Amstar Products Update

[Hal]

I thought this was worth re-posting in a new thread...
Here's the most up to date and detailed Amstar info I have.
(emailed to me 10/6/6)

The following are available now:
Aluminum Roof Rack Kit: PN 2868-9400-01 Bulletin: 06-17-01 Date 9/06
Rear Axle Skid Plate Kit: PN 2868-9390-01 Bulletin: 06-17-06 Date 9/06

The following are scheduled or under development:
Fox Off Road Shock Kit: 12/1/06
Two-Piece Aluminum Wheels: 12/1/06
Winch Bumper Brush Guard: 12/1/06
Rocker Panel Prot/Step: 1st Qtr 07
Cargo Area Drawers: 1st Qtr 07
Driveline Protection: 1st Qtr 07
Locker-Front: Working W/Eaton
Quick Disconnect Sway Bar: Engineering Hold
On Board Compressor: Engineering Hold

May sound dumb, but what or who is Amstar?
Aftermarket manufacturer or OEM?

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

This sounds like a commercial!!

RYD

[Hal]

http://www.amstarfun.com/

They are in direct partnership with AM General (you know who that is I hope) that's darn near OEM I'd say.
Don't I wish I worked for this company, I would already have all this kick AS5 off-road stuff. Read one of the early threads where so many of us were drooling over their product line:

http://www.elcovaforums.com/forums/s...t=cool+company

The only catch is, up until now, no one knew where, how or when any of this stuff would be available. I've been asking, waiting, emailing, calling my dealer for 8 months and now I finally have the above info from a sales rep that is in contact with my dealership... so I thought I would share it.

there's more excellent pictures and info on this site, see the "H3 Pictures" and "Wilderness Ready" links at:
http://www.hmrmagazine.com/multimedia.htm

I know many of us have already made significant mods to our H3's by now, but I have been waiting patiently for some of this stuff to become available so to me this news was exciting.

[BlueHUMMERH2]

Yeah, I agree, that's awesome news!

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

there's more excellent pictures and info on this site, see the "H3 Pictures" and "Wilderness Ready" links at:
http://www.hmrmagazine.com/multimedia.htm

That was one fast slide show...

RYD

[marin8703]

hey what are those two silver box things by the air filter in this picture:

http://www.hmrmagazine.com/images/H3/H3_35.jpg

im assuming some electronics? but for what?

[Beastmaster]

Those are HID Headlamp ballasts.

Thanks for the info. The site looks great. I really like the Two tone look with the Black top and color matched grill.

That will work for any of the Factory colors. It looks like though they painted all the trim as well? It probably isn't cheap to do all that prep work.

[H3HUMMER]

You go to their website and look at the catback system it is the stock system which i just threw out today.

[Hmmm2]

Originally Posted by RubHer Yellow Ducky

This sounds like a commercial!!

RYD

Well, it kind of is....lol.

Nice pics but is any of this stuff available today???

S.

[Hal]

read the opening message in this thread

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

Originally Posted by Hmmm3

Well, it kind of is....lol.

Still sounds like a commercial...

RYD

[Hal]

The commercial or whatever you want to call it continues...

I've finally ordered the shock skid plates thru my dealer (Proctor Tallahassee, FL) but it has been like pulling teeth with the parts dept there. I passed along my woes to AMstar and Here's what the AMgeneral rep had to say to me in a recent email..

Also thought you might be interested in the following information. It is right
from the "Horses Mouth".

The H3 driveline protection kits are on order and are due to arrive @ Ft
Wayne warehouse by Nov 15th. They will be released shortly thereafter.
The rear cargo drawer system is still under development and remains a Q2
'07 item unless we manage to get it done sooner.
FYI, our driveline protection system is designed and built stronger than
the SPO version and will be offered at the same price as some of the SPO
kits advertised on the internet. MSRP $385.00

I know you were interested in the Cargo Drawer and thought you might be
interested in the Drive Line Protection Package. See our engineers comments
above. FYI many H3 owners do not realize that they do not have a "Complete
Drive Line Protection Package" on their truck.
One other comment I might make regarding your e-mail and comments from
your dealer's parts manager. If Proctor's or any other HUMMER Dealer is hesitant about buying or
doing business with us, who do they think designed and built and still builds
the "Best Off Road Vehicle" in the world? Who stands behind their products as
good as GM and better than most other manufacturers? Many of our owner's say
that they have never been treated as fairly with any other product. Why do you
suppose that GM paid us Millions of Dollars for the Name, Marketing Rights and
Distribution rights of the civilian product? Lets just hope the product
offerings keep coming. As you can tell I'm very passionate about AMG/HUMMER/H1
and any other offerings with the HUMMER brand name.
AM General, AMSTAR included, we are "Off Road". Other companies are "Wanna
Be's" in Off Roading. We will always stand behind and support our products.
Your welcome to pass this information on to your H3 discussion group. Our delay
on some items is unfortunate but we will not offer the product unless it is
right and does the job better than or equal to the OEM.
Please keep in touch.

Alec Cumming, Manager
H1 National Operations
AM General, LLC

Seems sincere enough, and just supports the Hummer brand that much better.
If there was no solid foundation, then the name would eventually go down hill. With the attitude that AMG, has above, the Hummer line of civilian off road capable vehicles will continue to get better, and more desireable.

[bjc]

I just ordered the rear axel skids from my dealer (Criswell) for $240. Let's ignore the fact that the price is a total rip-off for a second.

The amount of work it took to get the order placed is beyond belief. 5-6 calls between the parts department and different people at Amstar. This is after I gave them the part number posted earlier on this board! The parts guys were absolutely clueless.

Just out of curiosity, I asked have much they wanted for the install, and they said "well, we charge $200 for installing rocker panel protection, so probably in that neighborhood..."

[Ipedog]

As much as I'm sure that Amstar products are great they are insanely overpriced and their "dealer" network is half assed at best. Sell this stuff direct, at a fair price and I'll buy it. But it doesn't look like this is gonna happen, and that is just plain

[Hal]

Originally Posted by bjc

The amount of work it took to get the order placed is beyond belief. 5-6 calls between the parts department and different people at Amstar. This is after I gave them the part number posted earlier on this board! The parts guys were absolutely clueless.

Anyone who is the first to request this stuff is going to meet the same resistance. It was the same at my dealer. They will give in to you eventually and once the parts door is open I wouldn't expect future problems. Many of these same parts managers go burned with SMA products that were poor quality and then the company went out of business. The dealers will come around, I'm confident of that.

A glint of hope in the price discussion... the AMstar driveline protection is reported to be better and stronger than the GM stuff (which I already have) but priced the same (msrp $385), so maybe it's not all bad.

[jp's-h3]

I really like the Amstar product line!
But, I think it will be to expensive as a dealer item.