Bulletproof Mexico

[AbsoloutelyNothing]

...

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by AbsoloutelyNothing

I am an American living in Monterrey, Mexico, and because of the insecurity I felt the need for a bulletproof car. It is official I am getting one, so I do not need anyone to tell me to do something else instead. So my curiosities are the following.

Can I bulletproof a '09 Toyota Camry (l4 engine)?
How much performance am I sacrificing?
Would it even be possible?

If not, what cars would have the ability to? - Car must cost less than 40000 USD base.

I have recently seen the Nissan Pathfinder, which seems to be a fine car.

Thanks.

Any kind of bullet proofing will add weight.

Extra weight means a loss in performance, so you need a larger engine to start with.

How are you planning on doing the bullet proofing?
It's not a simple thing if you want to retain the look and feel of the car, let along basic functionality like electric windows.

There are companies in the US and the Middle East that specialize in building armored cars, but I doubt you would get much protection for anything less than USD$100,000.

[AbsoloutelyNothing]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Any kind of bullet proofing will add weight.

Extra weight means a loss in performance, so you need a larger engine to start with.

How are you planning on doing the bullet proofing?
It's not a simple thing if you want to retain the look and feel of the car, let along basic functionality like electric windows.

There are companies in the US and the Middle East that specialize in building armored cars, but I doubt you would get much protection for anything less than USD$100,000.

I already have an understanding of the performance loss, but I was thinking maybe with a Nissan Pathfinder (the V6 engine), it could work on the road fine since it is made for rugged terrain (therefore powerful).

I have talked with Texas Armoring, that says it will cost them about $50,000 to bulletproof a given car.

So to clear myself, what would be a car that costs less than $40,000 (excluding bulletproofing costs)
that is capable of moving a bulletproof vehicle.

[Moppie]

A pathfinder would handle the increase in weight a LOT better.

A 4cyl Camry is under powered to start with, a V6 would be ok, but would still need suspension and brake mods to cope properly with the weight increase.

Did Texas Armouring mention what the weight increase would be?

[AbsoloutelyNothing]

Originally Posted by Moppie

A pathfinder would handle the increase in weight a LOT better.

A 4cyl Camry is under powered to start with, a V6 would be ok, but would still need suspension and brake mods to cope properly with the weight increase.

Did Texas Armouring mention what the weight increase would be?

I could do the mods, but I think I'd rather spend more on a new car than having to deal with car weight issues... TAC didnt mention any specific weight info, but from the info on their website, I predict it to be about 500kg.

Anyways, any other car you could recommend me other than the Pathfinder? Or should I just go with it...

[AbsoloutelyNothing]

I've checked out the ford explorer and jeep grand Cherokee v6... How would they perform?

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by AbsoloutelyNothing

I've checked out the ford explorer and jeep grand Cherokee v6... How would they perform?

I think any of the 3 would carry the weight really well, considerably better than a Camry would.

Have you driven all 3?
You might find the Exploder and the Cherokee are not as big on the inside as they appear.

[AbsoloutelyNothing]

Originally Posted by Moppie

Have you driven all 3?
You might find the Exploder and the Cherokee are not as big on the inside as they appear.

I haven't driven any yet, just internet research.

[Moppie]

Originally Posted by AbsoloutelyNothing

I haven't driven any yet, just internet research.

Given what your spending, then it needs to be something you will be comfortable with long term, so some comparison test drives are a must do.

Does the car have to be new?
Because something like a used 540i BMW would also be ideal.

[jdmccright]

You can get a late model Chevy Tahoe for less than $40k and is a common vehicle for that kind of upgrading since it comes with a range of powerplants and suspension packages. Therefore, not much money would be spent on customization (i.e. making one-off parts for just your vehicle).