5 Essential Tips For Your First Bug Out Vehicle

It’s time you up your survival game. Sure, you probably have a bug out plan and a bug out bag, but why walk when you can drive? Having a car or truck especially prepared for “getting out of Dodge” (GOOD) isn’t only a good idea, it’s vital for any solid bug out plan. Nothing can replace a well-planned bug out bag for mobility and effectiveness, but having a vehicle that’s prepared for the worst can put you quite a few steps ahead of anyone else trying to survive and can give you the advantage you need to survive.

With this idea in mind, there are a few levels of bug out vehicles you can have, ranging from your daily commuter car to a fully customized, nearly indestructible armored car. While the armored car idea sounds pretty amazing, it’s outside of most of our reaches, for sure. When thinking about your first bug out vehicle (BOV) you want to use what’s already at your disposal and make your current car or truck ready to get you out in a hurry.

Knowing this is where most people will start with their BOV prepping, we’ve compiled some tips to help you get your car or truck bug out ready. Start with these tips and add more as time and money allows.

1. Always Keep a Full Tank

First things first, make sure your fuel tank is as full as possible all the time. If a disaster hits, the first things most people will do is flock to the gas stations to fill up. This can cause a spike in fuel prices as well as a fuel shortage. Worse yet, if the disaster you’re dealing with is fast-acting like an earthquake, you may not have time to stop for a fuel up.

By keeping your tank full you make sure you have as much range as possible without the need for extra fuel tanks or the need to stop and fuel up.

2. Check Your Spare Tire

When’s the last time you checked your spare tire? Hopefully you’ve never had to use your spare, but if that’s the case there’s a pretty good chance that it desperately needs some air. Worse yet, if it’s been hiding out in your trunk for years without being used, it could very well be dry rotted and totally useless.

The End of the World as We Know It (TEOTWAWKI) isn’t the time to find out you have a flat and your spare is useless. Something tells me the market for tire shops won’t be too big when it’s all about simply surviving. Check your spare tire now, and be ready for a flat during an emergency.

3. Spare Parts and Tools

What happens when a spark plug goes bad in your ride? You probably head down to the auto parts store, buy a new one, and replace it. The same goes for headlights and other small but vital parts too, right? Sadly, when the s*!t hits the fan (SHTF) the NAPAs and Auto Zones of the world will probably be closed permanently, which means the only parts you can rely on having are the ones you have with you.

Get in the habit of keeping a spare parts box in your car or truck. In it, you should have a spare for anything that’s small yet vital for driving. Headlights, radiator hoses, spark plugs, and even extra lug nuts are all good ideas. If you have anything that breaks frequently on your vehicle now, it’s a good idea to keep 2 or 3 spares so your ride keeps running for as long as possible.

Along with spare parts, you want to keep some tools with you, too. Most cars and trucks use a few key socket sizes and 2 or 3 types of screw heads. Learn what these are and get at least one of each for your tool kit. A good hammer, spanner wrench, and pliers are all generally useful tools to have with you, too.

4. Water

Much like you, your car or truck can’t survive long without water. Your vehicle uses it to cool the engine off. It’s easy to overflow your radiator but not so easy to find water to replace it. Without water, your vehicle won’t be able to drive more than a mile without major, permanent damage.

You can benefit from this water, too. If you have to get out in a hurry you can use the water to drink, so make sure it’s sealed and rotated out semi frequently.

5. Bug Out Bag

Finally, you should keep a fully stocked bug out bag in your bug out vehicle. What happens if you’re driving home from work and disaster strikes? Sure, you can use your newly equipped BOV to get out of the area, but that means you won’t have all those goodies saved up in your BOB.

Even if you have to make a second BOB, do so and keep it in your trunk or behind your seat all the time. Rotate out any food stuffs frequently, and always be prepared to get out of town when things get bad.