Any Advice?

[Seth]

I will be ordering my new H2 in the next week or so [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] I have never wanted a vehicle this much in my life!! My wife thinks I am nuts, I have my screen saver set to flash pictures of various H2's and different parts of the vehicle. The wallpaper on my computer is the yellow H2 from the Hummer website, and of course I have the pewter 1/18" model from Maisto. Yes the jury is back and I am obsessed.

I am planning on getting the Pewter luxury model with a grill guard. My only concern is the tubular assists steps. I like them and I want them but, I do plan on doing some off roading. My question is can I still go off road and have them? I saw one of the members (I think it was one of my Bay Area compatriots) post that in severe off road conditions they will snap. However can you still do more "moderate" off roading with them?

After driving a Durango and a Mercedes for the last few years and a Pathfinder before that and not knowing what I wanted to drive after, maybe the Escalade, X5, G500 none of them "spoke" to me. I feel that I am buying the vehicle that I am destined to drive for a long time (at $55K it better be a long time)

Any advice from H2 owners that have gone through the process would be greatly appreciated. Once again a BIG SHOUT OUTto Mac for driving to my home to help me make sure it would fit in my garage.

[Seth]

I will be ordering my new H2 in the next week or so [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] I have never wanted a vehicle this much in my life!! My wife thinks I am nuts, I have my screen saver set to flash pictures of various H2's and different parts of the vehicle. The wallpaper on my computer is the yellow H2 from the Hummer website, and of course I have the pewter 1/18" model from Maisto. Yes the jury is back and I am obsessed.

I am planning on getting the Pewter luxury model with a grill guard. My only concern is the tubular assists steps. I like them and I want them but, I do plan on doing some off roading. My question is can I still go off road and have them? I saw one of the members (I think it was one of my Bay Area compatriots) post that in severe off road conditions they will snap. However can you still do more "moderate" off roading with them?

After driving a Durango and a Mercedes for the last few years and a Pathfinder before that and not knowing what I wanted to drive after, maybe the Escalade, X5, G500 none of them "spoke" to me. I feel that I am buying the vehicle that I am destined to drive for a long time (at $55K it better be a long time)

Any advice from H2 owners that have gone through the process would be greatly appreciated. Once again a BIG SHOUT OUTto Mac for driving to my home to help me make sure it would fit in my garage.

[MAC]

If I do it again.
A wise man keeps his wife happy. If you don't have side steps, your wife will nag you until you get them. Tube steps look nice, u steps look odd, its a look issue, you have to remove them for tough offroads anyway, if you ever do it.
Likewise brush guard and offroad lamps are for look only, I have them for 2 months, absolutely no practical use, I can live without them and keep the money, I am still not sure if Hummer look nice with or without them.
Leather seats are very important, because you are surrounded in them every minute. I have air suspension, no diffrence to me, I rather keep the money. Everything else I would do the basic, if I do it again.

[Texas Red]

IMHO, the best time to get the tubulars is when you buy your H2. You can always get the removeable u-steps later and switch out (they're much cheaper). You lose a little ground clearance with the tubulars. Rock crawling is out, but a lot of fun (more moderate) off-roading can be done with the tubular steps.

Jim
Red H2 in Texas

[SOFTTAILJC]

tube steps will protect the bottom of the doors

[Big Z]

The tubes were designed to support the weight of, and protect the Hummer, and make it easier to get stuff on the roof. If you want a good read about this machine, check out rockcrawler.com ( 2003 Hummer H2 Technical Briefing). [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif[/img]

[Zing]

I am facing the same dilemma on the tubular assist step. I'm leaning toward the U-steps since I personally like the feeling of having maximum clearance when offroading and I think that the H2 looks better without any assist steps. The U-step gives me this flexibility and on this option I'm choosing function over style. The u-step also doesn't detract from the appearance in my opinion.

[MAC]

I am 6' tall, and believe me, it is NOT easy to get in and out of this beast without side steps. It is not an issue of how big or small you are, nor how macho you maybe, it is just not comfortable to do without steps, H2 too tall. When your wife dresses up in a nice evening dress and go to social events in Hummer, good luck in trying to get in and out, it was VERY hard to do. Before my tube steps arrived 1 month after Hummer, I had folding steps in the trunk for my mother or any guests who many needed it, many did. Tube steps were out of stock and hard to get, dealer said few people want U-steps, always in stock.

[Seth]

Thanks for the input on the tubular steps all. Btw... This is the first time I have ever shopped a car (new or used) and not had the upper hand when it came to negotiating price. I have spent many days in car lots haggling over the price of a car and with the advent of the Internet it has become even easier to shop. I have in the past even helped friends and family negotiate the best price. I have mostly walked away paying dealer invoice or close to it (in one case I paid $1000 under dealer invoice). Has anyone had any luck negotiating price on the H2? I have talked to a few sales people and all I am hearing is I am lucky to pay MSRP and not an additional mark-up by the dealer. I have looked at some of the auctions on eBay and id does not look any better. If anyone knows of a way to same some money on this very expensive depreciating asset I would love to hear about it. Being a sales person it goes against my nature to pay retail for anything especially a car.

[Zing]

Unfortunately Seth you are dealing with the very basic principle of supply and demand. Dealers have no problems moving these things at present. Despite Mac's persistent encouragement for me to place the order my H2 I have waited and have since seen the price go up $1,500. I haven't heard confirmation of further price increases, only rumors, but in my opinion the H2 can easily fetch $5K more and wouldn't be surprised if the price goes up further. So if you're ready to buy, and it sounds like you are, forget haggling over a few grand and maybe buy a few accessories on ebay to make up some of the difference. How'd I do, Mac?

[Hummie2]

SETH...

Shop around on-line before you go to the dealer. This will give you an idea what prices are in your area. Also shop and pre-qualify for your financing on-line. My local dealer and banks couldn't even get close to the interest rate I was able to get on-line. 2% savings on a 50k loan is a pretty good bit of money.

I hope this helps....

Don

[MAC]

Zazing, What do you mean how did you do? Seth is a real man who is ready to buy.

At least you know you are not paying more than the other customers. There is something nice about paying MSRP, saves the mental work of bargaining. I got free tube side steps. Upon delivery, if you buy extended warranty and service contract, there you can use your bargaining skill with the business/finance manager, I think I cut it by $1000 vs what he was asking. He said YES too fast, made me think I should've asked for more cut.

I saw Putnam has 4 H2s on the lot couple weeks ago, used to be none. Maybe they have stock on hand for immediate delivery. They are not at showroom lot, but across the street from the service building. If there is stock, maybe there is room for some small bargain. I do think the old rule of end-of-month works, not at ordering, more so at delivery.

David Fitzpatrick, as in SJ's news story is the manager who makes the decision, dfitzpatrick@putnamgn.com. Young professional manner gentleman. Tell him he gave me free tube steps. Manny was my salesman, nice and knowledgeable, decision and ordering done with David in his office, as everything else. If no stock, have to order, ask him what he has coming in, take what he has coming cuts 8-12 weeks wait down.

I would be interested to see what others say about it. That HeeHaw cop may use threats and intimidation to get the best deal, who knows how that TX Red real man got his pink Hummer.

[AL MOORE]

Seth, I am over 6', and without the steps or some type of assistance, it would get very OLD climbing in several times a day. Then again, I am 49. That could be it. Go for it and have fun...AL

"Follow the white rabit" .........Matrix 1999

[KAC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>I am planning on getting the Pewter luxury model with a grill guard. My only concern is the tubular assists steps. I like them and I want them but, I do plan on doing some off roading. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I faced the same issue when I ordered. I have 2 young children and don't want to be lifting them into the H2 forever. I checked with the dealer and they aren't difficult to remove for off-roading. The dealer claims there are 4 bolts on each side (although I saw somewhere that there are 8) and each U step has one bolt so it's really not that much more work to remove them. I can't speak from experience though as I don't have my H2 yet - a few more days supposedly!

Kim

KAC
Red Adv Series ordered 9/14/2002
Delivery expected by 11/30/2002

[kelleymac2000]

Hey all:

I removed my tubular steps to off-road and I'm glad I did. Saw a couple of guys get hung up on theirs, and it wasn't pretty. One bent them pretty good.

They're easy to remove, even for a woman. Total of eight bolts, takes about 15 minutes total. Make sure you have the right metric socket. <grin>

Kelley

[KAC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by kelleymac2000:
They're easy to remove, even for a woman. Total of eight bolts, takes about 15 minutes total. Make sure you have the right metric socket. <grin>

Kelley<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

What do you mean "even for a woman"?? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]

Did you mean 8 on each step or 8 total so 4 on each step? When I got down and checked, it looked like 8 on each step. I haven't tried to take them off yet - haven't needed to - but have an off-road trip planned for the 14th so I'll want them off for that.

Kim

KAC
'03 Red Adv Series

[Texas Red]

8 bolts for each side. You may need two sets of hands as you remove the last two bolts (one on each end).

Jim
Red H2 in Texas

[sheag]

I'm wrestling with this issue since a lot of times when I'm going offroading, I may not know it until I get there. It's not like I can remove them the day before. I'm 5'10, and I personally don't have any trouble getting in and out without them, but then I'm used to it from having a lifted Dodge Ram. But I would like them in order to facilitate getting surfboards, kayaks, etc. down from the roof. Again, I don't want to remove them to drive down to the beach or valley and then need them to get stuff off the roof. They're just going to have to stay on all the time. I have a 16-month old but I figure by the time she's ready to get in and out on her own I'll have moved up anyway. :-) I will be transporting lots of other kids however, and I think they'd appreciate them, so I think I'm just going to go with the tubular ones.

Shea

[Klaus]

One thing that helped to make up my mind was that the steps have "holes" in them, as opposed to a flat surface. One thought of my wife possibly getting her high heals stuck in those steps was enough for me.

Klaus

[m998]

If you can't open your door all the way (parking lots, gas stations, unfortunantly my driveway, etc.) the U steps are useless and you'll wind up with scraped calfs (no, not little cows). [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img]