New Trailer

[crashz]

Bought a new trailer this weekend, and until I towed it, I didn't realize how nice a good trailer really is.

Lets say our old one (my fathers) is less than compliant. It had brakes, only on one axle, which had long been removed as it was a 9K lb trailer and MA had some weird reg that allowed up to 10K without brakes. That was a long time ago. The wood is rotted, the axles are the old house trailer type (though the standard back when it was new), the trailer frame racked, tongue bent, bad wiring and lights constantly out. Good tires though.

So with a few side jobs coming up and regular trips from my house in NH to our property in NY, the old trailer needed to be rebuilt or replaced. Being a sixteen footer, it was always 2 ft too short as well. So I bought a new 18ft, 10K lb trailer. Its built by Quality Steel and Aluminum Products and was sold by Candia Trailer Sales. I had shopped them out a few years ago, so I knew they carried a good product. But I bought this one unseen. Comparing prices alone, the price was inline with other stores in NH on similar brands, but much less than the Big Tex, Cam and Rice trailers. So I figured I would be buying an "economy" trailer. It is by far a premium trailer. LED lights, spring assist ramps, 5 ton trailer jack, adjustment free brakes, tool box, powder coat finish, removable fenders, etc. And tows like a dream! I had to constantly look back to make sure it was still there! No banging or bouncing down the road. Just smooth and easy handling.

Candia Trailer Sales is a good place, they work hard to get you in and out with what you need. The tech came out, adjusted the hitch height, fixed my pintle hitch and gave me a crash course on use and maintenance. Friendly and good service. They do great work too. For some reason they always seem so busy...

I'll get a few pictures when I load the tractor on it.

 

[timswi]

Congrats!! Yes a new trailer is great thing...I have a Rice and I love it. Mine is 16', as you stated--18' would be better. I wet with a utility type as a compromise since I haul all kinds of stuff over long distances sometimes.

 

[fried1765]

Bought a new trailer this weekend, and until I towed it, I didn't realize how nice a good trailer really is.

Lets say our old one (my fathers) is less than compliant. It had brakes, only on one axle, which had long been removed as it was a 9K lb trailer and MA had some weird reg that allowed up to 10K without brakes. That was a long time ago. The wood is rotted, the axles are the old house trailer type (though the standard back when it was new), the trailer frame racked, tongue bent, bad wiring and lights constantly out. Good tires though.

So with a few side jobs coming up and regular trips from my house in NH to our property in NY, the old trailer needed to be rebuilt or replaced. Being a sixteen footer, it was always 2 ft too short as well. So I bought a new 18ft, 10K lb trailer. Its built by Quality Steel and Aluminum Products and was sold by Candia Trailer Sales. I had shopped them out a few years ago, so I knew they carried a good product. But I bought this one unseen. Comparing prices alone, the price was inline with other stores in NH on similar brands, but much less than the Big Tex, Cam and Rice trailers. So I figured I would be buying an "economy" trailer. It is by far a premium trailer. LED lights, spring assist ramps, 5 ton trailer jack, adjustment free brakes, tool box, powder coat finish, removable fenders, etc. And tows like a dream! I had to constantly look back to make sure it was still there! No banging or bouncing down the road. Just smooth and easy handling.

Candia Trailer Sales is a good place, they work hard to get you in and out with what you need. The tech came out, adjusted the hitch height, fixed my pintle hitch and gave me a crash course on use and maintenance. Friendly and good service. They do great work too. For some reason they always seem so busy...

I'll get a few pictures when I load the tractor on it.

I special ordered a new 14K- 20' Quality Steel & Aluminum equipment trailer from an RV dealer in MA.
I got a quote from Candia, but when I was ready to buy (60 days later) Candia raised the quote by $400.
Bait & switch pricing?
That instantly drove me away.
Ordered, and bought, the same spec. 14K trailer from the other dealer, for the same price as the ORIGINAL quote from Candia.
No MA. sales tax, because I was an out of state buyer.

 

[crashz]

Nice Trailer Tim! I like the Rice trailers. Nice rig! I don't think I've seen a utility trailer quite like that.

Fried - I'm sure you're going to love that trailer! These are built very well. The only thing I wish I did was buy it 2 years ago! Sorry to hear about the treatment at Candia. I've been up there at least 4 times and they always treated me well, but they are always very busy. Sounds like they just screwed up, but depending on when that was, it could have been a steel price issue. A Cam dealer told me (last week) that prices were sky-rocketing next month due to steel prices.

 

[fried1765]

Nice Trailer Tim! I like the Rice trailers. Nice rig! I don't think I've seen a utility trailer quite like that.

Fried - I'm sure you're going to love that trailer! These are built very well. The only thing I wish I did was buy it 2 years ago! Sorry to hear about the treatment at Candia. I've been up there at least 4 times and they always treated me well, but they are always very busy. Sounds like they just screwed up, but depending on when that was, it could have been a steel price issue. A Cam dealer told me (last week) that prices were sky-rocketing next month due to steel prices.

Likely Not a steel price issue.
I bought my Quality Steel & Aluminum trailer TWO years ago.
Steel prices were stable!
Candia claimed that trailer shipping costs (from QS&A in Elkhart, ID) had gone up.
That would seem to mean that trailer shipping cost rose $400 to Candia, in NH.,..... but not to the MA. dealer?
Absolute baloney !!!

 

[JJZ 109]

No MA. sales tax, because I was an out of state buyer.

Yup, there are ways around this sometimes. As a NY resident I paid no sales tax buying my tilt bed in PA. I put a Maine plate on it. Because I had a DOT number I paid no sales tax there either.
As a bonus, the trailer would be $75 or more to register in NY. Maine was $99 for 5 years. I've got 3 trailers registered there.

 

[check]

I special ordered a new 14K- 20' Quality Steel & Aluminum equipment trailer from an RV dealer in MA. I got a quote from Candia, but when I was ready to buy (60 days later) Candia raised the quote by $400. Bait & switch pricing? That instantly drove me away. Ordered, and bought, the same spec. 14K trailer from the other dealer, for the same price as the ORIGINAL quote from Candia. No MA. sales tax, because I was an out of state buyer.

Who is Candia? I am mot familiar with tha brand.

 

[crashz]

They are a dealer local to me, Quality Steel and Aluminum Products is the company.

Sorry to hear of the trouble Fried. It definitely seems like the screwed up and lost the sale. BTW - how do like the trailer?

 

[fried1765]

They are a dealer local to me, Quality Steel and Aluminum Products is the company.

Sorry to hear of the trouble Fried. It definitely seems like the screwed up and lost the sale. BTW - how do like the trailer?

The trailer is fine, and solidly built, but I do not think it is the best equipment trailer out there.
I was looking for the most bang for the buck in a 20' 14K equipment trailer. ($4400 out the door) I think I got it.
I don't like powder coating....never have. It chips easily, and rust forms underneath.
One grease zerk was damaged/bent, and would not take grease.
One wheel stud/nut was cross threaded. Didn't take trailer back for fix ...dealer is150 miles away.
I cheaped out, and did not include a a rub rail in the order .....mistake!
I had to add some extra tie down rings (it came with only 8).
I think PJ's may be a bit fancier/nicer, but more expensive, and I was not looking for fancy.
I wanted a 14K 20' equipment trailer for twice a year use, but did not want to buy unsafe/used/then fix it/ junk.
I will not buy another trailer (am 77 years old), but if I did, I think I would consider Kaufman Trailers in Lexington, North Carolina.
Kaufman has an excellent reputation, is VERY price competitive, and they deliver.

 

[fried1765]

Yup, there are ways around this sometimes. As a NY resident I paid no sales tax buying my tilt bed in PA. I put a Maine plate on it. Because I had a DOT number I paid no sales tax there either.
As a bonus, the trailer would be $75 or more to register in NY. Maine was $99 for 5 years. I've got 3 trailers registered there.

There are reportedly more than 811,000 trailers registered in Maine.
I have two of them!