Should I get an H2?

[DaveC]

Currently have a 1995 Wrangler that is a less than practical vehicle for me and my kids. Mileage is pretty poor with Wranglers with the 4.0, around 15mpg in the city.

I always dreamed about an H2..but wasn't able to justify $50k plus when they were new. Now I am finding older H2s (2004,5) with under 25k mi at around $20K in great near new condition.

I know gas mileage stinks, but 11-13 mpg isn't much worse that my Wrangler, and having a hardtop with interior space and stereo..all in a H2 at what seems to me to be unbelievable prices is really tempting even with gas and the economy suspect.

The truth is however, I never drove one, don't know if they are noisey or high maintenance or what Insurance will be?

I will check on these, but wanted to ask some opinions. I am looking at a 2004with less than 20K original miles. Don;t know if it is a certain model but has leather, Bose heated seats power everything, alloy wheels, a two pkg which I need to tow my dirt bikes.

Really appreciate hearing the good and bad. Thanks

[rxdi]

I picked my mine up at the end of last year and love it. I don't think I could ever get anything other than an h2 now. Yeah the gas milage isn't that bad maybe a few miles per gallon less than my 2007 avalanche traded it in for. The insurance did go up but only $10-15 a month, no big deal. The ride is great but on the older ones there seems to be alot of creeks around the plastic parts inside. But I found if you put a little extra armor all in the areas they go away for a few months. The only thing I don't like is you get a lot of wind noise over 60mph, but your driving a box on wheels so it should be expected. maintainace isn't really anymore than any other truck, just get the extended warrenty if you can.You should go for it.

[8500lbs]

You have to be passionate about H2's to really own or love one. It sounds like you are and therefore should fit right in an H2. I also have an 04 with 88,000 and I am just now getting into maintenance on it. I have 37 and have had them for 2 years 40,000 miles. I am just now changing the Pitman and Idler arm. This and brakes are the only replacements I have had to make on the vehicle, besides normal oil change and so forth. I drive hard and the H2 just takes it like a champ. The mileage sucks but so do many trucks, jeeps, and other SUV's and that is with out the four wheel drive all the time. that is the only reason why these trucks are hard on gas. I cant tell you what to buy or what not to buy because you need to make your own decisions on that. But I purchased mine and have loved it ever since.

Best of luck and hope this has helped

B

[brad_p]

All of them have leather and heated seats, H2 drives like a dream. Not noisy and very comfortable. Id say go for it you will be glad you did. Also h2's handle well and are not hard to park.

[DaveC]

Thank you all. The real good news is that I have been working for home so gas and my Wrangler have not been a problem since I don't commute. However, with my luck...things will change if i buy and H2. I live in LA, CA, so commuting can be a killer. Hopefully I will be able to avoid it. I know making a big buy on a gas guzzler won't be the smartest thing I ever did...but in other times, prices would probably not be as good.

[jroman201]

I have had mine for 10 months and I love it. The gas is not a big deal for me since both my wife and I work 10 minutes from home. The weekend trips is what hits us but the ride quality is soooo worth the money. The insurance for my 05 Jetta and 03 GTI actually went down 90 bucks a month after trading the GTI in for the H2. The only noise I have noticed is due to the wind resistance on the windshield and that can be fixed (there are posts on here about it). Oh and the inside is a little squeaky, nothing too bad though. I paid 30k for my 04 H2 with 29,016 on the odometer 10 months ago. I wish I had waited it out another year cause there are some killer deals out there now. Good thing gas prices are going down too, that should help the decision some. The maintenance isnt too bad, havent had to do much in the 10 months I owned her. I have even beat her up a few times on some trails, but she keeps on ticking. The addicting part is the modifications. They can be expensive, depending on your taste. Good luck with your decision. Hope I helped.

[Trinity]

I have owned a Tahoe, Avalanche, Sequoia, H3, and an H2 SUT in the last 9 years. By far, my absolute favorite has been my H2 SUT, followed closely by the Tahoe.
The Hummer gets about 12 mpg according to the onboard computer. My Tahoe got about 14. 2 mpg is not that big of a difference in my opinion for satisfaction.
Yes, the older the vehicle, the more issues, creaks, etc. that you will experience. But with the economy the way it is, you should be able to pick up an 06 or 07 for a decent price since the original owner has already taken the depreciation hit.
All I can say is "do it!" I have never once regretted owning the Hummer (H3 and H2). Mine has the Adventure package (air suspension) and I get comments regularly about how great it rides and how "important" my passengers feel. Owning a Hummer is an attitude. If you have attitude or need attitude, then get it!!!!

[GS345]

I have had my 06 H2 for a few months now and am wondering why I waited so long to get one. I had a 02 Wrangler before the H2 and they are like night and day to own. The H2 ride is better than most vehicles and have a ton more room inside than the Jeep. Lots more power and easier to get in and out of. When I first talked about getting one, my wife would just roll her eyes. After getting it I am having a hard time keeping her out of it! Mine is the Lux edition w/air ride 30k miles paid 26k. Also bought it certified at the Hummer dealership. As far as the insurance goes, it is higher than other vehicles I own, but the way I understand, it's because of the damage it will do to the 'poor other vehicle' in the accident. Go drive one......you will buy one.


Jeff

[Yetti]

Originally Posted by brad_p

All of them have leather and heated seats, H2 drives like a dream. Not noisy and very comfortable. Id say go for it you will be glad you did. Also h2's handle well and are not hard to park.

sorry to say you are wrong on the fact they are ALL leather. mine is an `04 with Vinyl and its way easy to keep after then leather. plus mine doesn't have a sun roof ( no headroom for me) as for packages mines an Adventure series with all the bells & whistles , plus the air ride makes it cruise out nice for normal driving. as for wind noise I would say someone has a bad windshield trim if they have noise... mines quiet as one can ask.

as for buying an `04 I would consider selling mine but it has 32,000 miles on it now.

[twenty2]

Ive had mine for approx 3 1/2 years now with no probelms at all. I don't think Ive ever trade it in for anything else. But, once you have one, it wont be long before you start adding some wheels to it, especially living in the west coast. Mine drives like a dream to this day, even with bigger wheels. Quiet as can be inside the cab. Good luck!!

[CBR_Raven]

I have an '03 that i've been wanting to trade for a newer model but it's hard to let go...i have a lot of upgrades on the '03 and i will be just giving all that away if i trade it in for a newer model. There's no way that I would trade it for anything other than another H2. I actually hope that the Hx concept comes to life so I can have 2 Hummers in the garage.

[splne1]

"DO ITTT!!!!!" You will not regret it!!!

[timgco]

03's and early 04's you could get cloth seats too.

GO for a test drive in teh H2. The used prices are reasonable..that;s for sure. BUt it will be an adjustment in size..esp wheeling from what you are used to. There are a few people on this forum that have Jeeps and the H2,3 and love both. It sounds like you can use more room with the kids and such. Maybe a 4 door JK if the H2 doesn't work out?

[frenzy1]

Best ride I ever had !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DaveC]

Thanks again everyone. I found a mechanic near the dealer and may give it a look tomorrow. Its close to a hour drive...so not just down the street. With only 17K miles and a asking price of under $20k (wholesale Bluebook was $23K and Retail was $28K) it just seems like such a good deal. I just know none of us should be getting more into debt right now and buying a gas guzzler just isn't smart...but I know I am over analyzing this. I also got a little concerned reading Consumer Reports and postings that talk about electrical problems (mostly accessory outlets , CDs, DVDs and the like) and cooling problems , Tranny issues and the like with the '04. At least according to CR, they rate reliability low. On the other hand all of you have them, drive them and love them. I am trying to tell myself that at the asking price, if it doesn't work out I should be able to sell it w/o a loss after a few miles. I started looking here to also see if any magic was found to improve mileage, but doesn't really look like it. Too bad (at least from a mileage standpoint) you can't disconnect the front diff. Since my Jeep only gets 14-15 mpg...I bet if I left it in 4WD, it wouldn't do much different the a 6K lbs Hummer with a V8! What to do...I hate being so practical. As always..there appears to be a lot of great folks on this forum..and hearing about your experience is really great. Thanks

[Faustus100]

Just 1 more-
Im a new H2 owner.Ive had mine for about 3 weeks.I live in NY and bought it from a guy in Illinois.Its an 03 but in near mint condition.I drove all the way back from Ill. at night and I remember how safe and comfy I felt.I had wanted one of these for about 4 years but for some reason I really caught the bug in the last year.Ive already started buying stuff for it.Altho Ive only had it for a very short time I know Ill never get rid of it.I will however get rid of both my Tahoe and Denali in the next several months.
I can easily say that nothing has compared to this truck!Its incredible!If youre a truck lover/owner I think its the only one to have.I read in another thread where they feel that H2 prices will drop even more dramatically in the next year or so.All I can say is that I hope thats true-then I can buy ANOTHER ONE!!!!

[TGCOFTN]

I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting the H2.......this has to be the best vehicle I have ever owned. I have had Lincoln Navigators, Ford Expeditions, Ford Excursions, and the Hummer is by far the best I have ever had. I have mine dressed up with lots of chrome, and everywhere I go, they get attention. Not only do they get a lot of attention, but they ride, drive, and handle EXTREMELY WELL. I have taken mine on many of road trips and I could not ask for a more comfortable vehicle.
I will say this.........if your looking for a used one.......I would choose a 07 or older model. I have two H2's......a Yellow 2007, and a Solar Flare 2008, and in all honesty, I like the 6.0 Liter V8 MUCH better than the 6.2 Liter.

[Intercooled]

I had an 05 SUV. Lease ended and i wanted to buy it out but the economy fuel millage all came into question. So i traded it in for a more fuel efficient trail blazer. Hummer is terrible and would never own another one! .....Yeah Right!!!!!!! I lasted 2 months in the brand new trail Blazer and went hunting for a nice used SUT. Found what I was looking for and dumped the Trail Blazer. There will always be a Hummer in the driveway at this house! I couldnt live with out it. The economy, fuel millage, etc. all didnt matter after losing the H2 SUV. The fun factor, comfort and driveability all make the few minuses worth while!