Well, after my 3rd bad experience with buying used trailers, I've talked my husband into buying new.  We're trying to stay in the under $7k range, but maybe could go a little over for the right trailer.  I'm picky, I don't like stock types (don't mind combo stock types that are mostly enclosed though) and I really am attached to 2-horse straight loads with mangers or dressing rooms, but could be talked into a slant.  I'm just not familiar with them and they are out of my comfort zone.  Problem is, I've got to stay smaller/lighter having an older half-ton pickup so something with a dressing room would probably be too big, unless it was a slant with a LEEEETLE dressing room.

It's going to be a trailer to get me to shows and lessons, used maybe 10-20 times per year seldom in the winter, and kept under an overhang and taken well care of.

So, because of my price range I'm looking at steel trailers, but preferably with the galvaneel panels.  I did look into the all aluminum Eclipse 2-horse slant $6,995 special model but I was told that since the length of these trailers is on the short side, my 16.2H horse probably wouldn't fit in it using the dividers (too short).  I don't want to limit myself and may be hauling 2 horses sometimes, so that's not an option.

So what I've considered so far:

Bee K & K Wrangler--It's considered a combo/stock but they have an option with the bus windows on the sides instead of slats.  Mangers, tack storage with saddle racks underneath and tack accessible from outside, one escape door on one side, full rear door with upper 1/3rd slats  $5,800

http://www.beetrailers.com/trailers/kandk-horse-trailers/wrangler/wrangler.html

Bee Super Bee walkthrough--Enclosed with escape door in nose, mangers with tack & racks underneath, access to tack from inside.  Full rear double doors $7,500

http://www.beetrailers.com/trailers/bumper-pull-straight-load-trailers/two-horse-super-bee-walk-through/two-horse-super-bee-walk-through.html

CM Circuit Champ--Really similar to the K & K Wrangler but fully enclosed and with curtain doors $6,000

http://www.cmtrailers.com/trailers/circuitchampbp.html

Double D Adventurer--Combo/stock type with slats all around and single rear door, manger on one side $7,800  (the most expensive for the features, but maybe it's construction quality makes it better & worth more??)

http://www.doubledtrailers.com/xml/TrailerDetail.aspx?id=190922

That's all I've found so far, if anyone has an suggestions/comments about what I'm considering that would be great!  Or any other manufacturers that make similar trailers in that range?  And comments about the quality of the trailer brands I'm considering would be appreciated.

I would purchase a used all aluminum trailer of many name brands, before I bought any new steel trailer. This is especially cognizant of where you live, which is similar to my environment.

Gard

I just checked  on the availability of used trailers in the for sale section. There currently are 1751 two horse trailers for sale in the $5 K - $10 K range. I would venture to say that at least half are of aluminum construction.

I don't know the particulars of your local financing requirements or procedures. If we needed it, our credit union would give us that much on an unsecured loan.

Purchasing a less quality new trailer, over a better, proven, older trailer doesn't make economic sense. The new trailer will depreciate, the older one has done so, and its future value will always be determined by condition. The new trailer has an unknown track record, the older one has a proven provenance by its condition. The new trailer may be constructed of inferior products in a cost cutting purchase. The older trailer can be better built and longer lasting, and less expensive to own.

The maintenance on non LQ trailers is little, and can be performed by any minimally trained mechanic. The only wearing or moving parts are few, and are usually long lasting. The money saved on a used trailer is usually significant enough to warrant updates to make it "like new again".

Saving a few percentage points on a loan, should not be a good reason to be forced into purchasing an inferior trailer.

Gard

I am also in the market for a steel trailer.  The last steel trailer I had was around 20 years old before I traded it in.  We took good care of it.   I find the prices of Newer Used Aluminum Trailers to be high.  And the lower priced ones are OLD. 

I will not be hauling every weekend and mainly staying local.  To me, I can not justify spending my $ for an older aluminum trailer when I can spend the same for a new/newer steel that could last just as long.  See the below link I found which compares aluminium/steel.

http://www.equispirit.com/info/aluminum-horse-trailers-2.htm

  See the below link I found which compares aluminum/steel.http://www.equispirit.com/info/aluminum-horse-trailers-2.htm

You live in LA and a steel trailer may be a very viable product for your use.

RE: the link you provided of a materials comparison, is an obviously unbiased report written by a company that builds non-aluminum trailers. You will find that a visit to any of the builders' websites of similar products, will produce the same damning "testimonials" and "expert advice".

I've written this before and it continues to have some validity:

The builders of steel trailers will constantly harp on the "problems" of using the "soft" and "weak" aluminum metals and how the welds are constantly failing. This is nothing more than pure bunk, as proven by the thousands of reliable aluminum trailers on the road every day. Many transportation devises safely use aluminum construction. Millions of people are annually moved in aluminum conveyances, and countless tons of products are transported daily using this product. These are undisputable facts.

If a company chooses not to build an aluminum product, that's their prerogative. To spread misinformation about their competition, is an egregious disservice to the public.

I am not "anti steel". There is a place for both materials within our industry. Each has particular advantages. I am against the flagrant attempts by one part of the industry, to unfairly, and knowingly try to discredit another.

gard

Delta does make a good trailer.I sold one last summer for more than I paid for it,had all new tires and some perks we'd added,but,it sure was solid,and,it had a steel floor in it.3H slant,and the people didn't blink an eye when I priced it to them.It was a BP,and,could get a little "tail wagging the dog" feeling if you lightened up the tongue weight,tho. 

Got a 4H  slant Wrangler GN that we are getting rid of to buy an older Sooner,and the Wrangler is built like a tank.Man,that thing looks like a big bus going down the road,but,you don't even know it's back there.You get what you pay for,but,we've had some good steel trailers over the years.S&H was one of the best.That was a NICE  little trailer.

Thanks Paul, but I did look into the Eclipse as I mentioned above, and the one promotional trailer for $6995 which is the only one I could afford is too short for my 16.2H guy.  He said that trailer is 21" shorter than their more expensive 2-horse slant, so the divders are angled sharper and provide a shorter length for the horse to stand.  He said maybe a 15H-15.2H horse would be comfortable, but not my big guy.  I was bummed.

My husband is balking a little at the $7k range anyways, I think he wants to stay closer to $5k so I'm even more limited.  I haven't seen any used aluminums priced that low except your basic stock type.  I don't mind the stock trailers, but I'm a dressage snob and really prefer pulling up to the shows in a horse trailer.  Plus I MAY do some winter hauling, and our winters here do get VERY cold.  So even if I get a combo/stock type like the Bee K & K Wrangler, I'll probably have some plexiglass cut and ready to slide into the slats for the colder months.

I found a dealer who has two of the Wranglers in stock that will sell them for lower than I've ever seen them advertised, so I'm going out there Saturday to look at them.  I'm still keeping an open mind though!

Yes, I do have a Titan dealer close that has an Avalanche II at a very reasonable price.  It's still getting too high for my husband's comfort level but if I can convince him to go higher I would consider that or a used aluminum (but I have yet to find one with even some of what's on my wish list for under $9k which is too high).

The Bee K & K's I'm looking at are also galvaneal sheets and the frames are undercoated.  They also use 3 coats of rust inhibitor primer on the steel frame (and predrill the weld & screw holes first), and 3 coats of Valspar paint over that, which is more than what some other brands do.

I think I have found my trailer!  I am probably going to disappoint some on here by going all steel, but I'm making my husband very happy by getting something cheap enough we can pay cash for.  The Bee dealer I was talking to knew we really wanted to go used originally, and he called me yesterday because they just got a '99 CM Circuit Champ in on trade.  It's got the 7' height option and the ramp w/curtain doors option, and I really wanted a ramp load anyways but it was going to be one of my compromises.  My horse is a clumsy lummox backing out of the step ups and he's scraped his foot/leg up pretty bad on them in the past when his foot slipped off the end. 

It's in great shape, a little surface rust but nothing major, and it's been well cared for.  He has it VERY fairly priced according to my research too.  He's giving it a full inspection today and I'll probably go get it tomorrow morning!

I think I'll probably keep this trailer for 2-3 years, then sell it and get a nice all aluminum.  At this point getting the trailer of my dreams was just not the right timing, but this will be a great interim trailer until then.

Here's the trailer you're looking....!

http://www.horsetrailerworld.com/home/trailerdetail.asp?ID=168472