BOV - Bug out Vehicle - A vehicle used to escape from or bug out to a location in the event of a SHTF event.

Different types of BOV's depending on need and situation, but all have minimum requirements.
1. A BOV must have the mileage and capacity to make it to the location without the need for a fuel stop. This can be from fuel efficiency or carrying auxillary fuel supplies.
2. A BOV must be dependable. It cannot be a vehicle that starts 50% of the time and can't go more than 15 miles without stopping and fixing something.
3. A BOV must be kept fueled and maintained. Never let it get under the amount of fuel needed to get to that location and do not let its service go thousands of miles past due.
4. A BOV must be able to handle the route. If you are bugging out to the mountains a VW bug, may not be the best choice or a 40'motor coach may not be the best choice for maneuvering city streets and alleys.
5. A BOV must be able to haul whatever you will need. If your BOL has all of you needs then you just need to haul people and basics, but if you are planning to BO to a remote location, without supplies, the subcompact may be a poor choice.
6. A BOV must be able to pass the observation test. A black Hummer with tinted windows, a satellite dish, and a tactical station trailer behind it, might scream "Stop and rob, me!" or "Follow me, I'm prepared!"


Here are a few scenarios and suggestions:

1. I live in Florida in a mobile home and there is a Cat 2 or 3 Hurricane coming and I need to get 1 hour North of my home and plan to stay in a Holiday Inn, when I get there. I will return when all is clear. Roads will be passable. I just need to get there and back as economically as possible with some clothes and basic belongings. We would drive my wife's Kia Rio 5 hatchback. It has four doors, which is plenty for me, wife and 5yo son. It will hold the stuff and gets 35-40mpg.
2. A category 4-5 storm is coming and I need to get 2-3 hours North and may not have a home when I return. The roads will be destroyed and I will need plenty of stuff (generator, saws, etc.) I will drive the F250 extended cab diesel truck with my pop-up pulled behind it. It would be loaded with everything that can fit in the bed of it. My wife would follow in the Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep will be the scout vehicle to come back and look around once the storm is over. The truck will stay at a safe location until I am ready to bring it back.
3. A NBC event takes place and I need to get out now and get to my BOL (100 miles away) and leave in a matter of seconds. We would load up in the truck and hook Jeep to the back and go. This would give us an offroad vehicle if needed to get to the BOL in the woods. In a true hurry we may just take the Jeep.

Wow- I ve always told him it the best $50,000 CJ $8K can buy
It would be perfect.
Woking on a Grand Cherokee. hope within a year it will have lift, lockers front and rear, winch, radios, fuel cells, electric air and on bord welder. and most important fully skided.

Won a 1985 military cucv chev blazer with 60,000 miles on it. Just have to wait for the government to tell me I can go pick it up. I think that will cover a BOV.

SUV's make great BOVs. They haul a lot and are usually 4X4. My point was as CFI had once said an SUV on steriods with the all the bells and whistles may attract the wrong attention at that time.

My Jeep is a basic Wrangler with 31" tires and a few minor adds, but nothing that screams "Survivalist!"

Mine is a gas guzzler.. But its a WHITE 88 Dodge Ramcharger...
It was an old Parks and Recreation vehicle.. Plan to keep it looking that way

Hey caspertattoo, great to know your in the Ramcharger club..

Mines a 75, primer gray and rusted as heck. Came from CO where it was used for off road racing. People pay it no mind and I like it that way.

Wifes got an 86 suburban 4X4. We both use alotta gas but wouldn't part with 'em.

Mine is a faded out 89 f-250 deisel 4x4., dual tanks with a bulk tank and tool boxes in the back . Runs great, looks like it belongs on a back road or a construction site. HMMM maybe cause that where you can generally find it.

the best BOV i've ever seen was a '78 buick estate (full size) station wagon. the vehicle had been converted to 4X4 and had a 1" frame lift and slightly larger all terrain tires. total frame clearance had been increased by about 2.5" but it didn't look it. the tires even had whitewalls.

the stock 454 was maintained in perfect condition and it could pull a car hauler trailer fully loaded. there were skid plates installed and a second fuel tank (in the spare tire well in back). the front bumper had been replaced with a 4" pipe, sealed on both ends. this pipe held water and could be tapped to fill the radiator if necessary. there was also an air compressor installed in place of the air conditioner that could be used to fill tires. the car had a dual alternator and dual battery setup that could be used (through the inverter) like a small generator for using power tools and such. the body had several dents and some primer paint. the windshield was cracked and the headliner was falling down. it had only three hubcaps and they were all different. it even had an oil drip installed in the exhaust system that, when turned on, caused it to emit smoke as if the engine was about shot. the car looked like it wouldn't go 6 blocks but in reality it was virtually unstoppable.

A 1973 Chevy 3/4 ton 4X4, bought new, now has 187,000 miles on it.
I have to make a 500 mile trip the end of May and might put a new 350 eng. in this summer. I have welded a new floor in it once, new fenders and doors once. when one of the kids stop in, they will post a picture .

Buffalo, that sounds a lot like my grandaddy's axe: Two new heads and four new handles, but just as good as the day he bought it. LOL.