length. Most full-size sedans fit comfortably on an 18 foot deck; the constraint is more often ramp geometry than length.
Can I pull an enclosed car hauler with a half ton truck? Sometimes, but check payload before towing capacity. Tongue weight counts against your truck's payload rating along with passengers and gear, and that is usually what runs out first on a half ton.
Wood deck or steel deck? Wood is cheaper to repair and grippier wet. Steel lasts longer and cleans easier. In a salt state, the frame coating matters more than the deck material.
Do I need a winch? Not for a running vehicle you load regularly and comfortably. Worth it if you load alone, load non-running vehicles, or want controlled loading on a steep ramp angle.
Does an open hauler damage paint? Not by itself. The risk is stone chips and road spray over long distances, and salt in winter. For a daily driver or project car it is a non-issue. For finished paint on long hauls, it is the main argument for enclosed.
How many straps should I use? Four is the practical answer: restraint at both the front and the rear, working against movement in every direction. That mirrors what the federal rules require of commercial haulers.
Bring Us the Car, Not Just the Measurements
The fastest way to get this right is to stop guessing. Bring the year, make and model to our shop in Goffstown, or bring the car itself, and we will check it against the units on the lot. Deck length, width between fenders, ramp angle, tie-down layout. All four numbers, in ten minutes.
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Sources Consulted
- 2026 Honda Accord specifications and curb weights, Kelley Blue Book: https://www.kbb.com/honda/accord/2026/specs
- 2026 Honda Accord specifications, Honda newsroom: https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-automobiles/releases/release-c26685400737027f7d053958c3096f21-2026-honda-accord-specifications-features
- 2026 Tesla Model Y specifications and curb weights, Kelley Blue Book: https://www.kbb.com/tesla/model-y/2026/specs
- 2026 Ford F-150 Technical Specifications, Ford Media: https://www.fromtheroad.ford.com/content/dam/fordmediasite/us/en/library/2026/specs/2026_Ford_F150_Specs.pdf
- 49 CFR 393.128, Specific securement requirements for automobiles, light trucks, and vans, eCFR: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-393/subpart-I/subject-group-ECFR4edbddd531bf160/section-393.128
- 49 CFR 393.130, Specific securement requirements for heavy vehicles, equipment, and machinery: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/393.130