Car ramps are quickly becoming a fixture in many home-garages, eclipsing the popularity of car jacks due to their enhanced safety and convenience. However, if you have a sports car or other similar car, it may leave you wondering what the best low profile car ramps for your vehicle may be.
The 8 best low profile car ramps are:
- Race Ramps RR-72
- Sealey 4 Ton Modular Car Ramp Kit
- BISupply Vehicle Service Ramp Set
- Donext Ramps Low Profile
- Discount Ramps Low Profile Car Service Ramps
- Magisale Low Profile Plastic Car Ramps
- ABN Car Ramps
- Sealey CAR3000LR Car Ramps Low Entry
There are plenty of options to be found on the market for ramps if you have a low profile car. These options can range from cheap to expensive, offering features such as heavy load capacity and high grip. In this article we will list some of the best options available.
Why You Need Car Ramps For Your Garage
If you have a low profile car, you’ll likely be aware of the risks that driving up steep inclines can pose to your car’s bodywork and bumpers. It’s also pretty much impossible to get underneath a low profile vehicle to modify it without the use of a decent jack or a ramp. While jacks have been popular fixtures in many a garage over the years, they are beginning to be cast aside in favor of ramps.
Ramps vs Jacks
While jacks are great for working on your car’s wheels, as well as allowing you more breathing space when you are underneath the car, they aren’t as easy to use and take more time to set up. Ramps, on the other hand, only require you to place them at the correct width before you simply drive onto them. They also don’t require any manual labor to use them effectively.
Ramps can also be safer, with their stability on the ground a major factor in their popularity. Jacks, if used even slightly incorrectly, can put the user at high risk of injury or even death, as they’re responsible for holding substantially more of the car’s weight than ramps. If a jack struggles to hold the car’s full weight, then the risk of collapse is huge, increasing the risk of injury.
Note: Jacks can also damage your car if you don’t put them in the right places, which is especially true of electric cars with big heavy batteriesThe Accessibility Of Ramps
As well as being easy to set up and relatively fool-proof, car ramps are very much affordable and easy to get your hands on, whether you choose to shop online or at a physical store. They come in all forms, with ramps for heavy SUVs and trucks, as well as low profile, lower gradient ramps ideal for sports cars and other low-to-the-ground vehicles.
Even if you don’t require them on a day-to-day basis, ramps are a great asset to any garage and are easy to store, especially if you choose a two-piece detachable ramp set. Admittedly, they aren’t as small and easy to store as car jacks, but they still don’t require a great deal of space to hide them out of sight.
Prevention Of Damage
You don’t have to use a ramp solely to modify a car, as they can also be used to navigate a low profile car over high curbs without causing damage to the front bumper or the car’s bodywork. Unfortunately, it would be impractical to lay the ramps out for every speed bump that you may come across, but they are great for domestic use and getting over steep gradients and curbs.
Different Types Of Car Ramps
Car ramps aren’t a one-size-fits-all item, meaning you’ll be better off doing some research before you buy. There are many different types of car ramps with different structural configurations to suit certain types of cars. These range from low profile ramps designed for sports cars and other low-rise vehicles, to heavy duty ramps for larger vehicles such as trucks and vans.
Low Profile Car Ramps
Low profile car ramps are designed with a more gradual incline, featuring a longer base than most ramps. They are designed for cars that lay low to the ground with the gradual incline in place to prevent damage to the bumper or the bodywork of the car when driving onto the ramps. If the length of the ramps is a problem, then you can find two-piece assemblies for easier storage.
Having a set of low profile car ramps will prevent you from having to go down the DIY route, attaching wooden planks to steeper ramps, saving you time and effort. Low profile ramps are readily available on the internet and in stores, with a broad price spectrum ranging from around $15 to well over $350.
Heavy Duty Car Ramps
While low profile car ramps are suited for lighter, lower cars, heavy duty car ramps are built for the exact opposite. They are perfect if you are working on a heavier car such as a truck or SUV and are built from strong materials with a steeper incline. The materials used in heavy duty ramps are reinforced plastics or solid steel. This helps them to hold the increased weight of larger vehicles.
Wide Service Ramps
Car service ramps are often a lot wider than standard ramps and can lift the car to a higher level. These are best for when you are doing major work to the underside of the car, as you will have substantially more room to work with. However, with the quantity of materials used to make service ramps, they will cost a bit extra to purchase, as well as taking up more space in the garage.
Concrete Car Ramps
With all these options available at the click of a button, concrete car ramps may seem a little primitive to most. They are exactly what the name suggests: two ramps made from concrete. These used to be commonplace in garages across the world, and they were built into the ground, primed and ready for unknowing workers to stub their toe on!
Health and safety concerns and a lack of technical guile in the manufacturing process meant that concrete car ramps have started to be phased out in the industrial space, but are still easy to build yourself, should you see through the risks that they pose.
KEY POINTS
• Car ramps make it safe and easy to work on your car at home
• They’re often preferable to using car jacks
• There are different types of car ramp to suit different vehicles
What To Look For In A Ramp For A Low Profile Car
Ramp Type
When looking for a ramp for your low profile car, you’ll need to find a specific low profile ramp, which is generally characterized by a longer, shallower gradient. If you get a ramp that is too steep, you will risk damaging the car. Thankfully, there are plenty of options on the market that are specifically geared towards low profile cars at both ends of the price spectrum.
Price & Materials
While we all love a bargain, it is important for a variety of reasons that you don’t make your final decision solely on price alone. Cheaper ramps aren’t likely to be made from high-quality materials, which usually means they will be vulnerable to damage. This will mean you’ll have to pay up for a premature replacement. There is a lot of truth in the saying, “buy cheap, buy twice.”
This doesn’t mean that you will have to go out and spend thousands of dollars on a set of car ramps. There are plenty of affordable ramps to be found. But it is important that the ramp you end up choosing is made from good quality materials such as steel or reinforced plastics and that it can withstand the weight of your car.
Weight Specifications
Not all ramps are made with the intentions of holding up heavy vehicles. If you’re looking for a ramp for a low profile vehicle, it is unlikely that your car will be too heavy, but it is important that you check your vehicle’s weight and the weight the ramp can withstand. If your car is too heavy, then you will be putting yourself at real risk of serious injury if the ramps were to give way.
Brand Reputation & Reviews
The reputation of the brand you are buying from can be a sign of the quality of the product. If the brand is well known and trusted, then the likelihood is that you will get a high-quality product, as well as having a warranty or returns policy. It is also important to check the reviews of the product before you buy, as the best judges of products are the people that have already used them.
Rubber Stoppers
If you try to use your ramps on a smooth, slippery surface, you may find them sliding out from under the car as you drive up them. If this is likely to be an issue, look for a ramp with either built-in rubber stoppers or purchase them separately.
The 8 Best Low Profile Car Ramps
1. Race Ramps RR-72
Material: Expanded Foam | Load Capacity: 2722 kg / 6000 lbs
The Race Ramps RR-72 low profile ramps are a lightweight, two-piece ramp set, which can be detached during use for improved side-access during servicing. This detachability helps when storing the ramps, with the bonus that they weigh only 14 lbs (6.3 kg), meaning they are transportable. The ramps also have a great elevation height of 8 inches (20 cm), which gives you good space underneath the car.
Race Ramps have clearly put a lot of time into getting these ramps right, and they have manufactured them with their very own patented, high-density foam material. The ramps feature an anti-slip coating to improve traction. When put together as one piece, the ramp has a long body, with a 10° gradient, meaning you won’t damage your car’s bodywork.
The quality of the material and the fact that these ramps can be detached during use does come with a hefty price tag. The Race Ramps RR-72 are the second most expensive product on the list, but they will last for a long time and provide you with safety and peace of mind when using the ramps.
PROS:
- Detachable two-piece ramps
- High quality, non-skid material
- Great elevation height
CONS:
- Very expensive
- No holes to allow moisture to escape
2. Sealey 4 Ton Modular Car Ramp Kit
Material: Polypropylene | Load Capacity: 3629 kg / 8000 lbs
The Sealey Modular Car Ramp Kit is unlike any other ramp on this list. It is the largest option, able to hold the entire length of the car, rather than just propping up the front. The length may be an issue for the standard home garage, leaving little room to work with unless you have a large garage. Despite this, they will be an asset to any garage should you be able to fit them in.
Made from the durable polypropylene material, the car won’t end up sinking into the ramp. The two individual ramps are made up of multiple parts, which are easy to assemble and disassemble. The ramps are wide and will be able to hold the majority of tire widths. The ramps are lined with grooves for traction, as well as holes to help drain moisture and dirt.
Bear in mind that the ramps are heavy, with a total weight of 76 kg (168 lbs), and they cannot be transported around with a great deal of ease. The Sealey modular car ramps are by far the most expensive ramps on the list, but in terms of quality, appearance, and being able to fully service the underside of the car, they are also the best option should you be able to afford them.
PROS:
- Long enough to allow you to work under the entire car
- Great traction
- Low gradient, perfect for low profile cars
CONS:
- Pretty expensive
- Very heavy
3. BISupply Vehicle Service Ramp Set
Material: Plastic | Load Capacity: 4536 kg / 10,000 lbs
The BISupply service ramps have been built with safety in mind, designed to replace the car jacks so commonly used in garages. These ramps can withstand very heavy weights, meaning they are capable of holding trucks and SUVs as well as small and low profile cars. The wide surface area of the ramps means that they will feel stable if your vehicle has wider tires.
Unlike many ramps, there are no holes to allow moisture and dirt to escape, which may be a downside for some. There isn’t a compromise on grip, with dots placed on the surface of the ramp to help with traction. The ramps also have non-skid grips on the bottom to prevent them from sliding away as you drive up them, which is common with cheaper ramps.
One of the best features of these BISupply ramps is the height to which they can raise your vehicle. The gradual incline on ramps will lift your low profile car 6.6 inches (16.8 cm) off the ground, allowing you to perform service work to the bottom of the car without the need for car jacks. All in all, these BISupply ramps are durable and strong, albeit costing more than other ramps on this list.
PROS:
- High load capacity
- Non-skid grips to prevent sliding
- Lifts the vehicle high enough to get underneath
CONS:
- No holes to allow moisture to escape
- Very expensive
4. Donext Ramps Low Profile
Material: Polypropylene | Load Capacity: 2994 kg / 6600 lbs
Constructed with lightweight polypropylene, the Donext low profile ramps provide you with everything you need in your home garage. They have a gradual 8.3° incline, which means you’ll be able to drive low cars onto them without the fear of scratching the bodywork. The lift height is short, with a 2.6 inches (6.6 cm) elevation, as the ramps are designed to be used alongside jacks.
The ramps are hollowed with a unique honeycomb-style design to allow water, dirt and oil to escape, improving traction and durability. As well as the hollowed design, the ramps have a grooved end, which is ideal for keeping the wheels firmly in place when you are using these ramps. The reinforced polypropylene means that these ramps can withstand a decent weight of 2994 kg (6600 lbs).
In terms of price, these Donext ramps are affordable, coming in just above what would be deemed low price. The lightweight nature of polypropylene means the ramps are easy to transport as well as being easy to store away.
PROS:
- Gradual incline is great for low profile cars
- Honeycomb design allows moisture to escape
- Grooved end keeps the wheels in place
CONS:
- Low elevation means they’re designed to be used with jacks
- Not the widest
5. Discount Ramps Low Profile Car Service Ramps
Material: Plastic | Load Capacity: 1996 kg / 4400 lbs
Rage Powersports’ Discount Ramps aren’t as cheap as their title would suggest. They are a medium to high priced ramp capable of holding 1996 kg (4400 lbs) of weight. The 9.05° incline is perfect for low profile cars, meaning you can get your car up the ramps with ease.
The ramps will elevate your car 4 inches (10 cm) above ground, which means you’ll be able to do minor work, or get a car jack underneath the car in the correct places to lift it higher. The width of the ramps may be an issue for those with wider tires, but they will still be able to hold the car, even with slight tire overhang.
In terms of shape, these ramps follow the standard form of many low profile ramps, with a long body and hollow, honeycomb pattern for traction and drainage. There is a groove at the top end of the ramp to keep the car in place, with a stopper on the end to make sure you don’t roll off the ramp on the far side.
PROS:
- Good incline for low profile cars
- Capable of holding medium weight vehicles
- Groove at the end to hold the car in the right place
CONS:
- Slightly narrow
- Expensive for what they offer
6. Magisale Low Profile Plastic Car Ramps
Material: Polypropylene | Load Capacity: 5987 kg / 13,200 lbs
The low profile plastic car ramps by Magisale are capable of holding up to an astonishing 5987 kg (13,200 kg), which is the heaviest on this list. They are manufactured from lightweight and durable polypropylene. They also come in a pack of four, rather than the usual two, meaning you’ll be able to lift the entirety of the car rather than just the front or the back.
These ramps have been made for durability, meaning that they can withstand both small, low profile cars, and large trucks and SUVs too. While this list is designed for low profile cars, these ramps are more useful for higher-profile cars due to the fact they have an elevation height of only 3 inches (7.6 cm). However, their incline angle makes them ideal for low profile cars.
The ramps have good traction for loading, although they lack any form of non-skid material on the bottom to prevent slipping when loading the car onto the ramps. There is also a groove at the end of the ramp to prevent the car from moving once parked. As the ramps are sold in a pack of four, they are slightly more expensive than others, but value for money is high, as you receive double the product!
PROS:
- Can hold a very heavy weight
- Durable material
- Good traction
CONS:
- Potential for skidding
- Low elevation height
7. ABN Car Ramps
Material: Plastic | Load Capacity: 2994 kg / 6600 lbs
There isn’t much to differentiate ABN’s low profile car ramps from the rest of the lower priced ramps on this list, but that isn’t to say they aren’t an effective and useful product. They feature the standard honeycomb cutouts, which will prevent a buildup of moisture on the ramp’s surface. They hold a decent weight of 1994 kg (6600 lbs), which will prevent your car from sinking closer to the floor.
The ramps are a good size for transportation, meaning you can take them around with you for use elsewhere. They are also lightweight, weighing only 3.4 lbs (1.5 kg) per ramp. The ramps will raise your car 3 inches (7.6 cm) above the ground, which may make full modifications to the underside of the car a difficult task. This elevation will be ideal if you want to use jacks alongside the ramps.
ABN’s ramps will be durable, as they are made with reinforced molded plastic, meaning you won’t have to replace them anytime soon. Overall, for the price, these ramps will be a steady purchase, not offering many standout features, but durable and capable enough to hold the weight of even some larger cars.
PROS:
- Good price
- Honeycomb cutouts prevent moisture buildup
- Lightweight and durable
CONS:
- No standout features
- Low elevation height
8. Sealey CAR3000LR Car Ramps Low Entry
Material: Polypropylene | Load Capacity: 2721 kg / 5999 lbs
The Sealey CAR3000LR ramps are made from the ever-popular polypropylene material, which is capable of withstanding loads of up to 2721 kg (5999 lbs). The ramps aren’t intended to be used to raise vehicles high enough for under-car servicing, but they are instead designed to help with the safe application of car jacks. Their long design paired with a gradual incline makes them ideal for low profile cars.
The ramps feature part honeycomb, part square cutouts, which prevent a build-up of moisture or dirt on the surface of the ramp. This will help with the maintenance of the ramps, as well as making them less liable to becoming slippery. The ramps also feature a dip towards the very top to help keep your wheels in place, as well as a stopper to ensure you don’t drive off the front of the ramp.
One complaint that has been made of the Sealey CAR3000LR ramps is that they could be a little wider to help accommodate thicker wheels. However, their strength and durability cannot be questioned, and they have been proven to withstand the weight of SUVs as well as lighter cars. It is important to once again note that these ramps are to be bought to use alongside car jacks, not in place of them.
PROS:
- Fairly inexpensive
- Designed to prevent build-up of moisture and dirt
- Perfect for raising low profile cars
CONS:
- Won’t raise the car high enough for servicing
- Could be slightly wider
Final Thoughts
A lot of low profile car ramps will be hard to differentiate from one another, with many features overlapping between them, such as honeycomb cutouts for drainage and traction, as well as the common use of polypropylene in manufacturing. The standout pick is the Race Ramps RR-72 kit, which have a high load capacity, decent elevation, and are highly portable.