Military Humvees Available to the Public, Should You Buy One?

Here’s an opportunity I absolutely love for this first day back at work after a long weekend.

This one’s for all the people who leave town for the weekend and trek as far from civilization as possible. If you’re the kind of person who believes camping is pulling off the interstate at a state park or pitching a tent in the backyard of your suburban home, this opportunity is probably not for you.

However, if you’re the kind of person who likes get deep into the woods or traverses desolate landscapes long after the cell signal disappears, you need to pay attention.

You’re the kind of guy or gal who needs a Humvee.

Not a Hummer, mind you, but an honest-to-goodness military-grade Humvee. You could have one, cheap.

The Humvee’s official name is the AM General HMMWV. The tactical military vehicle is being phased out and replaced by a more advanced model, so the United States needs to unload its inventory.

These things are selling at an average price of about $10,000. Some can be had for as low as $7,500 and can even be certified to be street-legal. Getting that certification may take some effort, though, because the vehicles don’t have specific model years and will have trouble passing smog tests. At the very least, these are fun and capable off-roaders.

One reviewer got his hands on one and said:

In terms of off-road pros and cons, the Humvee’s only major detriment is its sheer size. More than seven feet wide and 15-feet long, the Humvee simply doesn’t fit down narrow trails. But if it’s got room to roam, it’s well neigh unstoppable. With 16 inches of ground clearance, you simply breeze over obstacles that would rip the differentials out of most pickups. The geared hubs double the torque to each wheel, which is important because there’s not a whole lot of torque to be had from the GM 6.2-liter diesel (150 horsepower, 250 lb-ft). But at low speeds, all that torque multiplication helps give the impression that you’ve got decent punch.

The next auction goes live on September 23, and hundreds of Humvees made between 1986 and 2004 will be available. If you’re interested, check out the auction preview and be sure to let us know if you end up a proud new owner.

Would you be interested in owning a military Humvee, even if it’s not street legal?

-tgriffith

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