newbie wondering N/A vs. T/D?

[H1hummer]

Hello everyone,



First off I'd like to say hello from alberta. I'm glad I found this community. I hope to learn alot and one day contribute my knowledge to noobs like me.



I'm currently in the market for an H1 and am learning as much as I can about these trucks before purchasing one. My primary use for this truck would not be a DD as I have a VW tdi for that. Usage would be limited to a weekend rig with 90% highway(to the mountains for skiing/boarding) use and 10% offroad (light trails camping).



I've been researching the pro's and con's of each year, model, engine etc, etc. I have narrowed my search to a (94-98) wagon.



My reason for choosing the 94-95 was due to the simplicity of the N/A diesel (no engine electronics except the electronics controlling the transmission) as well as the 4spd tranny that would allow me highway travel. Being a N/A truck would rid me of the #8 issue as well as the problems that are associated with a turbo. The Con's that I've read about this model are the outdated HVAC which could be a problem in our winters, No aux tank, but most importantly I've read that they are seriosly lacking in power. This can prove a problem when travelling mountain roads.



Now my reason for choosing the 96-98 trucks were the added turbo(increased power), new hvac system, aux tanks, upgraded steering components etc. Pretty much everyting the 94-95 did not have. Sadly, with these upgrades came a series of setbacks, the #8 issue, pmd, vampire etc, etc.



My question to everyone here is, from your own experience how does the (94-95) 6.5L N/A H1 fair vs. the (96-98)6.5L T/D? Are the upgrades worth it?



Thank you in advance for your experience's, advice and comments.



~H1hummer~

[ROADBLOK]

You have pretty much all the bases covered on the differences. A few things you have missed though.



A NA diesel is a lot louder then a TD truck. You will be struggling up the hills and on the highway in the NA (don't expect to go very fast).



If you go for a TD I would suggest you get a '97.5 to '98. It has the upgraded HVAC unit (Acme) if the truck you buy is has an earlier type, good luck with getting it serviced!, heavy duty rear bumper comes standard, heated windshields, better air flow with vents added to front and rear, more sound insulation. These are the most desirable years of them next to the '06 Alphas.

[Hesh]

It was because of all these issues, #8 being the biggest one, that I went with my '01. Only issue I had to expect was my PMD. Granted I sacrificed the feature of BTM, but I figured Id rather go with an '01 and have the power and NO #8/Vampire worries and buy a pair of Auburns, than go with the 96-00 and always have the anxiety of a repair bill and downtime in the thousands upon thousands of dollars if/when the motor did finally kick the bucket.



At the very least, Id recommend maybe finding a 96-98 WITH an already replaced longblock. That way you eliminate a huge chunk of the worries you have, and only need to worry about the PMD and Vampire for the most part. To be honest, I bought my 01 in may 2010, and replaced the PMD in oct. and Ive yet to have any issues with it since. It's one of those things that I consider like a consumable (like brakes, steering components, etc) that just will need to be done every once in a while, so it is easy to accept and swallow that cost.

[H1hummer]

Roadblok, hesh. Thank you for the info, much appriciated.



Indeed an alpha would be the ideal choice. However they are currently out of my price range.



There is currently a 6.5L N/A for sale here, I will see if i can take it for a drive to see if the power is adequate. If not then, hesh, you maybe right and i will look for 97.5-98 with the longblock and some of the issues ironed out.

[Hesh]

You might want to post a few more details

a ) which model you'd prefer (2door, open top, 4dr hardtop, wagon, etc)

b ) budget

c ) what you plan to use the truck for, and how much (if any offroading youve done & plan to do with the truck, or if you'll be towing with it).



I'll gladly help with any input or suggestions I come across once I get a better idea of what youre looking for. They truly are "Like Nothing Else"





These were a couple recent ones that may interest you depending on your answers to the questions above



http://www.hummermarketplace.com/viewto ... =45&t=2865



http://www.hummermarketplace.com/viewto ... =45&t=2321

[H1hummer]

Hesh, I appreciate your advice and help.



At this time I am doing as much homework as I can on these trucks before I purchase. I am likely a year away from my finances aligning me for a hummer, hopefully sooner. I am budgeting around $30k with a blanket of $5k for any repairs that will likely be needed.



From everything that I've read my ideal truck would be a (94-98) 6.5L T/D or N/A wagon(still deciding on reliablility vs power), white if possible.



My primary usage would be a weekend rig for trips to jasper/banff for skiing/snowboarding. I undersand that these trucks aren't meant for high speed travel on the highway but with most vacation trips I take I am in no rush. In the summer for light trails and camping. I have limited experience with serious offroading, however I would love to learn.



I will not likely be towing anything with this truck as most of my camping will be in a tent. If that changes, then perhaps a T/D will be better suited to haul vs the N/A.



As I am in no rush to pick up the first truck I see, I plan on trying the few that are on the market today to get a feel of the N/A vs. T/D



Again, thanks for your insight, advice and knowledge.

[nitrous]

One other thing to consider is how well the truck was taken care of and if you are going to be doing the work yourself. Did the guy lube everything, are the springs sagging, brakes and other driveline components OK. I would even take a 1" wrench with me and check the fluid in the hubs or even just one of them. It takes all of a minute to do and you can at least see what color it is and make sure it's full.



I just bought my H1 in March of this year and live in Lethbridge. Here are some of the new guy things that I have found....



Dealerships and other shops look at it and scratch their heads, so do the guys at any parts stores. The guys on this forum and elsewhere on the web are the key to finding the parts you need. The truck isn't hard to work on once you have done it once. So the first time takes about 3 times as long as it should. You need bigger tools. The standard impact sets and wrench sets don't cover a large enough range. So the trips to the store to get the above 7/8 inch stuff will be needed.



Parts availability is good but pretty much all mail order for the not so common stuff or if you can't cross it over to some random other north American car, at least in Alberta and southern Alberta even more so.



The HVAC on the early trucks is useless. I did drive across country in it in March and it did go down to -40 on some mornings. And it was not what you would call warm in the cab, but I didn't freeze to death either. Getting an out of province inspection is a big challenge with these trucks. I had a really bad experience initially with it. The problem was that the technicians inspecting the truck didn't know anything about it. Couldn't find the horn button for instance so that was clearly broken. It rocked back and forth when you came to a stop so all the CV joints were bad in the truck.... The list went on and on and on.



Being on the highway out here in Alberta is pretty tough, with the speed limits at 110km/h and having to keep it to 105 km/h to be safe and easy on it kind of sucks.



I have a Cummins in mine so I can't really comment on the N/A vs. TD issue as I avoided both of those engines all together.



All said and done it has been the most fun vehicle I have owned to date. So I would highly recommend it.



-Steve

[thedub]

Contact Roy on here, he can set you right and he may want to sell one of the 3 H1's he currenty has <img src='http://www.canadianhummerclub.com/forum ... feSpit.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':coffeespit:' />

[MatGaudreau]

Roy shall sell me one of his hummers also !!