You’ve had it. You see no point in going on doing what you’re doing anymore, no bright side to sticking it out and hoping for sunnier skies. You need a change, and the great woods and hills beckon, free of people, social media, politicians, and large, soulless companies that treat you like a less-than-human cog in an inefficient machine.
You’ve come into some money, let’s say, and have a book you’ve never gotten around to writing (or reading). A change of pace would do you good, assuming you can stand the solitary life and aren’t afraid of either the dark or getting your hands dirty.
However, before putting this plan into action, you’ll first need a vehicle.
Look inward. There’s a tract of land, a specific location, you’ve always wanted to settle down on — or bug out to when the shit hits the fan. It’s a strategic location where there’ll be timber, flowing water, fields, high ground, and opportunities for agriculture and hunting. With the right materials, maybe a little solar hardware, a generator, and a propane tank, you could turn it into a utopia.
For some, winter won’t pose much of a problem. For many more, it likely will. And you’ll have to make periodic trips into town for provisions, possibly mail, and, if things get too lonely, human contact.
You leave the city — yelling “good riddance” as a smile creeps across your face — in a vehicle stocked full of supplies, knowing you’ll be able to source easier-to-find materials at a local hardware store. That vehicle is the one that’ll get you around your new property, and into town, if needed. It’ll need to be capable and commodious. A tough steed you’ll have to depend on. A Jack of all trades.
Good thing the auto industry probably has what you’re looking for, isn’t it? Now’s the time to choose. Go.
[Image: Ford]
Buy a truck, fall off the grid and write a book
Sounds like a plan
For me the perfect all-purpose adventure vehicle is still a Jeep Grand Cherokee
Toyota Land Cruiser.
It seems like a long time ago but when I wrote two post-apocalypse novels, each book featured a Toyota pick up truck. My own T100 was a rugged (if not rusty) thing that felt like it could go just about anywhere I wanted to go. Which was usually old unkempt logging roads.
Something powered with the ol’ 5.9 Cummins and a stick, Can’t have those pesky EMP’s rendering your Bug Out vehicle stranded. Plus owning a Diesel allows you to get fuel when running from Natural Disasters after everybody else has run the gas stations out of gas.
SPAM;
Desmog the diesel. Maybe chip it.
And a diesel can run on restaurant fat.
Kerosene.
Jet A
Home heating oil.
Kiss my grits Uncle Sam Nazis
Can you get the Power Wagon with the Cummins?
No.
The inline six is too long and part of the cooling system interferes with the mounting of the winch.
The nicest 5.9L Cummins was my first thought as well.
A new F150 Raptor fits the bill. Just need to feed the beast while living out in the middle of nowhere.
If I’m in warmer climes and I want to enjoy it, one Jeep Wrangler please. I can live with the 2 door.
A fleet of 1970’s pickups. We had Jeep J10s when I grew up, but any carbureted 4wd pickup will work. One good one, one woods beater, and at least one parts truck. Simple enough they can be fixed with pliers and baling wire. No sensors to go bad, no ECU to freak out, and nothing you don’t need. As a backup, there is always the old 2 cylinder John Deere kept in the shed and used for all the chores.
An F350 7.3L (gas) with a RZR in the 8 foot bed.
Why not a military grade Humvee, Unimog or some other purpose built vehicle. Everything that is designed “first” to travel on the road would be a poor choice for living completely off the grid. Kind of the achilles heel of all of these supposedly rugged vehicles. They are built with this type of stuff in the job description but are really commuters at their heart meaning they aren’t really ideal for either and are the wrong tool for both jobs.
Nice idea with a true military vehicle. But I would imagine most of those might be too big – or at least too wide. No?
There are plenty of smaller military vehicles. The Pinzgauer or the Volvo L3314/C202 come to mind.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_L3314
Military vehicles would be a good choice since many are engineered to run on anything that resembles a combustible liquid.
I’d probably lean towards a deuce and a half with a camper on it. I’d prefer a Unimog but they aren’t a good choice for a backwoods zombie Apocalypse vehicle since parts are rare.
Any mass produced domestic truck would probably be a good idea due to plentiful parts and there will be abandoned vehicles all over to borrow parts from.
If the choice is brand new then a Ford F350 Tremor with 7.3 would be my choice. A factory lift with 35’s, a rear locker and torsen front diff along with a decent payload. A light weight adventure camper, a quad and dirt bike.
Suzuki Samurai (Jimny) pickup version.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Jimny#Second_generation_(1981)
I horse might be a better choice. Besides, it eats for free and provides fertilizer.
RAM 1500 Turbodiesel 4X4. Loaded up, because even the Unabomber likes perforated, heated and cooled leather seats.
Vehicle: Something highly common so parts and repairs are plentiful and known. Nothing rare (12 valve cummins) or fancy (raptor, new power wagon, etc) or laden with fancy electronic nannies.
Location: My current location. Its close enough to the city to loot for supplies and far enough to not fret about the urban social implosion. Growing season is year round and I have enough grow space for all the vegetables my family needs.
At first Im thinking Tacoma or Tundra, because its going to be hard to have your bug out vehicle spending time in the shop for BS problems. Reliability should be of tantamount importance. Off-road ability a close second.
But an older diesel Cummins might be a good choice too, only because it can burn all kinds of waste product as fuel with slight modifications.
Probably a Chevy truck would spend less time at the shop than a Tacoma or Tundra. And definitely parts are lots more common.
They ran this one into the ground. Literally:
youtube.com/watch?v=Tu_Vd7bhBxU
Wow, that is incredibly unsafe – I refer of course to the unsecured items in the bed of the truck. :-)
It’s what you should always consider when buying a car.
Yeah not everyone can fit a 4X4 truck with mud terrains plus winch into their lives, but even without the need to ever “bug out”, consider how a sight shift in the economy or change in lifestyle can make owning that Maserati, or even a Mazda, a tremendous pain in the A$$.
Except I’ve seen a Crown Vic go places in Moab, tricked out Wrangler, Cherokee, Ram, etc, owners were afraid to go.
Heavily Armed Mad Max Ford Falcon police interceptor.
I will own the roads, and I won’t allow Asian vehicles.
I would consider an ex-railroad hirail vehicle of some kind, such as a Suburban. Assuming the trains are not running, the rails can get you away from traffic and into some pretty remote places. Also relatively easy on and off the tracks.
A lot of these comments make it sound like you plan on driving a lot after the apocalypse. I’d only be heading about 200-250 miles. A cummins ram would be a good choice because a) easy to get fuel for, and b) doesn’t hurt them to idle a lot so could use as a generator.
If you’ve bugged out, it’s probably a bigger risk that the vehicle sits until it won’t start rather than wearing it out. So a gas engine truck might be good for that, particularly with a manual for bump starting. I don’t think it matters so much what brand. Just get whatever you see the most of in your area to make it easier to pull scrap.
A Land Cruiser was my first thought but I think something a little smaller would be better. I’d go 4Runner.
Falcon Heavy – I want totally off this rock!
If money is no object an EarthRoamer would be it.
I won’t kid myself about my survival skills in the apocalypse but in the unrest here and now I’d like something on LT tires that can jump curbs and push abandoned cars without crumpling.
When you see Democrats carrying 2x4s and bricks on a Friday night it isn’t because they’re about to build you a house.
Or when you see an orange dude waving a bible, you know he ain’t gonna run the country!
It’ll match the jumpsuit he’ll shortly be wearing.
@Dan – yes. Him and Milania are going to trade 1st lady roles. She was US’s and he’ll be 1st Lady of the cell block.
No need to go too big:
AMC Eagle
Jeep Cherokee XJ
Subaru Baja
A boat. Because I would be settling on an island if the zombie apocalypse was upon us. I already have a Land Rover Disco I to tow it with and leave on the mainland for supply runs until things get too bad.
Since this seems like a voluntary decision, not something foisted upon me by the apocalypse, I’d probably just upgrade from my current RWD Durango SXT to an AWD Durango GT and call it good.
In more dire circumstances, I’d take a Power Wagon with front and rear benches in order to ensure capability both on- and off-road, with room enough for my whole family. In the most dire circumstances, in which my family is wiped out by whatever is throwing the world into chaos, I’d probably go for something like a Jeep Wrangler Overland/Rubicon or some kind of Dual Sport motorcycle.