Another Bug

[PASmokeater]

1048403

By now, you all know that once in awhile I get a bug up my butt, and try to convince people that my way is the right way. This time, I thought I'd see how you all felt, and maybe give me some ideas.



I was sittin' here on a typical Sunday morning, watching my TNN car shows, and saw that Car & Diver was doing a test on the Hummer H2. I have no problem with them giving it great marks (show is probably funded by Chevy) nor do I think they are off the mark with the luxury side of having the hummer's interior. However what struck me as totally off base, was the comment that at "49,000 $ the hummer was without a doubt, the most offroad capable vehicle out there". I can't disagree more. Give me 20,000 $ and I'll build a Jeep that in an off road scenario, will blow the doors off of the hummer, and send it running (with tail tucked under it's wheels) home to momma.



Any thoughts ? I was thinking of spouting off a letter to Car & Driver ( not that I think it will seriously do anything) but just to let them know that we Jeepers are out here, and anything they can do, we can do better.



Rob

[addsig]

 

[Greencuke]

1048408

the only thing that makes the h2 a hummer is the tub. The jeep knock-off tub sits on a Surberban chassis with tahoe driveline and axel components. the suspention is all out a of GMC yukon and the whole deal is pulled by a gmc V8. Its a chop-job of chevy/gmc trucks. It rolls on 31" BFG ATs (the same tread as on my jeep) and clears only 2" more then a stocked out YJ on 235/75 tires. At close to twice the weight of a jeep and 10/mpg street, 12/mpg highway, and aroud 8/mgp off road, ull spend worth a new wrangler X for a weekend in Mohab.

The humvee was built not to replace the jeep in the service, but to adress growing demands. The jeep was built w/ the intention of cruzing anwyere from the European countryside to the south pacific islands and back to the narrow street of european cities. The jeep is small, light, and is versitial if for nothing other then the fact that it fits many places. Now that out attention has shifted to the deserts of the middle east, a new 4x4 is needed. the Humvee is heaver and wider and reletivly lower. this means it can dodge fire swerving at 60 through a desert, run over an anti-personal mine and keep going w/o rolling over.

If you're looking at miles and miles of flat desert to cut dougnuts on, the humvee is the way to go. as soon as you start talking about climbing or trees and anything narrow, im in a cj (of course im a yj fan, but truth is cj is just better). As far and the H2, its just another example of the ovepriced luxery SUV craze. Sure, it could take a beating off road, but who's gonna spend $50,000 and mess up that pretty yellow paint job? besides, you dont want to mess up that onboard dvd player/mini bar combo.[addsig]

 

[DMENTAL]

1048413

I remember seeing a show that gave the history of the jeep in military service and then the transition to the HumVee....

I think they said something about the govenment wanting a larger safer troop transport that could take a beating and keep those inside alive...

They showed the results of a Humvee that had a mine blow up under it and the insides were still intact.

I also remember something like the HUMVEE was supposed to have a service life of 18 years before it was "Worn out"



Then I am sure that GM decided there would be those rich fools that would want to drive the military machine and since price in not a option when it come to the govenment the Humvee was a rather expensive toy to sell to the civilians!



How many that can afford the Hummer and/or H2 actually take it off road anyway.. except to maybe a campgound where they park on the grass!

(Hey! look at me! I'm Off-roading it!)

The H2 was probably thought up because they felt the Hummer was TOOO Expensive and did not sell enough... This looks like one though!

And every one here agrees that it is too wide to take on the narrow trails the Jeeps go.

[addsig]

 

[PASmokeater]

1048414

But does the H2 deserve the accolade they gave it as the best off road vehicle ?



Rob

[addsig]

 

[Tug-n-pull]

1048419

TNN and mags and comercials are paid to play up to the advertiser that has the most money to offer! Freedom of speach, an opinion, someones why to get what they think is the best of anything. Buy ours and you have the best being it tooth paste, tolit paper, vacations, or what ever else that you see on TV.



GMC does most likely have holding in the advertiser "that being just what these TNN Car Shows really are," or at least they paid very well to get the vote of the advertisers.



The SUV driving world is just that, drivers of SUVs and they never intend to use the short shifter untill they need milk and it is snowing. They are the station wagons of the new mellineum. The family wagon and the new H2 is the latest thing out there.



The baby humv is to target demographic sector, the UMC Bling Bling crowd that are real Hummer Want to be's. They dont have the other $30,000 to get the real thing so H2 will do. There the city driver that has the idea that going off road is parking on the grass, or go out to grandmas house in the country and feel they need to have the big SUVs and the Hummer is the newest and it says hey look at me, I set trends, I got the dough, I want it, I got it, and there take that.



Here is the real test. Pull up next to the very next H2 you see and extend your hand to the owner and say "Dude I want to take you out to play sometime, What do you say want to get that thing dirty or what?" As he glares at you and your Jeep with a look of wonderment! You will see the true colors of the remarkable new H2. A Scared to get off the path, fear of a voided warrentee, cant get it dirty, demographic personality.



Then sling mud all over the side of the H2 and laugh at what the idiots say on TNN. Cause the trail is the real and only judge. If it goes it goes, if it stays on the road it is just another car. Tug[addsig]

 

[far_right]

1048448

RUBICON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![addsig]

 

[GreenReaper93]

1048460

Here Here Tug. I couldn't agree with you more. Rob, I think you should write to Car and Driver though. Send them a copy of this forum, showing them that the Jeep community rejects the dicision of their test on the H2. I must agree that the H2 is nothing more than the 'ol Chevy Stationwagon of the new millenium. I see no reason to give the H2 the title of Best Off Road Vehicle Ever. Jeep started in 1941 with the M series. From that rose a new world order of off roading and trail riding. Each H2 I see has freashly been washed and polished, which gives me the conclusion that the H2 is no trail worthy chariot for the warriors of the mud. Car and Driver made a grave mistake in saying what they said, and I agree with your complaint Rob.[addsig]

 

[jeepmaster]

1048512

anyone wanna talk about that "impressively offroad capable" aztec (another quote from car and driver) what i wanna know is how the spotters dont go blind cause its so ugly.

[addsig]

 

[DMENTAL]

1048526

I wonder what the qualifications for "Best Off-Road Vehicle" are to Car & Driver.



I could guess that it had quite a few good points...

I wonder if they have anything in thier criteiria about

"OH this is too rough of a ride! My butt is sore!" BAD Ride.



I think that Luxury SUVs are the modern Mini-Vans

and the Mini-Vans replaced the station wagons.



Oh, and I am sure that they have the Roll-Over quotient also... H2 is wider so less likely than Jeep...

Maybe they are not counting the Wrangler because it is not the "Comon Buyer" that gets one...



How did the Grand Cherokee compare??? That is more of a LUX SUV...[addsig]

 

[crazy-canuk]

1048536

about a year ago JP magazine did an article on the hummer VS TJ... in the end they said that the tj was by far a superior off road vehicle.. byass? yes... but it had to be said.. any ways, hummer owners from around the us and canada were furious.. writing complaints and threats.. then a hummer owner wrote in that his son had a tj that was built fairly well and spanked the hell out of the hummer... that from a guy who jsut paid the bajjilion dollars on this rolling square.. the automotive market is filled with lies, bull and sales jargan pointed towards someone that has 25 times more expendable cash than i'll ever have...i dont get upset any more when the tell me a stock rubicon will spank the hell out of my jeep that i have spent more time and money than i have. [addsig]

 

[304FORme]

1048567

Well, well, time for MY input.

Lets set a few things straight. A H2 is NOT a hummer and a Hummer is NOT a HumVee.

I have the blessid misforutune of living in the VERY wealthy Northern Virginia (Sniperville) and I swear that these H2's were sold before they hit the lot of the dealership. They are everywhere. But like every other suv in the area, when it snowed last week, none were to be found. They are a social status indicator, yet they barely fit into all of the parking garages that we have.

I believe that the humVee is one of the most capable offroad machines available. (Military Version, not available to the public) The Hummer (civilian issue) is also very capable. Sure, any JEEP can be built to beat the hell out of a Hummer, but of course (and Im suprised that no one else has said it yet) JEEP's are built, Not Bought.

The H2 is a joke. The Excursion has 4x4. Do we really think that it can beat our beloved jeeps??? Hell no.

One other important factor. We drive 4x4's and WE ARE FOUR-WHEELERS!!!



Drop a yuppie behind the wheel of an H2 and I could probabally out wheel him on my lawn tractor. Years of experience have proven this.



Also, I WOULD NOT wheel with someone who has an H2 as a status marker. They would be dangerous on the trail, and if the monstrosity did happen to get stuck, I dont know if my extremely light JEEP could tow the thing out any easier than it could an 18 wheeler.



Buy what you want. My jeep was built out of blood, sweat and tears. And it is driven by a jeeper, not a yuppie with a good job.

H2 - comorttable? Yes

Affordible? more so than the original

Would I buy one if I was extremely wealthy? If I needed something with room and there were no Cherokees

Best 4x4? Absoloutely not. [addsig]

 

[DMENTAL]

1048572

I apologize for the HumVee/Hummer misuse and I have corrected my post to reflect to proper terms. (I think)

HumVee- Military Vehicle (drives OVER anything.. right?)



Hummer- Well, that just makes me giggle like a little school girl. (Rich guy SUV)

"Who got a Hummer?"

Sorry, feeling kind of juvenille there...



H2- cheep Hummer look-a-like.



Jeep- Kick ASS and fun! (priced right too!)



Has anybody gone off roading with other makes of 4X4s?

I have seen some of the pictures posted here of Toyotas and Fords.

Anyone run with someone with a Land Rover? (another pricey 4X4)

Those seem to be in all of the animal documentries and such...



Just curious...

[addsig]