911_993_997

I'm doing college in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico & my Porsche & Mercedes are both staying in San Diego since I'll be switching back & forth between Guadalajara & San Diego throughout the year anyway... Over there (in Guadalajara) I have a Dodge Ram & a Tahoe but due to recent incidents I'm getting rid of the Tahoe to get a used bulletproof (literally... don't ask) sedan or coupe.

My options (i.e. in my price range & readily available used with factory level 3 or 4 bulletproofing) are a BMW E46 3 Series or E39 5 Series, or an Audi C5 A6. Please tell me what you would choose & why, wether your opinion is based on reliability, quality, looks, positive/negative previous ownership experience, etc. I'd like to hear it all.

Thanks in advance.

Sneaky Pete

I can't offer any suggestions except for an Urban Assault Vehicle.

But my question coming back is.....why would you even live there?

Barn996

How about a Sherman tank?

jason952

time 2 transfer...

chsu74

I thought Mexico is not the most safe place right now. Wouldn't keeping a low profile be a better choice? Also, isn't premium fuel difficult to get in Mexico? I would stick to cars that take regular fuel.

sjfehr

E39s and C5 A6s were all relatively underpowered, weren't they? With the added weight of all that armor, they may be a bear. I think the E46 would be better in that respect. Hard to say without knowing what engines they have, or what work was done to the powerplant when they were bulletproofed.

911_993_997

Ya, I get that question a lot. Especially from people who know some of the stuff I've seen & experienced over there (which I can't say on here). But, there's 2 reasons: One, I love the place (minus the lack of safety). Guadalajara is very different than what everyone's image of Mexico is. There's actually a lot of money there, very beautiful woman, lots of culture, the food is the best, & so many things. Plus my parents are from there. Another reason is the school I'm going to itself, Forbes & many other important sources name it the #1 business school in all of latin America PLUS they allow me to get 2 degrees from 2 different schools in the time of one. Instead of 4 years there, I'm doing 3 there where I'll be getting my BBA & 1 in France at one of their partner schools who revalidates my previous credits & gives me a BIB. Can't beat that.



If by low profile you mean not driving a Bimmer or similar, that doesn't really matter. They're a dime a dozen in Guadalajara. There's 5 BMW dealerships within the city alone. If what you meant was the bulletproof car might bring attention, you can't really tell it's bulletproof unless you open the doors, roll down the windows or look very closely at them. Especially if you tint them. A lot of people at my school have bulletproof cars. Infact I know a girl there who has a bulletproof F430 Spyder & has 2 bulletproof Suburbans guarding her always... Ya, I thought about the fuel thing too. But I have friends over there who even drive Ferraris, Lambos, etc. & they use the highest grade that's normally available & they've never had problems. If it works for those cars I'm sure it'll work for a Bimmer, lol.



Lol.



Ya, they're definetely underpowered. But it's hard to find a bulletproof M3 on the used market, & when you do, they're ridiciously expensive (cars are way more expensive in Mexico)... When I went to look at some of the cars at one of the BMW dealerships, they told me that their factory level III bulletproofing only adds around 100kg, which is roughly 200lbs. On a track car that's like a ton, but on a sedan I don't think it should be a big deal.

ivangene

the whole thought of buying a bulletproof car is just wierd to me...

(I mean I get it, but it never ever ever crossed my mind before)

Topaz330ci

Well, Since you mentioned the count of BMW dealers, I would suggest going for a e46... cheaper on gas than a 5 and smaller. More practical...

911_993_997

Ya, the 3 Series does seem more practical, plus for some reason I feel the E46 3 Series doesn't look as outdated as the E39 5 Series. I just always hear that the 5 Series is more bulletproof, plus it has more space & is not as common. Ah, it's really a toss up. Which is why I need more input, especially from previous owners! I've only driven 2 Bimmers & they were both 7 Series (very reliable btw).

BiteEmNBeatEm

check out TAC
YOU CAN TAKE THEM YOUR OWN CAR AND GET IT DONE BASED ON WHAT TYPE OF ARMORING YOU NEED.

http://www.texasarmoring.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFDFn...layer_embedded

BiteEmNBeatEm

or if you want the attention and want a bullet proof suv...this is a must have!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxRHz...eature=related

another video for TAC that was on Speed TV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXCibp5UHVo

911_993_997

'BiteEmNBeatEm' ... Thanks for the suggestion. Coincidentally, I had seen the first video you posted before on TV. If I had that kind of money, I would definetely get an S65AMG or something like that done by them. But, unfortunately, I don't. That's why the cars I'm deciding between are all previous generation models. Bulletproof German sedan/coupes are so common where I'm studying that you can find some pretty decent prices on the used market. I can get a 2002 3 Series with around 30k miles with factory Level 4 bulletproofing for around $25k. New, it would cost a lot more than that JUST for the bulletproofing.

BiteEmNBeatEm

wow...only 25k for a bullet proof sedan with on 30k miles. your right about the price. Over at TAC its like 2k per door, 4-7k for the windshield then they have to protect the motor, the under carrage, the rest of the glass, and then the roof.

I VOTE ON YOU LOOKING FOR A BULLET PROOF PORSCHE............ I THINK EVERY ONE ELSE ON THE FORUM WOULD AGREE.... : )

Pac996

I bet you say "yes dear" a lot