Hi MichiganMan, I have sent you a Private Message.

 

As far as the lack of visibility goes, it is not too bad. From the back window you do have some restrictions, but I fixed that with a camera. I just got my camera from Target for $99 and it works great. Plus depending on what it is you want, you can either hook the camera to the backup lights like you are supposed to, or you can hook them to the parking lights so that you can have it on when you are driving down the road too.

 

Avoid a lease. (my personal opinion as well as many of the top investment experts)
I put an RV magnifier in my rear window.
Back up Camera would be a nice option.
The mileage difference between the Ford and the H3 is minimal.
Kids Love my H3 want to be in it all the time, have never mentioned the cave thing.

 

Newbie,

$400 is a great payment on an H3, especially compared with the rates and residuals in today's leasing market...and I do know as I work as a manager in a HUMMER dealership now and was a finance manager there for over 4 years. Today, it will cost you over $700 a month to lease a new truck and with the drop in valueall SUVs have suffered, buying is just plain stupid unless you're buying a certified pre-owned truck from a HUMMER dealer.I can buy 06 H3soff of SmartAuction all day long for 14K. Remember, you buy what appreciates and you lease what depreciates, despite what the uninformed have to say about leasing. My 06 H3 (same config - Adventure, 33" tires, etc.) averaged about 16 - 16.5 MPG during my daily commute of 70 miles (mostly highway with some morning brain damage congestion, some creeping along at 5 MPH through the toll booths and past the airport, etc.) and my 08 is doing about the same. As for the vision out of the rear ofthe truck, it's not the best, but it's liveable. If you level the front with the Cognito/Bilstein shocks, the rear vison improves dramatically. However, if you just pay attention you won't back into anybody, especially a cop with lights on the top of his car!!! As for your 4 year old, while I love kids, he'll get over it and quite honestly, he'll never know the difference. Even if he thinks he's in a tunnel, which he won't cause 4 year olds don't think like that...c'mon, he's 4!!! 18 months in his life is like 18 days!!!

 

Newbie,

One more thing...definitely want to make sure the lease is a closed end lease. These trucks had amazingly high residuals which resulted in such low payments. The buyout at the end of my 06 lease was $26K...the truck was worth $12-13K. That became GMAC's problem, not mine like it would have been if I had bought the truck. If the lease is a closed end lease, the lessee is not responsible for anything at the end of the lease besides excess wear and tear and mileage. If GMAC is the lessor, I can provide you with all of the information you need to make an informed decision regarding end of lease charges. Remember, the residual is not your problem, it's the lessor's...that's the beauty of leasing!

 

I just bought an 07. I got it for less than $20,000 and its loaded (almost). It was a lease return with less than 30,000 miles and my payments are $350 a month. Gm is going to drop the hummer line. Atleast that what the salesman told me. The biggest thing I dislike is you have to take it to a hummer dealer for warranty work. My nearest is about 150 miles away. Anyway I love it. I'm 45, single and this is quit an atraction for the ladies. (Unforeseen benifit)