Plastic vs Metal Car Ramps: Which One Should You Buy?

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Below: what the plastic listings state, what the steel listings state, and how to match capacity, lift height and loading angle to your car.

Plastic vs metal car ramps: the short answer

Choose plastic if you move the ramps for every job. A pair of Garvee plastic ramps weighs 17.2 pounds and holds 12,000 pounds, the TOWKING pair holds 16,000 pounds and stacks to cut storage footprint by 50 percent, and the DNA Motoring set weighs 17.2 pounds for the pair. Plastic never rusts, and the TOWKING listing states a 1 year manufacturer warranty.

Choose metal if the ramps live in the garage and you want maximum rigidity. The Garvee solid steel ramps hold 8,000 pounds total with an 8 inch lift, and the TOLGORN steel pair holds 8,000 pounds per pair with a traction hole surface and raised side edges. Both steel pairs weigh 32.1 to 32.7 pounds, roughly twice the plastic pairs, and the Garvee’s black coating is stated to resist rust and wear.

What the plastic listings state

The MaxxHaul 50516 is the low-profile plastic pick: honeycomb channels that shed dirt and moisture, a 2.5 inch lift, 4,400 pounds total (2,200 per ramp), a 9.05 degree loading angle for low-clearance cars, and dimensions of 27 by 7.75 by 3 inches. One listing quirk: its spec table lists “Load Capacity” as “4 pounds” against the title and bullets’ 4,400 pounds; trust the title and bullets.

The Garvee plastic ramps (two near-identical listings) hold 12,000 pounds (5 ton) with a 6.7 inch lift, a 17 degree incline, an anti-slip base, and a stated fit for tires up to 9 inches wide. One lists 36 by 13 by 7 inches at 17.2 pounds, the other 36.22 by 12.99 by 11.8 inches at 18.7 pounds. The TOWKING pair steps up to 16,000 pounds (8-ton) in high-impact polypropylene with a 7.3 inch lift on a 17 degree incline, 18 anti-slip rubber pads per ramp, tactile front stop curbs, and a stackable design the maker says cuts storage footprint by 50 percent. The DNA Motoring set holds 5,000 pounds (2.5T) with a 7 inch lift on a 17 degree incline, measures 35 by 13 by 9 inches, weighs 17.2 pounds for the set, and fits tires up to 9 inches wide with bulged end stops.

Two listings are tandem trailer ramps, not standard drive-up car ramps: the Tlaleikejia concave ramp holds 20,000 pounds with a 5.5 inch lift at 12.5 pounds, and the Florety holds 20,000 pounds with a 5.5 inch lift in a 24 by 8.5 by 5.5 inch body. They suit trailer tire changes, not oil changes under a sedan.

What the metal listings state

The Garvee solid steel ramps hold 8,000 pounds total with an 8 inch lift, measure 37 by 13 by 11 inches, and weigh 32.7 pounds. The build is solid steel with an anti-slip structure and a black coating stated to resist rust and wear. One listing quirk: the bullets say “8000 lbs total or 2000 lbs per ramp,” but 8,000 divided by two ramps is 4,000 per ramp, so the per-ramp figure contradicts the total; trust the 8,000 pound total.

The TOLGORN steel ramps state the math cleanly: 8,000 pounds per pair, 4,000 pounds per ramp. They measure 35 by 12 by 9.5 inches, weigh 32.1 pounds, and use an iron build with a traction hole drive surface and raised side edges to guide the tires. The listing states a 9 inch internal tire track width and advises measuring your tire section width before buying.

Matching ramps to your car

Capacity first. The ramp rating is for the total vehicle weight on the pair, not per axle. A 4,400 pound rating (MaxxHaul) suits small cars, 8,000 pounds (steel pairs) covers most sedans and crossovers, and 12,000 to 16,000 pounds (Garvee plastic, TOWKING) covers full-size trucks and SUVs. Never exceed the stated total.

Lift height second. More lift means more room under the car but a longer, steeper ramp. The listings run from 2.5 inches (MaxxHaul) through 6.7 and 7.3 inches (Garvee plastic, TOWKING) to 8 inches (Garvee steel). Pick the smallest lift that gives you working room.

Angle third, for low cars. The MaxxHaul’s 9.05 degree angle is the shallowest stated and the kindest to low front bumpers; the Garvee, TOWKING and DNA Motoring ramps state 17 degrees. If your car scrapes on driveways, the shallower angle matters more than the lift number.

Tire width. The Garvee plastic, DNA Motoring and TOLGORN listings all state a 9 inch maximum tire width. Measure your tire section width before ordering, since a ramp that is too narrow is unusable.

Storage. If the ramps live on a garage shelf between jobs, the TOWKING’s stackable design (50 percent less footprint per the maker) is a real advantage. Steel ramps at 32.1 to 32.7 pounds per pair are better kept where they are used.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can plastic ramps hold a full-size truck?

Check the rating against your vehicle’s weight. The TOWKING plastic pair holds 16,000 pounds and the Garvee plastic pair holds 12,000 pounds, both stated for trucks and SUVs, while the MaxxHaul’s 4,400 pounds suits small cars.

Which ramps work for a low car?

The MaxxHaul states a 9.05 degree loading angle with a 2.5 inch lift, the shallowest angle in the listings. The Garvee, TOWKING and DNA Motoring ramps state 17 degrees, which needs more bumper clearance.

Do I need wheel chocks with car ramps?

Yes. Chock the wheels that stay on the ground so the car cannot roll, on level solid ground, and follow our wheel chock setup guide. Ramps go under the axle you are lifting; the chocks hold the rest.

Will steel ramps rust?

Bare steel rusts, which is why the Garvee steel ramps state a black coating that resists rust and wear. Plastic and polypropylene ramps do not rust at all.

How heavy are they to carry?

The drive-up plastic pairs in the listings weigh 17.2 to 18.7 pounds, while the steel pairs weigh 32.1 to 32.7 pounds. The tandem trailer 2-count set states 12.5 pounds. If you carry them out for every job, that difference matters.

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