Using Drag-and-Drive to Save Money
I know what you’re thinking: Adam has lost it now. How in the heck can a guy drag-and-drive into financial security?
Well kids, it’s true, and if you buckle up, I’m going to show you how! Warning, this does involve selling some of your stuff and creative accounting. If you’re a hoarder of things with engines and tires, you may not qualify for this process.
Any drag-and-drive enthusiast can attest that before, during and after an event, you need to drive your ride. Like, actually drive it. You also learn how to pack light and how to be resourceful (old head drag-and-drive dudes will remember that a stop sign bolt is the correct size and length for a big block Chevrolet water pump bolt). All of a sudden the 400-mile drive to the closest dragstrip isn’t insurmountable in your streetcar with a windshield banner. You’ll earn a ton of clout pulling into a race track in your streetcar, I can tell you first hand.
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So step one: drive your $HIT! At least occasionally, take your car to the track in drag-and-drive mode. Fly that flag, and you’ll be the “AND HE DROVE IT HERE!” guy.
Step two is to sell your huge trailer and buy a less awesome, smaller trailer. You can sell that 28’+ enclosed trailer with toolboxes and get yourself into a bare bones 24’ enclosed trailer, or if you don’t mind rocking an open trailer, a nice 16’ + 2’ dovetail. Actually, why not just ditch the trailer altogether and buy a cute little thing you can tow behind your drag-and-drive car?
This step will save you approximately $30,000 (minus the cost of your so-adorable drag-and-drive trailer).
On to step three. Now since you don’t have a huge trailer, you can downsize to a lighter duty gas ¾ ton truck, or even a ½ ton if you get one with a trailering package, even that 24’ bare bones enclosed trailer will be far under the typically five digit tow ratings of a modern ½ ton, especially with a weight distribution hitch and/or air bags installed.
I can hear all your diesel fanatics right now “BUT THE MPG’S AND POWER, BRO” and I’m aware, the power and efficiency of a diesel is second to none, but the maintenance costs associated with especially a later-model diesel, and the lower initial cost for a gasser will leave you with a wad of cash in your pocket, and the eight less MPGs while towing get much more palatable when it can swill premium unleaded for still less than diesel cost (at the time of this article), and with the bonus of no DEF or other emissions filters to clog and ruin the party far from home.
The newer ¾ ton gas truck game has stepped up in a big way. The 6.6 L8T and 6.8 Minizilla and 7.3 Godzilla in the Chevrolet and Ford 2500 trucks, respectively, are proving themselves worthy especially when mated to a ton of gearing by way of 10 speed transmissions. Even some years-old gas ¾ ton and ½ ton trucks will do this job without much additional thought or work. Coyote and Ecoboost powered F150 Fords and LT family 1500 Chevrolets are ripe in the aftermarket as well now, making them contenders for a multi-use daily/tow pig as well.
Step three, sell your dually diesel and buy a gasser 1500/2500 for estimated savings of $20,000. Technically if your drag-and-drive ride is already a truck, you then don’t need a truck at all. Potential savings: $50,000 or more?
And that leads us to step four, swim in a pool made of cash, Scrooge McDuck style!
Just like that, you saved $80,000 by doing drag-and-drive! I told you it’s possible! It’s all based on having a reliable streetcar that you had been relying on trailering before. Once you get out and realize that pile of bolts can drive 400 miles in a day without a whole trailer full of spare parts and the truck large enough to move it all around, you are on your way to financial freedom.
Just keep the rods in it, okay?
