Buying a Civilian MRAP as a Bug Out Vehicle

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Every prepper has their own idea on what the ideal bug out vehicle is. For some, it is a car with really high fuel efficiency so they can get as far as they can one a single tank of gas. For others, it might be their family overlanding Land Rover. There is a select group of people, however, with a budget big enough to afford something more… intense.

Introducing Bulletproof-It’s limited inventory of Grizzly Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. Imagine driving one of these monsters around after the apocalypse. The ultimate bug out vehicle? Quite possibly.

What is the Story with Bulletproof-It’s MRAP Vehicles?

The MRAPs offered for sale are Blackwater Grizzly APCs built in 2007-2008. The Blackwater Company (now Academi) was commissioned by the U.S. Government to produce these vehicles for modern warfare in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, U.S. projected needs turned out to be a bit off, and the Blackwater order was no longer needed. Larger companies (Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics) with heavier lobbying strength were awarded the MRAP contracts in excess of $120 million dollars.

The upside of Blackwater’s efforts at the time was that it gave them a chance to prove they could build something just as well as larger companies and produce a product that could meet military specifications. These MRAPs have never seen combat. They have never been beat on in the deserts and streets of Iraq or Afghanistan. With most of them having less than 1,000 miles on them, they are not “used” military gear. They are brand new vehicles!

Can a Civilian Buy an MRAP?

Yep, civilians can buy MRAPs. They are perfectly legal in every way. What you are not buying is all of the heavy machine guns and military-grade accessories that these vehicles are otherwise ready to be outfitted with. These MRAPs are even street legal. You could use one on your trip to the grocery store, the office, or to drop your daughter off at the high school dance.

What Kind of Person Buys an MRAP?

The way I see it, there are three types of people who would buy armored personnel carriers for personal use: preppers, collectors, and artists.

#1. Preppers

Me. I would buy one of these… if I had the money. Unfortunately, I do not have that kind of cash lying around. Instead, you could expect the kind of billionaire preppers who buy up New Zealand to gobble up a few of these rigs for their post-apocalyptic plans. It would take a whole lot of effort to stop one of these rigs on its way to a private jet that would whisk these billionaires away to far off lands and safe havens. Is there a better vehicle suited for such a task? I think not.

#2. Vehicle Collectors

There are people who have a lot of money who like to buy a lot of vehicles. Jay Leno, as an example, is reported to have a collection of 286 vehicles worth more than $50 million dollars! Buying one an MRAP would be no problem for him and others with that kind of budget. Would a car collection even be complete without a ride such as these?

#3. Artists

Imagine the art project you could turn one of these APCs into (as if they’re not already art). For what purpose? For art itself!

Burning Man, for example, is absolutely riddled with art cars and mutant vehicles. You could take one of these MRAPs, paint it pink, add a unicorn horn on the front, and then have bikini-clad women hanging off the roof and sides – bam, art!

Think also of the potential to turn one of these rigs into a Mad Max-style war rig for the annual Wasteland Weekend event. Your ride could be featured in Popular Mechanics’ Post-Apocalyptic Machines of Wasteland Weekend.

How Fast Can an MRAP Go?

Burning Man and Wasteland Weekend enforce strict, super slow speed limits at their events. That would be tough to endure behind the wheel of an MRAP that just wants to cruise across the wasteland crashing through all barriers in its way.

An MRAP can cruise on the highway at speeds of 65 to 70 miles per hour. So, while you will not outrun Mad Max in his V8 Ford Interceptor running on nitrous, you can certainly out-smash him.

What is the Grizzly APC Armor Like?

You will need something more powerful than what can be purchased at your local gun dealer to puncture the armor of these 22-ton vehicles. Their armored exteriors are as aggressive as you can get short of driving a tank. Their AR500 steel walls can withstand volleys of .50 caliber bullets.

There is no ambushing one of these things. The reinforced bellies of these beasts can protect its occupants from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). What’s more, they have more doors, gun ports, hooks, compartments, outlets, and lighting than virtually any other civilian vehicle on the road today. Not enough? The roof has turrets that can mount heavy machine guns!

What is the Engine of an MRAP?

In a word? Awesome. These are Caterpillar diesel engines with the following additional features:

• automatic push button Allison transmission
• single rear axle
• Seagrave glider extreme duty chassis
• 4×4 AWD
• air brakes

What are the Other Features of a Civilian MRAP?

The beauty does not stop under the hood.

• Stuck in a ditch? You can use the front mount Ramsey winch to pull yourself out.
• Need to exit the back? Some models have electric rear doors.
• Need some air? They have front right window hatches.
• Need more air? They are equipped with dual zone air conditioners.
• Get a flat tire? They are designed to run flat in all terrains.
• Want to see the stars? Pop open the roof hatch and take a peak.
• Need a family vehicle? There are multiple seating configurations available.

Additional Photos of Civilian MRAPs

Is classic black your color? Check out Bulletproof-It’s MRAP Armored Vehicle #1038.

Bad news! Bulletproof-It’s two black MRAPs are both sold. You’re too late!

(Actually, they will paint one for you in the color of your choosing. Want pink? They can do it.)

Check out MRAP Armored Vehicle #1041.

How Much Does a Civilian MRAP Cost?

A civilian MRAP will set you back a cool $100,000 to $180,000 depending on which model you want and what you would like done to it. As of this writing, ten are left for purchase and are presently stored in New Jersey, but available to ship anywhere.

But if you are seriously inquiring about pricing and availability, email the MRAP Sales Manager Josh Malcom at mrapsales@bulletproof-it.com or feel free to give him a call 360-771-2657. I am certain he will do his best to help hook you up with a sweet new ride. They can do custom paint jobs, add lights, sirens, etcetera. There is not much Bulletproof-It cannot do to make this your dream bug out vehicle.

Would you buy one?