Why not a Hummer?

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
I've often longed for a Hummer while on long trips...

But seriously, I run into trouble with the size of my truck now that I've super-sized. Is an H1 wider than my tank?

Roadtrip20111104.jpg
 

TreeTopFlyer

Adventurer
One thing they suffer from is the same thing as my truck...weight. I love mine, lots of room, lots of room, oh and did I mention lots of room. But the weight thing I have to always be mindful of it. I am down at the lake several times a week, as the lake levels drop I have be be cautious of the sinkhole spots that develop from time to time. It's a mess when something this heavy goes down. Does that mean you can't get out, no. Just means you have to work a little harder.

If I could have my pick, it would be a diesel LC. But I'd miss all the room or just actually have to streamline all my crap I take with me.
 

bajajoaquin

Adventurer
The big issue I see with them is the lack of interior space for their size. There's a big drivetrain tunnel down the center, leaving you with four bucket seats and a small cargo area.

They may be really capable, and durable, but they're designed to carry four troops around in a combat zone, where there's regular resupply. I think that it makes compromises to achieve this mission that make it less than stellar as a vehicle-dependent travel choice.
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
The big issue I see with them is the lack of interior space for their size. There's a big drivetrain tunnel down the center, leaving you with four bucket seats and a small cargo area.

They may be really capable, and durable, but they're designed to carry four troops around in a combat zone, where there's regular resupply. I think that it makes compromises to achieve this mission that make it less than stellar as a vehicle-dependent travel choice.
....so it needs an Adventure Trailer, is what you're saying...
 

bajajoaquin

Adventurer
If trailers are your gig, sure.

But I think it would be better served to be a Surburban, Excursion, or full size pickup. I think the compromises in the full-size truck layout are better suited to vehicle-dependent travel than the compromises in the Hummer layout.
 

evldave

Expedition Trophy Winner
... a friend of mine spent a good bit of his time pulling out an H3. I don't believe an H3 is a "Hummer"...its like the compass of Jeeps. haha.

I would guess that was more driver error...I've had an H3 for 5-1/2 years and never had a problem with it, have driven it offroad + rock crawling + know quite a few other H3 owners that truly abuse their trucks. The only time I saw one 'get stuck' it had to be pulled out by an FJ40 (I think)...of course, the H3 was stock, and the FJ was lifted, lockers, built, etc...

My wife drove a 2007 JK for 4 years, wasn't even close we'd both take the Hummer (not a Rubi, which stock is better than my H3). Also much better than my loaded/lifted Cherokee (of course, it was nearly $30,000 more than my Cherokee :))

H1s are decently comfortable, but I wouldn't drive one long distances. Plus they are wide (around here a little too wide, too many trees).

H2s are a great compromise, smaller and fit a lot more places, but still pretty capable (with upgraded tie-rods), and uber-plush and a very comfortable ride.

I've looked at sizing up to an H2 or H1, but honestly, I'd go with an excursion or suburban or tahoe...more room on the inside, less size on the outside, easier to get replacement parts, and a lot cheaper.

Around here, I get 90% admiration, but that's probably because I never wash my truck, it's scratched, has dents, is obviously used offroad a lot. I get egged about every 6 months, and I have plenty of key scratches...I consider them a badge of honor :)








fyi, I freely condone Hummer bashing when you are talking about the 75% of hummer owners that drive them to the mall and back. :smiley_drive:
 

evldave

Expedition Trophy Winner
A Chevy Colorado dressed up as a Village Person. :)

Yes, the Hummer does use the same Inline 5 as the Colorado, and Hummer rims will fit on a Colorado (but not the stock tires, just the bolt patterns match). And they were built at the same plant in Shreveport.

And I think you could even say it's somewhat of a rebadged Pontiac Solstice since they use the same HVAC controls too.
 

evldave

Expedition Trophy Winner
I've often longed for a Hummer while on long trips...

But seriously, I run into trouble with the size of my truck now that I've super-sized. Is an H1 wider than my tank?

An H1 is 6-8" wider than your PowerWagon. They certainly aren't small :)
 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
If trailers are your gig, sure.

But I think it would be better served to be a Surburban, Excursion, or full size pickup. I think the compromises in the full-size truck layout are better suited to vehicle-dependent travel than the compromises in the Hummer layout.

On practical merit alone, sure, I agree. But, to a fan, sometimes the rig itself is the prize --- and I can see that with an H1. It's more than just a "rig"; it's an enthusiast-class vehicle in itself.
The same can be said for more than half of what we're all driving on this forum. There's really no other reason to beat the bushes and pay large money to find, buy, restore, and marry a D110...
 

Frank

Explorer
The big issue I see with them is the lack of interior space for their size. There's a big drivetrain tunnel down the center, leaving you with four bucket seats and a small cargo area.

They may be really capable, and durable, but they're designed to carry four troops around in a combat zone, where there's regular resupply. I think that it makes compromises to achieve this mission that make it less than stellar as a vehicle-dependent travel choice.

If I buy one, it will be to take my family across the country. Again, as a radio operator in the Marine Corps, I have lived out of Humvees for days on end, no resupply. If you know what a "retrans" site is...well you probably dont. Its a retransmission site for comm. Let me get to my point...you go to a remote place, set up shop and stay there for long periods of time. This idea that there is no space for equipment, to me is ludicrous.


WTI by Frank Vest, on Flickr

I would guess that was more driver error...I've had an H3 for 5-1/2 years and never had a problem with it, have driven it offroad + rock crawling + know quite a few other H3 owners that truly abuse their trucks. The only time I saw one 'get stuck' it had to be pulled out by an FJ40 (I think)...of course, the H3 was stock, and the FJ was lifted, lockers, built, etc...

My wife drove a 2007 JK for 4 years, wasn't even close we'd both take the Hummer (not a Rubi, which stock is better than my H3). Also much better than my loaded/lifted Cherokee (of course, it was nearly $30,000 more than my Cherokee :))

H1s are decently comfortable, but I wouldn't drive one long distances. Plus they are wide (around here a little too wide, too many trees).

H2s are a great compromise, smaller and fit a lot more places, but still pretty capable (with upgraded tie-rods), and uber-plush and a very comfortable ride.

I've looked at sizing up to an H2 or H1, but honestly, I'd go with an excursion or suburban or tahoe...more room on the inside, less size on the outside, easier to get replacement parts, and a lot cheaper.

Around here, I get 90% admiration, but that's probably because I never wash my truck, it's scratched, has dents, is obviously used offroad a lot. I get egged about every 6 months, and I have plenty of key scratches...I consider them a badge of honor :)


fyi, I freely condone Hummer bashing when you are talking about the 75% of hummer owners that drive them to the mall and back. :smiley_drive:

I like your stab at my Jeep. I drive my Jeep because its what I can afford at the moment. If I could afford a Hummer, id be all over it. Id look for an H1, and let a salesman try to sell me on a H2 or attempt selling me an H3. Id probably ask the local Hummer Club try to sell me on the H2 or 3. The H3 I was referring to was a truck on the Hummer proving grounds, where they are supposed to shine. I know its not a tank and every vehicle gets stopped at some point but dang...

Look, I'm not here to bash the Hummer. I actually made this thread to see why we don't see more of them. I just honestly don't see why we don't see more Hummers on the forum. Id easily put them up to the same abuse others put other vehicles up against on this site.
 

bajajoaquin

Adventurer
If I buy one, it will be to take my family across the country. Again, as a radio operator in the Marine Corps, I have lived out of Humvees for days on end, no resupply. If you know what a "retrans" site is...well you probably dont. Its a retransmission site for comm. Let me get to my point...you go to a remote place, set up shop and stay there for long periods of time. This idea that there is no space for equipment, to me is ludicrous.


Look, I'm not here to bash the Hummer. I actually made this thread to see why we don't see more of them. I just honestly don't see why we don't see more Hummers on the forum. Id easily put them up to the same abuse others put other vehicles up against on this site.

And I answered your question with my own opinion, which you call "ludicrous."

If you want one because it reminds you of how awesome it was to have it at your disposal, that's a totally valid choice. As mentioned above, there are lots of people who have vehicles that they just like. But if you don't have that sense of desire for a particular vehicle, the compromises have to make sense.

And the compromises on Hummers don't, in my opinion, make sense.

Since we don't see more of them, I'd guess that most have come to the same conclusion.
 

Buliwyf

Viking with a Hammer
If a bare bones H1 with air conditioning was $45,000 there would be a ton of them here. I'd buy one. Allthough a 1 ton truck is about the max width I can reasonably use.

We'd make every excuse in the world why they're suitable for our needs, and move on to "What seats are you putting in yours?". They're just too expensive for anyone to try.

I've seen a couple H1's used as work trucks at outdoor campground/cabin resorts. He said it was the rust free, tough body that sold him. His employee's drove Ford F350's.



IME the little H3 can be quite capable with a suspension kit, lockers, and better tires. Plenty of room in those fenders for bigger tires. Not a bad ride at all, give or take all that chrome.

The H2 is just too heavy and weak.
 

Master-Pull

Supporting Sponsor
A H1 Alpha would make a great tow rig for me, and it would also make expedition trips fun (when you could fit the rig down the trail).

-Alex
 

evldave

Expedition Trophy Winner
If I buy one, it will be to take my family across the country. Again, as a radio operator in the Marine Corps, I have lived out of Humvees for days on end, no resupply. If you know what a "retrans" site is...well you probably dont. Its a retransmission site for comm. Let me get to my point...you go to a remote place, set up shop and stay there for long periods of time. This idea that there is no space for equipment, to me is ludicrous.


WTI by Frank Vest, on Flickr



I like your stab at my Jeep. I drive my Jeep because its what I can afford at the moment. If I could afford a Hummer, id be all over it. Id look for an H1, and let a salesman try to sell me on a H2 or attempt selling me an H3. Id probably ask the local Hummer Club try to sell me on the H2 or 3. The H3 I was referring to was a truck on the Hummer proving grounds, where they are supposed to shine. I know its not a tank and every vehicle gets stopped at some point but dang...

Look, I'm not here to bash the Hummer. I actually made this thread to see why we don't see more of them. I just honestly don't see why we don't see more Hummers on the forum. Id easily put them up to the same abuse others put other vehicles up against on this site.

I honestly didn't mean to take a stab at your jeep and i'm truly sorry if it came across that way. If the JK had been out when I was buying i'd likely be driving one right now :)

My dream rig would be an H1 alpha wagon, just way outta my price range right now...of course i'd be happy with any capable and reliable rig that gets me where I like to go

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk
 

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