Auto or 5 Speed

[TANDREW]

What does every one prefer the auto or 5 speed trans?
Why?

[K9sH3]

Auto... if you deal with traffic and hills.

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

When I got my truck I thought a stick would be cool,

BUT

no sticks available in YELLOW with LUX PKG,

SO

I got the auto

AND

now that I turned 60

I'm glad.........

[NEOCON1]

auto , damn peddels are close enough already couldant imagine a clutch down there too :jump:

[HBH3]

I have the 5 speed and love it; however I have always driven manual. If you are used to auto just get auto. By the way the pedal issue was improved in the 2007s

[Wisha Haddan H3]

I love my 5spd, and that was a big selling point for me. I couldn't find one with both the Adv pkg and sunroof, so I special ordered one.

I never had a problem with the pedal spacing. Here's a pic I took last summer for an old thread ...

[Wisha Haddan H3]

Auto... if you deal with traffic and hills.

You're right about traffic in a manual ... rush hour sucks big time. But I gotta disagree with you on the hills.

I test drove both auto and manual H3s up I-70 on 6% grades, and the manual did a much better job. The auto couldn't decide what gear it wanted and it felt like I was lagging behind the traffic. But in the 5-speed I just stick in 4th and hit 3rd on the steeper grades and when passing (yes passing) other vehicles. Engine braking is easier on the way back down, too.

My only pet peeve with the 5-speed is 1st gear at a dead stop. Trying to engage 1st gear from neutral (with clutch to the floor), there's some resistance at idle (about 600 RPMs). But if I rev the engine a little (to 1000 RPMs or so), it slides in nice.

Anyone else notice this?

[ChiHummer3]

My 3 is an automatic. It's the first automatic I've ever owned. When I was looking to purchase my Hummer I searched locally for a manual 3 and nobody had one....so I just went with the auto.

Driving isn't quite as "fun" with an auto tranny - but I guess that's just a personal preferance. With the manual you get the response you want when you want it. I absolutely agree with the statement that with the auto H3, it seems like the tranny can't figure out what gear it needs to be in sometimes.

I guess auto has been a good change for me though. I'm getting older, and I don't feel the need to race with my car anymore - and with the H3, you couldn't do that anyway. :o

FYI - My last vehicle was an SUV and, like I said, was manual transmission - and I had a hard time selling it. It was in great shape, and I had a lot of lookers on it, but people seemed to run when they heard it was manual. That may just be a local thing though.

[HummerHippy]

I went with the 5 speed. I wanted to be able to pick the gear myself when climbing hills etc. But I bet rush hour traffic could be a bitch with the manual. Also, I first noticed the peddle spacing issue when test driving, but have never had a prob with it once I brought it home. 10 1/2 shoe. Also, I wanted the posibility of 1 extra mpg. :)

[Steve - SanJose]

Prefer automatic dealing with traffic as my daily driver. Prefer stick on my other (sports) car. But I wish the H3 was a 6 speed automatic.

[1_maniac]

Berstrom Hummer of Milwaukee has a yellow '06 H3 with the Lux/Adv
MP3 radio / black tube steps / brush guard / 5 SPEED / with under 11K

I had to order it ... Only drawback is that it has a couple of serious quirks
that neither the dealer or GM could or would fix ... at times, when the clutch
is depressed the engine revs to 4K and stays there ... 2nd ... the brakes are
really spungy and never have worked right since day one ...

Now since it was not a "BuyBack" or "Lemon" the title is not branded ... neither
does GM or any dealer has to disclose it ... IF the new buyer asks, the dealer
is required by Wisconsin law to provide the previous owner's name & address

I was going to order an exact replacement, but the yellow is no more
For '08 the replacement color is "Sunset Yellow", which no one seems to
know what color that is ... If it is the color of the "flat gold" I've seen in
pictures of the '08 ... NO thanks

If, you are going to buy a pre-owned vehicle ... always ask to speak to the
previous owner before making the purchase

[Desert Dan]

5-speed was my choice but I prefer manual trans.

I had to order the 5-speed with Adventure and Lux Package

The debate over manual VS auto will go on for ever.
I still think you get better perfomance out of a stick if you know how to drive it. I like decideing when to shift up or down.

Off road with the 4:1 low range starting and stopping on hils etc. is a non-issue.

The gearing is low enough that stop and go traffic isn't too bad.

I hope a 5-speed will be offered with the V8

[f5fstop]

After years of manual Heeps, I switched to automatics for off-roading, automatics for normal road in a normal vehicle, and a manual trans for hi-perf vehicles such as vettes.

I should also like to mention, this is a very personal subject and very subjective.

(PS I would bet a lunch, no 5-speed for Alpha.)

[PackerFever]

I also got the 5 speed. I do live in the moutnains in Colorado and tested the auto....went with the manual. I also ahd a manual and an automatic cherokee.....the auto was a V8 so there was not hesitation when climbing.

I am going to have to get used to it but the plan was to get the V8 manual in Yellow.....now I will ahve to convince myself to get over it. If there is the slightest chance Yellow wil be back in 09 because of customer demand....I might wait.

[HUMMJAY]

f5fstop- 4L60-E auto trans for the alpha

[Huck BB62]

Seriously, if I can wait a year and get yellow again, I'll wait too. It's just the way it's supposed to be!

I've driven sticks all my life on and off road. If the engine's big enough, the auto makes life so nice. On my last Scout that I built, I had a hand throttle on the stick, it made SUCH a huge difference!!!!

If I had a manual again, I'd have to have the hand throttle AND I'd have to make it so that I could start it in gear, whatever that took. On a really steep scary climb, it takes a stout bladder to do it with the pedals. Being able to start it in gear, rev it by hand as you hold on the brake and slip the clutch is heaven.

Ol Russel himself (the offroad guru of all times) went to automatics in his CJ8. After years of driving every trail in the country, he switched. That speaks VOLUMES!

I have too many danged curves and hills to put up with rowing it by hand but I have to say this: That paddle shifter on the wheel with the new 6.2 is frickin' unreal! It'd be an amazing upgrade for the H3 Alpha to get a 6 speed with the shifter paddles. The H2 crowd has no idea as to how awesome an upgrade that is!

We had a little Element that had a pushbutton on the shifter for taking it out of overdrive. I'd love even THAT feature on the Hummer. It allows for a little down shifting in the corners without rowing the shifter... nice.

Hey, F5, any idea as tow if the Alpha's going to have the tow/haul mode?!? Is the sunset yellow a blingy ghetto color or is it nice?

[Agriv8r]

They each have their place, but for the long haul, the automatic is the way to go..just an opinion!

[HUMMJAY]

HUCK- I looked through the color chart for o8' no yellow of any veriety, also no tow haul mode for alpha.

[Steve - SanJose]

We had a little Element that had a pushbutton on the shifter for taking it out of overdrive. I'd love even THAT feature on the Hummer. It allows for a little down shifting in the corners without rowing the shifter... nice.

?

Had the same feature on my 2002 Toyota Highlander, worked great.

[Huck BB62]

HUCK- I looked through the color chart for o8' no yellow of any veriety, also no tow haul mode for alpha.

MOTHER$&#&'N S^$*BRAINS!:rant: :rant: :rant:

Why do they have to go and crap on a perfectly good parade. I was reading an article where one of the color people for GM actually took cues from Martha Stewart. Why I oughtta drive up there and kick the dogsnot outta those twinkle toed drapery pickers.... Is there a REASON that someone with half a brain can't oversee the whole project and make it so they don't have to put a turd in the punch bowl?!?

[H3slate]

I have a manual and love it. When I got my H3 my dealer only had two or three on hand, so I special ordered mine, had to wait two months, but got everything I want. I have owned a gutless 84 subaru auto, a 88 vw stick, a 93 auto xterra and now the H3. For me, the manuals were always more fun to drive.

I feel like I have more control over our slightly underpowered vehicle. Not going fast enough? just down shift and punch it.

I was at a Hummer event in Reno, we were going down a steep hill to demonstrate the crawl ratio, all the autos were braking all the way down, my H3 crawled down by itself, no brakes. The better crawl ratio rules!

[3Hummer]

I took the auto only cause i do a lot of driving lots of lights. Also my dad had a stick car it was fun for every now and then i drove it but for my self to drive it all the time it would get annoying.

[Hal]

The crawl ratio on the stick is what sold me because I was buying this truck primarily for its off road ability. It is also true, being under powered, the manual helps you get a move on when you need to. As for steep hills, the low range manual will idle up or down any hill at a snail pace, so no problem with foot work on the pedals, just let out the clutch and the brake at the same time, you don't even need to touch the gas and the truck starts idleing up the hill or down, slow, safe and controlled!

[Huck BB62]

I like engine braking as much as the next guy, I'm sorta curious as to will the Hummer ever come out with engine braking technology or that the 5.3's extra three cylinders may help in the braking department. My quad, a BRP Outlander Max XT brakes as good as anything on the market. I've yet to see anything steep enough to overrun the engine braking. Maybe Hummer could take something from that? Even in 4lo, I do use the brakes. But for the rest of the time, there's no way, no how, that I'd have a Hummer stick because of the interlock that keeps it from starting in gear. Has anyone ever rigged a hand throttle on a Hummer?

If someone hasn't stalled on a climb, or obstacle, they haven't been on gnarly enough stuff. One instance in particular, bar none, that's terrifying as hell, is a big, long steep, slippery climb. Stabbin' the clutch to get it done may be the worst thing ever.

My Scout was geared plenty low, 73:1 and one time in particular that stuck out in my mind was a lon steep scrabbly two track to a ghost town. I'd let my mud terrains get a little bald. This climb was forever long on a ridge. I only made it to just near the top and dug in. I stomped on the brakes, put it in reverse (the engine was flooded, that's how steep it was) and started it in gear and drove it down backwards. It was a long long puckerfest to the bottom!!!!

On the other hand, had I not had the gearing and had to use the brakes, maybe it wouldn't have had such a good outcome because once that front end breaks loose and starts to come around, you're screwed, blued, and tattooed.

There's good and bad to both. If they nailed the engine braking like BRP's done on my quad, I'd say that there's no way that I'd want to live with a stick.

[TANDREW]

just wondering with alot of you going to moab and rincon what worked better for you? I know the stick works wonders on hills and normal trails but what about the harder stuff?

[Wisha Haddan H3]

just wondering with alot of you going to moab and rincon what worked better for you? I know the stick works wonders on hills and normal trails but what about the harder stuff?

Can't say about Moab (.... yet :D), but I've been up some really steep and rocky terrain in Colorado. On descents, the manuals have an advantage with their engine braking. On level ground, they're similar to the autos ... since the gearing is so low you can usually BTM and not stall.

Going uphill was the only time I had issues. On 95% of it, the 5-spd performed the same as the autos I was with. But on the steepest, most technical terrain with serious off-camber grades where rockstacking was required, BTM would have come in real handy.

One time, I was on a steep grade balanced on stacked rocks, knowing I had to dodge alternating boulders and deep moguls a few feet ahead to continue up the grade. That terrain was hard enough without worrying about an engine stall.

Still, I made it up though ... just took some planning, finesse and a great spotter (thank Alan) :)

[HUMMJAY]

HUK-sorry about the turd in in the punch bowl. I left our product rep a v-mail about the tow haul, I seem to recall him talking about auto down shifting on the ALHA but I dont know how that would work w/out a mode button,

[Huck BB62]

HUK-sorry about the turd in in the punch bowl. I left our product rep a v-mail about the tow haul, I seem to recall him talking about auto down shifting on the ALHA but I dont know how that would work w/out a mode button,

Well, with all this hand wringing, I do have some things that, in my own unimportant opinion, should've been no brainers.

I just about stopped short of calling F5 a beeotch without midol for pissin' about the colors and there I go snivelin' about 'em. (I stand very corrected, sorry F5) I mean after all, if you're going to spend $40k on a vehicle, you should love it.

I've got to build a garage/shop this coming year and I get to fill it with wood working tools. I may forgo the Alpha. I want it. I want it BAD but there's a few things that may stop my emotional plunge:

The color selections. What the heck are they thinking. A yellow and the tan from the H1 line are musts for the Alpha. They really REALLY need to get that Alpha image in their head. They can make a bling model too but there's the whole utilitarian crowd that's being told to go screw themselves. Not smart, not smart at all.

Lux package only with chrome and crap. Again, the ad people are running rampant in the development department. All those dumbassed urban boing boing commercials appear to be their direction. Have they EVEN stopped to think of their most ardent consumer base or has the H2 metro kooks infiltrated every nook and cranny of the Hummer team?!?

A V8 and no tow haul mode. Ok, am I missing something here? At least include an easy overhaul kickout function. Believe me, it'd save a lot of tranny repairs for people towing by keeping the tranny locked up and cooler. 6000lbs is a pretty good tow and every hill, it's going to kick out of lockup and with the 5.3 stirrin' the red stuff, it's going to make heat.

To be an Alpha and make me bite the hook without EVEN thinking about my budget:
Put a stinkin' offroad package together. Put the winch, the front locker, the skid plates, rocker protection on it. Offer the roof rack without it costing a stupid G note. And upon further thought, a LOT of the offroad people want the manual. I might not be one of 'em, but they're there and their desire is valid. Offer it without all the lux bling crap, it's not wanted by the offroad crowd. Jeep did it, Dodge did it, how about making "Like No Other" mean it.

Again, look at the H1 color palette. It speaks HUMMER, not Martha Stewart bling of the month club. It's almost as bad as the Sierra Denali being offered in only three colors.

[Spuds]

Potential H3 Alpha customer here and :iagree:

But why should we even have to chose between manual and auto?

Why not the best of both, like a Triptonic 6-speed?

[Matt19]

I drive a stick for my car, but not for my hummer. I was very adamant on not getting a manual. I just want to get in and drive and not worry about rolling back on sick hills. For my car, i am able to balance it on hills if it isnt sickly steep. But I remember there was this one hill that I had to ride clutch and gas, and I felt horrible.
I brought my hummer to that hill and The hummer said "screw u hill" and i think leveled it.. Now its a hill-no-more.

My hummer is an 07 and the pedel spacing down there isnt great, but easy to get used to.

[HUMMJAY]

I couldnt agree more HUK. you can walk on to a ford dealership and buy a base explorer with a $1600ish v8 option, but if you want a v8 in your HUMMER they make you buy all the bells and whistles, we dont have pricing yet but I'm guessing around $40,ooo.oo for an ALPHA

[f5fstop]

Tow haul? The V8 will have the same basic overdrive trans the 5-cylinder currently has so for tow hauling, put the darn trans in 3rd gear. I believe they might recommend that in the owner's manual. I know for driving through the mountains, I have always used 3rd.

As for colors, they do have at least one new color I like, as well as the desert orange.

Huck, you think I'm stubborn on colors, well, I just looked and found out they are not offering desert orange next year, yet all the photos of the Alpha are in desert orange. Unless Hummer has renamed desert orange to something else; I may just get peed off enough to go purchase desert green.

[Huck BB62]

Popping down to third isn't the same as tow/haul F5, it holds the shift points longer. It's better. It's a LOT better for the tranny, particularly if someone's towing near 6,000lbs.

What color is desert green? Is it a sage color like the light green on the Trailblazers? (by the way, the Trailblazer SS has the 400hp 6.0, why not the Alpha?)

[f5fstop]

I understand tow haul is different, whether or not it is better for the trans would have to be proved to me in warranty figures.

If you want a 400 hp engine, my suggestion is to go purchase one because Hummer will never be known for HIGH PERFORMANCE as a road vehicle. If you want tow haul, purchase a vehicle with tow haul. If you don't like the colors, either do what I'm going to do and that is switch to another vehicle, or keep the color you have.

[Huck BB62]

I understand tow haul is different, whether or not it is better for the trans would have to be proved to me in warranty figures.

If you want a 400 hp engine, my suggestion is to go purchase one because Hummer will never be known for HIGH PERFORMANCE as a road vehicle. If you want tow haul, purchase a vehicle with tow haul. If you don't like the colors, either do what I'm going to do and that is switch to another vehicle, or keep the color you have.

Sounds like good advice. In fact, that would seem to sum up GM's corporate attitude? (just yankin' your chain)

The Blazer SS is a freakin' hot rod. I wonder if I can morph the two together. You see, I don't want a whole stable of cars. I want one great one. I guess that's asking a bit too much.

What vehicle are you switching to?

By the by, what color is that desert green close too?

[f5fstop]

Believe me, I'm as far from GM's corporate attitude as Hillary is from GW's on Iraq. I believe in GM's best interest and that is to provide the customers with what they want, within limits.

I was wrong on Desert Green, it is really called Rescue Green, and it is available on the Jeep Rubicon.

[HummerLite]

I have a manual and love it. When I got my H3 my dealer only had two or three on hand, so I special ordered mine, had to wait two months, but got everything I want. I have owned a gutless 84 subaru auto, a 88 vw stick, a 93 auto xterra and now the H3. For me, the manuals were always more fun to drive.

I feel like I have more control over our slightly underpowered vehicle. Not going fast enough? just down shift and punch it.

I was at a Hummer event in Reno, we were going down a steep hill to demonstrate the crawl ratio, all the autos were braking all the way down, my H3 crawled down by itself, no brakes. The better crawl ratio rules!

Gee, I special ordered mine too, I was going to get the Alpha, But, I like the manual transmission too much...... I think i'm gonna supercharge my H3 and save some money, Not really into all that crome..... Maybe they will see that some people enjoy driving there Hummers with a manual transmission.... I live in New York and see alot of traffic and still love the manual trans.. I offroad alot too, never been a problem, over the roughest rocks and hills and love the low crawl ratio going down hills too
5 Speeds = FUN:dancingbanana: :D
Automatic = BORING

[Huck BB62]

Believe me, I'm as far from GM's corporate attitude as Hillary is from GW's on Iraq. I believe in GM's best interest and that is to provide the customers with what they want, within limits.

I was wrong on Desert Green, it is really called Rescue Green, and it is available on the Jeep Rubicon.

It's a bright almost lime green color. Kind of interesting, but definitely makes Hummer look like a copy cat. What are the other two similar to?