What The Steel and Aluminum Tariffs Mean for Trailer Shoppers

And When Will Prices Come Down?

Understanding the Tariffs

On June 4, 2025, the President increased Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50%. That’s right, 50%, up from the previous 25%.  This significant increase, aimed at protecting American industries from unfair trade practices, applies to the steel and aluminum content of imported products.  The policy’s goal is to counteract the influx of cheap, foreign steel and aluminum that has historically weakened the domestic economy.  During President Trump’s first term, similar tariffs led to a nearly one-third decrease in steel and aluminum imports between 2016 and 2020, stimulating domestic production and encouraging reshoring in manufacturing.

Auto makers and trailer manufacturers also extensively use foreign-made parts, which are also under tariffs now. For example, for most auto parts imported from China there’s a 25% tariff. (The tariffs on Chinese goods are part of an initiative to punish and deter China into stopping the flow of fentanyl into USA.)

What Does This Mean for Trailer Shoppers?

For those in the market for trailers—whether it’s an enclosed cargo or auto hauler, a motorcycle trailer, and open car hauler, and equipment trailer, a dump trailer, a utility trailer, or boat trailers—these tariffs have direct implications.

Impact on Prices

The increased tariffs on steel and aluminum, fundamental components in trailer manufacturing, will inevitably lead to higher production costs for manufacturers. (We could not find specific numbers on trailer makers, but they generally stay close to car and truck manufacturers. Around 15% of steel used by US auto makers is imported.)

Manufacturers don’t like to talk about this publicly, but we have heard private reports from them that certain manufacturers expect to raise prices about 8% to 10% in the next few years.

This is not the time to “wait for the prices to come down” …they won’t.

Why Won’t Prices Come Down?

We all know this is true of auto manufacturers: To ensure they still make good profits, they use legitimate problems like supply chain issues as an excuse to raise prices higher than they need to be. This is their way of insuring against inflation—or just being greedy, however you care to look at it. They stay ahead of inflation by raising the prices.

After the huge price spike in the pandemic era, vehicle prices fell slightly, but they’re still way higher than in 2019. Again, the auto manufacturers didn’t lower the prices to pre-pandemic levels even when their supply chain issues were ironed out, because they were compensating for the effect of inflation on their profits.

This is happening again now, for both auto manufacturers and trailer manufacturers—they state that the higher cost of steel will have significant downstream effects and prices will need to go up down the line. This is partly true, partly just PR spin. They’re protecting their profits.

Inflation is almost never rolled back. In America, it’s happened a few times in recessions and depressions. Post-Civil War and during the Great Depression, prices decreased long-term. In the 2008-2009 “Great Recession” deflation was mild and brief. Outside of events like those, price inflation is permanent. 

Source: https://tradingeconomics.com/united-states/core-inflation-rate

Inflation has calmed down to about 3% down from the 2022 high of about 8-9%. If there is a “tariff dividend” stimulus check in the future as has been announced, it may also fuel inflation like the Covid stimulus checks did in part.

So the tariffs coupled with the recently high inflation are driving the planned price increases for trailers. Unless we experience deflation and the CPI (consumer price index) decreases, we don’t expect the prices of trailers to go down, or even stay the same.

The Best Deal of the Year:  In-Stock Trailers

Given the scheduled price increases from manufacturers due to these tariffs, tailers that are currently in stock represent the absolute best deal of the year.  These units were manufactured and priced before the new tariffs took full effect, meaning they are available at pre-tariffs rates.  This provides a unique window of opportunity for shoppers to secure a new trailer without the upcoming price adjustments.

If you’re trying to decide to buy now or later: All things being equal, your money has more buying power now than later.