How Much Would It Actually Cost For A Civilian To Buy A Tank?

If you've got a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket and you've always wanted to buy a tank, you're in luck! Not only is it legal to purchase and operate your very own tank, but there are several resources available to help you buy one. There are many types of tanks out there, and you aren't necessarily limited to the tanks produced or operated in your home country, either. 

Of course, it's not like buying a car: You'll definitely want to check the rules and regulations regarding operating a military tank where you live, because it's unlikely you'll be allowed to drive one on city or state roads. Most jurisdictions require a civilian-owned tank to be demilitarized, too, which means its main gun must be rendered inoperative. If you're okay with those restrictions and still want to own your very own tank, you'll also have to be prepared to shell out some serious coin.

In addition to paying for the tank itself, you'll also need to maintain it, which is not an inexpensive venture. The costs of fuel, insurance, storage, and maintenance are considerably higher than those of something like a pickup truck. For these reasons, it's best to know going into your purchase that it's not a one-and-done kind of thing. With all of that said, you're probably looking at an initial cost of between $13,500 and $2.5 million, if not more. Costs differ depending on the tank's condition, model, and year of production.

When it comes to buying a tank, it's all about deciding on the model you want to put in your garage. A popular option is the M4 Sherman, the American-made tank that helped win World War II. There were many variants of the M4 Sherman tank, which was largely because the Americans built nearly 50,000 of them. While most were lost to combat or scrapped after the conflict ended, others went on to fill different roles or sit in storage, and a handful have found their way to collectors.

A Sherman in good working order can start as low as $125,000 and go up to $795,000 or more. They occasionally appear on websites for sale or via auction. Every once in a while, you can find a Sherman or another tank for sale on eBay Motors. You need to cruise to the "Other Vehicles" section and select "Military Vehicles" to see what's available. This is also a great place to find HMMWVs (Humvees to civilians) for sale to civilians from former military inventory.

Over the years, many other tank models have found their way into private hands. Some of these include the M-50, the Israeli version of the Sherman ($350,000); an Mk10 Chieftain Tank used by the United Kingdom ($75,000); the Panzerkampfwagen IV that fought against Sherman tanks for the German army during WWII ($2.5 million); the Soviet-made T-34 ($98,195); and many others.

Most people can't shell out a few hundred thousand bucks to own a tank, but there are other options out there. Several businesses allow civilians to show up and drive a tank. While this is significantly cheaper than buying one outright, it's still quite expensive. DriveTanks, which operates out of Uvalde, Texas, is one such business. Driving a Sherman costs $1,850, while riding in one driven by DriveTanks staff will cost $950 per person.

You can even fire the tank's 76mm main gun, though a single round will set you back $1,200. It has other pieces of armor you can operate, including a German Leopard 1A5 and a Russian T-72. Additionally, it also has several artillery pieces available to shoot. There's even a WWII-themed barracks for visitors to stay in, albeit with plenty of modern amenities. 

One thing that sets DriveTanks apart is that it sells some of its inventory; at the time of writing, you can buy a Leopard 1A5 if you have $550,000 to spare. Another company that lets you drive tanks is Incredible Adventures, which offers the experience in Florida and Minnesota. It'll not only give you the chance to drive an FV-433 Abbot — a type of self-propelled artillery that's different from a tank, but also let you drive it over a car and crush it, too.