The Gatormade expierence.

[downslope]

Do you mean they offer an upgrade for all the wiring to be done correctly instead of with skotchloks? I mentioned this to my Gatormade salesman when I bought mine, that I would have been willing to pay extra for better wiring. I guess I must not be the only customer who asked for it if they started offering it.

Unfortunately this is the way it's going with trailers today, take what used to be standard and make it an extra cost item. I was looking at a trailer (new) online a few weeks ago and if you wanted the underside painted it was an additional charge. Put wiring in a conduit, extra charge, Dexter axles, extra charge.. All of this is fine as long as the seller is up front about it. Someone who beats heck out of a trailer in commercial transport and gets rid of it in just a few years may not care if the bottom is painted or not, they just want it to be structurally sound.

 

[logdog]

It would seem to me that those of us on TBN are more informed about these types of purchases and we look closer at the details. I think it would be a safe assumption that non-TBNers may be more apt to look at just price. If you have two trailers at two dealers and they "look" the same but there is a 300 buck price difference, I think the cheaper one will sell more often. Even if the 300 more expensive one has better wiring and a more efficient central turn signal lube dispenser. Again I am talking about non-TBNers, which happen to buy more trailers than us TBNers.

 

[MasseyWV]

I think it would be a safe assumption that non-TBNers may be more apt to look at just price.

This is exactly why quality has gone out the window in most products that are manufactured today. Especially in products that are manufactured overseas. Even USA made products seem to be suffering in quality as manufacturers try to compete by sacrificing quality in favor of the bottom line (IE: profits).

Cheaper is not always better, but try telling that to the average Joe.

 

[logdog]

Cheaper is not always better, but try telling that to the average Joe.

That is a much better way to say what I was trying to say!

 

[kneedeep]

This thread wore me out reading it!! :confused2:

I am looking to buy a 20' Bumper 12-14K to haul a 25K$ :tractor: from point A to B and then back to Point A when I am through using it.

I want the best I CAN afford, not the best at the cheapest price,

I am looking real hard at a Kaufman because I can BUY all the little things that I want for about the same price as a comparable Big Tex on the yard 5 minutes from home does not offer- like spring assist ramps, 8K axle upgrade, waterproof wiring (??), tire upgrade and spare, and 2' longer.

I am buying a transport vehicle for my big boy toy that will live outside and not in the barn, won't get washed unless it rains real hard, will only get serviced when it breaks and will probably get a good dose of used tractor oil on the deck instead of Thompsons Water Seal.

If I was looking for a perfect trailer, I would got to a fab shop and have one built to my specs with all the latest gidgets and whatnots, then take it to Billy Bobs Body Shop for a candyapple flame pinstripe clearcoat paint job and be prepared to write a big fat check for it.

I really just want to haul my tractor safely without roadside repairs. Sadly, I fully expect to have to work on whatever I buy and be just as mad as davygp38.
American pride and quality DOES have a price and it ain't cheap!

My :2cents:

:thumbsup:

 

[danito]

I was looking for Gatormade reviews and just fell on this thread. Honestly I don't understand most of you guys. If you think Gatormade is built cheap, why not go with another brand? Is it maybe because they cost more? If so you are doing exactly what you are complaining about; going for the cost instead of quality. Then you complain about the quality of certain details..

IMO if the trailer is structurally well built then I'm OK with cheap wiring, or even some paint drips, because the alternative is to fork an extra 1k$ for another brand.. To me these details aren't worth the extra money. To each his own I guess...

 

[jeffsw6]

IMO if the trailer is structurally well built then I'm OK with cheap wiring, or even some paint drips, because the alternative is to fork an extra 1k$ for another brand.. To me these details aren't worth the extra money. To each his own I guess...

Depending on what you are buying, the cost difference may be a lot more than $1k, and that is why I bought Gatormade. My 8.5x20 enclosed with several customizations was about $7700, a Haulmark or Wells Cargo would have been around $13k. That is a huge price difference and fixing some wiring is well worth that cost-savings.

I think if you re-read this thread, you would find a lot of remarks like mine, and only a few people who are really complaining or dissatisfied.

 

[MasseyWV]

IMO if the trailer is structurally well built then I'm OK with cheap wiring, or even some paint drips, because the alternative is to fork an extra 1k$ for another brand.. To me these details aren't worth the extra money.

If they are willing to skimp on something as simple as the wiring and paint when buildng a trailer, how do you really know that it's structurally sound? They could use poor quality steel. It could be full of bad welds. And the list goes on...

 

[kneedeep]

If a company sells a trailer that is structually solid and uses good steel welded correctly that may have cheap paint, trailer service tires and crappy wiring for a cheap price are they doing anything ileagal?
Most people wanting a utility trailer don't want to spend a lot of money and will buy cheap trailers. That is why there is a good market for cheap trailers! Just look around at all the trailers with mismatched tires, fenders missing, bent frames, all rusted up, decking rotten or missing etc!!! Thats all they can afford or need!! They will run em till they die then find another one, tire her up and hit the road!
Any company that sells a product that fails and is determined to be faulty has opened themselves up for all kinds of legal dealings and most know that. If they have been around long ,it ain't cause they sell junk. They have found a market that works for them. It is hard to make a profit selling trailers.

People will buy a 7K # trailer and load it down with 10K # and raise all heaven when the tires blow or the hubs burn up at 75MPH. Most trailer service tires are rated only for 60 MPH!!!

Buy what you need and expect to get what you pay for.

My humble opinion

 

[fisherridge]

my 2 cents here:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...made-trailers-still-gets-c-3.html#post2865088