Wednesday, Feb 18, 2009 at 18:10
Graham
GM stopped retailing civilian Hummer H1's in 2006, AM General (the actual manufacturer) stopped making them at the same time.
GM only made the H2's and 3's which are based on chevy trucks and are basically trading on the Hummer name which they bought the marketing rights to in 2003 (I think that was the correct date).
The Humvee/H1 is totally different animal, designed to follow tracked vehicles across country during an invasion ;-)) as
well as support a variety of roles in warfare from basic supply carrying to a light armoured vehicle. They were never intended or designed to deal with post invasion urban warfare in Iraq.
As far as parts go there is absolutely no problem, there is a huge surplus market in the US with every part available plus AM General has a very good parts network with FREE shipping in the US on all parts. We can order parts online and have them delivered to the door here in Oz within 5 working days, try that with your normal 4wd sold here.
The actual cost of parts is very good, typical prices in $AU landed at my door for brand new parts are $35 for balljoints and tie rod ends, a full set of injectors $200 for eight, glowplugs $20 for 8, fully reco injection pump with all new internals $600, consumables like filters atc are available locally as the engine and trans are standard items fitted to chev's like Suburbans etc. A full set of six radiator/cooling system hoses is $85, set of fan belts (six) $30, A arm bushes $& each, uni joints $15 etc. Tyres cost $320 each delivered to the door and last around 80,000k.
Body panels are pretty cheap, front 1/4 panel (bit between drivers door and front wheel are $200 and can be fitted at
home with epoxy and pop rivets. The whole body tub is high tensile aluminium , bonnet and doors are kevlar composite, the paint is CARC which is very hard and tough and doesn't mark easily.
Fuel economy is pretty good, on a trip typically 10 -15% more than a mates 79 turbo traytop with camper on the back.
Bob I usually get around 16l/100k on the freeway sitting on 95 -100 kph and the worst ever was on the
Madigan line where it got up to 25l/100. A 3 litre grenadier Patrol on that trip with us used 21l/100 so with a fair bit more weight and more than twice the engine capacity plus I was making the track a lot of the time I can't complain especially as it rides and handles off road so much better than the typical 4wd.
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