A BOV I'm considering...

Danpad

The pic is the type I'm considering. I've been pondering it for some time now and have come up with plenty of pros - quick, all terrain, light on fuel, easily concealable (especially in the camo spray) you can wear a BOB whilst driving and lash lots of gear on to it. I can teach my wife and sons how to drive one easily. My pros list is quite large. So, I'm looking for some cons, serious cons though, not observations like (as a mate suggested) 'if it lashes rain you'll get wet' sort of cons!
Here's my thinking; society collapses and as the sewerage begins to overflow out of the manholes due to the pump stations becoming redundant, hordes are fleeing the city using the main arteries for their passage. Spurious radio reports tell us that within these many thousands of people, civil order is rapidly declining along with any sort of self governing and sense of decency.
They're heading my way and I decide it's time to GOOD. Saddling up on one of these bad boys is surely going to get me and my family out of harms way in no time - across the farmers fields, traversing higher terrain and towards by BOL.
You see...I'm quite good at a bit of self persuasion! But I'm kind of hoping somebody points out a glaring, embarrassing flaw/mistake/con before I fork out sheckels for a couple of these yokes. By the way (potential looters take note) its not that I'm rich, far from it, I've just prepped myself to this position whereby I'm now ready to act on it.
Hope I'm making sense. Found out I'm gonna be a grandad so between looking at pictures of quads and baby scans my heads a bit scrambled.

p.s You can also hook a trailer onto it.

aaakev

I say go for it. Cons you may run into crossing farm land will be fences and ditches that you wont get the trailer up or even the quad over! I had mine in my van during the snow (hoping id get stranded in dublin so i could drive to kildare on the quad!!) but it disnt happen

I thought my 2 kids 8 and 5 to drive it and they were quite capable.

Cons? Does the wife mind you going out to play much? Because if she does that would be the biggest con i can see but then again ya can make a quick get away from her if she does haha

One serious note.. They can be very dangerous so if your not used to driving a quad get alot of practice in and take it easy while you learn to push the bounderies

Tabnabs

In my limited experience (as a passer-by) they are also very noisy for the size of them. Stealthy they are not.

aaakev

Any 4 stroke will be quiet enough at low speeds just like a car or 4x4. Tbh i dont think it would be an issue, if your gettin out chances are others are too and the quad is going to make you more manouverable

ScottStorm

What is the fuel range?

Rhinocharge

What's it like for replacement parts?
Can you modify car or bike parts or do they only take specific components?
Fuel capacity, range (MPG), weight restrictions(loss of speed)?

ShadowFox

This would be my first option no fuel light weight and can be brought indoors for more security of it 379854_471625002910730_1749132795_n.jpg

Cliona99

ShadowFox wrote: »

This would be my first option no fuel light weight and can be brought indoors for more security of it 379854_471625002910730_1749132795_n.jpg

Wow, that's amazing! Who sells these? Are they cheaper than the quad?

eirator

Serious con imo is the number of people it can carry. I've been on the back of those a few times and no way can you go off road at speed with a passenger. Its a one man vehicle and you have a family. Even with people in a trailer (I've done that a few times) you can't go at any speed except on the road.

On the other hand if you want to escape the wife and family it would be a good getaway vehicle.

But if you can afford a his and hers quad that might just work

Edit> Maybe one in camo and one in ......

ShadowFox

Cliona99 wrote: »

Wow, that's amazing! Who sells these? Are they cheaper than the quad?

I came across it on an American site don't know much about it but I do plan on finding out. The bike trailers are in halfords for 150 to 200 there abouts

Tabnabs

Also check out the current fad in Ireland of cargo bikes (http://dutchbikeshop.ie/bikes/ and http://cyclingindublin.com/2012/08/29/the-urban-suvs-of-bicycles/ for example). The Dutch use these bikes for carrying kids, shopping, all sorts. I'd imagine if you keep an eye on done deal or adverts.ie you could pick up a cheap second hand one soon enough.

aaakev

eirator wrote: »

Serious con imo is the number of people it can carry. I've been on the back of those a few times and no way can you go off road at speed with a passenger. Its a one man vehicle and you have a family. Even with people in a trailer (I've done that a few times) you can't go at any speed except on the road.

On the other hand if you want to escape the wife and family it would be a good getaway vehicle.

But if you can afford a his and hers quad that might just work

Edit> Maybe one in camo and one in ......

You will still move quicker than on foot even with 2 people and a trailer. You can get lwb ones that comfortably take 2 people.

I have gone shooting with mine with 2 guys and a trailer, on guy on the back and another in the trailer with the guns and gear, on foot the trip would have taken twice as long to get to our destination and we would have had a fair bit of gear to carry by hand through the fields. Gates made it easier in that spot tho!

ShadowFox

I like idea of a quad for scouting but it doesn't offer any protection if SHTF someone could put snare wire between 2 trees and take you clean off it or worse. Id be more inclined to look at a classic landrover defender and convert it to run on waste oil and stockpile the oil

Stovepipe

I'd go with Shadow's logic. You can live in a Defender, if you have to.

regards
Stovepipe

Danpad

and then there's this:..
http://www.globalvehicletrust.com/ox/

aaakev

Danpad wrote: »

and then there's this:..
http://www.globalvehicletrust.com/ox/

If its something like that your considering go all out and buy a unimog! They are the ultimate off roader!!
http://www.donedeal.ie/tractors-for-sale/mercedes-unimog/5105450

Fries-With-That

or something from here http://www.blitzworld.co.uk/outbak-4x4-suzuki-vitara-i111.html

ShadowFox

A Bov for me personally would have to carry a minimum of 6 people have solid sides and roof mesh grills for all Windows run on an easy to get fuel like old oil or a dual fuel system must also be able to carry a weeks worth of supplies ie clothes food water extra fuel be strong enough to break through fences or gates be off road capable and be well insulated to keep you warm so far what I've found is the old landrover 101 ambulances . Oh and most of all must be user friendly ie no computer and if a part breaks you can make something to keep you going

aaakev

There is one for sale on donedeal for €5,500 already kitted out in camo paint and ready for conversion

ShadowFox

aaakev wrote: »

There is one for sale on donedeal for €5,500 already kitted out in camo paint and ready for conversion

If it was €5.50 I might be in with a chance lol

aaakev

Hey money talks and the market for that kind of stuff is tiny! Doubt he would pass a serious offer

ShadowFox

aaakev wrote: »

Hey money talks and the market for that kind of stuff is tiny! Doubt he would pass a serious offer

My bug in plans come first then the big boys toys

matTNT

Tabnabs wrote: »

Stealthy they are not.

Yoda you are?

Another major disadvantage is their stability, they will easily flip especially when you need to make a hard turn when the cannibals are running after you, you want to stay onboard.

aaakev

ShadowFox wrote: »

My bug in plans come first then the big boys toys

No argument there mate!

mervifwdc

There is a lot to be said for a Unimog. We have been living in ours since 2011, and have stayed in some of the wilder places in Patagonia for weeks on end as we carry enough food and water for quite a while. We are now heading for the huge salt flats of Bolivia to see how we fare out there - it's often colder than -15 at night so we will see how the old truck handles that! :-)




we have a unimog travel blog here.
Merv.

ShadowFox

Cliona99 wrote: »

Wow, that's amazing! Who sells these? Are they cheaper than the quad?

$849 its cheap enough for what you get

http://www.amazon.com/Kamp-Rite-Bushtrekka-Bicycle-Trailer-Oversize/dp/B002KKBT9Y