While it may be a couple of years until GM gets its new — but with decidedly retro styling cues — electric Hummer to market, there are still plenty of interesting gas-powered brutes like today’s Nice Price or No Dice H3 around to fill in the gap. Let’s see if this old-school truck’s price means it’s still relevant.
You know, the general complaint about public transportation — buses, trains, et al. — is that it doesn’t go everywhere you want, nor when exactly you want. That’s why a lot of us rely on good old personal transport to get us to the important places in our lives.
Yesterday’s 2003 BMW 325i was positioned by its seller as just such a commuter car, something to get around town for work and/or errands. At just $2,400, the asking price was a compelling argument for that role. The E46 3 Series’ reputation for niggling issues, however, runs counter to that argument. As we all know, rule No. 1 for a commuter vehicle is reliability. In the end, the price won out, and the car walked away with an overwhelming 72 percent Nice Price win.
The market appeared to agree with yesterday’s voting results, as the ad for the little Bimmer was pulled, a near-certain indicator of a sale. The ad for today’s 2006 Hummer H3 has been up for a week. Has its high mileage (234,000) scared off prospective buyers? Or maybe those prospects haven’t noticed the interesting drivetrain this Hummer possesses.
Let’s get to those miles first. Those 234,000 miles represent nearly a trip to the moon. That’s a lot of asphalt under the tires, but this Hummer doesn’t seem to show them in either body or cabin.
It’s not all squeaky clean here, though. There is some built-up brake dust grunge on the 16-inch factory alloys, which serves as minor evidence of their age and use. There’s also some damage on the left-rear quarter panel which has resulted in the bumper cap and tail lamp housing requiring black duct tape to hold it all in place.
The interior doesn’t seem to suffer any such problems. It’s all apparently stock, except for an aftermarket audio head unit in the center stack. There don’t appear to be any errant warning lights or CELs on the instrument cluster, so the mega-miles don’t seem to be reflected in any serious mechanical woes.
It’s the mechanicals, however, that are this Hummer’s most interesting aspects. The H3 was built on the Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon pickup platform and shared many of its drivetrain options.
In the case of this one, that meant a 3.5-liter DOHC inline five-cylinder and five-speed Aisin manual gearbox. That Vortec five-cylinder was part of an engine family called Atlas by General Motors, and in the H3 it offered 220 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. This engine is notable for being the only five-pot mill ever produced and sold by a U.S. automaker.
Paired with the H3’s electronically controlled full-time four-wheel drive, the drivetrain makes the Hummer a reasonably capable, and modestly efficient, on- and off-roader.
Along with the interesting powertrain, this H3 comes with the Adventure Package. That included 33-inch tires, up-rated shocks, locking diffs on both axles and a brush guard for the nose. According to the ad, this is a one-owner truck, and it has followed the factory service schedule its whole life. The title is clean and the asking price is $8,000.
That price is a far cry from what a new electric Hummer is going to cost you, should GM ever actually release the new model for sale. Of course, that new Hummer is going to be miles more advanced and suitably fancier, so you likely will be getting what you pay for.
I don’t know about you, but I think if I were in the market for a vehicle under the Hummer umbrella, this truck would be more my speed.
What do you think, does this H3 look to be worth that $8,000 asking? Or, do those miles add up to what should be a lower price?
You decide!
Frederick, Maryland, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
H/T to Ben Steiner for the hookup!
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