What we call a lowbed is actually three different designs. Picking one in place of another is rarely a small mistake — it's usually a cost difference that plays out over years. We've been building lowbeds in Konya for twenty-five years and the experience our customers go through can be summed up in three sentences.
Fixed lowbed
Single-piece body, no extension. If we recommend something, 70% of the time it's this. Single-piece means no hydraulic telescopic joints — maintenance is low, lifespan is long, price is reasonable.
Platform sits at 13.6 metres, capacity 60-80 tonnes. Three, four, or five axles, SAF or BPW — these two brands are the European standard with global spare-parts access. You can spec hydraulic or mechanical ramps; hydraulic opens in five minutes, mechanical takes fifteen but it's cheaper and fewer things break.
Right for construction firms moving the same type of machinery often. Excavators, dozers, loaders — all load easily.
Extendable lowbed
Platform extends telescopically. Closed it's 13 metres, open it goes to 19-22. We only recommend this to long-load haulers: wind turbine blades, long steel beams, precast concrete elements, large pipes.
25-40% more expensive than fixed, more careful maintenance. But if you're hauling long loads you have no real alternative. If your annual trip count is low but the load is big, you buy this once and use it for ten years. If you're not, fixed lowbed is enough.
Capacity drops as it extends — important detail. Fully extended, up to 60 tonnes; closed it holds the same 80 tonnes as the fixed model.
Boat and yacht carrier
We build this for the marine industry and shipyards. A yacht hull doesn't sit on a flat platform — gelcoat cracks, the structure fatigues. So a V-shaped cradle, EPDM rubber cushions, and sub-700 mm platform height are required.
The hydraulic suspension can lower the whole trailer 200 mm, letting the boat settle onto the cradle without a crane at the shipyard. 35-50 tonne capacity is standard, but we custom-size for mega-yachts.
For shipyards, mega-yacht logistics firms, water sports clubs. Doesn't get mixed up with the other two — either you haul boats or you don't.
Realistic cost difference
A fixed lowbed runs around EUR 40-50K, extendable EUR 55-70K, boat carrier EUR 60-90K (depending on custom sizing). Payback periods: 12-18 months, 24-36 months, and on the boat side because of niche demand, 3-4 years.
These are our averages — usage intensity, axle count, ramp type all shift things. But the ordering is right: cheapest to most expensive, fixed → extendable → boat.
Five questions to settle before you buy
First, what's the maximum load you'll carry? This sets the model. Second, is load length fixed or variable? Variable means extendable; fixed loads mean fixed lowbed is enough. Third, which countries will it operate in? EU needs 98/91 EEC, GCC needs separate paperwork. Fourth, hydraulic or mechanical ramp — speed or simplicity? Fifth, axle brand: SAF and BPW are global standards with parts everywhere.
For a clear answer, just describe your operation. [Send us a message](/contact) and we'll tell you which model fits.