Enclosed Trailer a Bad Idea for Me?

Hey guys! I read a bunch of posts here on grassroots about open vs. enclosed trailers. But I'd still like some feedback. 
 

I own a beautiful Porsche 911 with a recent paint correction and ceramic coating. I just did my first Porsche rally in the Smoky Mountains and I want to make it a regular thing. But a) I don't want to put boring freeway miles on my car b) I don't want to expose it to the elements during those long drives.

So my current truck is a 2009 Yukon XL Denali with the 6.2 VVT (no AFM) 415lb torque. Transmission is the 6L80 with dedicated trans cooler. Axle is 3.42 and towing capacity is 7900lbs.

So not an ideal truck. 8.5x18 enclosed trailer is 3000lbs + 3500lb Porsche = 6500lbs. So getting close to the 7900lb limit. 
 
If the truck is inadequate my problem is solved, I'll just get an open trailer with a stone guard. 
 

But if my truck CAN handle the enclosed trailer I really want one. But talk me out of it. I'm not bringing tires or tons of gear like you guys. I'm not at a track and I don't need to hang out in the enclosed trailer like you guys.

In fact, I only want to buy it because I think it's cool, haha, and it would keep my car clean. That's about it. 

An open trailer would be easier on my truck, cost less, etc, it's just the way to go, right?

An enclosed of equal weight feels a lot heavier due to wind resistance. It is also a giant sail in heavy wind. Getting the lowest profile you can will help. Seems like you are well under the weight rating but getting weight distribution and sway control will be key. 

Well enclosed trailers also offer a degree of security when parked overnight in a hotel or just on the road in general. Out of sight out of mind. Enclosed trailers also offer a secure place to store the car for short periods of time (climate dependent) if the garage is needed for other use. The down side is do you have space to store an enclosed trailer or will you have to rent a storage facility.

You should be good for the weight I would think manufacturers of vehicles are pretty conservative of weight limits and you would be within their ratings. If you think weight is an issue there are also all aluminum enclosed trailers such as Featherlite however much more expensive. There are no doubt other manufacturers. Another option is Serpent Express http://serpentexpress.com/order.html which is an open trailer with a soft top and also now with a shell. Originally built for Cobras but will manufacture for any car.

Your truck is plenty capable of a normal sized enclosed trailer.  

At this point, I would just pay to have the car drop shipped to where you want to drive it. Trailers are a colossal PITA to own.

Disclaimer...I have painted cars more often than I have washed one, so I am on the opposite of the give-a-damn about finish universe. Rain is mother natures car-wash.

Ive used bith, and prefer open. Easier To use, easier on the truck, easier to load and unload, and useful for more things.

enclosed trailers become on site lockable property storage that don't require permits to put up and have zero install time. Literally just park it... lol

But from your description, your truck will handle 7k lbs just fine. 

Do you have an inside storage for the Porsche  when you are home ?

How about a Hybrid trailer ?  The Germans have some cool  flat trailers with a canvas "covered wagon" set-up to cover the car and tools , parts , 

You could make the covered area so you could take it off and use the flat trailer to haul other stuff......

I also think your truck would do just fine with a small enclosed trailer. Weight distribution and sway control are a must, and expect to get gas mileage in the single digits.   All that said, I think you'll find trailering a car to those events to be a colossal PITA.  The only reason I put up with it is that my track car isn't road legal, and I have a ride home if I break it. 

Another thought is that if your P car is boring to drive to these events, then you should buy a more engaging car.¯If I were married to a supermodel, she would have carpet burns on her joints! \_(ツ)_/¯

Pete

Enclosed trailers are awesome. Only real downside will be fuel mileage and a little more maintenance. Big hills might suck but otherwise that's plenty of truck to tow that, especially if you really are keeping it to just the car inside. If you're 100% committed to only the car in the trailer, 18' is fine, but if there's a chance you'll ever want to haul...anything else with it, a 20' trailer should be basically the same price and weight and the extra 2' is super useful. The containment/storage/security factor is nice, but be aware that if you want it to be really secure, you need to lock it up good and tight.

Seems to me you will be ok.  And having trailered my car to many events, I don't see any problem with you wanting to do what you want to do...  Safe, secure, and clean.

But one should remind people that there is more out there than freeways.  We kind of plan on driving to California in our Alfa someday- on Route 66.  Avoiding the highway as much as we possibly can.  Those are for days when we are not on a time schedule, though.

NOHOME said:

¯If I were married to a supermodel, she would have carpet burns on her joints! \_(ツ)_/¯

Pete

Interesting, I never considered carpeting an enclosed trailer. 

I'd get the enclosed.  Your truck can handle it and you'll find other uses for it.

I bought an aluminum trailer a couple of years ago.  It's a 8.5 X 20 Ft with 7ft height, about 6" inches taller than normal enclosed trailers. The curb weight empty was listed at about 2300 lbs by the manufacturer - ATC.  I use a 2013 Ford PU to tow it with the 3.5L Turbo V6 with a 3.15 rear ratio. Ford rates It's towing cap. at 8900 lbs as it's sits. Just changing to a 3.31 or 3.55 would raise it to near 10K! Your at 3.42 now so I think that your fine.

An enclosed trailer will put a bigger load on the engine when towing due to wind resistance as mentioned but your vehicle/engine combo seem to me to be more than enough for an enclosed as long as you keep a low  total gross weight. In other words don't load up the empty space on the trailer with "stuff" because you now have the room for it.  

Look at some of the low profile trailers aimed at Harley owners. They tend to be easier to load than most others because of aggressive beavertail designs and they don't push as much air around. I wish my enclosed was one, because I don't need the interior to be 8' tall. Low Hauler, I think?

In reply to jimbbski :

How much did your aluminum cost? I didn't realize they were THAT light. 2300 isn't much more than the open trailers I've looked at.

NOHOME said:

Another thought is that if your P car is boring to drive to these events, then you should buy a more engaging car.¯If I were married to a supermodel, she would have carpet burns on her joints! \_(ツ)_/¯

 

Pete

Haha!! No I just meant I don't want to put miles on the car unless they're fun miles. These trips would put several thousand miles on the car. I'd rather tow it up there and save the miles for fun driving

Keith Tanner said:

Look at some of the low profile trailers aimed at Harley owners. They tend to be easier to load than most others because of aggressive beavertail designs and they don't push as much air around. I wish my enclosed was one, because I don't need the interior to be 8' tall. Low Hauler, I think?

There are also aero-shaped trailers out there that will have a lot less drag than even a low-roof motorcycle one.  Definitely not cheap (I think they start at like $25K), but things like this: https://www.bre2.net/aerovault.info/the-aerovault/

(of course for that price you can buy a normal trailer, a used 3/4 ton truck, and an awful lot of diesel...)

What about the Aerovault?  https://www.bre2.net/aerovault.info/

I have the impression that they're pretty pricey, but I haven't actually looked into that.

I'm not sure how much better the Aerovault would be over a Low Hauler with moon discs. I'm an aero amateur, but the back of the trailer is the important bit for drag and it's not really any different. I do like the monocoque construction, I've mused about that on this forum in the past.

In reply to pkingham :

Well now I have another powerball item to buy, thanks.  That looks realllly nice.

I don't even want to know the price.  Eye watering I suspect.

Patrick said:

Your truck is plenty capable AFTER YOU INSTALL A SUPERCHARGER of a normal sized enclosed trailer.  

Fixed for my desires. 

In reply to KyAllroad (Jeremy) :

The old adage: "if you have to ask...."

In reply to snaphappy :

It's been a couple of years and the price of aluminum has gone up so the price I paid will not be the one you pay but you can get a 20 ft X 8.5 with a rounded corners, as opposed to "V" nose or flat, for just over $10K.  I paid less than $10K out the door with all taxes included for a base "Raven" model.  ATC make higher end trailers  as well, if your order one you can get various options such as an escape door on the side and cabinets in the front, etc. But if weight in key then go with the base models.
For your car you could get away with an a18 Ft, I went  with a 20 ft as I race and needed the extra room for tools, tires, etc.

Also I plan on adding a "bubble nose" to the front of the trailer like some semi-truck trailers have. It does help.