Data point from a budget challenged open trailer guy. I ended up going with a winch because the inside edge to edge gap on my Econotrailer was only about four inches less than the same dimension (inside edge of tire to inside edge of tire) on the Miata. With so little room for error this made for some harrowing rides up the trailer when loading.
In the interests of marital harmony (wife was the guide for these little adventures) I purchased a hand winch from (I think) Harbor Freight rated at 3000 lbs. The cost was minimal compared to the more common 2000 lb. rated winches. It is now no problem to winch the car on by hand in less than five minutes. I purchased MORE winch than necessary for the same reason I bought El Mondo Grosso Van - I never wanted to be in the position of not having enough winch. That, and I took a tip from the 4WD crowd and did not want to be in the unpleasant position of having the thing fail during use. I take the winch off for winter storage but otherwise leave the thing on and exposed to the elements the rest of the year.
I would also suggest that you always toss a blanket or towel over the cable while winching as well, another tip stolen from the Jeep set. If the cable fails under load it will come whipping back at you and do some serious damage. Placing a blanket/towel over the thing attentuates the released energy somewhat and should prevent the occasional beheading, though there are those who say I will never notice the loss.
Hero To The Momentum Challenged
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