Bug Out Car/Daily Driver

I was hoping to maybe get some opinions from all you survivalists on a newer vehicle. I'm in the market, my budget is 7k(since I'm still in college), and I would like to keep survivability in mind when buying the vehicle. A 4x4/SUV/Truck is out of the question due to gas prices. In reality, assuming I have time in a SHTF scenario, I will have access to those type vehicles due to family members. Currently looking at a Honda Civic/ Acura Integra hatchback as my car of of choice.

4 door, 2 door, manual, automatic??

I'm thinking about ruling out the hatchback considering the huge window in the back doesn't have much in the way of privacy and the fact that it could be easily broken into.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

reply to post by edgecrusher2199


With a budget of only 7 grand you might be better off buying a mountain bike and an AR-15.

Get a older chevy s-10 and get a lift kit , push bar for the front , tires with serious traction on them . For survival you want something rugged so a smaller truck would be ideal instead of a civic or integra .

an old boat( big ole car ) like in demo derbys. something with a little space in the grill and fan area.
so it can take some hits. wont cost you 7K but i would put some money in to it. engine, drive train, brakes and fuel
system. you can get them to a good mph beleave it or not. my 88 ford ranger had 2 tanks and a camper shell. i could take on the world ; )

Buy a 70s style 4x4 for a few grand and kit it out with the rest. I own a Mitsubishi 4x4 1995 Pajero With a mounting kit ready to go on a pulley system in my carport. Takes 8mins to strap up load the kids up. gone

I would suggest looking into a older jeep. Very dependable four wheel drive vehicles. I would not personally put a lift or huge tires on it, as both of those could hamper decent gas mileage.

I have to keep economic/reliability in mind more than a "what-if" scenario...

reply to post by edgecrusher2199



Depends on what happens, With in weeks fuel will be scarce so really you not only need a mode of transport but a safe place with in your fuel reserves. Stopping at a petrol station to manually pump petrol could be more dangerous then anything. You need a well thought out plan. food for a few months water and a secure location to set roots and start the greens growing "Vegetables". To keep you and your family safe. Driving around aimlessly would not be a good idea.

reply to post by Legion2024


S to that. im more prepped to bug out than bug in. since i am a renter and all

reply to post by edgecrusher2199


Put it this way if you want to survive ANYTHING ie. accident, zombie apocalypse, 2012.. whatever, your defiantly not going to in any little car thats great on gas. I just bought a new vehicle and i had the same mindset, i wanted something 4x4 but good on gas.. and to be honest theres nothing for 7k. The best thing is a 2001 jeep cherokee with a 4.0L (not grand cherokee), or a jeep liberty with a 3.7L. I bought a jeep liberty for $4,200 and its got 138,000km or 75,000 miles in awesome condition. Unless you buy a honda crv thats good on gas but isnt a real 4x4..

SHTF weighed heavily on my last vehicle choice. I went with a 99 Jeep Cherokee (XJ) 4x4 with the 4.0L engine. I've taken it through snow, sand, and mud all in stock form on regular Michelins. I decided against the lift kit and huge tires because of the adverse effects on gas mileage. I do recommend a push bar, roof rack, and a full size spare. Happy hunting!

When it comes to a bug out ride there are several things to consider such as dependability, function, and efficiency. Personally I went with a 81 Jeep Scrambler and did some mods to it. I removed the 304 v8 since it was blown when I bought it and replaced it with a 4bta cummins mechanical diesel. Since it has no computer or electronic controls it will run in the rare event of an EMP and I can even push start it if needed. I also added a extra fuel tank with a heating element so if needed I can run used cooking oil. After several days fuel will be increasingly hard to find. This is also my daily driver on most days and I get right at 20mpg with it.

I also added an electric fuel pump with a pickup hose for getting fuel from stations when there's no power and added a 6" lift with 35 Yokohama Geolanders. Now this may sound extreme but I paid 1500 for the Jeep and another 1400 swapping engines and am at about 6000 total investment now but I am a mechanic and welder so I did the work myself.

I would steer clear of either of what you were suggesting because there will be times you are going to go off-road and then you'll just be screwed. If you have to have a car I would look for a older Subara AWD or an AMC Eagle or such. 4WD will be well appreciated at some point unless you plan on staying in the cities and if you did that then I would say you would be better off spending your money on a casket.

get a small 4cly car with good mileage.
smallest/plainest looking, and cheap.
that way, you are not going to stick out as much,
(better having people thinking granddad is driving past, rather than rambo)

depending on the scenario too...
if you are in a city, chances are you will never get a car out of the city. get a bike or walk out,
unless you can store in a friends shed/barn on the outskirts, to pick up once you are out of the city.

if it is a military type lockdown,
better to hide in the city as by that stage, they would have already got the 'survivalists/militia' (living in the woods types) rounded up before they close up a town.

subaru impreza. awd. 30 mpg get a new lease if shtf you have a new car. leases are cheap and dont put money down. new with warranty and you can drive them anywhere. I know cars and these are pretty darn good. But remember new lease. Probly $150 to $200 per month. Better than shelling out 7k.

reply to post by lzkaware


Im replying to my post to say that I was a car saleman for a year and didnt like it. I know a lot of people hate car saleman but I do know what vehicles are good and not good. Not in sales anymore so don't hate.

IMO, the standard Ford F150 4X4 or Chevy 1500 (you will need it) with carburetor, points and plugs (No EFI!). In line, V6 or small block V 8. You will need the power.
ttravis5446.hubpages.com...
For fun there is this.

or this,
www.fourwheeler.com...

Originally posted by Nucleardiver
When it comes to a bug out ride there are several things to consider such as dependability, function, and efficiency. Personally I went with a 81 Jeep Scrambler and did some mods to it. I removed the 304 v8 since it was blown when I bought it and replaced it with a 4bta cummins mechanical diesel. Since it has no computer or electronic controls it will run in the rare event of an EMP and I can even push start it if needed. I also added a extra fuel tank with a heating element so if needed I can run used cooking oil. After several days fuel will be increasingly hard to find. This is also my daily driver on most days and I get right at 20mpg with it.

I also added an electric fuel pump with a pickup hose for getting fuel from stations when there's no power and added a 6" lift with 35 Yokohama Geolanders. Now this may sound extreme but I paid 1500 for the Jeep and another 1400 swapping engines and am at about 6000 total investment now but I am a mechanic and welder so I did the work myself.

I would steer clear of either of what you were suggesting because there will be times you are going to go off-road and then you'll just be screwed. If you have to have a car I would look for a older Subara AWD or an AMC Eagle or such. 4WD will be well appreciated at some point unless you plan on staying in the cities and if you did that then I would say you would be better off spending your money on a casket.

Yeah, just what he said.

reply to post by edgecrusher2199

First of all keep it simple,unless you are a competent mechanic,you don't want a vehicle that has hard to get at parts.Personally I would opt for a manual gearbox(I know that is somewhat anathema to a lot of Americans!),when things go wrong a manual box is a hell of a lot simpler to repair than most auto gearboxes,though most modern auto boxes are fairly indestructible , a manual may also give you the edge when a low gear ratio is required i.e stuck in mud,ice/snow or Zombie body parts!.As you mentioned ,the Honda Civic would be a good bet as would any smallish Jap car as their reliability is legendary.

I love this topic. Here's how I see it.

-newer cars are out. Unless you are specifically trained to work on newer generation cars, good luck doing more than basic maintanence on it. No mechanics will be readily available, so you better know your vehicle.

-anything with a central computer unit is out. One emp, and you're done.

-rare cars are out. Again, work will be done by you, not a mechanic. Better make sure its something you can find parts for.

For me, I'm leaning toward a 1969 pontiac lemans

A lot of good points mentioned. My current Bug out vehicle is my daily driver Subaru Outback. HOWEVER, if I had the space to keep my true Bug out Ride it would be an early 80's Volvo 240dl Wagon. Diesel. Easy to work on, built like a tank, roof rack and cargo capability. Best of all, no one will give you a second look as you whisk away to your Bat Cave.

purrs like a kitten not the wagon but the same great engine!