Enclosed Car Hauler Buyer's Guide

If you own a show car, a race car, a project build, or a classic worth protecting, an enclosed car hauler is the only way to travel. Open trailers are cheaper, but they leave your paint exposed to rock chips, rain, road salt, and every set of eyes at the truck stop. An enclosed hauler keeps the car clean, dry, and out of sight. At Outlaw Supercenter in Douglas, Georgia, we help car folks pick the right hauler all the time, so here is the honest buyer's guide.

Length: measure the car, then add room

The most common mistake is buying a hauler that is exactly as long as the car. You need working room, tie-down angle, and space for a jack, tools, and a tire. As a rule of thumb, add 4 to 6 feet to the length of your vehicle.

• Compact or classic car: 8.5-wide by 20-foot works for most
• Full-size car or muscle car: 8.5-wide by 24-foot gives real working room
• Truck, SUV, or a car plus a workbench: 8.5-wide by 28-foot
• Two cars or a car plus a bike and gear: 28 to 32-foot gooseneck

For any real car hauling you want the full 8.5-wide box. It gives you room to open the car doors inside the trailer, which you will appreciate every single time you load and unload.

Axles and weight: do not cut corners

A car hauler needs to carry the car plus the trailer plus your tools and spares, and it needs brakes that can stop all of it. For most single-car haulers, a tandem axle with the right weight rating is the baseline. For longer haulers, heavier vehicles, or a gooseneck carrying two cars, step up to triple axle. More axles means more braking, more tire on the road, and a steadier ride at speed.

When to consider a gooseneck

If you are hauling long, hauling heavy, or hauling often, a gooseneck is worth a hard look. Goosenecks tow far more stable than a bumper-pull because the weight sits over the truck's rear axle instead of behind the bumper. They also turn tighter and back up more predictably, which matters when you are threading into a paddock or a tight garage. For two-car setups or dedicated race haulers, gooseneck is usually the answer.

Ramp door and loading

You are driving a low car in and out, so the ramp geometry is critical. A standard ramp angle can scrape a lowered front bumper or an air dam. Spec these to load clean:

1. 1A heavy-duty rear ramp door rated well above your car's weight
2. 2A beavertail or extended ramp so low cars clear the transition
3. 3A spring-assist or torsion-assist ramp so it lifts easy
4. 4A side man-door up front so you can exit after the car is loaded
5. 5Optional escape door or driver-side access if you build a two-car layout

Tell us how low your car sits when you come in. We can spec ramp options that keep your splitter off the ground.

Tie-downs that protect the car

How you secure the car matters as much as the trailer itself. Most serious haulers run E-track down the floor so they can set anchor points exactly where the car's tie-down points land. Soft loops or wheel straps let you tie to the tires instead of the frame, which is easier on the suspension over long hauls.

The trailer protects the paint, but the tie-down protects the car. Anchor to the wheels with E-track and your suspension stays happy over a thousand miles.

Interior height and clearance

Do not forget vertical space. A tall SUV or a truck on tall tires can top out a standard-height trailer. Ask about extra interior height if you are hauling anything taller than a low car, and factor in the height of a roof rack, light bar, or antenna. It is a cheap upgrade at order time and a real headache to fix later.

Options that make a car hauler great

• Bright interior LED lighting so you can load and inspect in any garage
• An escape or side door for easy in-and-out once the car is strapped
• Upgraded flooring that resists oil, fuel, and dropped tools
• Roof vents to keep the box cool and dry when parked
• Cabinets, workbench, or an overhead for tools, fluids, and spares
• A Poly-Cor finish and color that matches your tow rig and looks sharp

Custom builds for serious haulers

If you are building a dedicated race or show hauler, we can go further with custom builds through Diamond Cargo and Xtreme Cargo. Think cabinets, a workbench, a power package with shore power and outlets, insulation, and even an AC unit so you are not roasting at the track. Tell us how you use the trailer and we will build it around your car and your day.

We keep over 200 trailers in stock and finance all credit types, so we can put you in the right car hauler whether it is a weekend cruiser or a full race program. Come see us in Douglas, GA or call (800) 281-5084 and we will spec a hauler that keeps your car safe every mile.