Buying a car trailer for sale makes sense if you move cars often: track days, a small dealership, a panel shop or a project car. The right trailer carries your heaviest car with margin, has brakes that suit its mass, and is easy to load without scraping a low bumper. New trailers are built to order or sold off the floor, while second hand ones vary a lot. Tell us the vehicles you will carry and your budget, and dealers and builders near you will send free, no-obligation quotes.
Types of car trailer
- Single axle: lighter and cheaper, for small cars and short trips.
- Tandem axle: carries more, tracks better at speed and is safer if a tyre fails. Most people moving bakkies or SUVs choose tandem.
- Tilt bed: the deck tips to the ground, so low cars load without long ramps.
- Braked: overrun brakes are needed for heavier trailers. Ask the dealer what the rules require for the trailer's GVM.
- Winch plate: a mount at the front for a winch, which makes non-running cars much easier to load.
Licensing and roadworthy
Trailers in South Africa are registered and licensed like any vehicle, and the licence disc must be current. A used trailer needs a roadworthy certificate before it can be registered to a new owner, so ask the seller who arranges it. Check that the VIN plate on the drawbar matches the papers. Your tow vehicle's braked capacity must cover the trailer plus the car, and your licence code must cover the combination, often code EB for heavier setups.
What to inspect on a used trailer
Look under the deck for rust, cracked welds and bent cross members. Check the springs, wheel bearings and tyre dates, and lift each wheel to feel for play. Test the brakes and every light. A worn coupling or a sagging drawbar is common; see trailer hitches and couplings for parts. If you only need a trailer now and then, car trailer hire may cost less than owning one.
Price and comparing quotes
Asking prices run about R19,000 to R155,000, with most between about R34,000 and R75,000. Deck length, axles, brakes, tilt and a winch push the price up. Compare quotes on the same features and ask about delivery, licensing costs and lead time for a built-to-order trailer. Make sure your tow bar is rated for the full load.
What to include in your request
- Heaviest vehicle you will carry
- Single or tandem axle
- Braked, tilt bed or winch wanted
- New or second hand, and budget
- Your tow vehicle and its towing capacity
Car Trailers for Sale for different clients
- Motorists and families: a trailer to move a project car, a non-runner or a car to a new city
- Company fleets and rental firms: a trailer to shift pool cars between branches and service centres
- Truckers, buses and logistics: a braked tandem trailer behind a support truck to move light vehicles
- Farmers and 4x4 owners: a sturdy trailer that carries a bakkie, quad or small tractor between farms
- Dealers, panel beaters and workshops: a tilt bed trailer with a winch for moving stock, auction cars and repairs
- Construction, mining and plant hire: a heavy trailer for site bakkies, compactors and small plant
- Caravan, boat and bike owners: a tilt bed trailer for a race car, track car or off-road buggy
- Municipalities, estates and schools: a trailer for moving municipal cars, carts and small utility vehicles
Frequently asked questions
How much does a car trailer cost in South Africa?
Single or tandem axle for a car trailer?
Do I need a special licence to tow a car trailer?
Who sends me the trailer quotes?
Car Trailers for Sale by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg