Just Bought the World’s Most Hated Truck! It Broke The Next Day! (New Video Series)

frank 2003 hummer h2 suv american v8
His name is Frank. 2003 Hummer H2

We just purchased the world’s most hated truck! We broke it the next day! Indeed, it’s a 2003 Hummer H2 with an Adventure package. It’s a relatively-well taken care of used truck with just over 102,000 miles. We call him Frank (short for Frankenstein).

We brought it back to the office, took it off-roading in the Rocky Mountains the next day, and it promptly broke while Roman was attempting to do a snowy drift maneuver (aka. a “snownut”). What happened? The power steering pump went out, which also took out the brake assist hydro-boost.

The Hummer H2 is a conglomeration of several different chassis: a heavy-duty GM truck frame up front, a light-duty truck in the rear, eight lug hubs, and some Chevy Tahoe bits in the middle. Throw in some in-your-face toy-truck boxy styling and luxurious interior features, and you have yourself what is arguably the most hated truck in the world. It’s a monster that has been known to brake down during any kind of serious off-roading.

Why is it hated? The H2 quickly became a status symbol, a boulevard cruiser, and a tax write-off instead of a tough and macho off-road worthy truck. It did not help that it was expensive when it was new. The 2003 Hummer H2 M.S.R.P. was nearly $49,000, with many H2s selling for over $50,000 (that is over $67,000 in today’s dollars considering inflation).

The 6.0L Vortec V8 (316 hp and 360 lb-ft of torque) and the 4-speed automatic transmission are relatively reliable. The 4.10 differential gearing and the heavy curb weight (around 6,500 lbs) make the Hummer H2 less than an efficient cruiser. We are averaging just over 11 MPG according to the trip computer. This is another reason why the H2 is hated.

How does it ride on the highway? The H2 might be the most comfortable highway machine I have driven recently. Yes, it will get pushed around in a side wind, but the suspension soaks up any road bumps with surprising ease. There is also less wind noise at speed than you might expect.

We will work to make our H2 more reliable and more off-road worthy. Those removable Hummer side steps have got to go.

Here is how Frank’s story begins. We made the purchase on Wednesday, went off-roading on Thursday and lost the power steering and brake assist, towed it down on Friday, and got it all fixed up the following week. Join the fun in the video below.

Andre Smirnov
Andre Smirnov is an Automotive Enthusiast, Producer, Reviewer, Videographer, Writer, Software Engineer, Husband, Father, and Friend.