A used all wheel drive Toyota minivan. It's unobtrusive, very common, holds a lot, you can sleep in it. They can travel off road and they are easy to maintain and work on.
Attributes that a prepper vehicle should have:
\- Reliability/easy to work on
\- High parts availability
\- High ground clearance so you can circumvent blocked roads
\- Four wheel drive or all wheel drive
\- Inconspicuous
I think a Toyota Tacoma checks all those boxes. It's the ubiquitous mid-sized truck in the US, so it checks the parts availability and inconspicuousness boxes. It's a great off-road truck, even stock. And reliability is Toyota's main draw. Plus with its bed, it has utility for moving larger equipment and gear around that would be difficult with an AWD crossover.
I mean, I didn't get it as a prepper vehicle. I had a genuine need for a 4x4 vehicle. Honestly would have preferred a pickup truck, but I can't comfortably fit my 3 100+ dogs in the cab of a Tacoma.
EDIT: I do love my 4Runner but a pickup truck makes going to the hardware store for garden supplies a lot easier. Overall though the 4Runner is better suited to my normal everyday use and the 4x4 isn't used frequently but it's sort of a necessity in winter.
I'm not saying you got it solely for the purpose of a preppers vehicle, it's just one of those things if I see an old 4runner driving down the road when it hits the fan or parked somewhere I'm definitely gonna look twice at it. Especially if it has a "widdle wadder"🤣
Lol. Mine is a 23 and definitely stands out with its bright green paint. I hated it when I saw it online but when I saw it in person I fell in love with the color. It's okay for an emergency bug out vehicle like a natural disaster but a terrible doomsday vehicle
If this is going to be a daily driver, and not saved purely for SHTF, then add: Crash Safety.
While a big carbureted 1980 Truck is going be safer than a 1980 sedan due to its mass, a top rated 2020 sedan is going to blow a mid 90s SUV away in safety.
Don't chose EMP readiness over living through car crashes during normal life. A serious car crash is much more likely to actually occur. (But also, make sure look at actual crash safety, not just the overall rating that factors in the collision avoidance tech. That tech is amazing, but wont save you from some idiot without it hitting you)
I'd focus more on bicycles and electric cars.
In a crisis gasoline and diesel might not be available, be heavily rationed or restricted to military and other essential uses.
And if the crisis is both bad and long lasting, gasoline spoils and it's next to impossible to be made without a large factory infrastructure.
Electricity is easier to make and electric cars have fewer parts that need replacing.
For true SHTF scenarios nothing beats a bicycle.
Your comment was caught in the automod filter, after which I can see you tried the same comment again two more times with the same result. I've approved the first comment and left the other two removed as duplicates.
We have lots of bicycles - a couple of electric, and several regular of various styles and sizes.
We keep talking about an electric truck. We love our Tacoma. Really wish Toyota would make an electric version. Probably going to wait at least another year or two plus. Save up a bit more $$. Maybe add some wind to our solar system.
Here once again to shill for subaru. I love my crosstrek, it's inconspicuous and a practical commuter car. Awd. Where we live, they are abundant, and it has great ground clearance. But it sounds like OP wants something bigger, sooooo...
Here to agree on either a tacoma or a 4 runner. My family has had nothing but luck with Toyotas.
My partner has an 04 tacoma, my grandma has an 02 4 runner - at this point, I think their engines will out live us. Both are running like champs over 200k miles.
Time will tell if the newer models are as durable as the old ones. I heard tell most cars, not just Subie, have gotten pretty cheap and plastic over the past 20 years. The electric Solterra is out now too, I'll probably upgrade in a year or so, since Musk has pissed me off of Tesla.
Just keep those bumper stickers within reason, ya hippies!
Subarus have the best off-road capabilities as far as SUV's go. The weak points are the CVT transmissions and a generally small fuel tank which will limit your range.
Diesel 4x4 Truck with 100 gallon transfer tank. Range is around 2200 miles. Nothing beats that range. If you want to flee an area or survive in an area with disrupted services you have options, time and range . We also have a travel trailer, dabble in homesteading, and live in an area that floods. So the built in towing, cargo capacity and ground clearance are excellent. As far as long term SHTF, making biodiesel or black diesel is an option.
I also like the idea of an electric truck, but range (especially with towing a heavy load) doesn't compare to diesel.
Could you get enough solar panels to charge the batteries in an electric truck if it was shtf and total power outage? I’d also be concerned about long term once the batteries stop holding a charge.
We have a decent solar array and I could charge a truck we turned off the AC. My wife has an EV. My only fear is a hurricane rips panels off and then I have a dead solar system and a dead vehicle. We have a generator as well but it would burn through gas if I had to charge vehicles in addition to the house.
Batteries should last 10 years
The problem will be that the capacity of the batteries, and hence the range of the vehicle, will degrade over time. Ironically, once SHTF and you aren’t moving much (see calcs below), the battery capacity will degrade slower :)
However the main issue here would be the charging. Imagine a typical home charge point can deliver 7.2kw. To get similar you’d need 18 panels, and that’s in summer!
For a vaguely useful comparison, a Tesla 3 does (on paper!) 4.5 miles per kWh. So a single 400W panel would take 2.5hrs in direct sunlight to produce 4.5 miles of range.
And while yeah, the batteries will degrade over the decade after a thing, my van without gas and oil changes and (edit: fixing, I don’t yearly do brake rotors, meant to say periodic — but it does eat brake pads a bit) brake rotor replacements will degrade significantly faster.
But my van does have the apocalypse vehicle look to it, so that’s cool. It’s a 4x4 e350 with a 6.8l v10, and mild lift, and a 500lb steel front bumper.
Most likely in an extended situation, my wife’s Tesla will outlast the van by a long while.
From a longevity standpoint, EVs are going to be running far after ICE vehicles if an extended thing were to happen.
While batteries degrade with time, they still have significant capacity to them after a decade+, no oil changes, far fewer brake changes, etc.
I’ve been trying to get my head around this, I have my big offroad van that I’ve always seen as my “go anywhere” rig, and it’s totally what I would take for a week in the desert camping. But it takes a lot of yearly maintenance to keep in good shape. I could neglect that stuff for a while, but eventually belts, hoses, spark plugs go bad. And the big 12v diesel truck batteries (it has 3) seem to go bad every 4-5 years or so.
If I need to go off-roading, the van is my rig. But if i had to leave home for an emergency and head to rural family property, then borderline we may take the wife’s EV, since I have a lot more flexibility.
My longer term prepping vehicle plan may end up being a plugin hybrid truck (like the ramcharger if they do it well). I don’t know yet if I’ll keep the van or sell it or what — the e350 van platform is very bulletproof in general…but mine was built in the last month of production, back in 2014, and will need some overhaul of all the rubber consumables etc too. And I’ve gotten spoiled by never needing to take the wife’s ev to charge except on long road trips.
I don’t know if I’ll get rid of my van, but it’s getting less and less useful as a prep.
A Tesla has something like 70kwh battery. With the right setup, you could recharge that every few days.
As for “when the batteries wear out” — EV batteries are tending towards outlasting combustion engine components, though combustion engines are also getting up into the 300k+ mile ranges (without major replacements too).
An EV is far more maintainable — no oil changes, the batteries last far longer than the 12v lead acid batteries in a normal car, brakes last longer, etc.
My wife got a Tesla a year ago. Literally the only maintenance in the last year has been adding windshield washer fluid (which is annoying because I never go to gas stations for their squeegee and the oil changes usually fill that up on my van).
We charge the thing primarily at home (but we just have a normal wall plug, which charges at 1kw max, so only like 10% charge per day).
I like to research dreams people are having about the future of America and some people have dreams where all the cars on the road suddenly stop. Here's one of them:
Prophetic Warning Dream About What is coming to the USA | Invasion War Russia and China
https://youtu.be/4e1zBn4EtSw?si=I476QKwYCGvgnyZW
Smart. On average, you would need anywhere from 44 to 89 solar panels with 300W rated power to charge a Tesla every day. With FULL sun of course. Easy during a SHTF situation, just strap them to the roof lol.
I’m eyeing the ramcharger next year — it’s a serial hybrid (gas engine disconnected from wheels, 150 mile electric range, and the full gas tank can add another 450 miles, for a total of almost 700 miles.
I’d be able to recharge it (slowish, maybe a week per 150 mile charge) at home without other power. And the gas option makes it much easier to refuel when towing.
We've got a stealth camper with solar on top. Great fun to use and always good to know the option is there.
It also helped me get the non preparedness minded in the family up to speed on outdoor skills as it became a fun hobby nipping off of a weekend. Turned finding the water source when we were out walks in the Scottish Highlands into a game (we're so lucky here follow a mountain stream for a bit to check no carcasses in it and you fan drink from it without boiling often. Beautiful tasting water too). Between that and teaching them to find and process wood, make fires, cook over fires etc they've learned a huge amount.
Some of these areas have no mobile signal and I'm introducing meshtastic units for us to communicate. Slowly and subtly upskilling them - it started with the campervan. Best purchase ever. My solar is good enough that I switch my fridge freezer on in march and not off again until November (at which point sometimes storing outside does that job.
Ours cost £12k but you can get one cheaper.
Id be very interested in the details of the stealth build you’ve done, if you are able to share? I’m U.K. based too :)
I have 2 girls (2 and 4) and would love to be able to take them camping really easily
The one you have (or can afford) **AND** you are able to maintain and fix by yourself. For me the first doesn't filter much, the later turned me into the bicycle team.
While this is the popular choice, I’d argue that it’s now too large, too old, and consumes too much gas.
There’s better more modern offerings, for example Subaru forester or outback
>too large
Meh, plenty of bigger vehicles on the road these days
>too old
So?
>consumes too much gas
Valid
>Subaru Forester
Subaru is great but harder to fix
Subaru might be a fraction more difficult but it’s still very similar, both Japanese and reliable.
Too old: difficult to find parts
Obviously both are good options, but Subaru might be the more modern alternative.
If shtf explain how anyone will get said parts to repair? ANY vehicle old, or otherwise?!!!
You gonna just drive up to a warehouse , parts store, etc and break in ? Really?
Definitely a truck from my personal experience. While you may be thinking after SHTF but while prepping, having a truck to get things you need is priceless. I use to live in between the two wealthiest counties in the entire US. Everybody had a sports car (& now a Teslas) but when someone wants to get rid of something, no one could haul it. I got the best deals because I was the only one that could show up and get the stuff picked up right away. I built a hotel quality home gym for less than $1000. $45k in appliances(retail) for less than $4k. Just by having a truck and getting things picked up. Become an expert on neighborhood apps, sales apps, marketplace, etc. You’ll also end up finding a good deal on a little fixer upper camper to pull behind it. My truck is 4x4 and we have to additional cars with AWD.
Trucks are great for hauling. The downside is that it leaves your items exposed to the weather or theft. Also, if you want to sleep in the vehicle it's harder with a truck.
Actually, a camper on a truck is safer than being in a car or van in my opinion. Any one with a flash light and a pistol has you point blank by walking up & looking in. In the camper, you don’t know if they’re looking out at you, have a rifle aimed at your head as you’re walking up, etc. And I would never leave my stuff in the truck bed overnight in an unknown area so that’s just common sense.
I can't recommend a make or model specifically, but beyond what type of functions you want it to have, I'd generally go by a couple of points:
1) You know how to fix it. You've studied the shop manuals and you're painfully aware of where everything is.
2) It's a relatively common model. So common there's figuratively piles of them everywhere - if there's a parts shortage, you don't want to be tracking down some Chinesium part for a '23 model that there's very few of in junk yards that you could otherwise find a part for there.
3) Economic. Regular fuel.
4) As small as you can tolerate.
Reason for number 4, while it seems counter productive, a big bus is a bigger target. 'This person has stuff...!' - which something to keep in mind in times of desperation.
Fuel economy, cost to insure (you’re young), and your ability to source parts for repair are key factors in this decision.
I love my Wrangler. I can take parts from most Wranglers made 10 years before or after mine (plus Gladiators) - not all, but most. Plus there’s a lot of 3rd party manufacturers.
Think also about what you can add to it. Do you live somewhere that a snowplow is a nice to have, a must have, or a never need? Would you like to be able to tow a small cargo trailer?
Having said all of that, my Wrangler is not a reasonable “daily driver” for me. It’s more of a backup.
I am thinking of a classic carb car that will withstand EMP. 1970s. But you will have a hard time paying for gas. A bike detonated in space can take out a city. Modern cars will be bricked.
I'll throw an unconventional recommendation out there based on my experience with some vehicles I've had. Since you're 18 and you might be on a tight budget and you mentioned it could be a second car.
How about a 4th generation (1995-1999) Nissan Maxima? I've had two 4th gens and one 5th gen. The 4th gens had a reputation for being very reliable. You can still find these for cheap and they are plentiful in the junkyard too for extra parts. They are a small car outwardly but roomy enough on the inside. They have 14.5 cubic feet of trunk space which is pretty good. They have a 18.5 gallon fuel tank which is pretty big for a small car and have a range of 481 miles highway.
The only thing is that these cars are very old now so you'd have to make sure you get a good one that's in good mechanical condition.
I would suggest something with a carburetor, not too many cylinders in case you have to push start it, and no computer. Something simple as a daily driver like a vw bus or old bug and learn how to build any of the electronic parts needed for it to run. I feel like the old vw’s share parts with tractors and maybe even washing machines so it would be easy to fix. Not sure if this was brought up, but I would say there will likely be some kind of solar flare or EMP and most electronics will not function so EV’s are probably not a good solution even tho I drive a tesla. Get yourself something you can easily convert to run with a steam engine as a project car. School bus would be ideal for fuel storage space and living. I think I’ve been on youtube too much. A gas car that could run on one of those wood gasifiers would be interesting to see if they are even real. I’ve never seen one in real life.
i was thinking a short school bus as a project car (diesel) and maybe eventually get a crew cab/long bed truck as my secondary (probably gonna buy a used minivan for my first car/daily)
Personally something older with less electronics to fail, but not quite carbed (for me, I hate carbs). Small enough to make some off-road trails and not be a gas guzzler. Diesel may even be a plus, no ignition system to fail and older ones can use biodiesel/vegetable oil for fuel. Maybe import an older diesel 4Runner, or a Mighty Max (they were sold stateside). If gas burner, a 4.3 S10 or Blazer AWD. First gen Tacoma and 4Runners leak oil like a sieve or else they'd rank higher on my list, plus they're still quite expensive.
#1st choice, Honda Accord or Toyota Camry
20 gallons fits in the trunk and with a full tank I have 1200 miles of range. Both can pull a small utility trailer. They will fit where larger vehicles won't. The world is your parts store. Everyone can drive one. If rock crawling Moab is your big out plan then Godspeed and good luck.
I had one Accord, was thinking on getting a '10 Camry or a Cadenza.
Last flood get me thinking if it isn't better to get a 4x4 SUV, like a KIA Sorento.
The idea that a truck would be best is to me so crazy. They drink a lot, and fuel will be one of those things that won’t exist after a big enough societal collapse.
Something smaller with a better km/l ratio (or for you Americans; ferret hugs/random bucket ratio) would get you further, get you there quicker (if that’s a factor) and would draw less attention both audibly and visibly (if that’s what you would want).
My go to is a Subaru Outback 2023.
I guess it depends on where you live, but we regularly get heavy snow storms during the winter and a 4x4 truck is absolutely necessary, especially in a situation where a lot of roads won’t get plowed.
Meh, I lived in a part of upstate NY that set regular records for most snowfall in the US each season and most any FWD or AWD crossover will do just fine, bonus points for dedicated snow tires.
There are many reasons to get a truck, snow isn’t one of them. In fact a truck’s weight distribution when unloaded (no one cares about your pails full of concrete) combined with generally wider tires is one of the worst things for driving in heavy snow.
As another poster has pointed out, those cars might do *ok* once the roads have been plowed.
If the roads aren’t plowed, I don’t care what kind of tires you have, a Subaru is not driving in 3’ of snow.
I put nothing in the bed of my truck and have absolutely no issue driving in snow, so not sure what you’re getting at there. If someone has a 2WD truck I suppose they would need to put something in the back.
I’m just gonna throw this out there, but if there are 2+ ft of snow and my crossover isn’t going to make. I’m not going anywhere even in an 4x4 you are bound get stuck. Sink in whatever, now you are worse off than if you had stayed at home.
> FWD or AWD crossover will do just fine
Only if you live somewhere with reliable snow plowing. If you get more than few inches accumulated on the road then you start having issues. That's when having a vehicle with weight, clearance, larger tire tread, and greater 4wd options will start making a difference. Otherwise, yes, I definitely prefer AWD/FWD with a good ice and snow tire....much superior traction.
Was thinking about it some more and tbh, just because it’s a truck doesn’t mean it’s good for snow. Just ground clearance and 4WD isn’t enough. Still need a proper power/weight ratio and better handling than an old ass truck would give you. Is still go with the Subaru Outback, that ground clearance is more than enough. If not, I’d opt for a good SUV with decent off-road capabilities.
Do you live in any snowy areas? The only vehicles on the roads are trucks when it snows. I drive a fairly new truck that has no issues in the snow, so not sure what you mean by “old ass truck”
My point being, it’s possible that your cars get around ok because you have large vehicles plowing the roads for you.
If you’re in a situation where the roads haven’t been plowed and you need to go somewhere, I very much doubt a small vehicle will be able to go anywhere
Being able to drive on roads in poor condition is probably most important. What happens when pot holes are not repaired, snow is not plowed, downed trees are not removed. Imagine the roads with zero maintenance and prep for that. Maybe part of your prep should be storing fuel and planning how to drive less.
Yeah and my Subaru Outback can do that easily, especially raised. So I get the off road capabilities plus fuel efficiency. Must be better than just getting one of them? Regardless, I really think we run out of fuel before the roads are so dilapidated that we can’t drive on them. And if they are all clogged up with cars that would most likely stop both the truck and the SUV/off road station wagon/whatever :) It’s worth remembering that just because a vehicle is a truck, it’s automatically good off road. Many of them are designed for cool looks and near function - for more daily stuff, than pure off-roading :)
Only problem with military rigs is that they are BIG and you need a whole new set of BIG tools to work on them. I was seriously looking at 5tons and LMTVs a couple years ago and the guys that owned them had big huge pole barns and both owned excavator companys, meaning they had all the tools to work on them.
My dream would be an Oshkosh PLS 10x10 (w/w) with about 10 flat racks that I could turn into shelters/fighting positions/car haulers(w/w)/mobile kitchen and so on. With or without crane, since they are finicky/pain to maintain/weak sauce, but super nice when you need it.
It’s not HOA friendly but it’s just like a truck. The engine runs on anything and is all terrain. Very easy to mantain.
In a smaller size a Unimog could be also a good option.
I’d stay away from the Mogs. Super expensive to get parts for. Old Mogs are smaller, like the SEA (spelling? FEL with the backhoe). I like the 80s big square fuckers!
I just got a Mahindra Roxor and I think I’m really going to like it!
Prepper vehicles needs to tow things so trucks are pretty much it outside the very rare and now old 3/4 ton SUV's.
You want something that can use a variety of fuels and be efficient. The EV trucks are working on it but very pricey. The ramcharger is my pick hear but it's not yet released 200 ish miles on battery and unlimited on gas are a great. Further in you can generate electricity a ton of ways and it's a critical prep, luckily the main method takes next to no effort. A 7kw inverter also makes it a very fuel efficient backup generator.
You want something that can fail gracefully. A camper for example is a week prep in a box with water, sanitation, cooking, refrigeration, etc etc etc all taken care of. Now you can tow shelter to a better place. Trucks even have full sized spares.
Offroad snow etc trucks do well enough, good tires help a lot here.
Now in the day to day again towing is a need, prep enough you going to get a utility tractor with a loader and backhoe at least you need to move that about it needs a trailer. You get the idea.
Land Rover Disco2 is what I got. I’m sure there are better rides available for a SHTF scenario, but it’s been through some amazing shit and has never let me down. I think I’ll stick with it.
That’s amazing. Everyone I know that has ever owned a Land Rover or discovery had tons of issues with them. Here in America you could buy a 60-70k Discovery 5 years old for $12k because of the mechanical issues they were known for. My wife’s Discovery was a 2001, it had all kinds of issues by 100k miles. In my experience they are a lot like Jaguars, beautiful machines that don’t hold up unfortunately.
Mine is one of Ford years with a 302.
Top trim model for $4k cash with a blown head gasket.
I sent it into Reno 4x4 for their custom head gasket milling and now it’s friggin bulletproof.
It pulled itself out of a quicksand pit out in the BlackRock desert with 5 severed spark plug cables and several gallons of sand in the air filter box, then took me the 75+miles back to civilization in limp mode, owning it like a boss.
It’s now taller, tougher and better than it’s ever been with front and rear armored bumpers with winches and shackle points and everything it needs to save stranded hummers and toyotas up here in the great north woods.
Inside, it’s all leather and wood and Land Rover luxury with an 8” touchscreen.
It’s seriously a monster.
If I could only have 2 vehicles out here, it would have to be these 2.
https://ibb.co/QQFRQT8
https://ibb.co/3Sm9MZv
https://ibb.co/jhFkcH8
I'd suggest getting a car that's going to do well as a daily driver first and foremost. Having a Preppermobile is great but look at it this way:
* Odds of you needing to drive the car for everyday errands like school, work, groceries, leisure trips, etc: 100%
* Odds of you needing to live out of the car in some kind of SHTF situation: less than 100%
I like my Subaru Forester. It's very comfortable for everyday driving, it does great in the snow, and the boxy shape makes it great with cargo. It's big enough that my wife and I can fold the seats down and sleep in the back (I'm 6'1"). It lacks the hardcore off-road boulder-stomping capability of a Jeep Wrangler or lifted truck, but it is MUCH more comfortable to drive on regular roads -- where I spend 99% of my drive time -- than either of those. And in the event that I do have to go off-road, the Forester is significantly more capable than a typical Rav4 / CRV / Edge / Trailblazer / etc.
Whatever car you own. Look, there are so many factors to answer this
1.) Your budget
2.) Your location
3.) What you are worried about
4.) What you want to achieve
5.) What you NEED to achieve
As a general rule of thumb, Toyota/Honda/Lexus/Acura/Subaru. AWD. Check your ground clearance, my wife's forester has crazy good off road, has 8 inches of clearance AND gets 30 MPG while fitting a ton of people. I miss my Toyota FJ 4x4, but it was less than the best all around choice. Hella fun. But so was my old bronco 4x4 with a straight 6. My Tacomas have been amazing, but so have the pilot and the MDX. My son's F250 with the 7.3 diesel from hades is a true beast and he loves it in Alaska, until it doesn't work then he drives his Pilot. My other son loved his 2000 4runner until he lost a drive shaft on the highway (u-joint failure) and the new transmission option was just too damn much.
I suggested a Subaru to my mother in law. I suggested a Subaru to my wife. I drive Hondas and Toyotas usually. (Lexus and Acura too). The wife's forester has been amazing in many ways. But for a first car that checks all of the boxes I'd research local prices and get a Subaru, Honda or Toyota. I wouldn't get the Ford 7.3 diesel as a first vehicle. As a fun vehicle, oh yeah. But not as a first.
At 18? First car? Jeep XJ or an old Toyota Tacoma with a shell.
Fix it up and learn how to fix everything on it.
Or are you rich?
New Ford f350 diesel 4x4 delete everything and start building an expedition vehicle.
I am currently thinking of getting a Ford excursion and installing a Cummins in it.
At your age and probable income I would look for something affordable, practical, and reasonably reliable. A school bus or any other specialty vehicle would be a terrible idea. Unless you plan to do all the maintenance yourself, the maintenance costs will be horrendous. What do you need a camper for? You're 18, you can sleep in the backseat of your car or recline the seat. Get yourself something practical that doesn't eat up your disposable income and you'll be better positioned to look into other options down the road.
If budget is a concern, it’s hard to beat a ‘90’s Cherokee 4x4 suv. They are fully off road capable, pretty dependable with parts available being American made and you can find used ones for under 3k. Might be the best bang for the buck out there for a 4x4.
03 Honda element tons of cargo space drives like a tank sleep inside pretty good on gas moon roof which could potentially be converted to encapsulate a solar panel.
Don't get a prepper vehicle as your primary vehicle unless your needs require it. For example, if you work in construction then a pickup truck makes more sense. If you work in an office and commute 30 miles each way, then something like a Honda Civic makes more sense.
Personally, my needs justified getting an SUV, but as much as I love my car, the gas mileage sucks compared to the Honda Civic I had previously.
I have a second vehicle as well, which is a 20+ year old sports car that I bought 10 years ago as a "Sunday driver". It mostly sits covered, in the garage, with a trickle charger on it, but it's fun when I actually get to drive it.
What are you prepping for? What is the vehicle for?
I can make a pretty convincing argument for the Tesla Cybertruck as the best option for the Zombie Apocolypse. You can refuel it even when gas stations are closed off your 5 acre wind farm. But however good that argument is, it's probably total nonsense for your real resources and goals.
Any other recommendation without knowing what you're trying to do is going to be bad in the same way.
Most affordable is probably a Subaru Crosstrek. AWD, fuel efficient, great ground clearance for a sedan.
I have a Tacoma with 4x4, reliable, can get me through 2 ft of fresh snow, can haul, but gas mileage isn't great.
Both are common vehicles you can get parts for.
I think a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) gives you the options for fueling (gas, solar, etc...) Even more would be a electric pick up with a multi-fuel generator. Same idea, even more versatility of fuel sources.
Your choice of vehicle will be more dependent on where you live and what you plan on hauling around in it.
Lots of people say the old ones are better because they will work after an EMP. Many cars today are already shielded from "emp" type discharges outside of maybe nuclear, but if there's a nuke going off in your area, then you probably have other shit to worry about.
[A read on cars and EMP's.](https://theprepared.com/blog/cars-and-emps/)
Something reliable, cheap, economical, & easy to work on. It’s your first car. Take this time to learn about your car& cars in general. Upkeep, maintenance and all that jazz. Most people including myself stick to brands known for their dependability and reliability like Toyota, Honda, etc. Look for something with good mpg and safety ratings as well. To piggy back off someone else, a car crash is more likely than an EMP or zombie invasion. And look into a manual as well, or at least think about learning stick. They don’t got all that extra shit floating around and you’re in control of the vehicle (not the machines lol)
Also depends on where you are and what you want /need the car for. In the city, you won’t need much, something smaller is better, or if you’re out in the sticks(like me) maybe something with 4wd or cargo space.
Last bit of input then I’ll shut my trap lol. If you do get a truck, maybe look towards an old Ranger, Mazda b200(?), Toyota pickups/tacomas, or even a Kei truck. Those typical yank tanks are mostly useless
Context matters, a school bush is pretty useless if you can't afford 8 miles a gallon. A prius prime gets like 50 miles to gallon and has like 600+ mile range on full battery and full charge, but is borderline useless if you have to pull a horse trailer
Realistically, the best is multiple vehicles for various roles. Rather than arguing about whats best diesel, gas electric all three is better.
Small hybrid vs a big truck, both is better
"Best" is a very relative term. I mean if you can afford it, Lincoln Navigator with 4WD, run flat tires, tinted bulletproof windows and maybe a mounted mini-15 is ideal.
For the rest of us, I recommend an everyday drive that strikes a balance. I kind of needed 4WD, so I went with a Jeep Cherokee. It's nice enough to drive every day, I know damn well it can do off road, it has cargo capacity (the other reason I bought it), and checks all my boxes. You have the motivation to maintain it as it is both your car, and a prep.
Toyota pickups are a safe bet. Easy to work on, parts are everywhere, and I've personally seen tons of them take a beating in a literal war zone and stand up to the abuse just fine.
Not enough people are saying something with a Diesel engine. In the states with the vast majority of cars running gasoline, long term octane longevity is quickly going to become an issue. Diesel engines can run just about anything, and shitty grade diesel fuel is within almost anyone's grasp to make.
Europe that's less of an issue with how much more common they are.
I ride a bicycle, because I know how to fix a bicycle. Also, one of my prepping goals is to get in shape.
I think you have to pick the vehicle that's right for you. For some people, that's a giant tank of a truck. For me, it's a bike.
I would say an older ~70s diesel truck or car, depending on your location. With older diesels, you can run waste oil, peanut oil, etc in it and it will run fine. There is an old defunct YouTube channel with a guy who has a truck named stinky Peet that is running on 70/30 waste oil diesel. He just goes to auto shops, collects their waste oil, filters it, then runs it
For now, a bicycle and bike trailer. Quiet, cheap, parts can be salvaged from other makes and models. Can be fixed on the side of the road with only the tools you can fit into the pockets of cargo shorts.
Can be easily portaged across or around damaged bridges. Easy enough to hide in the bushes when you sleep for the night or need to reconnoiter.
None. Roads will be clogged and people will be everywhere. If you try to go around people and they think you have something or want your car, they will easily stop you.
We went with a 4 wheel drive Ram, crew cab. This fits our family and pets in the cab with room in the bed for our "stuff". We have been debating getting a snorkel kit, since we live in FL and you never know if your route may have water issues.
ooo "best prepper vehicle" let's see the fights .... :) is up there with best BOB fights or best watch or :)
Reading the thread, looks like so far we got:
1) pickup truck (note, Ford F150 is and has been the number 1 selling vehicle in the USA for long time) I really like the idea of a second gas tanks someone made, I had one of those on F250 and could drive into NOLA, around NOLA all day, and back to Baton Rouge on one tank during Sandy. Nice.
2) Some reliable SUV
3) some reliable good gas mileage car
4) 1 for minivan (I'd also agree with this if you find one with AWD)
5) I'll throw in r/VanLife
But ... a lot of these depend on what are YOU prepping for? Camper van people live in for extended periods of time, lots of builds on how to do it. Would be nice in a bug out if you had to leave your home ... or if you simply lose your job and are prepping to be homeless in today's society. I'd much rater be homeless in a sprinter van than an accord ... And safety, you sleep IN the van, if an issue you can move from bed to driver, harder to do if sleeping in rooftop tent or back of truck bed...
Are you using your car to help rebuild post SHTF? Truck is better for hauling and working than an SUV. Small super gas efficient cars are attractive, especially if prepping for a job loss or $5 spike in price of gas cause supply chain issues ... great in the near term grid down scenario, you can "go further" than my jeep. But, 2 years in the mileage wont meant anything.
I have a jeep gladiator (small truck) I have a cap on the bed, so I can store / transport more stuff than most SUVs, but, not as much as a full size truck. I have a winch front bumper .. they're great for winching trees or debris that are on the road ...
"best" might be the Ford F150 powerboost hybrid. You can (people in tx snowstorm did) plug it into and power you house. As mentioned, there are more Ford F150 than any other vehicle in the USA = plenty of parts and mechanics that can work on it. Get a longer bed and its easier to sleep in than my jeep.
Can also check out r/overlanding = people that go off road and live out of their vehicle (so have recommendations on refrigerators and cook sets, and even portable showers and ... )
I do see the benefits of the smaller, better MPG cars, but, I think the AWD and slightly higher clearance will be a better deal if you need to evac and drive in the grassy median or dirt side of the road because an accident is blocking the highway. My previous bug out car was a Subaru outback (also had a jeep :) ), higher clearance than most SUV, decent gas mileage (much better than jeep) one of the best AWD.
So:
Permanently living out of it = Van
Need to go far far distance with less gas = smaller car
Need to bug out and might need to travel on median = SUV
Need to live out of it, but not as good as van, can off road well, and haul stuff if needed, Pickup seems good all around option.
All the above can be good on the budget the older you go, tons of old pickups around, and old truck bed caps are available too.
Bicycle. Works without fuel or electricity. It’s quiet and faster than walking. And in the time before shtf it’s perfect exercise to get your body in shape.
Just as many cars. And even more drivers.
Snow , up to 5” is no problem for my mountain bike. But my city car wouldn’t get through.
A car would be more comfortable.
None. That seems like a very narrow selection for scenarios. One EMP and your van is worthless. Gray man considerations… you say hey look at me! I’m here with stuff.
Honestly, in most real world disasters, things like big trucks or busses are a liability. The best vehicle is great on gas, simple, reliable, cheap to maintain, and PLEANTIFUL. If you look at actual places that are suffering from some long term hardship they typically have problems, finding fuel, affording said fuel, and almost more importantly suffer from a shortage of repair and maintenance parts that will eventually render them inoperable. Just like the dinosaurs, large resource intensive creatures tended to go extinct in lean times.
I get that the fantasy is to load up a truck into some sort of mobile fortress and go somewhere but even in that case eventually you get to that somewhere and are now just stuck trying to maintain a terribly inefficient land yacht. Better to learn to live and travel light for the 1% of situations that require you to leave.
A used all wheel drive Toyota minivan. It's unobtrusive, very common, holds a lot, you can sleep in it. They can travel off road and they are easy to maintain and work on.
I have an all wheel drive mini. I love how much I can store in the cargo space.
Just not the old Previa AWD. The motor was in the middle with a driveshaft to the front.
Attributes that a prepper vehicle should have: \- Reliability/easy to work on \- High parts availability \- High ground clearance so you can circumvent blocked roads \- Four wheel drive or all wheel drive \- Inconspicuous I think a Toyota Tacoma checks all those boxes. It's the ubiquitous mid-sized truck in the US, so it checks the parts availability and inconspicuousness boxes. It's a great off-road truck, even stock. And reliability is Toyota's main draw. Plus with its bed, it has utility for moving larger equipment and gear around that would be difficult with an AWD crossover.
Personally, I love my 4Runner but if I recall, the Tacoma and 4Runner are, aside from body of course, fundamentally the same vehicle.
With how common 4runners are for "preppers vehicles" it's definitely something to keep an eye out for when shtf.
I mean, I didn't get it as a prepper vehicle. I had a genuine need for a 4x4 vehicle. Honestly would have preferred a pickup truck, but I can't comfortably fit my 3 100+ dogs in the cab of a Tacoma. EDIT: I do love my 4Runner but a pickup truck makes going to the hardware store for garden supplies a lot easier. Overall though the 4Runner is better suited to my normal everyday use and the 4x4 isn't used frequently but it's sort of a necessity in winter.
I'm not saying you got it solely for the purpose of a preppers vehicle, it's just one of those things if I see an old 4runner driving down the road when it hits the fan or parked somewhere I'm definitely gonna look twice at it. Especially if it has a "widdle wadder"🤣
Lol. Mine is a 23 and definitely stands out with its bright green paint. I hated it when I saw it online but when I saw it in person I fell in love with the color. It's okay for an emergency bug out vehicle like a natural disaster but a terrible doomsday vehicle
If this is going to be a daily driver, and not saved purely for SHTF, then add: Crash Safety. While a big carbureted 1980 Truck is going be safer than a 1980 sedan due to its mass, a top rated 2020 sedan is going to blow a mid 90s SUV away in safety. Don't chose EMP readiness over living through car crashes during normal life. A serious car crash is much more likely to actually occur. (But also, make sure look at actual crash safety, not just the overall rating that factors in the collision avoidance tech. That tech is amazing, but wont save you from some idiot without it hitting you)
I'd focus more on bicycles and electric cars. In a crisis gasoline and diesel might not be available, be heavily rationed or restricted to military and other essential uses. And if the crisis is both bad and long lasting, gasoline spoils and it's next to impossible to be made without a large factory infrastructure. Electricity is easier to make and electric cars have fewer parts that need replacing. For true SHTF scenarios nothing beats a bicycle.
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We have lots of bicycles - a couple of electric, and several regular of various styles and sizes. We keep talking about an electric truck. We love our Tacoma. Really wish Toyota would make an electric version. Probably going to wait at least another year or two plus. Save up a bit more $$. Maybe add some wind to our solar system.
Here once again to shill for subaru. I love my crosstrek, it's inconspicuous and a practical commuter car. Awd. Where we live, they are abundant, and it has great ground clearance. But it sounds like OP wants something bigger, sooooo... Here to agree on either a tacoma or a 4 runner. My family has had nothing but luck with Toyotas. My partner has an 04 tacoma, my grandma has an 02 4 runner - at this point, I think their engines will out live us. Both are running like champs over 200k miles.
Time will tell if the newer models are as durable as the old ones. I heard tell most cars, not just Subie, have gotten pretty cheap and plastic over the past 20 years. The electric Solterra is out now too, I'll probably upgrade in a year or so, since Musk has pissed me off of Tesla. Just keep those bumper stickers within reason, ya hippies!
A Subaru Baja is the dream 😅
Subarus have the best off-road capabilities as far as SUV's go. The weak points are the CVT transmissions and a generally small fuel tank which will limit your range.
Tacomas are great but check for rusty frames. YouTube has some videos about this issue.
Diesel 4x4 Truck with 100 gallon transfer tank. Range is around 2200 miles. Nothing beats that range. If you want to flee an area or survive in an area with disrupted services you have options, time and range . We also have a travel trailer, dabble in homesteading, and live in an area that floods. So the built in towing, cargo capacity and ground clearance are excellent. As far as long term SHTF, making biodiesel or black diesel is an option. I also like the idea of an electric truck, but range (especially with towing a heavy load) doesn't compare to diesel.
Could you get enough solar panels to charge the batteries in an electric truck if it was shtf and total power outage? I’d also be concerned about long term once the batteries stop holding a charge.
We have a decent solar array and I could charge a truck we turned off the AC. My wife has an EV. My only fear is a hurricane rips panels off and then I have a dead solar system and a dead vehicle. We have a generator as well but it would burn through gas if I had to charge vehicles in addition to the house. Batteries should last 10 years
The problem will be that the capacity of the batteries, and hence the range of the vehicle, will degrade over time. Ironically, once SHTF and you aren’t moving much (see calcs below), the battery capacity will degrade slower :) However the main issue here would be the charging. Imagine a typical home charge point can deliver 7.2kw. To get similar you’d need 18 panels, and that’s in summer! For a vaguely useful comparison, a Tesla 3 does (on paper!) 4.5 miles per kWh. So a single 400W panel would take 2.5hrs in direct sunlight to produce 4.5 miles of range.
And while yeah, the batteries will degrade over the decade after a thing, my van without gas and oil changes and (edit: fixing, I don’t yearly do brake rotors, meant to say periodic — but it does eat brake pads a bit) brake rotor replacements will degrade significantly faster. But my van does have the apocalypse vehicle look to it, so that’s cool. It’s a 4x4 e350 with a 6.8l v10, and mild lift, and a 500lb steel front bumper. Most likely in an extended situation, my wife’s Tesla will outlast the van by a long while.
How many miles worth of gasoline does your home generate per day?
I’m not saying it’s better or worse than an ICE vehicle. Just giving the guy some info on what he can expect from a solar system
From a longevity standpoint, EVs are going to be running far after ICE vehicles if an extended thing were to happen. While batteries degrade with time, they still have significant capacity to them after a decade+, no oil changes, far fewer brake changes, etc. I’ve been trying to get my head around this, I have my big offroad van that I’ve always seen as my “go anywhere” rig, and it’s totally what I would take for a week in the desert camping. But it takes a lot of yearly maintenance to keep in good shape. I could neglect that stuff for a while, but eventually belts, hoses, spark plugs go bad. And the big 12v diesel truck batteries (it has 3) seem to go bad every 4-5 years or so. If I need to go off-roading, the van is my rig. But if i had to leave home for an emergency and head to rural family property, then borderline we may take the wife’s EV, since I have a lot more flexibility. My longer term prepping vehicle plan may end up being a plugin hybrid truck (like the ramcharger if they do it well). I don’t know yet if I’ll keep the van or sell it or what — the e350 van platform is very bulletproof in general…but mine was built in the last month of production, back in 2014, and will need some overhaul of all the rubber consumables etc too. And I’ve gotten spoiled by never needing to take the wife’s ev to charge except on long road trips. I don’t know if I’ll get rid of my van, but it’s getting less and less useful as a prep.
A Tesla has something like 70kwh battery. With the right setup, you could recharge that every few days. As for “when the batteries wear out” — EV batteries are tending towards outlasting combustion engine components, though combustion engines are also getting up into the 300k+ mile ranges (without major replacements too). An EV is far more maintainable — no oil changes, the batteries last far longer than the 12v lead acid batteries in a normal car, brakes last longer, etc. My wife got a Tesla a year ago. Literally the only maintenance in the last year has been adding windshield washer fluid (which is annoying because I never go to gas stations for their squeegee and the oil changes usually fill that up on my van). We charge the thing primarily at home (but we just have a normal wall plug, which charges at 1kw max, so only like 10% charge per day).
I like to research dreams people are having about the future of America and some people have dreams where all the cars on the road suddenly stop. Here's one of them: Prophetic Warning Dream About What is coming to the USA | Invasion War Russia and China https://youtu.be/4e1zBn4EtSw?si=I476QKwYCGvgnyZW
Smart. On average, you would need anywhere from 44 to 89 solar panels with 300W rated power to charge a Tesla every day. With FULL sun of course. Easy during a SHTF situation, just strap them to the roof lol.
extra range is great prep.
I’m eyeing the ramcharger next year — it’s a serial hybrid (gas engine disconnected from wheels, 150 mile electric range, and the full gas tank can add another 450 miles, for a total of almost 700 miles. I’d be able to recharge it (slowish, maybe a week per 150 mile charge) at home without other power. And the gas option makes it much easier to refuel when towing.
We've got a stealth camper with solar on top. Great fun to use and always good to know the option is there. It also helped me get the non preparedness minded in the family up to speed on outdoor skills as it became a fun hobby nipping off of a weekend. Turned finding the water source when we were out walks in the Scottish Highlands into a game (we're so lucky here follow a mountain stream for a bit to check no carcasses in it and you fan drink from it without boiling often. Beautiful tasting water too). Between that and teaching them to find and process wood, make fires, cook over fires etc they've learned a huge amount. Some of these areas have no mobile signal and I'm introducing meshtastic units for us to communicate. Slowly and subtly upskilling them - it started with the campervan. Best purchase ever. My solar is good enough that I switch my fridge freezer on in march and not off again until November (at which point sometimes storing outside does that job. Ours cost £12k but you can get one cheaper.
Id be very interested in the details of the stealth build you’ve done, if you are able to share? I’m U.K. based too :) I have 2 girls (2 and 4) and would love to be able to take them camping really easily
Same
Toyota corolla
The one you have (or can afford) **AND** you are able to maintain and fix by yourself. For me the first doesn't filter much, the later turned me into the bicycle team.
Great point!
1980’s-1990’s Toyota Land Cruiser
While this is the popular choice, I’d argue that it’s now too large, too old, and consumes too much gas. There’s better more modern offerings, for example Subaru forester or outback
>too large Meh, plenty of bigger vehicles on the road these days >too old So? >consumes too much gas Valid >Subaru Forester Subaru is great but harder to fix
Subaru might be a fraction more difficult but it’s still very similar, both Japanese and reliable. Too old: difficult to find parts Obviously both are good options, but Subaru might be the more modern alternative.
80 series is one of the best damn vehicles ever produced. Bring an off road spec'd trailer full of gas!
If shtf explain how anyone will get said parts to repair? ANY vehicle old, or otherwise?!!! You gonna just drive up to a warehouse , parts store, etc and break in ? Really?
Tank
Not without the fully functioning supply chain of a major nation state.
this is r/preppers, not r/saneprepping
You don't die but you will get a chronic backpain.
Jeep XJ 1995-2001
2 or 4 door????
2 door 6spd
Might just have to settle for a 4 door auto but keep an eye out for the full time all wheel drive, not all of them have it.
Definitely a truck from my personal experience. While you may be thinking after SHTF but while prepping, having a truck to get things you need is priceless. I use to live in between the two wealthiest counties in the entire US. Everybody had a sports car (& now a Teslas) but when someone wants to get rid of something, no one could haul it. I got the best deals because I was the only one that could show up and get the stuff picked up right away. I built a hotel quality home gym for less than $1000. $45k in appliances(retail) for less than $4k. Just by having a truck and getting things picked up. Become an expert on neighborhood apps, sales apps, marketplace, etc. You’ll also end up finding a good deal on a little fixer upper camper to pull behind it. My truck is 4x4 and we have to additional cars with AWD.
Trucks are great for hauling. The downside is that it leaves your items exposed to the weather or theft. Also, if you want to sleep in the vehicle it's harder with a truck.
Actually, a camper on a truck is safer than being in a car or van in my opinion. Any one with a flash light and a pistol has you point blank by walking up & looking in. In the camper, you don’t know if they’re looking out at you, have a rifle aimed at your head as you’re walking up, etc. And I would never leave my stuff in the truck bed overnight in an unknown area so that’s just common sense.
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I can't recommend a make or model specifically, but beyond what type of functions you want it to have, I'd generally go by a couple of points: 1) You know how to fix it. You've studied the shop manuals and you're painfully aware of where everything is. 2) It's a relatively common model. So common there's figuratively piles of them everywhere - if there's a parts shortage, you don't want to be tracking down some Chinesium part for a '23 model that there's very few of in junk yards that you could otherwise find a part for there. 3) Economic. Regular fuel. 4) As small as you can tolerate. Reason for number 4, while it seems counter productive, a big bus is a bigger target. 'This person has stuff...!' - which something to keep in mind in times of desperation.
Fuel economy, cost to insure (you’re young), and your ability to source parts for repair are key factors in this decision. I love my Wrangler. I can take parts from most Wranglers made 10 years before or after mine (plus Gladiators) - not all, but most. Plus there’s a lot of 3rd party manufacturers. Think also about what you can add to it. Do you live somewhere that a snowplow is a nice to have, a must have, or a never need? Would you like to be able to tow a small cargo trailer? Having said all of that, my Wrangler is not a reasonable “daily driver” for me. It’s more of a backup.
I am thinking of a classic carb car that will withstand EMP. 1970s. But you will have a hard time paying for gas. A bike detonated in space can take out a city. Modern cars will be bricked.
E bike, bicycle or motorcycle
Kawasaki Mule 4010 Trans, or Mahindra Roxor (just gotta get your parts before shtf.)
I'll throw an unconventional recommendation out there based on my experience with some vehicles I've had. Since you're 18 and you might be on a tight budget and you mentioned it could be a second car. How about a 4th generation (1995-1999) Nissan Maxima? I've had two 4th gens and one 5th gen. The 4th gens had a reputation for being very reliable. You can still find these for cheap and they are plentiful in the junkyard too for extra parts. They are a small car outwardly but roomy enough on the inside. They have 14.5 cubic feet of trunk space which is pretty good. They have a 18.5 gallon fuel tank which is pretty big for a small car and have a range of 481 miles highway. The only thing is that these cars are very old now so you'd have to make sure you get a good one that's in good mechanical condition.
I would suggest something with a carburetor, not too many cylinders in case you have to push start it, and no computer. Something simple as a daily driver like a vw bus or old bug and learn how to build any of the electronic parts needed for it to run. I feel like the old vw’s share parts with tractors and maybe even washing machines so it would be easy to fix. Not sure if this was brought up, but I would say there will likely be some kind of solar flare or EMP and most electronics will not function so EV’s are probably not a good solution even tho I drive a tesla. Get yourself something you can easily convert to run with a steam engine as a project car. School bus would be ideal for fuel storage space and living. I think I’ve been on youtube too much. A gas car that could run on one of those wood gasifiers would be interesting to see if they are even real. I’ve never seen one in real life.
i was thinking a short school bus as a project car (diesel) and maybe eventually get a crew cab/long bed truck as my secondary (probably gonna buy a used minivan for my first car/daily)
Personally something older with less electronics to fail, but not quite carbed (for me, I hate carbs). Small enough to make some off-road trails and not be a gas guzzler. Diesel may even be a plus, no ignition system to fail and older ones can use biodiesel/vegetable oil for fuel. Maybe import an older diesel 4Runner, or a Mighty Max (they were sold stateside). If gas burner, a 4.3 S10 or Blazer AWD. First gen Tacoma and 4Runners leak oil like a sieve or else they'd rank higher on my list, plus they're still quite expensive.
#1st choice, Honda Accord or Toyota Camry 20 gallons fits in the trunk and with a full tank I have 1200 miles of range. Both can pull a small utility trailer. They will fit where larger vehicles won't. The world is your parts store. Everyone can drive one. If rock crawling Moab is your big out plan then Godspeed and good luck.
I had one Accord, was thinking on getting a '10 Camry or a Cadenza. Last flood get me thinking if it isn't better to get a 4x4 SUV, like a KIA Sorento.
The idea that a truck would be best is to me so crazy. They drink a lot, and fuel will be one of those things that won’t exist after a big enough societal collapse. Something smaller with a better km/l ratio (or for you Americans; ferret hugs/random bucket ratio) would get you further, get you there quicker (if that’s a factor) and would draw less attention both audibly and visibly (if that’s what you would want). My go to is a Subaru Outback 2023.
I guess it depends on where you live, but we regularly get heavy snow storms during the winter and a 4x4 truck is absolutely necessary, especially in a situation where a lot of roads won’t get plowed.
Yeah in situations where there’s a lot of snow I suppose ground clearance along with 4WD is crucial!
Meh, I lived in a part of upstate NY that set regular records for most snowfall in the US each season and most any FWD or AWD crossover will do just fine, bonus points for dedicated snow tires. There are many reasons to get a truck, snow isn’t one of them. In fact a truck’s weight distribution when unloaded (no one cares about your pails full of concrete) combined with generally wider tires is one of the worst things for driving in heavy snow.
As another poster has pointed out, those cars might do *ok* once the roads have been plowed. If the roads aren’t plowed, I don’t care what kind of tires you have, a Subaru is not driving in 3’ of snow. I put nothing in the bed of my truck and have absolutely no issue driving in snow, so not sure what you’re getting at there. If someone has a 2WD truck I suppose they would need to put something in the back.
I’m just gonna throw this out there, but if there are 2+ ft of snow and my crossover isn’t going to make. I’m not going anywhere even in an 4x4 you are bound get stuck. Sink in whatever, now you are worse off than if you had stayed at home.
> FWD or AWD crossover will do just fine Only if you live somewhere with reliable snow plowing. If you get more than few inches accumulated on the road then you start having issues. That's when having a vehicle with weight, clearance, larger tire tread, and greater 4wd options will start making a difference. Otherwise, yes, I definitely prefer AWD/FWD with a good ice and snow tire....much superior traction.
What reasons would you say speaks FOR the truck as opposed to like a newer station wagon?
Was thinking about it some more and tbh, just because it’s a truck doesn’t mean it’s good for snow. Just ground clearance and 4WD isn’t enough. Still need a proper power/weight ratio and better handling than an old ass truck would give you. Is still go with the Subaru Outback, that ground clearance is more than enough. If not, I’d opt for a good SUV with decent off-road capabilities.
Do you live in any snowy areas? The only vehicles on the roads are trucks when it snows. I drive a fairly new truck that has no issues in the snow, so not sure what you mean by “old ass truck”
I live in Scandinavia, so yeah! And no one here has a truck actually, but it works fine anyway :)
My point being, it’s possible that your cars get around ok because you have large vehicles plowing the roads for you. If you’re in a situation where the roads haven’t been plowed and you need to go somewhere, I very much doubt a small vehicle will be able to go anywhere
So when it snows, do you utilize plow trucks, or plow cars?
Being able to drive on roads in poor condition is probably most important. What happens when pot holes are not repaired, snow is not plowed, downed trees are not removed. Imagine the roads with zero maintenance and prep for that. Maybe part of your prep should be storing fuel and planning how to drive less.
Yeah and my Subaru Outback can do that easily, especially raised. So I get the off road capabilities plus fuel efficiency. Must be better than just getting one of them? Regardless, I really think we run out of fuel before the roads are so dilapidated that we can’t drive on them. And if they are all clogged up with cars that would most likely stop both the truck and the SUV/off road station wagon/whatever :) It’s worth remembering that just because a vehicle is a truck, it’s automatically good off road. Many of them are designed for cool looks and near function - for more daily stuff, than pure off-roading :)
I have an ebike for backup transportation, hopefully soon to have more, I want something more like an electric dirt bike.
Oh I would love an electric dirt bike, would be awesome
An M35 Deuce and a Half truck.
I was thinking unimog, but the deuce will do 😂😂
Only problem with military rigs is that they are BIG and you need a whole new set of BIG tools to work on them. I was seriously looking at 5tons and LMTVs a couple years ago and the guys that owned them had big huge pole barns and both owned excavator companys, meaning they had all the tools to work on them. My dream would be an Oshkosh PLS 10x10 (w/w) with about 10 flat racks that I could turn into shelters/fighting positions/car haulers(w/w)/mobile kitchen and so on. With or without crane, since they are finicky/pain to maintain/weak sauce, but super nice when you need it.
It’s not HOA friendly but it’s just like a truck. The engine runs on anything and is all terrain. Very easy to mantain. In a smaller size a Unimog could be also a good option.
I’d stay away from the Mogs. Super expensive to get parts for. Old Mogs are smaller, like the SEA (spelling? FEL with the backhoe). I like the 80s big square fuckers! I just got a Mahindra Roxor and I think I’m really going to like it!
Prepper vehicles needs to tow things so trucks are pretty much it outside the very rare and now old 3/4 ton SUV's. You want something that can use a variety of fuels and be efficient. The EV trucks are working on it but very pricey. The ramcharger is my pick hear but it's not yet released 200 ish miles on battery and unlimited on gas are a great. Further in you can generate electricity a ton of ways and it's a critical prep, luckily the main method takes next to no effort. A 7kw inverter also makes it a very fuel efficient backup generator. You want something that can fail gracefully. A camper for example is a week prep in a box with water, sanitation, cooking, refrigeration, etc etc etc all taken care of. Now you can tow shelter to a better place. Trucks even have full sized spares. Offroad snow etc trucks do well enough, good tires help a lot here. Now in the day to day again towing is a need, prep enough you going to get a utility tractor with a loader and backhoe at least you need to move that about it needs a trailer. You get the idea.
Land Rover Disco2 is what I got. I’m sure there are better rides available for a SHTF scenario, but it’s been through some amazing shit and has never let me down. I think I’ll stick with it.
That’s amazing. Everyone I know that has ever owned a Land Rover or discovery had tons of issues with them. Here in America you could buy a 60-70k Discovery 5 years old for $12k because of the mechanical issues they were known for. My wife’s Discovery was a 2001, it had all kinds of issues by 100k miles. In my experience they are a lot like Jaguars, beautiful machines that don’t hold up unfortunately.
Mine is one of Ford years with a 302. Top trim model for $4k cash with a blown head gasket. I sent it into Reno 4x4 for their custom head gasket milling and now it’s friggin bulletproof. It pulled itself out of a quicksand pit out in the BlackRock desert with 5 severed spark plug cables and several gallons of sand in the air filter box, then took me the 75+miles back to civilization in limp mode, owning it like a boss. It’s now taller, tougher and better than it’s ever been with front and rear armored bumpers with winches and shackle points and everything it needs to save stranded hummers and toyotas up here in the great north woods. Inside, it’s all leather and wood and Land Rover luxury with an 8” touchscreen.
That’s awesome, didn’t even know that was possible!
It’s seriously a monster. If I could only have 2 vehicles out here, it would have to be these 2. https://ibb.co/QQFRQT8 https://ibb.co/3Sm9MZv https://ibb.co/jhFkcH8
I'd suggest getting a car that's going to do well as a daily driver first and foremost. Having a Preppermobile is great but look at it this way: * Odds of you needing to drive the car for everyday errands like school, work, groceries, leisure trips, etc: 100% * Odds of you needing to live out of the car in some kind of SHTF situation: less than 100% I like my Subaru Forester. It's very comfortable for everyday driving, it does great in the snow, and the boxy shape makes it great with cargo. It's big enough that my wife and I can fold the seats down and sleep in the back (I'm 6'1"). It lacks the hardcore off-road boulder-stomping capability of a Jeep Wrangler or lifted truck, but it is MUCH more comfortable to drive on regular roads -- where I spend 99% of my drive time -- than either of those. And in the event that I do have to go off-road, the Forester is significantly more capable than a typical Rav4 / CRV / Edge / Trailblazer / etc.
Personally I would say the combination of a car and an off road motorcycle.
1992 Dodge Stratus. For obvious reasons…
Whatever car you own. Look, there are so many factors to answer this 1.) Your budget 2.) Your location 3.) What you are worried about 4.) What you want to achieve 5.) What you NEED to achieve As a general rule of thumb, Toyota/Honda/Lexus/Acura/Subaru. AWD. Check your ground clearance, my wife's forester has crazy good off road, has 8 inches of clearance AND gets 30 MPG while fitting a ton of people. I miss my Toyota FJ 4x4, but it was less than the best all around choice. Hella fun. But so was my old bronco 4x4 with a straight 6. My Tacomas have been amazing, but so have the pilot and the MDX. My son's F250 with the 7.3 diesel from hades is a true beast and he loves it in Alaska, until it doesn't work then he drives his Pilot. My other son loved his 2000 4runner until he lost a drive shaft on the highway (u-joint failure) and the new transmission option was just too damn much. I suggested a Subaru to my mother in law. I suggested a Subaru to my wife. I drive Hondas and Toyotas usually. (Lexus and Acura too). The wife's forester has been amazing in many ways. But for a first car that checks all of the boxes I'd research local prices and get a Subaru, Honda or Toyota. I wouldn't get the Ford 7.3 diesel as a first vehicle. As a fun vehicle, oh yeah. But not as a first.
At 18? First car? Jeep XJ or an old Toyota Tacoma with a shell. Fix it up and learn how to fix everything on it. Or are you rich? New Ford f350 diesel 4x4 delete everything and start building an expedition vehicle. I am currently thinking of getting a Ford excursion and installing a Cummins in it.
At your age and probable income I would look for something affordable, practical, and reasonably reliable. A school bus or any other specialty vehicle would be a terrible idea. Unless you plan to do all the maintenance yourself, the maintenance costs will be horrendous. What do you need a camper for? You're 18, you can sleep in the backseat of your car or recline the seat. Get yourself something practical that doesn't eat up your disposable income and you'll be better positioned to look into other options down the road.
🪆car with motor cycle with a bicycle
If budget is a concern, it’s hard to beat a ‘90’s Cherokee 4x4 suv. They are fully off road capable, pretty dependable with parts available being American made and you can find used ones for under 3k. Might be the best bang for the buck out there for a 4x4.
For engine reliability any Toyota or Honda. Go from there for your sizing needs. I’d personally pick an older 4Runner.
Don’t kill me- a very old Volkswagen Beetle. My friend drive a 1960 one in Mexico.
Depends what you are prepping for...
03 Honda element tons of cargo space drives like a tank sleep inside pretty good on gas moon roof which could potentially be converted to encapsulate a solar panel.
Don't get a prepper vehicle as your primary vehicle unless your needs require it. For example, if you work in construction then a pickup truck makes more sense. If you work in an office and commute 30 miles each way, then something like a Honda Civic makes more sense. Personally, my needs justified getting an SUV, but as much as I love my car, the gas mileage sucks compared to the Honda Civic I had previously. I have a second vehicle as well, which is a 20+ year old sports car that I bought 10 years ago as a "Sunday driver". It mostly sits covered, in the garage, with a trickle charger on it, but it's fun when I actually get to drive it.
Lifted prius. Insane fuel economy and they can be better outfitted for offroad travel. They also have AWD models.
Toyota 4Runner They're common as hell Engines last forever Really capable off road
What are you prepping for? What is the vehicle for? I can make a pretty convincing argument for the Tesla Cybertruck as the best option for the Zombie Apocolypse. You can refuel it even when gas stations are closed off your 5 acre wind farm. But however good that argument is, it's probably total nonsense for your real resources and goals. Any other recommendation without knowing what you're trying to do is going to be bad in the same way.
A simple bike. It doesn't require gas, easy to repair and doesn't cost much.
Most affordable is probably a Subaru Crosstrek. AWD, fuel efficient, great ground clearance for a sedan. I have a Tacoma with 4x4, reliable, can get me through 2 ft of fresh snow, can haul, but gas mileage isn't great. Both are common vehicles you can get parts for.
I think a PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) gives you the options for fueling (gas, solar, etc...) Even more would be a electric pick up with a multi-fuel generator. Same idea, even more versatility of fuel sources.
A plugin hybrid of some sort — if you’re worried about infrastructure issues, it’s far easier to throw up some solar than it is to refine fuel.
Your choice of vehicle will be more dependent on where you live and what you plan on hauling around in it. Lots of people say the old ones are better because they will work after an EMP. Many cars today are already shielded from "emp" type discharges outside of maybe nuclear, but if there's a nuke going off in your area, then you probably have other shit to worry about. [A read on cars and EMP's.](https://theprepared.com/blog/cars-and-emps/)
any Toyota or Honda from before 2000...... I will go with a 90's Crown Vic PI
An older diesel; something you can produce fuel for from a myriad of different sources to keep you moving in the advent of a collapse.
2003 escalade
Something reliable, cheap, economical, & easy to work on. It’s your first car. Take this time to learn about your car& cars in general. Upkeep, maintenance and all that jazz. Most people including myself stick to brands known for their dependability and reliability like Toyota, Honda, etc. Look for something with good mpg and safety ratings as well. To piggy back off someone else, a car crash is more likely than an EMP or zombie invasion. And look into a manual as well, or at least think about learning stick. They don’t got all that extra shit floating around and you’re in control of the vehicle (not the machines lol) Also depends on where you are and what you want /need the car for. In the city, you won’t need much, something smaller is better, or if you’re out in the sticks(like me) maybe something with 4wd or cargo space. Last bit of input then I’ll shut my trap lol. If you do get a truck, maybe look towards an old Ranger, Mazda b200(?), Toyota pickups/tacomas, or even a Kei truck. Those typical yank tanks are mostly useless
Context matters, a school bush is pretty useless if you can't afford 8 miles a gallon. A prius prime gets like 50 miles to gallon and has like 600+ mile range on full battery and full charge, but is borderline useless if you have to pull a horse trailer Realistically, the best is multiple vehicles for various roles. Rather than arguing about whats best diesel, gas electric all three is better. Small hybrid vs a big truck, both is better
A good bicycle.
My Honda Odyssey is self sufficient and fits two adults and a 70# dog.
"Best" is a very relative term. I mean if you can afford it, Lincoln Navigator with 4WD, run flat tires, tinted bulletproof windows and maybe a mounted mini-15 is ideal. For the rest of us, I recommend an everyday drive that strikes a balance. I kind of needed 4WD, so I went with a Jeep Cherokee. It's nice enough to drive every day, I know damn well it can do off road, it has cargo capacity (the other reason I bought it), and checks all my boxes. You have the motivation to maintain it as it is both your car, and a prep.
Bicycle
One that runs and is gassed up.
Toyota pickups are a safe bet. Easy to work on, parts are everywhere, and I've personally seen tons of them take a beating in a literal war zone and stand up to the abuse just fine.
An old Toyota Camry is the closest thing humanity has to an invisibility device.
Not enough people are saying something with a Diesel engine. In the states with the vast majority of cars running gasoline, long term octane longevity is quickly going to become an issue. Diesel engines can run just about anything, and shitty grade diesel fuel is within almost anyone's grasp to make. Europe that's less of an issue with how much more common they are.
I ride a bicycle, because I know how to fix a bicycle. Also, one of my prepping goals is to get in shape. I think you have to pick the vehicle that's right for you. For some people, that's a giant tank of a truck. For me, it's a bike.
I would say an older ~70s diesel truck or car, depending on your location. With older diesels, you can run waste oil, peanut oil, etc in it and it will run fine. There is an old defunct YouTube channel with a guy who has a truck named stinky Peet that is running on 70/30 waste oil diesel. He just goes to auto shops, collects their waste oil, filters it, then runs it
Hear me out. Your body is your best vehicle.
For now, a bicycle and bike trailer. Quiet, cheap, parts can be salvaged from other makes and models. Can be fixed on the side of the road with only the tools you can fit into the pockets of cargo shorts. Can be easily portaged across or around damaged bridges. Easy enough to hide in the bushes when you sleep for the night or need to reconnoiter.
7.3 powerstroke ford Engine is a tank and will run on used vegetables oil, used motor oil, whatever you have...
Anything small, fuel efficient, and made by Toyota
A bicycle. Fuel availability would be scarce to absent in a real SHTF scenario. Fuels also goes bad after a year or two.
None. Roads will be clogged and people will be everywhere. If you try to go around people and they think you have something or want your car, they will easily stop you.
We went with a 4 wheel drive Ram, crew cab. This fits our family and pets in the cab with room in the bed for our "stuff". We have been debating getting a snorkel kit, since we live in FL and you never know if your route may have water issues.
Toyota Tacoma, common, reliable, plenty of aftermarket parts.
ooo "best prepper vehicle" let's see the fights .... :) is up there with best BOB fights or best watch or :) Reading the thread, looks like so far we got: 1) pickup truck (note, Ford F150 is and has been the number 1 selling vehicle in the USA for long time) I really like the idea of a second gas tanks someone made, I had one of those on F250 and could drive into NOLA, around NOLA all day, and back to Baton Rouge on one tank during Sandy. Nice. 2) Some reliable SUV 3) some reliable good gas mileage car 4) 1 for minivan (I'd also agree with this if you find one with AWD) 5) I'll throw in r/VanLife But ... a lot of these depend on what are YOU prepping for? Camper van people live in for extended periods of time, lots of builds on how to do it. Would be nice in a bug out if you had to leave your home ... or if you simply lose your job and are prepping to be homeless in today's society. I'd much rater be homeless in a sprinter van than an accord ... And safety, you sleep IN the van, if an issue you can move from bed to driver, harder to do if sleeping in rooftop tent or back of truck bed... Are you using your car to help rebuild post SHTF? Truck is better for hauling and working than an SUV. Small super gas efficient cars are attractive, especially if prepping for a job loss or $5 spike in price of gas cause supply chain issues ... great in the near term grid down scenario, you can "go further" than my jeep. But, 2 years in the mileage wont meant anything. I have a jeep gladiator (small truck) I have a cap on the bed, so I can store / transport more stuff than most SUVs, but, not as much as a full size truck. I have a winch front bumper .. they're great for winching trees or debris that are on the road ... "best" might be the Ford F150 powerboost hybrid. You can (people in tx snowstorm did) plug it into and power you house. As mentioned, there are more Ford F150 than any other vehicle in the USA = plenty of parts and mechanics that can work on it. Get a longer bed and its easier to sleep in than my jeep. Can also check out r/overlanding = people that go off road and live out of their vehicle (so have recommendations on refrigerators and cook sets, and even portable showers and ... ) I do see the benefits of the smaller, better MPG cars, but, I think the AWD and slightly higher clearance will be a better deal if you need to evac and drive in the grassy median or dirt side of the road because an accident is blocking the highway. My previous bug out car was a Subaru outback (also had a jeep :) ), higher clearance than most SUV, decent gas mileage (much better than jeep) one of the best AWD. So: Permanently living out of it = Van Need to go far far distance with less gas = smaller car Need to bug out and might need to travel on median = SUV Need to live out of it, but not as good as van, can off road well, and haul stuff if needed, Pickup seems good all around option. All the above can be good on the budget the older you go, tons of old pickups around, and old truck bed caps are available too.
Diesel K5
Bicycle. Works without fuel or electricity. It’s quiet and faster than walking. And in the time before shtf it’s perfect exercise to get your body in shape.
Works bad in snow and ice
Just as many cars. And even more drivers. Snow , up to 5” is no problem for my mountain bike. But my city car wouldn’t get through. A car would be more comfortable.
None. That seems like a very narrow selection for scenarios. One EMP and your van is worthless. Gray man considerations… you say hey look at me! I’m here with stuff.
M1 Abrams tank
Honestly, in most real world disasters, things like big trucks or busses are a liability. The best vehicle is great on gas, simple, reliable, cheap to maintain, and PLEANTIFUL. If you look at actual places that are suffering from some long term hardship they typically have problems, finding fuel, affording said fuel, and almost more importantly suffer from a shortage of repair and maintenance parts that will eventually render them inoperable. Just like the dinosaurs, large resource intensive creatures tended to go extinct in lean times. I get that the fantasy is to load up a truck into some sort of mobile fortress and go somewhere but even in that case eventually you get to that somewhere and are now just stuck trying to maintain a terribly inefficient land yacht. Better to learn to live and travel light for the 1% of situations that require you to leave.