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OTT: What's your daily driver/tow rig? (11-4-2025)
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- off-topic tuesday
Rauq
Goblin Guru
- Rauq Goblin Guru
Daily is an '11 Saab 9-3, B207R and F40. I was looking for something cheap, fairly reliable, decent on gas, fun to drive, but not necessarily fast. Found this lil guy in Atlanta with springs and Bilstein shocks already installed. It'll get 30mpg on the highway if I'm being responsible. I've had it for almost 2 years now and haven't had any major issues. I did replace a motor mount in just a few minutes, and managed to save time not having to get any additional tools beyond what it took to pull the Goblin subframe! Doing spark plugs was oddly familiar, too. Replaced with OEM plugs because the Saab Trionic computer does cool combusion-quality sensing stuff with the plugs through the computer. It doesn't seem to go into PE as much as I would expect for how much boost it makes, like 14psi, with OL starting at around 6-8psi depending on throttle. Rated at 210hp on 87, too.
Tow rig is a '16 Denali HD, and the Goblin goes in the back of our Grand Design toy hauler, pictured below next to Nate Cicero's MX-5 Cup car. I got to turn a few laps with him the week before Petit Le Mans last year. He ended up finishing 7th and 2nd in the two races the following weekend. Drafting behind him on the back straight at Road Atlanta was one of the coolest things I've ever done. Even with less weight and double the power, he absolutely left me in the dust after the back straight. I never would've said I'm a great driver, but that was a humbling experience. I've had this truck for almost 7 years now. It'll get 20mpg on the highway with a 36 gallon tank, or 10mpg pulling the camper.
We've had the camper for over 2 years now. We wanted one before the Goblin came along and with the introduction of car hauling requirements/possibilities, the search was narrowed enough to pick this one out. It's livable enough with the car inside for me to be by myself, like I was here for a few days after driving Road Atlanta and before Petit Le Mans. I didn't want to bother unloading and re-loading the car while I was working remotely at a nearby campground. Without the car, there's plenty of space for our two girls to play when it's rainy out or to take afternoon naps.
Tow rig is a '16 Denali HD, and the Goblin goes in the back of our Grand Design toy hauler, pictured below next to Nate Cicero's MX-5 Cup car. I got to turn a few laps with him the week before Petit Le Mans last year. He ended up finishing 7th and 2nd in the two races the following weekend. Drafting behind him on the back straight at Road Atlanta was one of the coolest things I've ever done. Even with less weight and double the power, he absolutely left me in the dust after the back straight. I never would've said I'm a great driver, but that was a humbling experience. I've had this truck for almost 7 years now. It'll get 20mpg on the highway with a 36 gallon tank, or 10mpg pulling the camper.
We've had the camper for over 2 years now. We wanted one before the Goblin came along and with the introduction of car hauling requirements/possibilities, the search was narrowed enough to pick this one out. It's livable enough with the car inside for me to be by myself, like I was here for a few days after driving Road Atlanta and before Petit Le Mans. I didn't want to bother unloading and re-loading the car while I was working remotely at a nearby campground. Without the car, there's plenty of space for our two girls to play when it's rainy out or to take afternoon naps.
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Desert Sasqwatch
Bigfoot Goblin
- Desert Sasqwatch Bigfoot Goblin
What drives me daily:
My daily driver:
2022 Cherokee Trailhawk. Replacement for my 2004 TJ Rubicon (that now resides with @Rttoys better half). Because I have to commute, gets twice the MPG and is much more comfortable.
My daily driver:
2022 Cherokee Trailhawk. Replacement for my 2004 TJ Rubicon (that now resides with @Rttoys better half). Because I have to commute, gets twice the MPG and is much more comfortable.
comegetjoe
Goblin Guru
- comegetjoe Goblin Guru
2019 Grand Cherokee Summit with a 5.7
LaunchPad
Well-Known Member
- LaunchPad Well-Known Member
Well I guess technically I do not have a "daily driver" - my shop is located ~150ish feet from the house. I rarely drive anymore unless for parts or fun or Sundays to church.
Back when I was active duty Air Force I drove the 45 miles into base in my 2001 VW TDI Jetta (still have it). To say it is highly modified would be an understatement. The last dyno run (~2014ish) had it pulling 305hp and 497 foot pounds of torque on its wee little 1.9 liter inline 4. if I am on the throttle it rolls coal better than a dozen dodge truck builds (lol) but for normal operation it runs clear and gets up to 43mpg! i honestly have a hard time goin' a whole tank and not letting those horses run wild. It can be a real challenge to drive sometimes due to a clutch that feels like one legged squats and everything is threshold acceleration because it will break the tires loose at 75 on the highway. it has been a money pit since I started modifying it and I break a LOT of part then have to upgrade them. It has been detuned somewhat from the last dyno run but was still doing 0-100mph times of 7.2 seconds when I pilled the engine and I don't think that is too bad at all. Of all the cars I have I think it has been my favorite overall- just something about air-conditioning and a working stereo in addition to the zoomies. It is up on a lift in the garage waiting for me to re-install the engine and transmission but I intend to finish my darn Goblin first. lol.
My tow rig is a 2002 Ford f350 super duty, quad cab, 4x4, dually thing running a 7.3ltr diesel and Banks Big Hoss kit. This is the one vehicle I cannot do without and I have 320,000 miles now on the original engine and transmission. I may love the cars but nothing else will pull the large trailers or fetch donor cars and 20 foot sticks of steel- or haul a 4500 pound lathe. She still runs pretty good but starting to lose power on the heavy tows and have blow by so it will likely get its engine and tranny refreshed sooner rather than later- I cannot afford the newer 1-tons and don't think I would trust any of the new ones. I got the truck when it was 9 months old thru ebay of all things as the ONLY bidder at a price some 23years later the truck still bluebooks to. I bought it while I was stationed in Greenland up by the North Pole. I flew back to the states in February on a military transport to the East coast and had to literally do planes, trains and rented automobiles to get the Phoenix AZ to pick it up- about 4 hours later I was stuck in snow up to the mirrors on the North rim of the grand canyon where I got a crash course on enabling the 4x4- which was very different than my previous Tahoe. my trip to pick up the truck included a jaunt to Great falls Montana and then down to New Orleans where I parked the truck in my parents driveway and hopped back on a plane to Greenland for my remaining 7 months tour.
Back when I was active duty Air Force I drove the 45 miles into base in my 2001 VW TDI Jetta (still have it). To say it is highly modified would be an understatement. The last dyno run (~2014ish) had it pulling 305hp and 497 foot pounds of torque on its wee little 1.9 liter inline 4. if I am on the throttle it rolls coal better than a dozen dodge truck builds (lol) but for normal operation it runs clear and gets up to 43mpg! i honestly have a hard time goin' a whole tank and not letting those horses run wild. It can be a real challenge to drive sometimes due to a clutch that feels like one legged squats and everything is threshold acceleration because it will break the tires loose at 75 on the highway. it has been a money pit since I started modifying it and I break a LOT of part then have to upgrade them. It has been detuned somewhat from the last dyno run but was still doing 0-100mph times of 7.2 seconds when I pilled the engine and I don't think that is too bad at all. Of all the cars I have I think it has been my favorite overall- just something about air-conditioning and a working stereo in addition to the zoomies. It is up on a lift in the garage waiting for me to re-install the engine and transmission but I intend to finish my darn Goblin first. lol.
My tow rig is a 2002 Ford f350 super duty, quad cab, 4x4, dually thing running a 7.3ltr diesel and Banks Big Hoss kit. This is the one vehicle I cannot do without and I have 320,000 miles now on the original engine and transmission. I may love the cars but nothing else will pull the large trailers or fetch donor cars and 20 foot sticks of steel- or haul a 4500 pound lathe. She still runs pretty good but starting to lose power on the heavy tows and have blow by so it will likely get its engine and tranny refreshed sooner rather than later- I cannot afford the newer 1-tons and don't think I would trust any of the new ones. I got the truck when it was 9 months old thru ebay of all things as the ONLY bidder at a price some 23years later the truck still bluebooks to. I bought it while I was stationed in Greenland up by the North Pole. I flew back to the states in February on a military transport to the East coast and had to literally do planes, trains and rented automobiles to get the Phoenix AZ to pick it up- about 4 hours later I was stuck in snow up to the mirrors on the North rim of the grand canyon where I got a crash course on enabling the 4x4- which was very different than my previous Tahoe. my trip to pick up the truck included a jaunt to Great falls Montana and then down to New Orleans where I parked the truck in my parents driveway and hopped back on a plane to Greenland for my remaining 7 months tour.
MeltedSolid
Active Member
- MeltedSolid Active Member
My daily, 2016 6 speed blue Golf R. Chosen because I love golfs 
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My tow rig and off-roader (and current project car in the 2nd picture), 2011 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X. Chosen because it's good at off-roading, has a 5000lb towing capacity, and is very cheap for what it is:
:My tow rig and off-roader (and current project car in the 2nd picture), 2011 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X. Chosen because it's good at off-roading, has a 5000lb towing capacity, and is very cheap for what it is:
