I am so concerned about a handful of things, I just can't seem to pull the trigger. This is a CLEAN 08 Luxury H3 - it has the back up camera, tow hitch, Navigation, chrome wheels and handles and 10k miles.

I am bummed that it doesn't have steering wheel controls and the reason is, when you repeatedly hit the buttons to change channels etc, they wear out and look all crappy. My question is this. Since it has the touch Navigation screen, would I use that for all of the basic radio and XM channel changing? And if so, has anyone heard of problems with that thing wearing out or having tech issues?

Next is gas mileage. If I put a K&N filter on it, and take off the roof rack cross bars, what kind of mileage should I see? I drive 80% freeway to work and 20% streets. It's 25 miles each way on flat roads/highways. I'm spolied right now because I am getting 19 miles per gallon average in my current vehicle. (a Chrysler Pacifica-which I love) What other options, keeping it inexpensive and simple, can I do to improve the mileage? I know I need to mellow out on the driving habits, I got that down already.

Tire wear and alignment. I have seen a LOT of these with uneven tire wear, and it's usually on the Wrangler RT/S's which this one has. I heard those tires were being discontinued, and that they are crap. Is this another issueI should worry about, or was I just lucky to see a bunch with this problem?

Lastly, how much does it cost generally, to replace the windshields? I have read that they crack alot because they are at that 90 degree angle and so rocks just nail it. I get hit every once in awhile on the freeway I drive to work, in my Pacifica, and they hit HARD. I have 2 chips, in 3 years in that, and I have paid to have one sealed already.

Any help and pros and cons would be greatly appreciated! I'm supposed to go and sign my life away for 6 years tomorrow. My car would be paid off in 2.5 more years, but I have been in love with the H3 for so long, and now is my last chance to ge one. HELP!

Thanks for listening.

 

1. AM/FM/XM are all on the touchscreen and are easy to set and read. I have heard of no problems with these units.

2. I assume this is the 3.7 engine. If you do have mellow driving habits, you should be very close to the Pacifica's mileage

3. I had RTS's on my 06 and 08 with no problems up to 25K on my 08 before I got my 10.

4. Don't know the cost. You may have 2 chips in 2 months with the 3. It is just a fact of life we have learned to deal with.

Get it and enjoy it. I am on my 3rd one and never regretted buying them for one minute.

 

You should go for it man. i purchased a 2006 H3 Adventure Pkg came 5spd this past January. You mentioned about gas milage you will be suprised on that. i also drive about 37 miles one way to college. i have averaged at 17.5 mpg. the only mod i have on the engine is the k&n cold air intake.

 

Well, I know if I don't, I will regret it for a long time because they have discontinued them. They also have discontinued the Pacifica, and you would be surprised, but I freaking love that car! It has dual captains chairs with seat heaters, the 19" chome factory wheels, it's Magnesium Pearl (greenish bluish) with Ivory leather interior and dark cherry wood accents inside. Moonroof, adjustable foot pedals, steering wheel controls, the power lift gate, 3rd row seating, tells me how many miles to empty, etc., and I just really love it, BUT I've wanted an H3 since they came out and I feel like I'll be sorry.

Plus, I was so upside down on my last 3 car deals that with all of the negative equity I rolled, my payment now is so high, that with the H3 it will actually go down almost $100 bucks! Anyone with economic saavy, though, would tell me, "Yeah, but you're putting down $3600, gas will cost more and your current car would be paid off in 2.5 years!" I should put the down towards my car and pay it off sooner, but it has 49k miles on it too, and no warranty left. Anyway, I'm 41 and I have had a car payment since I was 18....I really should get out of debt and save for retirement, but DAMMIT, that H3 just seems so darn tempting!!!!

Oh..............what to do, what to do, what to do!!!! ????

 

You wanna be practical then keep the Pacifica.
You wanna be adventurous then buy the H3.
My '06 H3 is my all-time most favorite vehicle and I have owned quite a few. Regretably I traded it in back in November on a whim. I later bought an H3T which I love but it's still not my H3.
To answer your questions, the Navigation stereo held up just fine in my '06. All the functions I used were by touch screen. I never had one problem with the stereo or navi function. Gas mileage pure highway was 19-20 mpg and combined around 16 mpg. No issues with Wranglers but you can always change them down the road if you aren't happy. They can't be much worse than the BF Goodrich Rugged Fails they use now. In 3 1/2 years I had to replace my windshield once and my insurance paid for it. Lesson learned: Never follow directly behind the semi's on the open highway.
Good luck and let us know what you decided.

 

not to be the stick in the mud, but why not sell the pacifica, buy a beater until you get stuff paid down then pick up a h3 and not finance it for 6 years. financing things for that long seems to get alot of folks upside down quick

its a nice looking truck btw

brett

 

Update there HummingRightAlong? Did you buy your H3?

 

Oh man, I don't have the time to relay the entire story, in short, yes I bought it and I HATE it. Driving it around town on the streets is okay and obviously it looks cool, but it is awful on the freeway. Bumpy and handles horribly. I am so uncomfortable, and no matter what I do, it's still laborious to drive. The gas pedal is so hard, it hurts my calf pressing down on it for 25 miles on the freeway keeping it to 70. It sucks, AND the gas is SO unbelievably terrible, that I had to go out and lease a Honda Civic to drive to work and back. I decided I'm just going to park this thing during the week, and drive the Civic so the miles don't go up on it, and pay for it for 2 or 3 years and then get rid of it! I let a perfectly great car that I LOVED go and made the worst financial decision ever. The only good news is that the payment was lower than I had before, so with the lower payment, and the Civic lease payment, and the Civic's gas mileage, I am actually even or better. (Well except that now we have to insure another freaking car! Minimum $650-$700 more a year) AND I would have been debt free in a car I love in 2.5 years. Now, I will be in debt for potentially 9 more. 3 with both cars, send lease back and TRY to trade in this H3 in 3, and it will probably STILL be so upside down, I will have to go 6 years then for the next vehicle, and I will basically be 50 years old when I am without a car payment.

I am so upset with the whole thing and if you knew the saga where I called the dealer 20 minutes after I left and begged them to work with me on getting out of it, you would really understand my pain. Total bastards, you have no idea.

 

I was just waiting for this post. The first one seemed so troll like that I just knew this was coming. LOL

 

Sorry to hear you don't like your H3. Hummers aren't for everyone, thankfully. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for you. Seems like you would have figured out the freeway driving quality before you bought the vehicle. Going from a Pacifica which is built on a car platform to an H3 is a big change. The H3 will not ride like a Pacifica. Don't expect that. Maybe your H3 will grow on you in due time. Quit beating yourself up over it. Give it a chance and if after a month or so you still hate it, cut your losses and put it on e-bay or autotrader. I let my 2006 loaded H3 with just around 20,000 miles go dirt cheap for $18,000. That was my worst mistake! I had a 0% interest rate on the vehicle and I only owed $9000 more on it. Instead I am driving a 2010 FJ Cruiser whereas I'd much rather be driving an H3. I did pick up an H3T but it's still not my H3. Just another hard learned lesson in life. Life goes on however. Good luck with your dilemma. Maybe once you explore all the off-road capabilities the H3 has to offer, you'll start to like it for what it is---a rugged, well-built, all-time 4WD vehicle which is built solid and made to take you places you never dreamed of going before.