Reading all your posts on many threads (not just this one) I get the impression H1 guys are pretty upset at H2s and H3s. why ? maybe their are upset they paid a lot of money for a Hummer only to see it it being almost equalled by a 50K or a 35K smaller Hummer.
I must admit, before my H3, I used to drive a Chevy Blazer ZR2, which is a very capable offroad vehicle (
http://www.zr2.com) then GM in an effort to boost Daewoo sales rebadged a few small cars with a Chevy badge (
http://www.chevrolet.com/aveo/ ) that kind of upset me too, because I used to be proud to say I drive a CHEVY, then a wuss with 8K die-cast look alike can EQUALLY say : I drive a Chevy.
So I can understand the frustration the H1 guys are going through. having said that, what would you guys think if AMG was NOT owned by GM and it came up with the H2 and H3, would it be any different than the H2/H3 GM came up with ?
As an experienced offroader, also having driven all 3 Hummers, I can tell you out of experience, the H2 and H3 sometimes, in certain rare cases (not in general) they outperform the H1. Specially when the offroad situation requires a light vehicle, the H1 is simply TOOOOO HEAVY.
There's a rumor going around that for 2007, GM will be introducing either a supercharged H3 or a V8 based H3. if that ever comes out, you can bet it will outperform the H1 in any situation.
the H1 however, is better in terms of space and storage. the H1 is more like an offroad Mbile-Home. which is good in a way.
Summary : when comparing the H1 to the H2/H3, you are not comparing apples with apples here. you are talking about a manufacturer who built different vehicles for different applications. Do you use a chainsaw to cut an orange? similarly do you use a kitchen knife to cut down an oak tree ?
Remember, the H1 was designed for Military purposes, even the Military is designing a range of assault Buggies, this is not to replace the H1, but each vehicle has its applications depending on the situation at hand. The assult buggy is fast-attack vehicle with minimum personnel and armament, let alone armor, whereas the HUMVEE is a multipurpose, hard armored personeel carrier (more than 7 people with full gear).
Dopnt compare apples with oranges, they're BOTH useful.
SledgeHummer