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Thread: Best Bug Out Vehicle

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    Default Best Bug Out Vehicle

    We live in some very "Interesting Times" and seriously have to consider things that we have never really had to before.
    There is much talk about the Best Vehicle to Bug Out with and it is arguable how to make a choice. Much of the decision falls upon what you can afford, your location and where you would be Bugging out to, when you decide to leave, whether you left bugging out too late, whether you want/need a vehicle just for a one way bugout etc.

    Another consideration is what type of situation you are Bugging Out from. Economic Meltdown, EMP, War, Natural disaster, Bad weather etc.

    Also, in a situation such as an EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) event, if you have one of the only vehicle that will run you can guarantee that someone will consider they deserve it more than you do and relieve you of it and hopefully leave you alive even though you just lost your vehicle and all of your supplies.

    So, in a Bug Out scenario it can come down to a matter of good timing and/or stealth.

    Now everyone likes to think that they would be so tuned in and well prepared that they would be able to get out with all of their family, Food, Supplies, equipment etc. that they have carefully accumulated over the years and be pretty comfortable in their new set of circumstances. They may even have a place well known to them that they would head to.

    Looking at the sheer practicalities of moving all that stuff would probably require a large SUV or Pickup with possibly a trailer as well.

    Now, if you are smart and well tuned in to what is going on then hopefully you are well ahead of the masses. If not, you probably won't be able to use a main highway so you need to consider how you would reach your Bug Out destination by secondary routes. Depending where you live you may have to even go across country and rough ground just to make your escape. Could your vehicle handle that?

    Let's talk about vehicles.

    An EMP scenario:

    All modern vehicles have some kind of Computerized Engine management (with the possible exception of some Diesel engined) Typically, the older pre1980 Gas powered vehicles had no computer and the engine ran by mechanical means. Why do I mention this? Because an EMP would knock out all electronics permanently as well as the Electrical Grid and all that would imply. So, I am basically saying that a non-computerized Diesel or older Gas power vehicle would have a great advantage in such a situation.

    A Non-EMP scenario:
    This opens far more possibilities for the vehicle you could use provided you can still get Gasoline/Diesel and you have cash to pay for it with. Again you may have to consider that you may have to go across rough country so is your vehicle up to doing that? If not, you may have to consider buying one that is.
    Just a thought, bugging out with your RV may not be a good idea for many reasons, not least its fuel consumption and how easily it could get stuck on a traffic blocked road. Also, trying to buy enough Gasoline when everyone else is trying to "Get out of Dodge" could present another issue.
    ATV (Possibly with a small Trailer)- this has possibilities provided it is mad quiet and is limited by how many people you could get on it. However, they are reasonably good on gas mileage and can handle rough ground so would have some merits as a Bug-Out Vehicle.
    Dual Sport Motorcycle - Similar to ATV but is limited to about 100 - 200 pounds of kit. Not too bad for one person and can handle rough terrain.
    Bicycle - Properly equipped can handle maybe 100 pounds of Kit plus a rider. Advantages are that you can pick one up cheaply and equip it with racks etc.
    It is quiet and discrete and requires no fuel. You can also traverse pretty rough ground. Main advantage, well it is better than walking and you can carry more and you could even put a lightweight trailer on it.
    Last real option is Hiking out potentially with a 100 pound Pack on your back. This is not for the unfit, unhealthy or unprepared. Oh sure, maybe you can carry a 120 Pack for an hour but just try doing it for days on end. You probably can't. So, of necessity, you will have to consider a Pack weight of 40 - 50 pounds and pack everything you need into that. So, suddenly you realize that you can't take the TV, Barbeque and Kitchen sink with you.
    I would also suggest that even if you use a Truck, SUV etc that you have a Bugout Back pack ready loaded in case you have to abandon your vehicle.

    I really just put this out there to make people think about how to get to their chosen Bug Out Location and the practicalities of doing so. This is by no means complete and I would appreciate your thoughts.

    Bugging out is not a soft option and not to be taken lightly.

    I urge you to watch "After Armageddon" on Youtube and spot all the things they did wrong that would get you killed in a real scenario.
    See how many things you can spot.

    Let's all hope we never have to Bug Out for real

    P.S If you don't know what an EMP is and what it would mean please do your own research to find out as it would cause a situation far worse than the Electrical Grid going down.


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    Senior Member natertot's Avatar
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    I think the best bug out vehicle for me is a 2004 Nissan Sentra 1.8S. As the saying goes, dance with who ya brung.
    ”There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.” ~Johnny Rotten

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    Hey natertot
    I hear what you are saying and if that is what you have then for you that is the best bugout vehicle.

    However, I picked up a couple of mid 70's Dual Sport Motorcycles where the most complicated setup is with a cigarette paper to set the points.

    BTW if you have ever seen War of the Worlds with Tom Cruise and they have an EMP attack he tells the Mechanic to replace the Solenoid. That is comical as it would be the Computer Engine Management Unit on every car that would be burned out and fried. Even Computer modules sitting on a shelf in Autozone etc.
    If you really want to CYA at low cost buy a spare Computer Module for your Nissan and keep it in a Faraday Cage. Now that would be smart. You can make a Faraday cage out of a small metal trash can with a close fitting lid and line it with cardboard to stop items from touching the sides.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Older diesel powered 4 wheel drive ambulance.
    Comes racked out, heavy duty everything, add a Hazmat magnetic signs and some paper suits.......You can go any where.
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    Now that sounds like a great vehicle Hunter but I bet it would be tough to find one. That is not an option I had even thought of or heard mentioned before.
    I am assuming you have one. How the heck did you find it??

    A great two wheeled option would be a Diesel Kawasaki KLR 650 Dual Sport Motorcycle which are made for the Military. They get 110 mpg which is a range of 600 miles on a full tank of Diesel. Yes, they have a 6 gallon Tank.
    However, there is no way that these are likely ever to be available to the Public.

    A gas powered KLR 650 gives about 60 mpg and has a range of 350 miles on a full tank. These Motorcycles are tough as old boots and easy to maintain which is why the Military use them.
    Are they the perfect Dual Sport Motorcycle? That is arguable as being a Dual Sport type they are a compromise between on road and off road use. However, they last a long time and are reliable and will do pretty much what you ask of them and bring you home. In my experience, for the price they are hard to beat and can carry a substantial load of kit. Also, there is a wide range of add-ons available for them.
    Mine is over 20 years old and still going strong.
    Last edited by Kudos; 01-02-2014 at 11:54 AM.

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    Senior Member Power Giant's Avatar
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    We have fleet of 9 CUCV's and one of them is an ambulance. We bought ours from www.boyceequipment.com but they are not the only show around. They are powered by a non electronic diesel engine. The fuel shut off solenoid is electrically activated, but I don't see this as an issue.

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    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    The verdict is still out on whether vehicles would be kaput. Remember, the metal body is a Faraday Cage. So.......

    I'm a bug in kinda guy but if I have to skeedaddle it will be with what's in the drive or garage. For what it's worth, I think an ambulance is about the best thing going. Slap a couple of nuclear emblems on the side and most folks will be backing up when you drive through. A green L.E.D. burning inside the cab might be just the added touch to keep them at bay.
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    What ever you have at the time is your best bet.
    Go old school, pack animal can be fed on the road all terrine and in worst case you can eat it. Every animal has enough brains to tan it's own hide.
    One more thing you will get the exercise you need from it.
    Just thinking here.

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    Your inventiveness amazes me Rick. That is pretty clever and may just work. Maybe some good graphics on the side saying "Nuclear Waste Recovery Team"

    A pack animal is a sound idea too...can I get one at Walmart?
    You may as well take your favorite Horse with you as well because if it all went down someone would eat it if you left it behind.

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    Senior Member natertot's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kudos View Post
    If you really want to CYA at low cost buy a spare Computer Module for your Nissan and keep it in a Faraday Cage. Now that would be smart. You can make a Faraday cage out of a small metal trash can with a close fitting lid and line it with cardboard to stop items from touching the sides.
    Low cost? I'm not storing $500 worth of stuff for a ten year old car with a 150k on the odometer and a value of around $1000. Chances are, the car will completely poop out before an EMP would occur...... Just saying.

    Also, I do believe the electronics in boxes at stores will be okay. They are in metal structured buildings, packaged in cardboard and Styrofoam, and don't have electricity hooked up to them.....
    Last edited by natertot; 01-03-2014 at 10:15 PM.
    ”There's nothing glorious in dying. Anyone can do it.” ~Johnny Rotten

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    As I understand it, any electronics whether they are hooked up, powered up or not will be fried and wiped out as the transistors blow.
    You are talking of an energy charge equivalent to 15,000 volts per square meter.
    So unless they are completely contained in a proper Faraday cage they are Kaput.
    But don't worry about it, most everyone else's car will be dead.
    Hey an EMP could never happen, after all this is America

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    For non eml id have to say a hybrid would b best if distance is far
    They get the best mpg and are quiet when on electric power

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kudos View Post
    But don't worry about it, most everyone else's car will be dead.
    Hey an EMP could never happen, after all this is America
    Seems like you don't care for differing opinions. Kind of a snarky and condescending reply don't ya think?
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    Hey Crash
    It really wasn't intended that way. If I upset you, you have my sincere apology.

    So many times I have had people say "Naa there's no point taking any precautions, after all this is America and it could never happen." They may well be right and I really hope they are right because the alternative doesn't really bear thinking about.

    I take your point that spending $500 on a vehicle worth $1000 makes little sense on the face of it. I spent a reasonable amount on a vehicle and trailer that I was well aware may only be used for a one way trip if it came down to it. To be used to get me to another location and potentially never be used again.
    Of course, I have not had cause to use it. So it sits there... waiting. Was it a wise investment? Right now the answer has to be a resounding "NO"

    As with anything you have to weigh up risk, cost and potential benefit and factor it all in. In a situation where there was a need to get out the most "reliable" option is to walk out. The only real benefit of having a working vehicle is that you can carry more and potentially get where you are going faster and ahead of the crowd. The downside is that you so easily draw attention to yourself and that with all that equipment you would have to find somewhere to hide it all.
    There are so many factors to take into account.
    I welcome differing opinions because it makes for good discussion. We all have our own viewpoints and areas that we have already considered and made our own assessment of. Your input is valuable just as much as anyone's. And, let's face it, we are discussing just one aspect of a string of "possible" scenarios that may or may not happen. There is just as much potential for nothing to happen at all.
    The question really is how much risk is there, if any at all, and how far to go and prepare for a "what if?..." scenario.
    I made my own assessment and acted accordingly as I saw it. I cannot say at this time whether that decision was a good one and the money couldn't have been spent in a better way. Only time will answer that.
    But here is the real crunch question...... if a situation arose where I could use it would I use it or simply just walk? We could talk for hours on that one and probably end up agreeing that I didn't make a wise choice. But, for me it is good to know I have it so I guess, for me, it was a good decision.

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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kudos View Post
    Now that sounds like a great vehicle Hunter but I bet it would be tough to find one. That is not an option I had even thought of or heard mentioned before.
    I am assuming you have one. How the heck did you find it??
    ........
    No don't have one ...yet, looked at a few pricing was in the $3K to 8K.

    Wife says I have get rid of something before I can get one.......


    No mater what your plans are.....Keep your fuel tank as full as possible.....Lots for fuel stops will not/can not pump if the power, web, phone lines go out.
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    I still thing the old "Chevy Legs" work the best to get to the BOL!

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    I have been on the search for a Land rover, that I can afford that is.
    I Wonder Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink what ever comes out?"

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    I have a 4X4 Toyota Tundra that has been one of the most dependable vehicles I have ever owned. So I am going to get an extra ECU so if a Solar event takes out the original unit, I can change it out and keep going. I am thinking that it would take a huge solar flare to take out an ECU, but why not have ean extra just in case. I will keep the spare ECU in my metal pole barn which should be a fairly effective faraday cage since all of the siding and roof is grounded.

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    Resident Wildman Wildthang's Avatar
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    I also have an old boat I have refurbished, and I have locations on all of the small islands near here in lake Erie. Just another option if the S hits the fan!

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    [QUOTE=Rick;422305]The verdict is still out on whether vehicles would be kaput. Remember, the metal body is a Faraday Cage. So.......[QUOTE]

    The metal body is not a farady cage, a faraday cage is a completed (steel for emp) enclosure that is grounded and sealed, the vehicle body has window openings that the emp can enter through.
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