A used 48 ft or 53 ft dry van is one of the cheapest ways to add a few thousand cubic feet of weather-tight storage to a yard, farm or job site. It is also easy to get wrong: a trailer that looks fine from the outside can hide a rotten floor, a bent crossmember or a roof that leaks at the first spring thaw. This guide walks through what to check on a used storage trailer in Ontario, how to decide between used and new, and when renting or lease-to-own makes more sense than buying at all.
Used storage trailer vs new: the real trade-off
A new 53 ft dry van is a significant capital purchase; a retired road trailer bought for storage-only use costs a fraction of that. The savings are real, but the gap narrows once you factor in repairs, delivery and how long you actually need the space.
| Used storage trailer | New trailer | |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase cost | Low | High |
| Road certification | Usually not, storage-only | Yes, road-ready |
| Condition risk | Floor, roof, doors and frame must be inspected | Minimal |
| Resale value | Holds value if sound | Depreciates from day one |
| Best for | Static storage, yard or farm use, long horizons | Hauling, fleet use, customer-facing sites |
What to check before you buy a used storage trailer
1. The floor
The floor is where most used trailers fail. Walk the full length and bounce on it. Soft spots, dark staining, or daylight visible from underneath mean the hardwood or the crossmembers beneath it are gone. Replacing a floor often costs more than the trailer is worth.
2. The roof and seams
Go inside on a bright day, close the doors and look up. Any pinpoint of light is a leak. Check the front corners and the roof-to-wall seams, where most water gets in. A translucent roof is normal on many dry vans; patches, sealant streaks and rust blooms are not.
3. Walls and posts
Push on the interior walls between the posts. Bulges, punctures and loose rivets mean the trailer has been hit from inside by forklifts. Bent side posts weaken the whole box and let water into the wall cavity.
4. Doors and seals
Open and close every door. Barn doors should swing freely and latch tight; roll-up doors should travel smoothly with no binding. Dry, cracked door seals let in water, dust and rodents, and they are cheap to replace, so use them as a negotiating point rather than a deal breaker.
5. Frame, crossmembers and landing gear
Get under the trailer with a flashlight. Look for rust-through on the crossmembers and the slider rails, cracks at welds, and landing gear that cranks up and down without seizing. For storage-only use the running gear matters less, but a trailer that cannot be raised to dock height is harder to load.
6. Tires, brakes and lights (if it will ever move)
If the trailer will only ever sit on blocks, these matter little. If you plan to shuttle it between sites or ever put it on the road, you need an Ontario annual safety inspection, which means serviceable tires, brakes, lights and a sound frame. Factor that into the price.
7. Paperwork
Ask for the ownership, the VIN plate on the front wall, and any inspection or maintenance records. A seller who cannot produce ownership is a seller to walk away from.
When renting beats buying
Buying makes sense when you have a long, predictable need and a place to keep the trailer. Renting makes more sense when:
- The need is seasonal or tied to one project, so the trailer would sit empty for months.
- You need road-certified units to haul loads, where inspection and certification are the supplier’s job.
- You want the trailer delivered, swapped or removed on your schedule without owning a tractor.
- You would rather keep capital in the business than tied up in equipment.
Express rents 20 ft, 35 ft, 48 ft and 53 ft storage and road-certified trailers on daily, weekly and monthly terms, and offers lease-to-own for businesses that want to end up owning the unit. If you are weighing rent versus buy, call 416-771-8833 and we will run both numbers with you.
Frequently asked questions
Is a used storage trailer a good investment?
It can be, if the floor, roof and frame are sound. A structurally solid used dry van holds its value well and provides years of weather-tight storage. A trailer with a rotten floor or leaking roof is a liability, not an investment.
Can I put a used storage trailer on the road?
Only if it passes an Ontario annual safety inspection and is properly registered. Most used trailers sold for storage are storage-only. If you need to haul, a road-certified rental is usually simpler.
What size storage trailer should I buy?
A 53 ft dry van offers about 3,900 cubic feet and 26 floor pallet positions; a 48 ft about 3,500. For sites that cannot take a full-length trailer, 20 ft and 35 ft units or a ground-level shipping container may be the better fit.
Does Express sell trailers as well as rent them?
Yes. We offer commercial trailers for sale and a lease-to-own program alongside rentals. Call 416-771-8833 to discuss what is available.
Rent, buy or lease-to-own: talk it through
Tell us what you are storing, where, and for how long. We will tell you honestly whether renting, buying or lease-to-own is the better deal for your situation. Call 416-771-8833 or request a quote. New rental clients get $100 off the first month.