New trailer purchase options. Bubba's Vs PJ?

[rholbrook]

I have determined that trailer shopping at a dealer in NOTHING like car shopping. Car salesman try to talk you up, talk about the features of a car, show you the options, etc.
This is a trailer dealer:
Me: Hi, I am interested in buying a trailer. I am looking for a car hauler, 20'.
Them: ok. That's this one. It's xxxx amount of dollars.
*****silence*******
Me: that looks really nice, what makes it better than so and so's trailer?
them: ours is better quality
*****silence****


Wasatch told me they sell more than 150 trailers a month . No wonder they don't care to chit chat, they don't need my sale..

Did you speak with the owner Todd?

 

[jeeper]

Did you speak with the owner Todd?

No, I saw your post after..
I talked with jake first, then Jeff at Bubba's, Then back to wasatch and dealt with ...... Um... starts with a B?.

 

[rholbrook]

Call and talk to Todd and tell him Russ told you to call him

 

[clfrnacwby]

RME hookups are the best!

 

[UFAB]

Ha ha, true the salesman experience part. Trailer dealer lots always appear to have an interesting sales team

 

[jeeper]

I didn't tell of my purchase yesterday because I didn't bring it home with me, as I was in my car when I bought it... My second trip to Wasatch yesterday was a purchase.

While I was there yesterday they started pulling my trailer out, and said they would get it washed and ready with the spare tire, check air and lugs, etc.
While I was not impressed with the salesmen at all, they were better than Bubba's.
I showed up this morning a little after 10:00. I waited for about 20 min while they finished paper work with someone in front of me. My paper work went really quick, and it was off to the yard to wait for my trailer. After about 25 min of standing in the yard, the friendly yard man Said he was on his way to find my trailer. I hadn't been able to find it while I was waiting.. but knew it was there somewhere, as they prepped it yesterday, right? After about 20 min the yard man came back empty handed.. We started searching together... He didn't know what mine looked like, and I didn't have the tag number (how he was identifying trailers) together we searched the yard pretty quick, but couldn't find it..
But there was this one trailer we passed up that couldn't have been mine. It was dirty, missing the spare, and was loaded with other tires and fenders..


But it was mine...So much for having it prepped and ready for me

We got the tires unloaded, and he started to wash it, add the spare, and fill the tires with air..
I noticed a few spots that were missing paint..


We tried to pull the ramps out, but the ramp door was crooked, and wedged funny (must have been bent by the fork lift while getting unloaded) a big hammer later it was straight, and missing more paint..

It was finally ready to go! I spent just a few minutes shy of 2 hours trying to pick it up. The kids were hungry and unhappy, I was irritated, and was not impressed with the service I got. It wasn't until that moment that I remembered I swore not to go to a dealer ever again the last time I bought a car from a dealer..

Sadness and anger aside, it towed well all the way home. One of my fender mounts is not square so the fender is leaning out away from the trailer.. but it's on the driver side, so I only have to stare at it every time I look in my mirror for the next 10 years or so, right?

Looks nice.


I ended up with a 20', but only 7k rated.
I had no sooner pulled into the driveway when I got a call.. Derek had some major engine troubles in his truck and was stranded..


The trailer had her maiden voyage on the first day of ownership. It towed very well under load, and I didn't realize how bad the brakes were on my last trailer until I towed this one! it stopped very well.
The trailer seemed to flex quite a bit more than my last one.. I imagine the side rails on the last one added some rigidity.
There are a few things about this trailer that I don't like.. The tongue for example.. It has a different style coupler than I am used to, and the jack is a bit small and low. However, these things are not inferior to what I had previously, just different, and I take time to adjust to new things. I am sure after a few uses that they wont bother me any more, and I may find them superior..

 

[Kevin B.]

Looks good. Thanks for the report on the dealership.

I think Tonkaman has the most unToyitaish Toyota ever. I think it's a Nissan in disguise.

 

[jeeper]

I think Tonkaman has the most unToyitaish Toyota ever. I think it's a Nissan in disguise.

I was thinking I would get a license plate frame for the trailer that says "...Because my friends have Toyotas"

 

[Tonkaman]

I think Tonkaman has the most unToyitaish Toyota ever. I think it's a Nissan in disguise.

No kidding!! All this Toyota reliability talk is a bunch of rubbish!
I'm just glad I have friends with car haulers...

 

[Toad]

To fix the fender leaning issue put a washer(s) between the fender and 2x2 outrigger that it mounts to. Also their is three little tabs welded to the frame rail. Those get bent out and the fender flops around. For the two mounted right inside the tires I use a pry bar and smack it with a hammer to tighten them up. When you have a rig that is to wide to get through the fenders remove the right side. That way you can see the left one and dont run it over. I had a problem with cars getting high centered with mine. I assume you have the 5 foot long three inch channel ramps. I extended mine to the full width of the trailer. Had to modify the rails underneath the trailer but it was easy to do.

 

[jeeper]

I had a problem with cars getting high centered with mine. I assume you have the 5 foot long three inch channel ramps. I extended mine to the full width of the trailer. Had to modify the rails underneath the trailer but it was easy to do.

This was my thought exactly. They worked fine for Dereks truck, but I imagine a sedan will be a different story. Other folks I talked to say they just get good at finding the 'right spot' to load, where the trailer can be in a dip, or use a curb, etc. It is completely STUPID that a trailer designed to carry a CAR cant come with ramps to LOAD THE CAR!!!

 

[ChestonScout]

Oil change car ramps under the back wheels of the tow rig helps


But cars are lame anyway.

 

[jeeper]

Oil change car ramps under the back wheels of the tow rig helps


But cars are lame anyway.

There are definitely lots of options to solve the problem, but my point is that it shouldn't be an issue in the first place.
PJ is happy to sell me some 'race ramps' which are basically the oil change ramps.. But then you have extra times to take, strap down etc. If they recognize an issue, why not solve it?

 

[Toad]

I would guess your trailer is a little lower than mine. It is a heavier equipment trailer. Even with the seven foot ramps I still have cars that get stuck. I talked to Wasatch about 6 months ago I was considering a new trailer. Asked if they could built it with a seven foot ramp. Told me that they would bend. I have driven some large skid steers up mine without a problem. I use the tongue jack and lift the front of trailer while it is attached to the truck. Like Cheston said cars suck.

 

[Maverick]

I use a trailer like this. I love it. It doesn't really matter what kind of car you haul on it, it'll be easy to load.

Unless it's an extracab or crewcab pickup. Then I guess you just use ramps.

Edit: nice trailer! Loved my 16' PJ. Sold it for more than I paid for it when I bought my Paiute.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

Drive faster.

 

[jeeper]

I've had very real thoughts about buying one of these, and build the front up to be a good kicker for dirt bikes.

 

[sawtooth4x4]

If you could jump your truck while it's attached to the trailer. I'll give you a dollar.

 

[jeeper]

If you could jump your truck while it's attached to the trailer. I'll give you a dollar.

That's the idea