The vast majority of readers will choose a car, truck, or SUV for a BOV. Ninety-five percent of this book revolves around those vehicles. Some, however, are considering bicycles, motorcycles, boats, or some other type of transportation either as a primary or maybe a secondary backup BOV that will be loaded and stored on or inside of a primary BOV.
It’s important to have goals when building a BOV. Ideally, any primary BOV choice meets the following list of essential attributes:
Don’t let this list stress you out. It’s designed for a best possible scenario, and few of us will be able to meet every requirement perfectly, and some requirements might not be met at all. This chapter will discuss each attribute in more detail.
The first and most essential attribute is that your BOV must be in good working order. Nothing else matters if your vehicle isn’t reliable. If you can’t trust it to make the journey to your Bug Out Location (BOL), either remedy the issue(s) or get a different vehicle. There is no excuse for a person who takes preparedness seriously to have a BOV in disrepair. All BOVs require routine maintenance to keep them reliable. The following list details the most important routine checks and balances.
Oil Change: Contaminants such as dust, grime, moisture, and metal shavings increase engine wear and tear. Change your oil and filter every three thousand miles or every three months, whichever comes first.
Air Filter: Clogged air filters result in lower fuel mileage and power loss. A general rule of thumb is to replace your filter when it looks dirty and full of crud. Trying to clean it is pointless. Spend a few bucks and get a new one. Check, and replace if necessary, during each oil change.
Fuel Filter: Clogged fuel filters place unnecessary strain on the fuel pump, which results in loss of power and poor performance. Fuel filters trap rust and debris from the fuel tank. I replace mine annually.
Brakes: Do you get a physical each year at the doctor’s office? If not, you should. And, so should your car. This vehicle “checkup” should include a brake inspection. Follow the mechanic’s advice to keep them in good working order.
Wiper Blades: Have you ever been in a snow- or rainstorm with bad or broken wiper blades? Even worse is after a storm when cars in front of you are spraying up dirty road water. Bad blades can be flat-out dangerous. Driving through and away from a disaster (and potentially off-road) will almost certainly require that your windshield wipers are in good repair. Don’t procrastinate, change them when necessary.
Fluids: Just as our body needs proper hydration to function at peak performance, your BOV needs fluids as well. Make sure brake, transmission, radiator, windshield washer, and oil levels are always where they should be. These should be checked and adjusted during your routine oil change.
Tires: Tires are your car’s hiking boots. They should be routinely inspected and rotated—including your spare. If there’s a slow leak, get it fixed. No one wants to spend their hard-earned money on expensive new tires, but if your BOV needs new tires, buy them.
Belts: All worn or damaged drive belts should be promptly replaced. Signs of wear and tear can include cracks and a slick glazed appearance.
A BOV in good health ranks number one on your list of priorities. Make sure your BOV is reliable before you invest time or money on any other BOV preparedness efforts. Of course, driving in disaster conditions can take a toll on your BOV and cause problems for even the best maintained vehicle. Chapter five details vehicle maintenance items to keep in your BOV.
Clogged air filter
Need new blades?
Maintain fluid levels.
When researching BOVs, you will quickly find advocates of older pre-1980s vehicles. Some survivalists are pro older vehicles for two main reasons. First, older vehicles are typically less complicated to troubleshoot and repair in the field. Second, they have fewer (some none at all) electronic parts that could be susceptible to failure during a potential electromagnetic pulse (EMP), which I discuss in detail later in the book.
Which one should you choose? Well, that depends on you. The fact is that older vehicles are not as dependable as newer ones. Even when these older vehicles were new, they weren’t even close to being as dependable as newer modern vehicles (1990s and newer). In my humble opinion, threat of EMP is the only reason to consider an older pre-1980s vehicle. There is no BOV that can cover you from 100 percent of the potential threats. You have to ask yourself what you are preparing for and make decisions based on those answers. If EMP is at the top of your list, you may want to consider an older and less electronic-dependent vehicle. Otherwise, a more modern vehicle might be a better choice, especially if you aren’t a practiced mechanic.
If a large-scale disaster forces sudden evacuation, there’s a high probability that you can expect less-than-perfect driving conditions. Here’s a short list of potential obstacles:
In my opinion, four-wheel drive is a BOV necessity if you can afford it. I’ve owned two-wheel drive cars and trucks, and they are absolutely inferior to vehicles with four-wheel drive. Not all four-wheel drive systems are the same. Automobile manufacturers have actually made it confusing with all of the fancy marketing names they’ve invented in an attempt to differentiate their drive systems from competitors.
To understand four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 and 4WD, it’s important to understand how it’s different from all-wheel drive (AWD). To the uninformed, you might think AWD and 4WD are the same. Well, they are and they aren’t.
Taking an alternate off-road route
It’s easiest to look at AWD as a light-duty 4WD with no driver options. The engine supplies power to all of the wheels all of the time. The driver typically has no input. AWD is designed to be used on roads in bad weather versus being used for actual off-road travel. Most vehicles that have AWD are cars, although some light-duty SUVs now come with AWD.
A true 4WD vehicle has a 4LO or 4LOW setting. The driver can engage this setting to increase torque for exceptionally difficult terrain. However, even true 4WD systems have variations.
Part-Time 4WD: In this system, the rear two wheels typically power the vehicle when 4WD is not activated. The two front wheels join the party when the driver engages 4WD. Older trucks have manual locking hubs that require the operator to physically turn a knob on the front wheels. Modern vehicles don’t require this step.
Automatic 4WD: Automatic 4WD is similar to part-time 4WD except that the vehicle automatically engages the front two wheels when it senses loss of traction in one of the rear wheels. The driver does not have to tell it to engage and, depending on the make, doesn’t have a choice.
Full-Time 4WD: This simply means that the engine will send power to all wheels all the time. The drivers cannot switch between two-wheel and four-wheel drive. This is similar to the AWD listed above except 4WD vehicles are typically built with more robust and rugged systems with gearing that is better suited for true off-road conditions.
Creek’s Preference: I prefer a part-time 4WD system. This system has a 4LO setting option for true off-roading needs. I also like being able to control when 4WD is engaged. The part-time and automatic systems are more fuel efficient than full-time systems because power feeds all four wheels only when necessary. There is no need to waste fuel on powering all four wheels when you don’t need it.
Limiting your choices to only on-road travel is a risky decision and may leave you with few options in a sudden large-scale evacuation. Chapter six is dedicated to outfitting your vehicle with equipment to help any type of BOV with off-road travel.
4LOW option
Manual locking hubs on front tires
Interior 4WD selection buttons
Your BOV must have enough storage space to safely carry you, your loved ones, and each passenger’s Bug Out Bag. This is an absolute minimum. Additional room to store extra supplies, such as water and tools, for the journey is highly recommended as you will see once we get into the outfitting chapters. Space and solutions for storing fuel are also critical. There are a variety of creative interior and exterior storage options to consider for vehicles with limited space. Many of these options are discussed in chapter nine.
If you talk to anyone who has evacuated a large-scale disaster by vehicle, that person will tell you the importance of having a vehicle that can make it a long distance. History repeatedly reports that fuel becomes virtually impossible to source in the midst of a large-scale disaster evacuation. If you do not have enough fuel to make your Bug Out Journey when the disaster strikes, you probably aren’t going to get any more. Gas stations may be either closed for the same reason you are evacuating, not functioning due to lack of power or other disaster-related interruption, already jammed with lines of frustrated and desperate evacuees, or simply out of gas altogether. Your BOV should be capable of making the trip to your Bug Out Location without stopping to refuel. And, because disaster-related delays and detours are expected, you should consider extra fuel storage in your vehicle.
Running out of fuel will be one of your greatest threats. The catch-22 is that most extremely fuel-efficient vehicles do not make ideal BOVs. You must choose the right BOV and fuel storage combination to get the job done for your particular lifestyle and needs. Only you know how far your Bug Out Location is from your permanent residence.
A diesel engine has two main advantages over gasoline, but these don’t necessarily mean you should choose diesel. First, diesel engines are simpler. Consequently, they are more reliable and tend to last longer, and most mechanics agree they are easier to troubleshoot and repair. Second, diesel engines can be converted to use vegetable and waste oils. Many survival-minded individuals like the idea of being able to use these types of fuels versus traditional fuel supplies in the event of a long-term collapse. However, modern vehicle engines are incredibly dependable. Fierce competition among car companies has resulted in gasoline engines that can be expected to run upwards of 200,000 miles. And, gasoline is much more popular and easier to find. Your chances of scavenging gasoline during a disaster Bug Out Journey are higher than finding diesel. I chose a diesel because I am designing this dedicated BOV to be more of a long-term collapse BOV and have plans to make the vegetable oil conversion. All of my other BOVs have been gasoline. It is also important to note that diesel has a much longer shelf life than gasoline. Many survival-minded individuals store fuel, and this can also influence one’s vehicle choices.
Overall, are you more concerned about a short-term disaster Bug Out or a long-term societal collapse?
Flooding is one of the most common occurrences and obstacles in many natural and man-made disasters. From blown dams and bursting water pipelines to overwhelmed ditches and heavy rains, flooding can stop traffic in an instant. I have seen cars stall out in as little as 12 inches (30cm) of floodwater. Floodwater can short-circuit vital vehicle functions, clog the air intake, and clog the exhaust. Any one of these can cause a BOV to stall. A BOV should have a minimum of 24 inches (60cm)of clearance to the air intake. On a modern vehicle, most air intakes are located just inside the front grill. Chapter six discusses options for increasing a vehicle’s clearance when crossing water.
I like the idea of choosing a very popular, mass-produced model vehicle as a BOV. This helps to ensure that replacement and repair parts are more readily available should the need arise. In times of normalcy when Internet, phones, and shipping carriers are not interrupted, it may not be hard to find a replacement part for an oddball domestic or import vehicle, but that could be a completely different story in times of disaster or unrest. You may have to resort to junkyards, local vendors, or barter. Parts for popular vehicles will be easier to find and also less expensive. Also, these types of vehicles blend into a crowd better, which brings us to the final attribute.
There is a fine line between being prepared and not appearing to be prepared. Blending in during a disaster Bug Out certainly has advantages. One could argue that the most average-looking BOV is the most strategically attractive. It doesn’t grab attention. It doesn’t stand out. It doesn’t scream, “I have food, water, and survival supplies—come and get it.” Desperate people take desperate measures, and staying on the down low during a disaster Bug Out is a smart strategy. I’ll be the first to admit, my truck featured on the cover and throughout this book stands out in a crowd of typical vehicles. But I just couldn’t in good conscience write a book about BOVs and not give you some cool Bug Out eye candy. The accessories and urban camouflage look great in photos, but in reality may draw unwanted attention. But you have to admit that you like the pictures.
Earth tones like tans, browns, and greens are great BOV colors as opposed to bright and flashy reds and yellows. Not only do earth tones attract less attention in a sea of chaos, but the time may come when you wish to disappear completely. An earth tone vehicle is much easier to camouflage. Whether you want to camp overnight and wish to remain anonymous or simply need to escape and evade, camouflaging your BOV can be very useful. Chapter eight has some vehicle camo ideas.
Creek’s camouflaged BOV
The whole point of this book is to simplify the overwhelming task of building the perfect BOV. Perfect is a very subjective term. You have to accept the fact that it’s impossible to prepare a perfect plan (and vehicle) for an imperfect world. It’s impossible to predict all the details of any potential disaster Bug Out. Choose a vehicle that meets as many of the above requirements as possible within your budget and move on. An imperfect BOV that’s ready to go is far better than a perfect BOV that isn’t ready (or exists only in your dreams) when disaster strikes.