The 'customization' thread

[2010_5thgen]

do we know...like cold hard facts, that throwing a lift kit on a truck with larger tires, that it actually benfits it more than the factory does? i know the ground clearance is changed obviously. but is there testing showing us that by installing a lift kit, that the truck can do better than the manufacturers specs of a 31 degree slope approac and a 22 degree angle sideways? being a higher center of gravity, i find it hard to believe that the truck actually benefits from certain off roading mods.

im not arguing that lifted trucks have a purpose or whatnot, and i love the look. obviously, i had mine done. but does it REALLY benefit the truck? because honestly , you can fight your fight to both sides of the spectrum...the on road customizers...and the offroad customizers.

i never had intentions of taking my hummer offroad...since day 1. i liked it because it was different, controversal, large enough for me and my family, tough, rugged....blah blah...everything the hummer was meant to be....but the case your stating makes it sound like, im not deserving of my hummer because i dont take it offroad. call me a poser for lifting it and keeping it on the pavement...thats fine..i dont really care. i get lots of dumb looks and comments anyways, around town. but the thing that bothers me is that people get very vocal on how they feel the car needs to be used. and thats where i dont agree. at least we live in a place that gives us the option to drive what we want....for now....if obama stays in, im sure this will be bound to change somehow.

[guruerror]

Originally Posted by 2010_5thgen

do we know...like cold hard facts, that throwing a lift kit on a truck with larger tires, that it actually benfits it more than the factory does? i know the ground clearance is changed obviously. but is there testing showing us that by installing a lift kit, that the truck can do better than the manufacturers specs of a 31 degree slope approac and a 22 degree angle sideways? being a higher center of gravity, i find it hard to believe that the truck actually benefits from certain off roading mods...

All good questions...and I've often wondered the same about the lift kits. I agree, when done in moderation, 4-6", they look pretty badass. The higher center of gravity is what's always kept me away from them. A slightly larger tire, better front-end components and a bit of leveling does the job nicely in my opinion...improves upon factory design without introducing any of these concerns.

Originally Posted by 2010_5thgen

im not arguing that lifted trucks have a purpose or whatnot, and i love the look. obviously, i had mine done. but does it REALLY benefit the truck? because honestly , you can fight your fight to both sides of the spectrum...the on road customizers...and the offroad customizers.

i never had intentions of taking my hummer offroad...since day 1. i liked it because it was different, controversal, large enough for me and my family, tough, rugged....blah blah...everything the hummer was meant to be....but the case your stating makes it sound like, im not deserving of my hummer because i dont take it offroad. call me a poser for lifting it and keeping it on the pavement...thats fine..i dont really care. i get lots of dumb looks and comments anyways, around town. but the thing that bothers me is that people get very vocal on how they feel the car needs to be used. and thats where i dont agree. at least we live in a place that gives us the option to drive what we want....for now....if obama stays in, im sure this will be bound to change somehow.

Not deserving of your Hummer? LOL! This is America, you deserve what ever you want and can afford.


SIDE NOTE: You'd think that neither one of us has a job.

[tyler1bo]

Originally Posted by 2010_5thgen

....for now....if obama stays in, im sure this will be bound to change somehow.

God he's got to go..

[2010_5thgen]

Originally Posted by guruerror

All good questions...and I've often wondered the same about the lift kits. I agree, when done in moderation, 4-6", they look pretty badass. The higher center of gravity is what's always kept me away from them. A slightly larger tire, better front-end components and a bit of leveling does the job nicely in my opinion...improves upon factory design without introducing any of these concerns.


Not deserving of your Hummer? LOL! This is America, you deserve what ever you want and can afford.


SIDE NOTE: You'd think that neither one of us has a job.

yeah were kinda slow this month so i can mess around on the computer more.
but on a side note about being able to drive whatever you want...my uncle works for us. he gets a company car...he wanted a tahoe...so he got one.....he lives literally 10 seconds away...his house is next to our shop.
my other uncle wanted a escalade...he got one...he lives about 2 minutes down the road....and they both use auto start to warm their cars up for their long drive home...... their a waste.

[2010_5thgen]

Originally Posted by tyler1bo

God he's got to go..

yeah but who do you go for? romney , who would have let the auto industry die if he were president...or santorum?.....

[tyler1bo]

Oh I agree..we are in the sh!tter as far as candidates go. Our political system is in the pits right now.

[tyler1bo]

I will say this that we cannot avoid getting attention..I get looks absolutely everywhere, and I've gotten a lot of compliments. I didn't do all this to my truck to be an attention getter, I did it because I wanted it for my own appeasement. I truly love driving my truck, just sheer enjoyment. I'm not the most dedicated offroader but I do take it through the sticks every now and then. And I have to admit it does pretty well! I agree that we should customize our H2's as we like them, but I'm definitely not a fan of dropping it to the ground, throwing 30's on it, or jacking it to the sky with 54's on it. Those are a little extreme IMO.

[tiny2012]

i'm still waiting for 0ne of them to jump in a chevy volt and go cross country to a fundraiser,but they can't,the big news could be gm is offering a natural gas option,just nowhere to buy it.....still the big news though....

[2010_5thgen]

Originally Posted by tiny2012

i'm still waiting for 0ne of them to jump in a chevy volt and go cross country to a fundraiser,but they can't,the big news could be gm is offering a natural gas option,just nowhere to buy it.....still the big news though....

volt wasnt intended for that. it was made for the commuter...they did studies showing the average distance people travel to work. it ended up being like 60 miles daily is the average. so they made the car run on electric for up to 60 or 80 miles before the generator kicks in. it wasnt intended for cross country touring.

[tyler1bo]

That's like the fisker. I believe the porsche employee said that the fisker will only go so far on battery (and it wasnt far) then it ran on regular fuel.

[2010_5thgen]

and isnt the fisker solar powered generator? im not sure exactly how it works, but im sure they dont sell too many fiskers in seattle or england.

[s_c5519]

Originally Posted by 2010_5thgen

volt wasnt intended for that. it was made for the commuter...they did studies showing the average distance people travel to work. it ended up being like 60 miles daily is the average. so they made the car run on electric for up to 60 or 80 miles before the generator kicks in. it wasnt intended for cross country touring.

The Volt is supposed to do about 35 miles on the battery before the engine kicks in. Some have reported 40+ miles on a single charge, but that is under optimum conditions, warm weather, slow driving and braking, not using ac/heat, or power windows etc...

I had one last year, only put 800 miles on and sold it. I was driving it here in New England in about 40 degree temps and was getting about 15 miles per charge. I can't imagine how bad it would have been if it was colder...

[2010_5thgen]

And they did testing for that stuff. Why would it be so horrible? They did years and years of testing, including cold weather testing. That's weird. I'd rather just buy a Eco cruze if I'm looking to get better mpg. My buddies gets close to 50 on the highway.

[tyler1bo]

I think diesel is the future. Batteries will only go so far.

[s_c5519]

Originally Posted by 2010_5thgen

And they did testing for that stuff. Why would it be so horrible? They did years and years of testing, including cold weather testing. That's weird. I'd rather just buy a Eco cruze if I'm looking to get better mpg. My buddies gets close to 50 on the highway.

I'm sure that's a big part of the reason why GM put the Volt production on halt today. The battery mileage just isn't there yet on it, and people ain't buying... I think the Nissan Leaf battery gets 70-80 miles, but theres no engine to kick in after that... So that stinks too...

[2010_5thgen]

Originally Posted by tyler1bo

I think diesel is the future. Batteries will only go so far.

diesel is already here....i just dont understand why we dont have it and its huge in europe.....probably politics im sure.

[guruerror]

Originally Posted by 2010_5thgen

diesel is already here....i just dont understand why we dont have it and its huge in europe.....probably politics im sure.

I've always wondered the same thing. We put diesels in work trucks, but nothing else. Makes me wonder if it has something to do with how it's refined and where we have to get the crude from...dunno, haven't really looked in to.

Diesel does seem to be the way to go, though. For sure my next truck will be 'making all that racket' (as my grandmother puts it). No more full-size gassers for me.

Although...you really can beat the sound of a big ole American V8...

[2010_5thgen]

I think the only diesel cars we have here are a few Volkswagen models and a mercedes. But in Europe they have all kinds of diesel cars. Getting 30+ mpg no problem. And that's out of large sedans. But you pay more for diesel at the pump. I'm sure people will love the mpg but then they'll complain about the money they have to she'll out at the pump

[guruerror]

Originally Posted by 2010_5thgen

I think the only diesel cars we have here are a few Volkswagen models and a mercedes. But in Europe they have all kinds of diesel cars. Getting 30+ mpg no problem. And that's out of large sedans. But you pay more for diesel at the pump. I'm sure people will love the mpg but then they'll complain about the money they have to she'll out at the pump

But I bet if you do the math it all washes out anyway...more at the pump per gallon, but more miles for each gallon. Kinda reverse from how E85 was/is...less at the pump per gallon, but you get less MPG.

[tyler1bo]

My mom has a 2012 BMW X5 with a diesel in it. It will flat haul and gets in the high 20's in gas mileage. And diesel is about the exact same as premium gas where I live. And I'm sure it's politics..America is absolutely retarded when it comes to oil. We could easily drill our own but instead we keep doing the same sh!t we always do. Depend on someone else.