For more than a year I have been looking for a decent looking mid size SUV with 4wd built on a truck chassis with a manual transmission. There are hundreds of SUV's on the market, but none that fit this description. Last week, when a friend told me that the H3's were being sold, I got out my checkbook and I called the nearest dealer to tell him I was coming over to buy/order a manual transmission adventure package H3. Imaging my frustration when he told me that all of the manual transmission H3's had been returned to the factory, and Borg-Warner was going to have to redesign the manual transmission. He said the manual trans would not be available until later in the year. AAAHHHHHHHHH!!! Does anyone have any more specific info about this?

For more than a year I have been looking for a decent looking mid size SUV with 4wd built on a truck chassis with a manual transmission. There are hundreds of SUV's on the market, but none that fit this description. Last week, when a friend told me that the H3's were being sold, I got out my checkbook and I called the nearest dealer to tell him I was coming over to buy/order a manual transmission adventure package H3. Imaging my frustration when he told me that all of the manual transmission H3's had been returned to the factory, and Borg-Warner was going to have to redesign the manual transmission. He said the manual trans would not be available until later in the year. AAAHHHHHHHHH!!! Does anyone have any more specific info about this?

I haven't heard of any manual trans problems yet. If you want one now, tell your dealer to do a search and dealer trade to get you the one you want now.

I havent heard anything about this. My dealer just recieved a 5 speed that I drove on Friday and I loved it. I'd like to know more if there are problems before I order my 5-speed.

I have not heard this either. The best source for the truth would be H3builder if he is around. I see that you are in Daytona, what dealer did you call?

Smells like a load of crap buddy.

I had sent emails to the Orlando and the Jacksonville dealers. The Orlando dealer called me with this information about the manual transmission recall. He said that he had driven a manual, and that it was awesome, but that unfortunatley they would not be available for "a few months" following the transmission redesign. He said that GM had pulled all manual transmission H3's of of the rail cars and out of the delivery line. The Jacksonville dealer responded to my email with an email of his own listing the H3's at his dealership that were "a close match" to the configuration that I spec'd out. His brief email did not list anything other than color (and none of the "close matches" were the color that I had requested). I then responded back with another email saying that I had heard that Hummer could not offer me a manual transmission at this time, and that I was only interested in a manual transmission. They did not respond to this email. I suppose I should call around the state to a few other dealers to see if this guy was just pulling my leg.

PS.
I just did an online inventory search for each dealer within 250 miles. I could not find a single manual transmission listed except for one dealer where ALL of the models used the same standard photo and option template which included a manual trans. Time to make some phone calls.

I want a 5-speed for sure. I will probably have to order an H3 the way I want it. Having a stick shift is what attracted me to the H3.

The lack of manual transmission tells alot about the market share and the average American driver.

The dealers out here don't have many 5-speed on the lot

I don't have any experience with the Jacksonville dealer, Firm does, but I don't rely on anything the Orlando dealer tells me. Do you know who replied to your email from Hummer of Orlando?

I think someone is trying to sell you swamp land! Lynch Hummer has 4 manual H3s in stock
and no one I've talked to has heard of any problems with the manual transmission unit. Two of them they just recently got delivery on.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by HummerJim:
I think someone is trying to sell you swamp land! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

And we have plenty of that down here

I don't know who it was that replied from Hummer of Orlando. He called me on the phone a few minutes after I sent the orignal email requesting info. A few hours ago I called the Jax dealer, and he told me that they just delivered a manual transmission model. He said that they order all automatics - the manual trans has to be special ordered because few people want them (sad, really, that people don't like to drive anymore). Based on that conversation and all of your responses it sounds like the Orlando salesman was just BSing me in the hopes that I would rush over and buy one of their automatics off of the lot. What a dick. I wish I remembered his name.

Sorry to hear that about your experience with Hummer of Orlando, but it really doesn't surprise me. I have not been impressed in any way with the dealership or the staff. I don't know about the service department at this point though. They could be great, time will tell. I think the big problem is that there is no competition within at least a two hour drive. Why work real hard at a sale when you have not competition I am waiting on the Blue myself but when we get ours, I plan on trying to get some groups together to go wheeling if you are interested. I am also working on a website for a Hummer owners group. Should be up shortly.

The dealer in Jax only ordered Manual transmissions. Although I special ordered a Yellow Adventure 5 speed with sunroof, marker lights, roof rack, and tube steps. It came out at around $34,000. The order went in beginning of June. I couldn't wait, and flew to Dallas to get mine. It should be there in August if your interested. I'll let you know if they call me.

I had the same problem. I went looking and they did a recall in North Carolina on the manual trans.

I live in California and I ordered my H3 with Lux, off-road package and a manual.I ordered it
about a week ago and they said it should be here no more than two months.Hopefully their right! They told me nothing about a recall.

Nelson

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I am waiting on the Blue myself but when we get ours, I plan on trying to get some groups together to go wheeling if you are interested. I am also working on a website for a Hummer owners group. Should be up shortly. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

HummerNewbie
Let me know about your web site. I may go up to Jax this weekend and order my H3. I also want the blue, and I was told that it would be available late summer. Looks like the order time is two months anyway, and so the timing would be right. (I assume that they would let me order the color now, even though it was not yet available.) They also told me that the chrome gas cap and the grill lights were not yet available. Looks like probably mid Spet before I would get my special order. Just in time for football season. I need a good tailgate vehicle to drive down to Miami for the games!

My girlfriend had gone in a little over a month ago and put an order in for a manual transmission H3. Week later the dealer called and said the order was on hold due to issues witht the manual transmision. She got a call yesterday that the truck will be build and she should expect it to arrive about the second week of August.