Help me pick my BOV

[Erick]

Ok there is a stumper for you good folks to give me some input on:

- Currently looking for a new (= extremely reliable) vehicle , which I intend to use as  a BOV and as my single commuter.

- AM a big Nissan fan and am quite competent with those vehicles so I want to stick with that brand.

- As luck would have it, Nissan has some excellent BOV choices.

- But i suffer from competing + opposed requirements..

- I need  along unrefulled range as my BOL is at some significant distance. In my current vehicle i always top off during my -day-to-day once it reaches 50%.. My unrefulled hiway range at economy speeds in my Maxima is 500 miles..... I BARELY have enough w/ half  atank to make it to make it from home Station ot the BOL...  And its obviously not practical to have your vehicle topped off all the time.

- I have my eye on 2 vehicvles that are very different:

- The Frontier/ XTerra pair is one.

- -They are basically the same vehicle different versions of each other....What I also like about the Frontier PU or Xterra SUV ( same chassis, powertrain different bodies), the standard 4 WD LO ability and lockable rear diff, a big V6 thats bullet proof by all accounts and pulls like some V8s, They have not been redesigned in several years. Very good cross country and reliability ratings. Fuel tank is 21 gallons but the engine while tough is older and gets only 21 mpg in EPA hiway . So driving at economy speeds (which would be less speed than the economy speed on the Maxima) we are lookign at 400 miles unrefuelled range.

- Both are among the very few remaining mid size body-on-frame, tough as nails, hard-core cross country vehicles left. But the unrefulled range is shorter than I would like/need  with 400 miles on hiways from a full tank (the other vehicles are the Wrangler with even shorter range and much worse on road behavior and the Tacoma/Forerunner pair which is near identical except costs an extra 15% to buy and has exact same range)

- I dont want  a full size PU or SUV as I live n the city and these are the closest things to a compact truck with a lot of ability u can still get. And I belive a smaller truck may help me squeeze thru bottlenecks during an escape, a big one might not.

- They are easily within my budget brand new and even though the interior is a bit stark they have all the hardware for  a great BOV.

- But the 21 gal fuel ank w/ a 21 mpg hiway bothers me a bit for a BOV application with ym requirements.. and aftermarket tank additions are  a possibility especially w/ the Frontier ,but that will add cost/ complexity and other issues.

- The other vehicle I am lookign at HARD is the Altima. Surprised? Yes the altima. Great incentives right now and I can get a loaded ( leather + Bose stereo) for  a great price. AND .... drumroll please.. with the 2.5 L engine and the CVT transmission and a 18 gal fuel tank with 38 mpg hiway I have a unrefulled range of almost 700 miles.

- Plenty that even if i am at a half tank I can make it to the BOL and have lots extra for detours. This will completely solve my fuel problem.

- Is a unibody mainstream sedan serious as a BOV? Maybe... think about it.. I'd be less likely to be stopped by nervous LEO roadblocks looking for  a big drug or ammo/guns score to confiscate during  as sliding beginning SHTF too.

- Rationally? What's more likely to stop a guy trying to making it to his BOL? mudslides? 2 foot floods? or running out of gas?  Rationally running out of gas is the greatest danger to anyone... but me especially.
Sure the truck is more fun and more in the post-apocalyptic spirit but is is rationally really superior?  Are those abilities realistically make a contribution impact on my ability to make it to the BOL?  A big enough contribution to ignore the huge ability to keep driving and driving w/o refuel, that the altima 4 cyl has?

- And the Altima in the 99.999999999% of my life that I am not driving to the BOL in an emergency, will also be superior at everything else I do. Which includes a lot of long trips to support prepper training efforts where the good MPG will help my wallet and the comfort of a loaded Altima will speed my travel and make me arrive fresher?

- My rational analysis tells me the Altima is likely the better BOV but thats counter intuitive to me and emotionally I am more interested in a Frontier or Xterra for the fun quotient of owning such vehicles.

- My budget is generous enough I can afford  a brand new vehicle, but not so generous that I can afford 2.

What do you guys think?

Please discuss and try to sway me either way. I cant promise I will follow your advice but discussing it may help me make up my mind....

[Nemo]

I cannot help you.  You seek jap info.  I buy Fords.

Nemo

[Erick]

I cannot help you.  You seek jap info.  I buy Fords.

Nemo

Thanks for looking Nemo.

Not looking so much for vehicle specific info more like some thoughts on how to manage my competing requirements

[Nemo]

Best bet, get one of those deuce and a half multi-fuel trucks.  Put some amour plating on and underneath it.  Lots of room for people and supplies.

Nemo

[rah45]

Bet bet, get one of those deuce and a half multi-fuel trucks.  Put some amour plating on and underneath it.  Lots of room for people and supplies.

Nemo

Well that might be good for a dedicated SHTF vehicle servicing a small community, but he's looking for a BOV that will also double as a current commuter to work.

Erick, I have a similar problem. I have a paid-off 2003 Dodge Durango that needs repairs, and I have a family of me, wife, and 3 kids I will need to transport. I can't afford to get anything smaller than an SUV. Fortunately, any place I travel to will be within 1-2 hours' worth of driving, so a 1/2 tank will get me there just fine with some to spare. Have you considered attaching one of those cages to the back of one of the trucks, or to the roof, for gas cans? Perhaps a small trailer if it's that much of a concern? I've considered getting a new vehicle, but I think that having a paid-off vehicle is a significant boon to finances and peace of mind, as well as the knowledge that if I do wish to modify a vehicle, I can feel more at ease investing funds into a vehicle I already own.

[brat]

Over the years have owned both, one Altima and two trucks (2wd and 4wd). I'd have to give the nod to the 4wd pickup with a removable aluminum bed topper, commercial model if available. Stay away from the fiberglass.

[DMCakhunter]

If range is your primary focus, the best way to get that is with a full size 4x4 pick-up, 4 door, diesel, with aftermarket extra-sized main fuel tank plus an in-bed fuel tank. Your fuel economy will be decent if you have a roll out cover on the bed or open the tail gate or get a vented tail gate. Ideally, unless you are hauling a large trailer, the current pick up diesel engines are over sized. That might change with Cummins new 5.0 liter V8. Have to see which manufacturers pick it up.

[gadget99]

One of our vehicles is a Nissan Altima. The difference is that it is a 2.2l diesel. 45 - 48 mpg on the highway. Got to love it.

[JohnyMac]

Some good advise so far and I am sure to follow.

Just some of my thoughts...

> If you are able to a heads up and go to your BOL before the SHTF than your estimate on MPG works; However,
   if you are leaving during the SHTF you will use as much as double the fuel you normally would use. The reason
   being: You will need to stay of off expressways, turnpikes, parkways, etc. My fuel usage almost doubles taking
   the "B" and "C" plan routes.
> If you go with a SUV vs. the truck, you can also buy a small trailer to pull. That trailer could include extra fuel in
   5 gallon cans filled up and ready to go. I have 4, 5 gallon cans of fuel ready to go at all times. Every six months
   I pour it into my truck to burn off and refill/stabilize the 4. 5 gallon cans. In David Crawford's novel, "Collision
   Course" the main character of the book had a trailer loaded up and ready to go at a minutes notice.
> As DMC wrote, "...with aftermarket extra-sized main fuel tank plus an in-bed fuel tank." There are A LOT of
   trucks around me that have a 20 gallon fuel tank in the back of their trucks. Usually located in the bed just
   behind the passenger compartment.

I had a similar situation in 2008/09. Buy another Explorer; move up to a Expedition or buy a truck (F150 Like Nemo I am a Ford guy). I tried out all three over a 10 month period. I rented Explorer's and Expeditions for business trips and borrowed a friends F150. Even though the SUV's were a nicer ride I went with fully loaded truck.

The reasons were:
> ~600 mile range on the hwy and ~500 mile on the back roads
> Real four wheel drive vs. what the SUV's had
> Ground clearance. I can go places that those SUV's would never be able to go
> Carrying capability. That truck was a life send during the building of the cabin at the BOL and since 100 x's over
> Pulling/hauling capability. I have pulled at least half a dozen people of ditches with that truck. Not to mention
    pulling a 5,000 lb boat with NO issues.

Because I was giving up some comfort I got every bell and whistle on that truck. Heated seats, ATV tires, extra cooling for hauling, radio/stero system and the best thing I ever had - A back up camera. This is a life saver trying to back up and then hook up a trailer.

Last, I went with a basic color. Although I didn't think about it at the time, I am glad my truck is black. Driving around, pay attention to the color's of trucks. Stay away from the "cool colors" and go with black or white one as they are nondescript and a million of them on the road.

Good luck and have fun. Buying a new ride is cool thing that most of us on;y experience a couple times in our lifetimes.       
   

[Nemo]

I have the F150.  Its a 13, with a 5 liter engine.  Remember the 302 from forever ago.  At 70 on the highway it runs about 21mpg.  Drop that to 55 and its up to 26.5.  Around town and such its down to about 15mpg.  So I am 300 to 500 miles a tank when full. 

8000lb tow capacity.  I have the extended cab and a fiberglass tonneau cover with the gull wing lids on it behind the cab, about 16 inches wide and 5 foot rear lift.  Basic black and as nondescript as can be.

Plans are set up on rare chance I have to leave its all loaded withing 1.5 hours.  If more time than that is available I can hook up the camper, 250 miles a tank pulling that on open road.

If camper is not realistic to pull out with, I have 6x12 trailer, 2 hours to full load, tie down and cover.  No MPG check on that loaded yet.  The 6x12 is about the best choice.  If I can get things going to have cabin and BOL set up.  Now it pretty much in deep and hard.

Only way to force us out of here is to have serious issue with local chemical wholesaler about 1 mile away by crow.  He does not have alot or variety of bad stuff but what he does is bad enough and not far.

Overall, you should strong consider a good truck.  You can get used ones, excellent condition for good prices.  Shop careful and look behind trees and bushes.

Nemo

[gadget99]

Hi All,

I will chime in here on this one.

I have learned a few things while figuring out the BOV thing for SHTF.

I am paranoid about EMP big time. To go with that line of thought, I REALLY have vehicles with ECU's. Way to much for Murphy's Law to mess with.

Living here in the UK where Diesel engines are common place in consumer vehicles. I am a big fan of them. There are also some very interesting and unique items in their favor.

I will illustrate with an example. Take a 1998 Land Rover Discovery. The engine in that thing can be run on two electrical circuits. One to the starter and the other to the fuel pump. You do not even need the glow plugs hooked up really. It will start on compression.

Now lets look at another item in terms of a BOV. You must store fuel cans at home and take them with you to top the tank up as you need. Let's face it. When SHTF Murphy will be doing anything possible to screw us up. So I would not be surprised if you may need 3 to 4 times the fuel as you escape and evade to your BOL.

From My view here in the UK, I have the perfect vehicle available to me. The British Army is selling off huge amounts of their Land Rover Defender 90's and 110's.

2.5l Diesel engines with no turbo and no computers. There is even a slot in the grill so you can insert a hand crank to start it. (Not very easy to do though)

If I cant scavenge Diesel I can mix veg oil in the tank at 50% in the summer and 25% in the winter. Just allows me more flexibility.

So what does this have to add to the discussion? Here are my tips.

1. If you are worried about EMP then incorporate that into your BOV planning.
2. Think further than the amount of fuel you tank can carry. Carry extra in cans. Better to have to much than to little.
3. Think about where you can get more if SHTF. If you need Gas and there is an EMP. There will be lots around. Every vehicle fried in the road has it in their tanks. Forget about siphoning, just punch a hole in the bottom of the tank and catch it as it comes out. (That plastic tub you keep packed for just such things.)
4. Plan to have to go off-road, Roads will be blocked and you will have to leave the pavement.
5. Make sure that what you pack in your BOV can sustain you for a while. Murphy may not let you get to your BOL.
6. Make sure you pack the vehicle well. Have everything packed so that if you have to ditch the vehicle, you can do it REALLY quickly. You need to be able to grab what is needed to walk to your BOL quickly. You may not have much time to do so.

And last but least of all. Plan to succeed in all of this. Prior planning is priceless.

Thanks All.

[Nemo]

Good info there Gadget.  I really looked into that diesel in the Dodge when I bought that Ford in Nov 13.  But the dealer was not at all interested in any type haggle.  He figured his price on trade and sticker on price, numbers done by math from there and I paid the bottom HE came up with.

And those were the first year for that engine in Ram.  Now I think I could get reasonable deal on one.

Nemo

[Erick]

Thanks for all the input fellas.

Here is a Nissan XTerra vs Jeep vid (The Xterra is the SUV version of the Frontier):

Jeep vs. Xterra

Emotionally I want  a truck, but rationally I doubt the ultrarare instances of making use of that capability are worth all the penalties .
Those penalties are lower mpg= less money for preps,  and the greatest danger to make it to my BOL is getting caught with not enough fuel to make it there on my preexisting tank fill, which is a much reduced threat with an Altima...

I also do not want  a full size since I live in the city..., though I admit this would address my range concern.

It seems my unrefuelled range problem is easier to solve with the Frontier rather than the Xterra ( cans in bed or fuel box in bed, which you cant do inside an enclosed body passenger compartment)  on the other hand if I had an Altima there would be no range problems that needed solving...

PS: I also specify an auto Why?
Partially because i live in the city , also if I BO I may be very fatigued and the auto will help, but mostly because in a pinch I want to be able to operate a firearm while I am driving

[JohnyMac]

This doesn't surprise me as IMO, Jeeps are a bit over priced for what you get. IMO, Jeeps built today are crap.

[Erick]

EVEN though my rational analysis for whats really important in a BOV wiht ym requirements set is pushing me to the Altima I am currently more likely to get a Frontier due to the fun factor

[brat]

Well that's why they make chocolate and vanilla !!! I have never not had a pickup, except for college, and my wife always had the car/suv. To date (over almost 40 years now since college), I have NEVER had anyone ask to use my car, but my truck, that's another story. The most common comment upon return..."man I wish I had a truck". See, when I think about living after shtf, I think more on utility, and what all the chores that are to be and fuel "economy" won't matter once you get to where you're gonna stay. But the ability to do chores/work will go on and on. When it comes to hauling rock for fence or shoring up defences, dragging logs for building, hauling firewood, pulling obstacle off roadways, hauling scavenged plywood or even pulling a plow for a garden.... well good luck with a car. Everyone has to make the decision that "fits" them best as I live in my bol, so no commute necessary.

I'll just stick with my pick'em up. My Dodge 3500 diesel 4x4 has proven more than reliable and I won't even go into all the stuff it'll haul/tow. And it gets 24-26 mpg, except when hauling my tractor...

[JohnyMac]

My thoughts EXACTLY brat, "See, when I think about living after shtf, I think more on utility, and what all the chores that are to be and fuel "economy" won't matter once you get to where you're gonna stay. But the ability to do chores/work will go on and on. When it comes to hauling rock for fence or shoring up defences, dragging logs for building, hauling firewood, pulling obstacle off roadways, hauling scavenged plywood or even pulling a plow for a garden.... well good luck with a car."

When it's time to buy a new truck, it is going to be a diesel.

[mountainredneck2051]

Nissan makes a good vehicle, however when you say bov I immediately assume you want a machine made for work/can take a beating/neglect on maintenance. Sorry dude but that just ain't Nissan 

Don't buy something that can do the job, buy one made for it