If you could talk to GM....

[Longhorn]

Turbo Diesel! - Even small displacement! Its got the torque, the fuel economy, it runs fine of camber or upside down and it can idle all day long on 4 gallons.

Do it.

[H2Finally]

Frankly speaking, I always view the H2 as just a truck, 'cause IT'S JUST A TRUCK!! -- albeit one with exceptional styling and capabilities.

The biggest advantage to me is actually socio-economical. I feel as special driving this $50K vehicle as I do driving a $100K Mercedes -- if not more so. Any other car I can buy for that price would feel.. inferior, if that makes sense. The off-road prowess, the safety issue (surviving crashes, etc), the security issue (mobility in natural disasters, etc), are all +ve extras.

So, no, the H2 is not exclusive, but it allows me to belong to the (much more expensive) exclusive circles. Imho, you don't hit "truly exclusive vehicles" category until at least $125K anyhoo.

Now, if only GM can make the H2 more quiet on the inside -- that would be AWESOME!!

[Steve R]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by sfox:
I think the problem with the whole "talk to GM" concept, is that you have to keep in mind that they probably will not create a whole new platform just for one vehicle... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I agree...but bitching, moaning and complaining is an American past-time and we must not only embrace it, but celebrate it. Besides, how crazy would it sound 4 years ago to suggest GM buy the rights to HUMMER and start producing a model called an H2? Ya never know Seth...stranger things have happened!

There are some really good ideas here. I'll admit that we off-roaders are in the minority and that big sales numbers to the general blingy-public are the prime concern to GM....but at the same time GM really should take an interest in staying true to what made the HUMMER brand so unique AND CONSEQUENTLY desireable: it's offroad ability and being the ultimate utility vehicle.

GM has done well, but they can do better.

[ree]

Steve,
I definitely understand the exclusivity thing. But don't fault GM for making the H2's affordable so a much as for making the [new] H1's unaffordable.

It's only been in the past few years that I got to the point where I would be willing to throw some money at a hummer. But I've been into them (and humvees) for the past 20. I always figured I could get an H1 with a few options in the $70-80s and be pretty happy with it.

And then the H2 came out. I actually disliked the design at first pretty strongly, H1 biggot that I was. Then I found out that AMG started rolling options into the base vehicle and it's base price started rising prohibitively. More strikes against the H2.

Of course, with a little thought, it all seemed like very sound business practice to me...expand interest in the Hummer brand by making it a little more accessible to the average Joe, in retrospect, I agree, perhaps a little too accessible.

I personally was soured by the fact that I'd no longer be able to afford a new H1. In due time
however, I warmed to the H2 design and now own one. I'll still probably get a used H1 someday.

But for the moment, I'm grateful to be able have my H2. Even if it isn't the beast that an H1 is, it still has some exclusivity of the Hummer brand. Plus I know it really is much more capable if than another of GM's SUVs had simply been outfitted with a new body. That's enough for me right now.

That there are a lot of H2s out there that are prettied up and haven't seen anything but pavement, annoying, but oh well. I take pride in owning a functional H2 rather than a showcase that's like the family pet dressed up in kids clothes against it's will.


Regardless, why should GM be blamed considering numbers? I can certainly see being upset if all they considered were numbers. But it's not as if the H2 is just a Tah.... (remember the Caddy that zigs).

I get really turned off when people blame businesses for watching their bottom line and producing what sells. Duh, this is how they sustain themselves and continue to provide more product and services (provide jobs, pay corporate taxes, fuel the economy, ... oops a political digression here). Perhaps if they make more money on these things, product managers will be able to do some of the more advanced things you want to see in an H2 in the future.

Please, stick to the GM encouragement aspect. I'm not sure GM will appreciate your thoughts as much if you start diving into the evil-corporate sellout bit.

[DRTYFN]

I'd suggest that they use some of the kinky hybrid engines that they have in their R&D dept.
The thought of CTIS is novel, but also troublesome from a reliability standpoint. I would ask for a compressor with higher output.
Also, I'd ask them to address their seriously lacking headlights. HIDs are the only way to go. I wonder if they could come up with an adaptive headlight system like I had in the 745?

[HummerNewbie]

For all those that are worried about the exclusivity of the H2, it is probably time to move on to another vehicle. As the H2 starts to age, you will see more and more every year on the used market and more and more on the road. I love them for their looks and capabilities. Of coarse I also love the fact that it isn't the same SUV as everyone else has but that isn't an exclusivity thing but a being different thing.

[KenP]

Steve, it seems many people on this forum are looking for the same, general things: Larger tires, beefier suspension, soft top, vinyl, no carpet, etc. They could be incorporated in a true Adventure Package available on all the HUMMER vehicles.

[Steve R]

Wow....lots good info!!

Yeah, CTIS....it's controversial:

Con: More cost, more to go wrong, they ALL leak a bit and quite frankly, most owners of Hummer could entirely do without it. Only a frequent offroader who encounters varying degrees of trails would find the CTIS very useful.

Pro: it's a Hummer...the top of the line and primiere "go anywhere" offroad vehicle: such a a super-cool, modern feature....belongs on a Hummer.

Conclusion: improvement & innovation means bringing in new features AND not getting rid of features to make something less "capable". CTIS should be an option, simple as that. I don't care of the base-strippy cost $20k and the top-of-the-line decked-out model is $55k

[ROX]

I heard GM was thinking of changing the interior by eliminating the raised air vents in the dash. IMO, that would be a Step in the Tahoe direction. The interior is different than anything else on the market and changing it to a smooth dash will make it look too much like everything else out there. Offer an option that doesn't have the carpet and leather seats. Some folks want an easy to wash interior.

This is an off road line of vehicles. Keep the theme. CTIS would be a good option to offer. Can you imaging the toys people could put on their rigs with an airtank to run them? That would be good for people that run on the Street and Off Road alike. The H2 especially has the aftermarket accessories attention. If it has problems, fix them. One good place to start is the navigation system. Right now if you use it to navigate, you don't have a CD player. Program it with topographical data, that can be used when navigating remote areas. These trucks aren't just used for playing off road or commuting. Thousands of folks use them for Hunting, camping, Fishing and riding Mtn bikes and motorcycles, and even for riding/finding cattle and getting to the damned remote areas they can find.

Make a decent place to put wires through the firewall for adding aftermarket components like lights and horns and the like.

If Hummer wants to build a new line of more affordable vehicles, then make a good platform to start from, and let people make their rig what they want it to be. Hummer started out as a military vehicle, and GM should not stray too far from that theme. As Steve R said earlier, the H1 was designed for military uses, but it wasn't made to go down the tight trail of a Jeep. It is my argument, that if they had made the HUMVEE first, Jeeps would be complaining that the trails are to wide. Keep on truckin, and the trails will widen out.

I don't want to be driving down the road three years from now, and say is that a Tahoe, Yukon, or Hummer? Keep it square.

[PARAGON]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by DRTYFN:
The thought of CTIS is novel, but also troublesome from a reliability standpoint. I would ask for a compressor with higher output. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I don't think this is necessarily true anymore. Many large military vehicles employ CTIS and a company called Hutchinson Inc. has been designed new wheel assemblies for the military that is more reliable.

I think CTIS is mandantory for the ultimate vehicle. Personally I don't care to run around airing up/down my tires when the ultimate off-roader could have it built in "reliably." Key word being reliable.

Stick a 5 gallon air tank under there somewhere and have a quick air disconnect also for some air tools, to go along with that improved compressor.

[CLAYDOG]

Some good stuff here guys, I'm forwarding a link to this thread to the Hummer Design Manager.

[Denny Crane]

It's siomple really and can be done quite easily....

Drum Roll

Create a Special Vehicle Option Group.

Offer everything mentioned upto this point and allow the buyer the choice of options.

After time the program will either support itself thru obvious sales or reduce the options to the majority of parts sold over time.

There shouldn't be a reason i can't build my H2 with a Diesel, OPEN TOP, Interior delete, Chrome Delete - monochromatic paint, CTIS, HID, Winch/Grill, 4-wheel steering, 37" tires 20" wheels or 24" wheels and 3" tall tires, 2" - 8" lift or lowering kits, and last but not least a Supercharger or additional engine performance accessories. So what if it's 95,000.00 when i get it, i won't care as i'll be doing most of the before mentioned upgrades myslef, so GM should get the monies or at least give me the option.

RUF does Porsches, Dinan does BMW, calloway does Vetts Etc Etc Etc.

This would possibly make the H1 obsolete, they sell 300 of them a year at 130K + so a 95K fully customized H2 should sell at least 300 year.

Make HUMMER the most customizable vehicle in GM/FORD/DODGE history.

Then an H2 could be literally as unique as it's owners.

Hummer, the most Individually Unique vehicle in GM's history.

D

[PARAGON]

Quite frankly, why the hell does it matter what others are doing with their vehicle and why WOULDN'T GM be interested in numbers. They are a business and are trying to create a product to sell, not one to create exclusivity and produce in low numbers so that it can't have it's own dealer network, or own vehicle division.

My H2 is 3 years and 2 months old and I had placed the order for it in the spring of that year. I had no illusions of the vehicle and was buying it for what it was stating it offered not some image crap.

There are plenty who have and do buy it for the looks or whatever and pimp it out, that's fine, it's not my deal, but it's fine. GM selling more vehicles that way makes it better for me as a consumer as my vehicle ages.

[ree]

Definitely put a diesel option in the H2 and H3 lines.

[H2HH]

Steve,
As for improvements:
1) Rubber floor covering like my old pick-up, much easier to clean and won't trap water.
2) Better undercarrige protection with higher ground clearance.
3) Easier access to the roof for routing power and antenna cables.
4) A switch panel to land wiring that wouldn't look like an afterthought.
5) Heat the front windscreen, ending the icing.
6) Put on a real locking Gas cap cover door.
7) Give me a no Chrome option
8) Shield the exhaust even more to preclude grass fires.
Thanks,
H

[H2_SUT_SC]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by PhilD:
The wish list would include a soft top SUT and turbo diesel </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

There you go.

[1BADH2]

DIESEL, DIESEL, DIESEL

[Efrain]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by devilsfan:
I personally would like to see fewer corners cut. It's a $60,000 vehicle - it should LOOK like one. I want better paint - I have at least 20 rock chips at 22,000 miles, which is 19 more than I had on my previous GM truck (which also had 50,000 more miles on it!). I want the interior to be nicer - the seams on the carpet finished, no more rust on my accelerator/break/glovebox, no more cheap plastic breaking parts. It should be as refined as the interior of the Escalade. And I don't want faux wood trim and all that crap - just attention to details would be nice! GM also needs to address the rust issue on the undercarriage. Also, I like Phil's idea - there should be more options that come integrated into the H2 from the factory for off-roaders, like stronger tie rods, lifts, tires, lockers, etc. And these should be UNDER WARRANTY. If the truck is marketed for off-road use, then off-road use should be covered - without question!

Stacy </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
I agree wholeheartedly with Stacy. They should do quality work and charge accordingly. Also, they should keep the price high so not everybody would by one (like those F-150's) Cause if I saw a Hummer in every corner, then I wouldn't buy one.

[Steve R]

You're spot-on Ken! couldn't agree more.

Mercedes has their McLaren, Ferrari has their Enzo: very few are made, even fewer can afford it BUT there it is to stand as a tribute to excellence.

GM shouldn't make a "True Adventure" model just to reap the financial benefits of selling a couple hundred or a thouand per year.....no: they should make it to stand as an icon of HUMMER excellence and to celebrate the concept of diversity that the American spirit examplifies. Ewwww....catchy!!!!

[devilsfan]

I personally would like to see fewer corners cut. It's a $60,000 vehicle - it should LOOK like one. I want better paint - I have at least 20 rock chips at 22,000 miles, which is 19 more than I had on my previous GM truck (which also had 50,000 more miles on it!). I want the interior to be nicer - the seams on the carpet finished, no more rust on my accelerator/break/glovebox, no more cheap plastic breaking parts. It should be as refined as the interior of the Escalade. And I don't want faux wood trim and all that crap - just attention to details would be nice! GM also needs to address the rust issue on the undercarriage. Also, I like Phil's idea - there should be more options that come integrated into the H2 from the factory for off-roaders, like stronger tie rods, lifts, tires, lockers, etc. And these should be UNDER WARRANTY. If the truck is marketed for off-road use, then off-road use should be covered - without question!

Stacy