It’s a grim world we live in. And with reports of firearm violence on the rise, it makes a person wonder what ways they could keep themselves safe. This eventually leads to the idea of bulletproofing a car. But is the idea worthwhile, or even in your budget? Let’s take a look and find out.
As you can likely guess, there is no flat rate for adding bulletproofing to a car. It will vary by things like car model, size, and level of protection. Even then, it’s not cheap. Most folks can expect to spend at least $15,000 on the process.
The Seven Levels of Bulletproofing
“Bulletproof” isn’t a standard level of protection. There are actually seven different degrees of bulletproofing, each more effective (and expensive) than the last. B1, B2, and B3 are the lowest levels. B1 and B2 are generally rated for 9mm bullets and weaker, with B3 rated for lower level magnum rounds. Rarely are these levels used for vehicles, They’re generally used in body armor, instead.
B4 is the baseline for most automotive protection. Its rated for handgun and sporting rifles, including 9mm, .44 magnum, and .38 special, even at close range. A full vehicle package rated at this level, including rear seats, doors, and windows, usually costs around $40,000.
At B5, you can expect protection from higher powered rifles using 5.56 rounds. With a minimum thickness of 7.5mm, it’s effective against most assault rifles and even grenades. A full B5 vehicle package often comes with run flat tires, glass, and steel plates. This price goes up if you add optionals like armored gas tank, siren systems, or reinforced door handles. As you can expect, this costs anywhere between $40,000 and $100,000 depending on the options added to the package.
B6 and B7 is when it starts to get extreme. We’re talking wartime and/or President of the Unites States level of protection. These can handle fire from nearly all firearms, including some of the smaller tank rounds on the higher end packages. These will cost any amount more than $100,000, varying greatly by how much you include.
Cost by Vehicle Classification
While those are estimates for full packages, they don’t represent all car models. Single cab trucks, for example, require significantly less coverage, and cost considerably less than, say, a large SUV. Here’s a basic breakdown of a B4 armor package for a variety of car types.
- Single Cab Truck: $24,000
- Double Cab Truck $25,000
- Medium SUV: $40,000
- Large SUV: $42,000
- Sedan: $43,000
Ways to Reduce Cost
For starters, the simplest way to reduce the end total is to get weaker armor. B2 is going to be remarkably cheaper than B4 armor, but with the obvious trade off of protection.
Another popular way to reduce costs is to be selecting about what is armored. For example, You can get bulletproof windows for around $2,000 to $4,000. You can bulletproof a door for about $8,000 each. If you get just the windows and the two front doors, that’s only $22,000
Should I Bulletproof My Car?
In our opinion: No. It’s a pretty extreme option that cost’s quite a bit of money. The odds of being randomly shot are still generally low, the odds of being in your car when it happens are even lower. $40k is better spent on a down payment for a house in a safer neighborhood than on a car. If you’re not a SWAT quartermaster or a private heavy duty security firm, there’s no need for these measures.