V-8-POWERED H3 ALPHA

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Huck BB62

The six speed is also VERY expensive. The little H3's platform was avilability. Ok, so some of us wanted a V8, that's not too hard or expensive. If you added the six speed in there, the premium would be almost $5k! I'm not so sure that you'd get people chunkin' up over $45k for an H3.

The six speeds are wonderful, but the four with the overdrive and a low low range t-case works great and is STOUT. The six speed is complicated, very complicated, and expensive.

The H2 is a premium marquee. It can sustain the hit that's going to be incurred in that driveline.

IF GM would just go ahead and make the 6sp their platform tranny like VW has done it would cut the costs considerably. For only $38K you get Tourareg V6 with 6 sp transmission.

Originally Posted by Huck BB62

As far as the Touareg vs. the H3. You're serious? ... I've read numerous accounts of the things creaking and flexing like an old RV when they're used that way. The ground clearance, hell, ALL the offroad capabilities are a compromise compared to the H3. I've driven a Touareg, it's ok but it's tight, very tight. On the road, they handle very well. I think offroad it's about 30% of what an H3 is.

The H3, it's slanted towards offroad. It's hell bent for stout. There's none of that flexing doors thing going on when it's crossed up. It's ground clearance, approach and breakover angles make the Touareg look like, well, the CAR that it is. That's why it's so heavy. It handles the road reasonably well. It's about 60% of what a Touareg is on the road. With the new V8, I'd place it much higher than that, more like 80%. If you did something silly like lowered the H3 and put street tires on it with the V8, I bet it'd surprise you (BUT THAT AIN'T HAPPENING!).

I would never argue the capability of a fully indie suspension (Touareg) over an indie front with solid a solid rear. About the same difference in capability as Indie front/solid rear, to solid/solid (as in a Jeep). I have run my Touareg in some pretty heavy offroading. It has 85k miles now and I have never seen or heard any of the flexing of the doors that you describe. As a matter of fact it is still the most solid and rattle free vehicle I have ever owned. Quite frankly one of my worries IF I did get a H3, is that it wouldn't end up a rattle-trap, a few years down the road.

Here are a few numbers that might surprise you:

Ground clearance T: 8.3 H3: 8.5
Weights: T: 5168 H3: 4700
Fording Depth: T: 19.7 H3: 24"
Towing T: 7700 H3: 4500
Payload: T: 1325 H3: 1150

Of couse the H3 has the Touareg beat in the approach, departure, and breakover angles.

I regularly drive my Touareg down those isolated stretches of south Texas at Autobahn speeds (110 mph) and it is so smooth it feels like I'm doing about 70. But I'm a four time former Jeep owner and like the utilitarian look.

To me, an H3 Alpha seems to be a good compromise between a Jeep and a Touareg. I just don't understand why for as much as you pay, it doesn't AT LEAST have a 5 sp tranny.

The early VW Toureg V6's have an even worst power to weight ratio when compared to the 3.5 H3. (And so does the rarely seen V6 LR3 for that matter). I personally know a car buff with a V6 Toureg as a commuter rig and the first week he leased it, he was complaining about the power.

Why is the unibody VW so heavy at over 5000 lbs? Typically unibody construction results in a lighter curb weight.

I read a comparison road test many months ago (actually offroad test) and the VW was creaking as the doors moved in the twisting frames. A fully boxed frame is preferred for that type of abuse. Recently I read that Toureg sales have declined into the range of 10,000 units/year in the US, not a good sign.

I have 35,000 miles on my H3, no rattles so far. I wondering if the head will last before the first rattle.

[evldave]

Originally Posted by Steve - SanJose

I have 35,000 miles on my H3, no rattles so far. I wondering if the head will last before the first rattle.

x2. 31,000 miles here, no head issues, no rattles. I'll just keep driving the hell out of it and hope nothing bad happens

Originally Posted by evldave

x2. 31,000 miles here, no head issues, no rattles. I'll just keep driving the hell out of it and hope nothing bad happens

Same here, no mercy. Still enjoying it daily!

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Steve - SanJose

The early VW Touareg V6's have an even worst power to weight ratio when compared to the 3.5 H3.

HP to weight is only relevant in equal running gear. The T is underpowered but the drive ability is quite good because of the 6-sp and my commuting mileage is good for a vehicle that heavy at about 20 - 21 MPG.

That's why my comments about a 6-sp for the H3. Also, being able to manually shift while off roading and even in low range is awesome.

We should be demanding one for the H3.

[RuggedH2]

Spuds,

I agree with Huck. My brother in law drives a Touareg. It's a decent SUV for snow and great in city driving. We took them on some easy trails together, they are not good off road.

My take is that when the engineers sit down to put a vehicle together they have criteria in mind that is developed for their target demographic. The Hummers demographic is off road. The vehicle is designed around that philosophy, the volkswagen appears to me to be much more about the on road driving. Compromises will be required to fit in as many different buyers into the demographic as possible while still maintaining the target.

Hummer should have a front locker on the new Alpha as far as I'm concerned, but the blingers probably have more say than I do on the vehicle right now. There is more of them.

Just my .02

Originally Posted by Spuds

HP to weight is only relevant in equal running gear. The T is underpowered but the drive ability is quite good because of the 6-sp and my commuting mileage is good for a vehicle that heavy at about 20 - 21 MPG.

That's why my comments about a 6-sp for the H3. Also, being able to manually shift while off roading and even in low range is awesome.

We should be demanding one for the H3.

I agree that a 5 speed or 6 speed would be a great improvement to the H3 (or just about any vehicle with a 4 speed tranny). I would certainly like one.

The 20-21mpg with the VW is also the result of better aerodynamics/lower profile, street tires, and the amazingly slow highway speed that you are able to maintain. Vehicles that are biased towards offroad ability tend to sacrifice highway gas mileage.

[The Juice]

This will change my opinion of the H3.

Not of the owners. Just the car itself.

[RuggedH2]

Feeble, downright anemic.

Come on dude, you're an AE troll - the sky's the limit. That's the best you got?

That's not even worth the effort. You gotta step it up.