Answers Below in bold.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DiscoDuck:
I have seen alot of the information that I seek on this site and appreciate it greatly but have a few questions that I want to make sure I get straight before taking the H1 plunge...
Q1: Currently (not an H1 owner) I think the H1 is about the coolest vehicle on/off the road. If I purchase one, will that feeling fade?
Nope. The cool factor is greater now that I'm an owner.
Q2: I hear all about the huge costs of the regular maintanence but when I found the list of what is done in A, B and C service visits, it looks like most of the stuff is "inspect this" and "verify that" type things. Does that mean that the high costs are because the service is always finding things wrong with the trucks or that the Hummer dealerships are making a killing off of inspections?
A little of both. If you are willing to do your own A and B level service, you will save a ton of money. I do my own A, B, and C level service, and I save a lot of money in the long run.
The high costs of service are in markup for the parts, along with labor costs for mostly inspection work.
Q3: I currently own a '96 Land Rover discovery and am wondering if anyone else has made the jump from a Disco to an H1. If so, do you have any cautions to offer?
Get used to losing the narrowness of the Disco. On the other hand, you'll find that the H1 is far more stable than the Disco is.
Q4: I have measured my garage and think I can fit the H1 in but the only width measurements I have found don't include the mirrors. Will an H1 fit through the opening of a standard 9'x7' garage door? Will there be much space to spare?
Depending on the model year, add a total of 20 inches to the width. If you fold your mirrors, it should fit a 9 foot wide garage door. Be aware that the 7" height you mention does not take into account any "overhang" that is present when the garage door is open, and the molding on the bottom of the garage door is hanging down a bit.
Q5: Is the cracking of the hood a real problem or is it simply a result of off roading?
It's a result of frame flex while offroading and the nature of fiberglass. It's easy to fix.
Q6: Is there any other tricks that can be done to an engine that is at risk of the Cyl 8 failure? I have read on flashoffroad.com about a way to use coolent to keep the temps more under control but does that completely solve the problem? Has anyone had a failure after applying that work-around?
I recommend doing the Hedger Cool Kit. It's also featured on Chuck Kopelson's site. I've installed it before and it definitely should help remove the stagnant coolant in the back areas where the #8 cylinder resides.
Q7: When I calculate the MPG that I am getting in my Disco I get about 13.5 (calculating it based on a US Gal). I have read that the H1 is right in that ballpark too. Is that correct?
Yes.
Q8: If I was to use it as a daily driver, would you consider me crazy? I would be selling my Disco and my 300ZX to justify the purchase to my wife so it would be my only ride for a while.
My H1 is my daily driver.
Q9: My wife and I have 6 kids and like the idea of putting the two bench seats back to back but I can't find anything about where you purchase these seats and how they install. Does anyone have pictures of a people hauler installation like that? Also, any comments about the usability of the middle seats? Is there enough foot room behind the dog house to put your feet?
It depends on how old your kids are. If they are older than say 3rd grade, you might not be able to fit them in the auxiliary seat.
The H1 isn't a really good people hauler for that purpose. Now, there is such a thing as a Sierra conversion, which adds headroom and custom seating to where you can fit up to 8 people in an H1....but you need the conversion done first.
LAST ONE:
Q10: I live in Canada, does the 6.5 TD have any starting problems in cold weather?
No. As long as the unit has good glow plugs or has a block heater, it will be fine.
If you got all the way down to here... Thanks for reading. If you can provide any answers, Super!
Happy wheelin'
Shawn <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>