The Trip and the H3....

[blindzebra]

OOOOtah.

[DarthKarl]

Great report...sounds like you had a blast. Thanks

[HummerHippy]

Very Cool! Info on the H3 and what sounds like a great time with your son! Awesome! Thanks. Love the pics.

[Desert Dan]

That is great country out there. I love the 4 corners area.

When I go in the summer I try to end up in the San Juan mtns to cool off

I am glad you are enjoying your H3.

Just a little different than the Jeep huh?

[usetosellhummer]

Thnaks for the report! Great information

[DWPC]

I agree 95%. The H3 is a great road vehicle for long distance driving; great handling, comfortable, fairly quiet. BUT, the H3 can't handle long grades (unless you you don't mind screaming at 4000+RPM). We frequently drive the H3 from the LA area to N.AZ, and I dread the long grade stretches on I-10, especially between Indio and San Bernadino on the return trip. Traffic is always heavy, and if you can't hold 75, you get run over. On grades, the H3 reminds me of my old non-turbo Mercedes 300D diesel, and its not a fond memory.

[Agriv8r]

Great info. I printed the body to share with prospective buyers. I will try and track how usefull it is for the customers

[Demo]

Thanks for taking the time to write that report. It was very informative and well written.
Three cheers for Fstop!!

[f5fstop]

Originally Posted by DWPC

I agree 95%. The H3 is a great road vehicle for long distance driving; great handling, comfortable, fairly quiet. BUT, the H3 can't handle long grades (unless you you don't mind screaming at 4000+RPM). We frequently drive the H3 from the LA area to N.AZ, and I dread the long grade stretches on I-10, especially between Indio and San Bernadino on the return trip. Traffic is always heavy, and if you can't hold 75, you get run over. On grades, the H3 reminds me of my old non-turbo Mercedes 300D diesel, and its not a fond memory.

I had no problem holding 65 to 70 up those 6 percent grades on 550 from Durango to Montrose. Yes, it makes some engine noise due to the downshift to 2nd, but I just turn up the radio or sit back and relax, listening to the engine screaming. There was a lot of traffic, and no one passed me or tailgated me wanting to pass.

[DWPC]

Originally Posted by f5fstop

I had no problem holding 65 to 70 up those 6 percent grades on 550 from Durango to Montrose. Yes, it makes some engine noise due to the downshift to 2nd, but I just turn up the radio or sit back and relax, listening to the engine screaming. There was a lot of traffic, and no one passed me or tailgated me wanting to pass.

The stretches I'm referring to are usually bumper-to-bumper all 100 miles into LA by Sunday afternoon with nothing but semis struggling to hold 50-55 in the slow lane, and everyone else doing 75-80 in the fast lane. Its uphill like this without let-up for about 30 miles. Then you go down hill for a few miles into Palm Springs, then another similar 30 mile climb to San Berdoo. There's usually a very stiff headwind too; its where the windmill farms are! If you can't keep up, you're relegated to 'truck lane hell' stuck between slowpoke semis and U-hauls for miles.

I agree that the H3 can manage the grades at about 65 comfortably; but thats 10-15 mph too fast for the slow lane, and too slow for the fast lane by about the same margin.