[waikikiTed]

Just got my H2 last week..........I'm so excited about it because it truly has been my dream vehicle for quite awhile. I have a pretty tricked out TJ as well as a very sharp 300C which is my company supplied car. BUT.....

(long but joyous anecdote follows) I always figured if I wanted to upgrade to an H2, I'd have to sacrifice my TJ since the wife was adamantly against having a Hummer as the family vehicle. I couldn't part with the TJ just yet, too much love there.

Well, well, well............ her (wife's) SUV was starting to give us post-warranty issues lately and I, being a traveler for my job, couldn't have any peace of mind, thinking of her driving my 2 year old little boy around, in a car that could be giving her problems, and me being out of town to not be able to help should they have issues. We have no family in the state as we only recently relocated for my job so there's no one for her to call for a hand when she needs help. I buckled into letting her get a "new" car as opposed to putting some $$$ into the repiar that her ML was gonna need and dealing with it for another year or so. She wanted to look at the Commander or a Caddy SRX as a 'mom' car........ walking thru the Caddy lot,(who just happens to be the Portland area Hummer dealer as well!!!) past the menacing H2's, I ignored them, went towards another batch of SRXs, toward some Pre-Owned Escalades. BUT the wife was transfixed staring at the H2. Odd.....I ignored it. I have previously rented H2and H3s via Hertz when traveling hoping she'd get the bug- but she never did. Only complained about the poor visibility of the H3.

She test drove the Escalade and felt it was too "truck-like" She tested the SRX and thought "nice, but feels like the 300C. Very "car-like". Then, like little Red Riding Hood looking for the perfect bowl of porridge- decided to try the H2 for the sake of humoring me and it was "jsu riiiiight". Note, I NEVER once indicated we should look at the H2. I ignored it completely. When we test drove it, I sat in the back with the little guy and didn't even ask to get behind the wheel. After discussion, we left.

That night she wouldn't stop talking about the H2. She LOVED it. Said it felt so safe, so luxurious, drove with a feeling of security like a truck, but a classy comfort of what she thought the Escalade should feel like, but didn't. She made her demands for it having to include a sunroof and 3rd row seat (so she didn't seems easy I guess.)

I had to contain my giddiness. Do my research, make it look like it was a great thought, but maybe not practical at this time, blah blah blah......... I WAS GOLDEN!!!!! Went back, redrove the SRX, said "are you sure?????? its not cheap and poor on gas....." I tried to look open minded.

Monday evening we drove off the lot with our H2!!!!! (and a new Hummer jacket I had to buy as well while there, just because) There's nothing that makes me happier than the temporary fear of ripping apart the garage door frame when hearing the antennae scrape pulling in the garage. It reminds me of the fact that I have my H2 AND kept my other toys!!!

I also love the controversy that having the car causes. Especially when someone feels compelled to point out the 11 MPG of the H2, not at all realizing that their Inifinty QX is getting the same 11MPG, or their Escalade is getting 12 MPG.......probably much worse than that cuz they dont know how to keep the tires inflated properly or change their air filter & having a tune up!!!