How Much Does It Cost To Bulletproof a Car?
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Bulletproofing your car may not sound like something you want to do, but based on certain factors, it is a crucial thing to do - for some people.
When a car is bulletproofed, it becomes more secure and safe for even high-profile persons to drive in.
While some cars come bulletproofed from the manufacturer, you can still bulletproof yours with aftermarket products.
But the cost of bulletproofing a car can be high up the mountains. Now, you may be wondering, how much does it cost to bulletproof a car?
Bulletproofing just the windows and doors can cost up to $50,000. If you’re doing the entire body, you could spend up to $80,000 or more. Doors and windows take up at least 60 percent of the entire cost.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about bulletproofing your car!
Table of Contents
Bulletproof Cars Overview
With the rising insecurity concerns, bulletproof cars are beginning to have more demand than ever. Not only do high-profile individuals deserve bulletproof cars, but virtually everyone who wishes to can have one. Of course, armored cars (bulletproof cars) are pricey and have more weight than even luxury cars.
Bulletproofing is done by adding panels to your car’s body frame and windows. These panels are built sturdy and strong enough to prevent bullet penetration. It is legal to bulletproof your car in most states, so it’s all good if you decide to get a bulletproof car. Some people bulletproof only their car’s windows and doors to save cost.
Investing in bulletproofing your car can be the best thing you can do to fortify your public security, especially if you’re elite in society. Of course, non-elites can still bulletproof their cars if willing. Car bulletproofing is done in specific workshops by experts - it’s not practically recommendable to do it yourself.
How Much Does It Cost To Bulletproof a Car?
The total cost of bulletproofing a car varies based on different factors, which include the type of car, the parts that need to be bulletproofed, how thick the bulletproofing will be, and other possible factors.
Windows and doors are the most vulnerable parts of a car, so most people bulletproof only these places and leave the rest of the body.
If you’re bulletproofing the windows and doors only, you could be spending between $12,000 and $50,000. When it comes to bulletproofing car windows, the thicker the bulletproof window, the costlier it’d be. For bulletproofing other parts of the car, it implies adding a steel panel inside to prevent bullet penetration.
The average cost of bulletproofing a car completely is around $70,000. Of course, some cars may cost up to $100,000 or more to bulletproof - mostly luxury cars.
While it’s pricey to bulletproof a car, you could actually buy a factory bulletproof car for less than a hundred grand, depending on the car’s make, model, and features.
To better explain the cost of bulletproofing a car, hereunder is a breakdown of estimated costs to bulletproof each part of the car, from the windows and doors to the rooftop, body panels, and even the tires.
Cost of Bulletproofing Car Windows and Doors
Basically, bulletproof (bullet-resistant) glass is a strong, transparent material consisting of multiple layers of glass sheets built to withstand bullet impact. So, the more layers on the glass, the thicker it is, and the more expensive it’d be.
Coming to the doors, for a door to be bulletproofed, it needs to be dissected and a steel panel installed in between the frames; the level of thickness of the steel panel is what tells the level of bulletproofing done on the door. Door and window bulletproofing may cost up to $40k or more.
Cost of Bulletproofing Car Rooftop and Floors
You can also bulletproof your car’s rooftop and floors. This is a special service and requires high expertise. This requires adding steel panels between the rooftop and floor bodies; it is a tougher task, and only a few car body tuning experts can do it.
Except to spend an average cost of $20,000 for this service. Of course, depending on the car size and build, the cost could be much higher.
Cost of Bulletproofing Car Tires
There are rugged tires sold in the market that can withstand bullets to an extent. However, no tire can completely withstand bullet penetration, just that some tires built with ticker rubbers won't let bullets get into them easily.
So, when people mention “Bulletproof Tire,” they are talking of tough tires that can withstand bullet penetration - although not completely, but to a great extent.
Can You Bulletproof Car Engines?
Yes, you can bulletproof an engine. But when it comes to engine bulletproofing, it is not about fortifying the engine against bullets. Instead, it’s about making the engine deliver more optimal performance and power. Mostly, it is diesel engines and truck engines that get bulletproofed.
Bulletproofing car engines isn’t as costly as bulletproofing other parts of the car. The average cost is $2,000 to $5,000, depending on the type of engine and vehicle. More so, it is important to bulletproof your car’s engine after bulletproofing the entire body. You may ask why?
When you bulletproof a car, you add more than four times the initial weight, meaning you need a more rugged engine to move that much weight.
So, basically, if the manufacturer does not bulletproof a car and you get it done by yourself, you will need to change the engine too, except the engine is so powerful that it could move the current weight of the car.
What More?
So, how much does it cost to bulletproof a car? The cost is around $80,000 to $100,000 to bulletproof the entire car. But if you’re doing only the windows and doors, you should be budgeting around $40,000 to $50,000.
Bulletproofing a car is legal in most states; however, bulletproofing is in levels; the thicker the bulletproof panels, the costlier they are. Bulletproofed cars look pretty much like regular cars - you really need to be told to know.
