Anybody have/had and H3?

[dats82]

My wife is looking to trade vehicles. We have driven a few things, but she has taken a liking to the H3. Anybody with actual experience with one have any insight you would like to share. I would appreciate any pro/cons you may see in them. Thank you for your time.

[Mike.357]

make sure you know someone with a jeep to pull you out when she gets stuck.

just kidding, I like the looks of them things.

Edited September 17, 2011 by Mike.357

[Il Duce]

why not buy a tahoe? same thing cept different body

[Guest TackleberryTom]

The H3 Hummer is not on the Tahoe chassis, that is the H2. The H3 is on the Canyon/Colorado chassis. Those are not what I would consider heavy duty at all.

[Lumber_Jack]

We have had very bad experience with the Colorado front suspension falling apart. This is under moderate use. I would do some research and make sure it's not a problem with H3s

[FUJIMO]

My mother has one and loves it, just not the payments

It's actually for sale ( economy and priorities issues)

If you're interested in a gently used one let me know via p.m.

[Guest Chattanoogan]

Pro: They look cool and are so big you can plow down many zombies....

Cons: Gas mileage....

[Il Duce]

The H3 Hummer is not on the Tahoe chassis, that is the H2. The H3 is on the Canyon/Colorado chassis. Those are not what I would consider heavy duty at all.

That's the one I am thinking of. The H2

[Mike.357]

Cons: Gas mileage....

define bad gas mileage

[Lumber_Jack]

3.7 5cyl is rated 14 City 18 Hwy. My full size v8 GMC beats that. I think it's too heavy for the 5cyl engine

[Mike.357]

my six banger F150 was rated 16/20 and still gets it 193,000 later. Never heard of a five cylinder. What kind of dumb ass stuff is that?

[Lumber_Jack]

Chevy came out with an inline 5 cylinder when the Colorado first came out and replaced the S10. I'm not sure now what their rational was/is.

[Guest TackleberryTom]

Chevy/Gov't Motors makes a 3,4,5 & 6 cylinder inline engine. They are all identical with the difference of how many cylinders it has. I worked on many of the machines that built those motors. My opinion is that those engines are all garbage. I have never seen such junk before. \

Sadly (for the new vehicles) my 92 4wd V8 Suburban gets 18-20 mpg on the highway and it has 290,000 miles. And I am pretty sure it does not run as efficiently as it could. Add more "technology" and they seem to just get worse fuel mileage. A good example of adding Gov't to anything=poor performance and unintended consequences.

I personally would stay away from the H3's. I know a few who have owned them and the canyons etc. and they all have problems with suspension...among other things.

[gunrunner32]

I had the misfortune of driving a H3T for about a month and a half in Qatar. Granted I'm 6'2" so the comfort wasn't there for me. I had to push the drivers seat back to the point where noone could sit behind me. I drove about 35 miles a day and had to get gas once a week, so that was fairly average to me. It definantly did not like going off-road at all. I talked to the folks at AM General who run the H1 capabilities course and asked them about the H2 and H3. They told me that the H2 has about half the capablity with terrain and off-road ability as the H1 and the H3 was a joke, they called it a lifted sedan if I remember correctly, and with some other colorful language about it. I guess it looks cool, but I personally am looking to get my wife a Toyota Highlander. Better features and a more comfortable ride, even for me.

[TGO David]

Skip the H3. Take your wife to look at a 2011-12 Toyota 4Runner Trail Teams edition.

[dats82]

Thanks for the input, but since none of ya'll have actually had one, it looks like the closest comparison we have is to the Colorado. Tell me more about the suspension issues.

Other than that, I know fuel is going to suck.

It's for my wife, so she is not, nor am I, really worried about the offroad abilities. Truth be know about it, just about any current production vehicle would be a disappointment offroad compared to some jeeps I have had and those of my buddy's that I have worked on.

[Lumber_Jack]

The problem with the Colorado is front wheel hubs going out as well as ball joints. They also had some rear differential problems (noisy, broken ring/pinion teeth). Now in full disclosure we are a Forestry company but we had the same problems with Corporate vehicles that saw little to no off-road.

GM on general has very week front suspension parts. I had two front wheel bearing replaced before the 36,000 mile warranty on my 04 chevy, and one new hub on my 08 Seirra at 30,000. Now with the 08 truck I did drive significant mileage in gravel roads but no serious off-road

Just something to look into further before you purchase. The H3 may serve you well as a daily around town driver.

[dats82]

Good to know. I will look into it. Thank you.

My truck is an '02 z71 with about 160,000 on it, and I have not had any problems with it. Maybe it is the newer stuff in general.

[Lumber_Jack]

Good to know. I will look into it. Thank you.

My truck is an '02 z71 with about 160,000 on it, and I have not had any problems with it. Maybe it is the newer stuff in general.

Yeah I beleive they changed the suspension in 04 with the new body style

[Patton]

I have a close friend who had one. She kept it about a year, which is a long time for her btw. She got it because her dad would not let her have a Wrangler or a H2. Everything you think will be bad with it is exactly what is bad. Honestly the gas mileage is about 16, and might be better with someone else behind the wheel. I rode in it some and was unimpressed with interior room, power, and handleing. It's fairly loud inside and terrible seating design and hard to work around them for carrying big things. Oh yeah the blind spots are the worst. Expect every want to be rapper and gangster in town to talk to you at the gas station. The leather seats cracked the first week of ownership as did the windshield, and both were replaced under warranty. The second time it happen they wouldn't so a week before trade in they paid to have them replaced.

I actually thought the price was competitive with some of the other SUV's in its class and I was suprised to see that depreciation was only a few thousand from new to used in one year(21k miles).

[M4sherman]

All I know is that the truck version was supposed to more heavily built than the SUV version (a cow on dirt)

[Guest ArmyVeteran37214]

Skip the H3 and buy a 2009 & Up Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 2011's have different body style than the 09 & 10's, but both the newer and slightly older GC's are great.

[Wyldk2]

Skip the H3 and buy a 2009 & Up Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 2011's have different body style than the 09 & 10's, but both the newer and slightly older GC's are great.

I agree, Tried one out over the weekend( my dad is in the market for a new suv) I was impressed with a 2wd hemi limited 2011( more than enough) but plenty for his use.

Only thing hummer has going for it is it looks rugged( maybe being touted as a capable off-roader) but IMO, she would get tired of the width of the vehicle( parking) the blind spots and the fuel mileage. Not to mention the actual operating costs of the vehicle as compared to a different vehicle of the same category.

The H3 is full-time awd, that affects fuel mileage and handling.

[dats82]

Thanks for the input, but this is not a thread for suggestions on alternatives. Everybody has an opinion on what would be a "better" vehicle. I am looking for people who have ACTUAL EXPERIENCE with the H3.

This is for my wife, not me. I would probably look at other options if it were me, but she has looked around and decided this is what she wants. I am not going to try to sway her opinion based on something getting 1 extra mile per gallon or because the other vehicle has a 5% better break over angle. That stuff does not matter. I am just interested if someone, who ACTUALLY HAS ONE, can give insight on what they like or don't like about them.

If you do not fit that qualifier, please refrain from cluttering the thread.

[TGO David]

I'd just be glad that folks have read your thread and are wanting to offer suggestions. TGO isn't exactly a car forum.