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Caught the Bug
This one has really baffled me for some time. I remmember growing up and seeing old CJ's CJ5's and probably what really got me into Jeeps (Mash/M38A1). I was told that the payload of the M38A1 left room to be desired and it didn't have much space... ok if anyone here has been in a HMMWV can attest to just how cramped they are inside - you literally have space being eaten up by the powertrain/drivetrain that is totally unusable ... then you jump into payload (2000lbs cited) and wow it can tow a whole 4000lbs it can ford 2.5 ft of water... the specs were probably great at the time. But I do not see how its anything a hopped up military Jeep wouldn't be capable of doing or being retrofited to do. Case in point - the J8 (Jeep JK base) it has higher payload (standard payload) I believe it also has better water fording capabilities, much easier to maintain, cheaper to run, more robust solid axles. What is really the point of the HMMWV other than it being some cash grab for some defense contractors ? Even see'ing them out on the trails they do not seem that spectacular to me at all. Shoot - you cannot even get folks in overseas defense forces to want to purchase a hmmwv most won't let go of their older jeeps and the ones that want newer vehicles end up looking at J8's or something similar. It just seems like a real lack of foresight or I am missing something here. HMMWV's cost a ton more than a military Jeep to build operate/maintain don't really have a payload/capability advantage or any other advantage that a properly spec'd Jeep can achieve or exceed - while the Jeep's have proven to have a higher MTBF, cheaper to build/purchase and operate.... what is the point of the hummer really ?
TLDR:
TLDR:
- Hummer is heavy, very cramped inside abysmal payload and towing
- Hummer is expensive, hard to maintain and requires more maintenance
- Hummer is large and cumbersome has higher MTBF (than military jeeps)
- Jeep is lighter, actually has more room inside J8 has better payload and towing.
- Jeep is cheaper to purchase, maintain/operate, easier to repair
- Jeep is more gooder