[Zebraranger]

My personal list of some key things to consider when choosing a bug out vehicle.
How fuel efficient is the vehicle?
Is the vehicle durable and easy to maintain?
Is the vehicle off road capable?
Does the vehicle have enough cargo space?
My wife has a 2016 Mazda CX5 small sport utility/hatchback with very low miles (20,000) and that thing gets amazing fuel mileage and its very reliable.
The cons is that it really doesnt have enough cargo space and it isnt off road capable. The only pic I have of the Mazda is the last photo next to the Jeep.

I have two vehicles and a lightweight adventure/dual sport motorcycle. a 2011 GMC Sierra 4x4 with 79,000 miles. It has lots of pro's, reliable, towing capacity, cargo space and off road capable. But it has one really bad con, its fuel mileage is pathetic.

The other is a 30 year old first generation Jeep YJ Wrangler with 100,000 miles on the odometer. It gets just so so fuel mileage, but it has lots of obvious pros. Even though its been well maintained, because of its age and mileage, and it still has a lot of original parts in it, I dont consider it very reliable over the long haul.

So if we had to bug out, the GMC pickup will be the vehicle of choice for us. It will also allow me to carry a 2nd mode of transportation (the motorcycle) on the hitch hauler. Just in case something were to happen to the truck, we'd still have a way to move fast, and on a motorcycle, traffic jams wouldn't be a problem, unless someone shoots me and takes it.
So would you make the same choice? What vehicle do you plan to take if you ever had to bug out?

 

[ka5siw]

We don't have the luxury of a 2nd truck. My 2012 chevy has to pull the boat or travel trailer and everything else that is required. We do carry our bikes along in the back of the truck. Even though I live out in the country, I don't need 4x4 often enough to pay the $5000 extra for it. Neat thing about a white truck, people don't know if you are a county or utility co. truck. I step out of my truck with a walkie-talkie, clipboard and hardhat, nobody pays any attention to me. Nobody expects a white truck to be clean, and it is the easiest paint to match if you need body work.

 

[MosinRuger]

Yes, Daily driver is my "Bug out Vehicle" but its also my camping vehcile, my off roading vehcile and all of the above.

its really geared more for rough stuff than city roads honestly, which isnt super practical, but i dont care, I want something i know can take just about anything you can throw at it whether its adverse weather conditions, or i have to jump some curbs to evade some threat.

its also usually well packed with my get home/ bug out bag, some recovery gear, tools and emergency supplies.

here is one example of how i roll!

this is in Pike national forest.

I forgot to say, its an 06 NIssan Xterra. 4.0 v6 so its got plenty of power but chugs gas, especially with the 33' all terrain mud and snow rated tires.

but, its also got a fairly large 20 gal fuel tank and i can take an addtl 5 gals with me.

storage space could be better, but with the roof rack it can hold plenty of stuff for me and my wife.

 

[blue fox]

since I traded away my truck about a month ago (engine going) i would have to make do with the 2018 Escape. If it wasn't really bad I would take both mine and the wife's 2019 escape. Mine has 34,000 on it and hers has 20,000 so fairly reliable and get around 28-29 mpg. we could sacrifice one if needed. Both are AWD

 

[AK Hunter]

My hunting/bug out truck is a 1992 GMC 1500 it's a 4x2 but with wide mud tires on the back & a little weight in the bed it pushes through even the deepest mud. It has a full bed so it has plenty of room to pack any bug out cargo I may need. It's old enough that I can find parts for it just about anywhere. The guy I bought it from just had the engine & trans overhauled he had planed to make a show truck out of it until his daughter drove it through a ditch it's a little beat up now.(she was texting) If I can keep my foot out of it I can get about 18 mpg It's just a V6 but it feel like the power of a V8.
It's no pretty truck so I don't need to be careful with it.

 

[MosinRuger]

My hunting/bug out truck is a 1992 GMC 1500 it's a 4x2 but with wide mud tires on the back & a little weight in the bed it pushes through even the deepest mud. It has a full bed so it has plenty of room to pack any bug out cargo I may need. It's old enough that I can find parts for it just about anywhere. The guy I bought it from just had the engine & trans overhauled he had planed to make a show truck out of it until his daughter drove it through a ditch it's a little beat up now.(she was texting) If I can keep my foot out of it I can get about 18 mpg It's just a V6 but it feel like the power of a V8.
It's no pretty truck so I don't need to be careful with it.

that Truck will get you alot farther off the beaten path than any CAR would!

 

[ncnascarlady]

Unfortunately I don't have a "Get Home" vehicle that can get through almost anything. But the Prius has an amazing amount of cargo space and gets spectacular gas mileage. The CR-V has decent cargo space and can tow, it's just not worth a damn in rough country. And it's not great with gas mileage either.

Thankfully we're not planning on going anywhere.

 

[MosinRuger]

Unfortunately I don't have a "Get Home" vehicle that can get through almost anything. But the Prius has an amazing amount of cargo space and gets spectacular gas mileage. The CR-V has decent cargo space and can tow, it's just not worth a damn in rough country. And it's not great with gas mileage either.

Thankfully we're not planning on going anywhere.

I have always thought the honda cr-v was almost the perfect automobile for most average people.

its reliable, decent on fuel economy, can haul around what most people need it to. its safer than a tiny little fuel effieicent car. they are affordable, while not "off road" vehicles, they can do more than the average "car" off pavement. with awd and proper tires it can handle snow.

in my opinnion, suppose we had to try to streamline auto production to just a few models, this would be the one I would choose to mass produce for the average person. that along with a larger truck for people that need it.

 

[AK Hunter]

that Truck will get you alot farther off the beaten path than any CAR would!

It has already!

 

[ncnascarlady]

I have always thought the honda cr-v was almost the perfect automobile for most average people.

its reliable, decent on fuel economy, can haul around what most people need it to. its safer than a tiny little fuel effieicent car. they are affordable, while not "off road" vehicles, they can do more than the average "car" off pavement. with awd and proper tires it can handle snow.

in my opinnion, suppose we had to try to streamline auto production to just a few models, this would be the one I would choose to mass produce for the average person. that along with a larger truck for people that need it.

Our CR-V isn't awd, sadly. And with Hubby driving it, it gets barely passable mileage. As for snow it's okay with less than 6". Anything over that and you need snow tires and a driver with a clue.

They are reliable as long as you keep up with routine maintenance and replace the timing belt every 100,000 miles. But they're far from shade tree mechanic friendly! Not sure you remember when I needed to replace the starter, which I can do normally. Not the crv! I read up on it, then checked youtube because the first thing you need to do is remove the manifold cover. It went to the shop...

So yeah, for the average driver person with average needs, they're great. But if you want something for rough country, get a smaller truck or Jeep.

 

[Txhillbilly]

It really won't matter what you have if it has electronic ignition and computer module's that control everything. One decent EMP goes off, your "bug out" vehicle is just another dead vehicle that doesn't work anymore.

 

[MontanaMac]

What makes any of you think that you'll be allowed to travel around? Anybody that served in Iraq or Afghanistan will attest to the fact that checkpoints and roadblocks will be everywhere. Unless you've got a reason to travel you'll be told to go back home and quit driving around unnecessarily.

 

[Moroco Mole]

The only bugging out i would do would be because of flood or evacuation. So short travel to both my safe spots. Son driving the 06 escape. My self driving the 90 f250.
Other then that will stand and die where i am. I know how to survive, in the Wayne national forest.
EMP? What does it take out? Batteries? Just chips? Only connected to live electric stuff? Will a sectional aluminum roof shield from it? If so how long doer a hazzardous burst last before it stops destroying or jamming things? Have to admit no nothing about those.

 

[runfiverun]

i got 3-4X4's and a Mustang.
i guess if i needed to get out quickly it's be the Mustang, it gets close to 30 MPG and tops out over 150 MPH, suckily it only gets about 20 MPG locked down to 125 MPH.

on the other hand i got a 30 YO Bronco it gets like 8 MPG but drives in the snow and mud at 40 MPH, it does have a 33 gallon tank though.

in between is the Dodge truck and the Tahoe, they'd both tow a 4 wheeler if necessary.

my biggest problem would be where to go, anyplace i'd head to would be rife with 1-2 million coming this direction and could be an issue, plus i don't really wanna be riding a 4 wheeler around in a city full of desperate people.

i guess i will just stay here and keep them out.

 

[Stickman]

I'll most likely bug out at home.

Unless you have a boat or an airplane you will most likely be blocked anyway.

 

[blaster]

depending on the crisis, one of these will be my bug out vehicle.

 

[ACfixer]

Pretty much yeah...

 

[blue fox]

What makes any of you think that you'll be allowed to travel around? Anybody that served in Iraq or Afghanistan will attest to the fact that checkpoints and roadblocks will be everywhere. Unless you've got a reason to travel you'll be told to go back home and quit driving around unnecessarily.

there will always be back roads. They can't all be covered all the time my friend.

 

[ncnascarlady]

there will always be back roads. They can't all be covered all the time my friend.

I've got a natural sense of direction and get bored driving the interstates, state highways and primary roads so I've learned a lot of the secondary and tertiary roads between home and most of the places I go. And I practice the routes every once in a while to keep them in my mind just in case. Yes, I've gotten lost on occasion. And I travel outside my normal range. That's why I carry a paper map and compass in my glove box.

When I moved down here, it was before smartphones and I didn't have directions beyond the town and street address. So I studied the map and learned the town names from my interstate exit to where I needed to be. That way I could follow the road signs that showed the direction to the next town.

 

[shanebrews]

If it gets that bad I will probably ride my bicycle to one of three nearby farms and acquire a horse or donkey. Or maybe a horse and donkey.

Generally speaking, I'm more in the shelter in place mindset.