What we expect our vehicles to do?

[Devonian]

(31 December 2013, 17:42)Mortblanc Wrote: Vehicle preferences can go on and on and do become either boring or unrealistic, depending on the situation at hand.

One either buys a vehicle for the apocalypse and makes it work in the real world or buys a vehicle for today and hopes to try and make it work during the apocalypse.

At least that is what this diversion from the OP has turned into.

What I ask of my vehicle today will not be its expectations if a major stoppage of reality occurs. In that case I will be driving nowhere because there should, theoretically, be nowhere to go!

In spite of that I need my vehicle and some fuel.

Once my 2500 gallons of water runs out I will be forced to go to the nearby lake and fetch water home. That will be much easier using the Jeep and trailer with pump for filling the water tanks.

It may be that while wondering about the countryside I find a treasure of materials that needs transporting back to the home place. The Jeep and trailer might be handy for that venture also.

There are also the generator capabilities of the vehicle, using its inverter as power for construction projects, emergency lighting and providing 12v power for the house if the solar panels allow the battery bank to go flat.

There are also some serious power applications the vehicle can accomplish while sitting immobile, from running a thrashing machine to a sawmill or grist mill.

Additionally, in a world full of people now afoot, having a rapid exit capability might be handy. Even over bad roads and broken asphalt making a 30 MPH escape from a 3mph pursuit seems a no brainer.

Anyone that doubts the ability of either a Jeep or a Landrover to negotiate harsh terrain has never been off-roading at anywhere near the limits of either vehicle.

I totally agree, but then as driver of a Land Rover Defender I would wouldn't I lol!!

[Highlander]

Having a Land Rover or Jeep wouldn't make a jot of difference around here there is very little land that either vehicles could handle in this area,.. and I have done extensive off roading in the Army,... the land is simply too soft in most cases, and too rocky in others,...all the Estates have Land Rovers, but only to tow trailers, and carry the only off roaders that are any good here,... the Quad bike and the Argo rule in this part of the world.

So that only leaves the roads and tracks, and for those I know my Santa Fee will do fine,.. although my Hyundia is 4x4, I know it is not a serious 4x4,.. but good enough if I have to use it after an event,...I also have a Quad,... just in case....lol

[Devonian]

At the end of the day your average family car will be fine 99% of the time, as long as you keep it off wet grass and mud etc, ie: keep to roads and tracks of which there are plenty and always will be.

Now I know its only a light entertainment programme, but you only have to look at some of the Top Gear specials to see how far you can actually get with your average family saloon/estate.

[Mortblanc]

"Back in the day" all the guys I grew up with had an old beater car we referred to as our hunting/fishing cars. We would jack them up for groud clearance, add channel iron bumpers and a roof rack, stick a set of rough tread tires all around and drive themn almost anywhere a 4wd could go.

Then came along the cult classic Cherry 2000 and its mad Mustang.

https://www.google.com/search?q=cherry+2...B640%3B352

Would you believe that I did almost the same thing to a 1968 Camaro back when they were a dime a dozen.

[Tartar Horde]

Highlander makes a good point here that vehicles are only of any use if you can use them in the terrain you are in. I have the same problem in my area, I can't cut across country because the land is so flat that all our fields are surrounded by large Dykes to drain the land. These Dykes are so deep that you couldn't get a vehicle across them. The tracks and lanes all have obstacles to stop motorcycles and poachers etc from using them, so they can only be used by cyclists, horses and foot. If for any reason TSHTF and the roads are blocked my only option would be to walk.

[NorthernRaider]

Or use a boat!!

[bigpaul]

at the moment around here NO one is going off road not even the farmers! step off the road into the field gateway and you will be up to your knees, 3 houses locally have already been flooded and gullies and ditches are all full. post shtf I can use local country(back) roads, cycle paths, green lanes and bridleways, fields aren't really an option-even walking- as the modern fields don't have gates leading from one field to another(like back in the 60s) as ownership is very different these days. post shtf roads-especially outside the cities- will quickly become impassable with no one repairing, cleaning or clearing them, even in the good times its only motorways and main roads which are regularly maintained, even B roads never mind unclassified roads are not repaired to any great extent, some have not been repaired for 5 or 6 years in my area, money or the lack of it is the usual cited response.

[Tartar Horde]

I could use that option NR if I wanted to bug out to the Yorkshire Wolds by rowing/paddling up the River Hull to Driffield etc, and to be honest that's not a bad idea as the area has lots of clean water and fishing/game opportunities, but I'm heading NE to a small town where my folks are, we can walk it in a day and it has food and more importantly security.

[NorthernRaider]

Wonder what use a car will be on the Somerset plains this week!!!!

[bigpaul]

an aqua car!.....boom, boom!!(or a submarine).