The 2000 Hummer H1 four-door pickup recently sold on eBay is a go-anywhere 4x4. But its premium appointments soften the vehicle’s hard edges.
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Blunt Instrument
With roots as a military vehicle, the Hummer H1 has always been more capable than handsome. But that is key to its appeal. It’s a blunt instrument on the road or trail—a square peg surrounded by vehicles with more aerodynamic intent. The H1’s oversized presence has stood alone since 1992—that is, until the similarly polarizing Tesla Cybertruck arrived last year.
The H1 may have the drag coefficient of a barn door, but it will thunder over any kind of terrain. It has a remarkable 16 inches of ground clearance, far more than even a trail hound like the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.
The Hummer H1’s 37-inch-tall tires contribute to that clearance. So does its flat undercarriage, achieved by locating most of its drivetrain components inside the passenger compartment. The tradeoff: The resulting driveline humps limit seating capacity to just four, a surprisingly small number for such a big vehicle.
Diesel Power
A 6.5-liter turbo-diesel V-8 - opens in new window or tab. sits under the H1’s clamshell. It was rated by the factory at 195 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. That’s not a lot of power to move a vehicle that weighs more than 8,000 pounds. The H1 makes it work through efficient gearing.
A quarter-century later, GM is using electric propulsion to motivate the GMC Hummer EV - opens in new window or tab., which weighs more than 9,000 pounds. Two motors provide up to 570 horsepower and 7,400 pound-feet of torque.
The 2000 Hummer H1’s engine feeds a four-speed automatic transmission and a two-speed full-time transfer case that can lock the front and rear driveshafts in both high and low ranges. Portal axles provide additional gear reduction at each wheel hub.
The H1’s chassis has a fully independent suspension with A-arms and coil springs at all four corners. Four-wheel disc brakes mount inboard to make room for the portal axles.
Premium Features
AM General produced the Hummer H1 from 1992 to 2006. Over that period, the H1 moved further away from its military origins and acquired premium features that customers expected from a high-five-figure vehicle.
Most of these spruced up the cabin. Leather seating surfaces, power windows and door locks, wood trim, and high-wattage sound systems were among the most popular upgrades.
The interior options fitted to this Hummer H1 include:
- Leather-wrapped Momo steering wheel - opens in new window or tab.
- John Browning Heritage Collection seat covers
- Burl wood dashboard - opens in new window or tab. and door panel trim
- Locking storage box
Mirror-Like Shine
A video in the eBay listing showed just a few imperfections in the H1’s gloss-black paint. That’s to be expected with a 25-year-old, 76,000-mile 4x4. For the most part, the paint has a mirror-like shine that reflects the camera operator in several shots.
Ruggedized equipment on the H1’s exterior includes:
- Bumper-mounted Warn winch - opens in new window or tab.
- LED light bar - opens in new window or tab. on the roll bar
The H1 rolls on Nitto Terra Grappler - opens in new window or tab. tires mounted on Moto Metal wheels - opens in new window or tab.. The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A - opens in new window or tab. rack-mounted spare tire matches a second set of tires and wheels that will be sold with the Hummer. The seller also provided owners manuals, a maintenance booklet, and other related literature.
The seller, who is located in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., described the Hummer H1 as always Florida-owned. He says the Hummer runs and drives great and offered to provide Carfax documents with recent service records. The $59,650 Buy-It-Now price included shipping within the US.
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This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.