Good morning everyone.
I am in the early stages of looking for an H2 for a recreational vehicle. I have been doing some research on line to get a good idea of the best year models to look at and for the Year models to steer clear of. I have noticed quite a few that are for sale have had quite a few owners and didn't know if this was due to the vehicle being bad, or the high cost of gas and other operating expenses or possibly both. Any input that You folks would be willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You in advance,
Mark (Mac5793)

 

Difficult to say why some have multiple owners. I picked up a 2003 with about 100,000 miles on it, previously owned by a business in Florida. In general, I always look for something with the fewest owners.

As for which model year is best, everyone has their own opinion. While I prefer the 2003 or any of the models with the four-speed automatic (4L65E) simply because it's an inexpensive easy rebuild compared to the 6-speed transmissions.... And really the 6 liter LS tends to last longer than the 6.2's. (less power though)
If I was going to do a lot of trailer towing, I'd probably go for a 2007 or 2008 that have the 6.2 l92 engine. That has the variable valve timing which improves low end torque, which equates into better fuel mileage than the 6.0 from 2003. Not to mention it's a hair over 400 horsepower. It all comes down to personal preferences. If you go for the later model you have the more expensive transmission.... That engine transmission combination is really the only variable in the H2 for the most part. Some have air suspension, some don't. With the exception of a few items like inside door panels and the rear wiper motor, it was pretty much assembled using off the shelf GM parts shared by Cadillac escalades, tahoes, suburbans and Chevy pickups. I would say pay attention under the hood and underneath and look for something that's been well maintained. If you're looking at one and the inside door panels are cracked or broken, keep in mind those can be several hundred dollars a piece. I've seen them on eBay pushing $1,000. So that's sort of a big thing to look for when considering one.

 

Less previous owners, low in miles, well maintained.

I’ve a 2008 as I just like the interior, for the engine I really don’t care.
It ain’t my primary vehicle, it’s just for fun, the ranch or hunting.
It had only one owner before me and just 74k, well maintained, always parked inside and never left Texas.

 

When I got mine i think the Carfax showed I was like the 8th owner with only 80k miles and the previous owner did 20k of that. I really dont think it had that many owners, no abnormal wear or heavy wear in the leather.

Wife had an 03 back in 2013, we were the second owners and sold it with 125k miles and it honestly looked as good as new, found and confirmed it was listed on facebook 3 months ago. Mileage had only gone up to 136k and it was absolutely trashed insided compared to when we had it, heavily worn leather and cracked panels all over.
Over 20 years old now so they usually gonna have some history, just depends on whos had their hands on it.

 

All years are good, what I look for is one with very few mods, close to stock. Buy the lowest mileage, cleanest example you can afford.

What is your budget?

 

I just bought an H2, 2005 SUT. If I could go back in time and know everything I know now I probably would have budgeted even more. But that is just a sign really of how much fun I am having. One thing I can add: some of those owners on the list are dealers. When they hold he title, they are an owner. Mine was sold to a wealthy pilot of a famous man, and I have 60 maintenance records. Final owner was actually the dealer who bought it for his personal use and knew firsthand who had traded it in. So get the carfax and look at how many times the title was swapped and when it was offered for sale. Five owners could actually be three dealers and two driver owners. Or they move and have to register it somewhere else. My carfax shows which dealer had it when it went up for sale. The one I bought is mostly factory and I gambled on the high miles with the high maintenance records. One thing I have learned the past 6 weeks: they are very easy to work on.

 

I have to agree, much easier to work on. That extra width is a game changer when pulling the transmission to do the rear main seal. Compared to our Escalade, so much more room underneath as well as in the engine bay.

 

A couple thoughts...

* Why do H2s tend to have multiple owners? I think this is because they are primarily recreational vehicles and not really driven daily. Given size, gas mileage and age (some are now 20+ years old), our H2s are typically 2nd or 3rd vehicles which are often sold if no longer used, there isn't space in the garage, times get tight, or if passions move to another vehicle. Also as a recreational vehicle, the types of recreation will determine if the H2 is still a fit... for example I know a couple guys where as they moved from 4x4 and camping to needing to pull boats, campers or larger loads at higher altitudes, the strength of the engine in the 03-07 series is often just not enough and they moved on to something else.

* 03-07 Considerations - The pro for getting an 03-07 model is that there were lots sold, so getting used parts is relatively straight forward. I have not really heard of any issues with any specific year between 03-07, but as with all vehicles, GM improved quality in each successive year. Based on that assumption, the highest quality year would have been the 2007 H2. Cons are that the engine is a bit underpowered and the interior is a bit dated. There are many from this series on the market at any time. Production declined in each year after 2003, so the number of vehicles available on the market will decline by model year.

* 08-09 Considerations - This was the redesigned H2. The pro is that these have a stronger engine, more refined ride, nicer interior, and reduced many of the rattles common in the prior series. These typically are priced higher than the 03-07 series and are typically less common on the market with the 2009 H2 the rarest of all. There are also more of these with mileage under 80k. There were less than 10k of this series sold, and there were less than 2,000 units built in 2009. The cons are that because there were so few vehicles produced, getting replacement parts is more challenging. The 2009 has the benefit of being a FlexFuel vehicle so you can use cheaper E85 gas, if offered in your area.

* Across all years were trims that add features that you may or may not want - Base, Luxury and Adventure. Check the features and focus on a specific package.

* Across all years there was the SUV and the SUT. Review and see which model you prefer. Be aware that because the SUT was less popular, there are parts on the SUT that are very hard to replace. The rear cabin and bed components and trim are unique with no shared parts.

* Pick your mileage. Mileage does drive pricing for H2s. Low mileage H2s are available, but you will pay more to get lower mileage. Mileage matters specifically for the interior and seats. Interior parts are very difficult to replace. Due to the height of the H2, most people slide out of the drivers seat... so the left side of this seat gets a lot of wear and this is much more noticeable on high mileage H2s.

* Look for Rust - Rust is the silent killer of older H2s. Unless you plan to run it in the snow and salt yourself, find an H2 from the South/West that has no rust.

* The most problematic area across all years is the rear air suspension. If it fails, repairs are costly and you will see many posts in these forums on attempts to repair. This is a challenge because none of the parts are available any longer. It's cool when it works, but if I were to avoid one thing, this would be it. Other than that most H2s run into the same issues as any 4x4 or older vehicle.

* When buying I do recommend that you get the vehicle inspected. I have used AIM on each H2 I have purchased and they find pretty much everything. They also offer an engine oil analysis which adds piece of mind. https://homepage.aiminspections.com
Here were the sales numbers by year.


Here are the current pricing trends by year from Car Gurus. Here you can clearly see the pricing on 08/09 H2s is elevated compared to the rest.

 

I expect the 03's to become the most collectible. First models almost always are. (Which was one reason I passed on an 06, besides the 03 having low miles.)

Yes, 3rd vehicle. Pulls the dump trailer and 19' boat (4000 lbs w/trailer) better than our 2014 Escalade. A heavy tow vehicle makes a huge difference on windy mountain roads. It's a beast when we get heavy snow. Never hesitate to head over the pass in a major snowstorm. Actually more comfortable than the Escalade.
But like any 21 year old vehicle, having the space and ability to work on it is a must. Shop rates are insane these days.
For me....the usefulness, fun factor, etc is priceless. Compared to a new $70k vehicle, there is no comparison. I put $3000 in parts to 'renew' wear items.....very cheap when compared to that new SUV. (All brakes, bearings, u-joints, seals and gaskets, oil pump, timing chain, rebuilt heads, new LS7 lifters, new starter, water pump, radiator, AC compressor and condenser and a lot more. Wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere. Picked it up for 11K, got 14k into it. I can't buy anything for that amount will all new wear components. Rebuild kits for tranny, transfer case, differentials are cheap....and I'll do those anyway around 140,000 just for preventative maintenance. But if you can't work on it yourself...best option probably is to buy something new with warranty....ouch. Even a new Kia is $20k and more.

 

Spot on.
The 08 and 09 are just higher in price due to the improved interior and engine.
Fact on the 08……