Just curious if anyone has put any thought towards vehicle selection incase of an emergency or crisis. What is your vehicle of choice (must already own it), any modifications, and why did you choose it?
I recently purchased a 2015 Tacoma V6 4X4. I plan on getting some armor for it (steel front bumper, skid plate, rock sliders). I also plan on lifting it and supercharging in the next year or two. I figured toyota’s are well known for their durability, it’s small enough to navigate between stalled cars or downed trees in an emergency, and obviously having a pickup is extremly versatile no matter the situation.
I also have a 2012 Ducati 848evo sportbike if I need to get somewhere fast, but I don’t think it would actually be as practical as a dirtbike or something that could go off road.
One drawback to my sportbike and if I supercharged my truck is that they require 91 octane gas. As gas ages it degrades and looses octane rating. This also means I wouldn’t be able to siphon gas from cars not being used or use my gas cans for my mower. Diesel would be superior in that regard but I don’t see myself getting one anytime soon.
If your going to be sourcing gas after the fact may as well just snag the first 4x4 diesel you see too. Or hit the local truck dealer, hypothetically of course.
A winch and proper recovery gear would also be important.
Mine, now that I think about it would be our 2014 Wrangler 4 door. It’s lifted with rock sliders, 34" tires and the winch. And of course the full size spare. Most important is all the support gear to get myself unstuck and unbroken Off road.
Plenty of space and decent power for what it is and I can take the top and doors off in post apocalyptic America and look bad ass.
Mines a 4 door rubicon. 3.5" lift, 35" tires, tube bumpers and rockers, 12,000lbs winch, and it’s loaded with everything I need to get out of a jam. I leave home everyday with the ability to never return if need be.
I was in South Florida for Hurricane Wilma. Most everyone lost power for a week, 95% of streetlights and traffic signals out, and no power meant no gas unless station had a generator and no buying anything with a credit card easily (some places reverted to carbon papers). My vehicle to get around was a BMW 1200GS motorcycle with TCK80 knobbies. ~50MPG do all get anywhere vehicle over any terrain. I just drove on the side of the road as all cars treated every intersection as a 4 way stop. Kept 4, 5 gallon gas cans filled for hurricane season and was well prepared otherwise (Charcoal, Alcohol, Water, Food, cash, Pool shock for neighbors pool). It was a week long party for my neighborhood and I could easily travel for supplies (more alcohol and non perishables). Very very uncomfortable for millions of people, but we were just on vacation and had a great time.
My state (VA) was hit by the derecho a couple years back, we lost power for about a week also. Unfortunatly I was vacationing in Pittsburgh and wasn’t home for it, I really would have liked to see people without power for a week. I have a 500 gallon propane tank so I have heat and cooking covered. Working on getting a propane generator.
Dodge 3500 extended cargo van. Has an old school 360 and a Dana 60 with 4.11’s. Can hold well over a ton of stuff inside safe and dry, and about everything else I own can fit in my cargo trailer. It’s very marginal off road if the ground gets wet, or on powdery sand, but it’s got good ground clearance and sometimes surprises me where it can go. Coming up soon on 200,000 miles, but I’ll keep it around simply because it’s so handy.
My Dodge 1500 pick up coughed up the mighty Hemi 5.7 not long ago and was traded away… Next ride for me will be undoubtedly be a Toyota pick up, but can’t make up my mind if I want a Tundra or Tacoma… Most likely the Tacoma.
Four wheel drive is absolutely critical for any serious escape vehicle…
Speaking of Escape, we also have one of those (traded in my dead truck towards it), but it is firmly in the grocery-getter category. If you must have a car, I say make it a hatch back.
2003 Dakota 4.7l. I drive it everyday and have a small wardrobe and “camping” supplies of need be along with a packed bag if I get marooned. The truck is a 2wd and has gotten me anywhere I need to go in the past 5 years or so and hasn’t disappointed me yet
2000 Land Cruiser and a 300cc Vespa. A 250 dirt bike would be better, but at my age I sacrifice some utility for comfort. And with the CVT I can shoot while I scoot. If/when SHTF seems near I will stock up on octane booster as both vehicles use premium.
I wish Toyota made a pickup with LC drive train- would be the perfect bug out veh IMO.
Not really clear on the whole “ready vehicle” concept but guessing it’d be my 2011 Chevy 2500 crew cab Duramax 4x4. Currently stock with a 36 gallon fuel tank (long bed), but planning on modifying my fuel capacity to 70+ gallons at some point. I get 12-15 mpg regardless what I’m hauling, and I rarely let it get below 2/3 full. I run pretty stock load range E all season radials, so I can go pretty much 90% of the places I need. Deep mud/sand/extreme rocks would stop me, but I really don’t see that happening. Swollen rivers are more of a reality I’ll have to deal with.
I’m not a fan of lifting a vehicle, although I see it’s benefits. But after living in rural New England, Montana, and Alaska, and running stock 4X4’s w/decent tires pretty much everywhere I wanted to go (forest service roads, logging trails, hunting in the mountains, I just don’t see the need for myself. Of course, if you are a hard core rock climber or mudder, that’s different.
After rethinking the post I made earlier, I should add a few thoughts I feel explain my “stock 4X4” philosophy.
I always run quality, light truck “LT”, load range “E” tires (versus “passenger rated” tires). Stiffer sidewalls and stronger belts make a more off-road worthy tire. This is one of my favorite tires to run: http://toyotires.com/tire/pattern/open-country-at-ii-on-off-road-all-terrain-tires?cat=10 they are not cheap, but they are very dependable and when kept properly inflated and rotated, last many miles.
If I’m headed off road, I always pack a 30’ logging chain with hooks, a pair of 17K lbs nylon tow straps, and my high lift jack. This combo, in addition to a good hand bow saw, decent shovel (not a folding pack shovel), and cutting ax has always gotten me out of any bad jam I got myself in. Would a chain saw and a winch be better and faster? Probably, but with this gear, I have to be slow, methodical, and think things through, which means (for me) it will be safer in the long run.
I choose my paths carefully, and I don’t push my vehicle’s capabilities. The most deeply stuck vehicles I ever came across were 3/4 ton, lifted, big tire mudders. They can get through much more mud or higher water than I can, but when they get stuck, they are generally pretty much screwed until help arrives. Seen several large trees pulled out at the roots by trucks stuck deep in clay gumbo. And most drivers, thinking they can get themselves out by spinning their tires, just get dug deep, and that’s when the suction the gumbo grabs hold of them and won’t let go easily.
of course, I also carry a decent 3 day bag, spare hat/jacket/clothes, first aid supplies, food/water/fire/tools/defensive gear, etc. Nothing special or magic about any vehicle, and above all else, remember your brain/thinking skills/knowledge/attitude will ALWAYS be your most valuable piece of kit!
By “ready vehicle” I simply mean what is your go to vehicle in any less than ideal driving situation flood, winter storm, social breakdown, etc. Good point about keeping 2/3 tank at all times. I fill my truck at 1/2 tank but being as I only drive it once every week or two I should probably consider filling at 2/3 or 3/4. My daily driver I’m guilty of running below a 1/4 tank fairly regularly. But being I have the truck and bike as a back up it doesn’t bother me.
For years, I had this and that planned for bugout, that cost mucho monies. BUT when you get my age, you say to yourself, f**** it. I ain’t going anywhere, my home is my bugout-location.
I’m with ya, Brother. I don’t have anywhere to go that would be a better place for me and mine than the home I am setting up. Nothing short of a tornado will run us out, and those ain’t very likely in the TX Hill Country…
