Can we Drive the Most Unreliable Trucks Ever Made Across the Country?

We bought the cheapest Humvee's we could find over 1,500 miles from home on a government auction site. After waiting two months for our paperwork to go through we bought a oneway ticket to Barstow California to attempt to drive our 4 door NA diesel Humvee and 2 door turbo diesel home. This is the ultimate American road trip adventure!

PO BOX 2370
Sandpoint ID
83864

[galeng]

I was a motor vehicle operator that took part in the HMWVV testing for the USMC. They're not unreliable. They're just beat to shit and maintained by a bunch of young guys who don't care so long as it meets the standard. The stuff you're buying at auction is the worn out stuff that's no longer worth maintaining. You're basically buying something clapped out and no longer fit for service.

And it makes for a hell of a great adventure.

[greggthompson]

As an active duty veteran who was responsible for 2 Humvees for a few years. It is so funny watching dudes succumb to the reality of thinking we had the coolest vehicles in the military.

[panickedmechanic]

I am a career army mechanic. I've been working on these trucks since 2008. Ethan just gave me a good lesson in BDAR. (Battle Damage Assessment and Repair)
I knew when the 2-seater rolled up, "FLEX PLATE!"
I'm actually gonna use this as training for my soldiers. Let me know if you guys want, I'll tell you everything you could want to know about these magnificent beasts.

[TRS-Fanclub]

Makes me almost cry seeing these being sold, only because they were new when I used them in Ft Irwin (89-93). The hidden tricks we learned, and the internal mod farm of stuff we tried to make them better for long trips. The Chevrolet Blazer was retired for this model, and we ripped out the blazer seats, and bolted them right into the M1037 and it was great for almost 6 months, until we got caught. yes, I am old.

[gerstmanndavid]

In the Marines I worked as a logistics clerk in the motor T department of an artillery battalion. There were at least three parts on a Humvee that always broke down: the glow plugs, starters, and alternators. The CV joints had to be replaced often as well. Those Humvees would break down while parked. Our battalion was so underfunded that often the mechanics would go out on night missions and "acquire" parts off of trucks from the better funded battalions around us in Camp Pendleton. Ahhh, those were the good ole days!

[SeanHodgins]

Connecting an unknown previously disconnected wire couldn't possibly have any negative consequences.

[reconsoldier]

I've lived in one of these before, driven one from Kuwait to Baghdad and back, they breakdown all the time but are surprisingly easy to fix as long as you have the parts you need

[_MOTO]

I'm currently a 91B (wheeled vehicle mechanic) in the army and it was a joy watching this, brings back memories of all the times I had to fix broken down HMMWVs in the field and on deployment 😂

[regnarg]

Just a quick tip! When starting switch to run and wait until he orange "wait" light turns off. Them be the glow plugs and will let it start easier!

[Stronthor]

I can't help but notice this adventure starts "somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert..."

[waiakalulu]

If you ever had to grow flowers in the dessert, this would be the crew you'd want with you. These guys are 100 percent positive creatures with an indomitable spirit to overcome all obstacles!!!!

[timmytubede]

Wow this is such a different experience to buying a used military vehicle from an auction off the German army. Like, people in Germany always make fun of the army because apparently they have a lot of broken equipment, helicopters that aren't allowed to fly and guns that deform on full auto (G36).

But: they take really good care of their vehicles! My parents bought a 1978 MAN mil gl 5 ton offroad truck and that thing is probably the most reliable vehicle they own. The army did regular inspections on these vehicles, replaced broken parts and made sure everything works. There were new parts with the label still on installed just a year before auctioning it off. And that truck already was 35 years old when my parents bought it. But you turn the key, press the push button start and the engine immediately runs, every time.

[thethpresident]

This type of mission needs to happen regularly. Getting sketched out, janky as crud vehicles cheap at auctions and attempting to get them back to the shop, no matter what, is the very definition of premium. Loving it!

[eriknissen]

Reminds me of a Top Gear / Grand Tour special. Thanks for the laughs, guys.

[mgfray]

I've got a 1988 M998 HMMWV, former US ARMY vehicle. I've spent enough on parts for that thing that I could have bought 2 or 3 at this point. Everything from simple things like glow plugs, to engine controller, to head gaskets/heads.. These vehicles are a blast, but you need to have a large wallet and a lot of time on your hands to keep them working and maintained.

The vehicles you guys bought have a leg up on what I have. 4 speed transmission (I've got no overdrive), and the turbo on the one so you can go faster then about 60.

I hope you guys had a blast driving them back. One of these days I really want to pick up one of the newer style 4-speed & trubo units, but so far haven't found one I'm willing to spend the money on.

[jaminbawden]

Every ounce of this episode is American and I freaking love it!! Military surplus, Humvee, road trip, do it yourself. Yes sir!

[regulatormachine]

32:12 i only have ONE question....
what is wrong with our brains that THIS is FUN...

[commanderkratticus]

Will's "huwahh?" When Ethan broke a piece off the Humvee killed me.

[DarkCornerGarage]

Dude. 10 out of 10. Definitely old school roadkill vibes. Love it.

[ashleycarter]

Another great thing about surplus trucks is that because the controls are so "analog" you can drive in thick gloves in winter when the heater doesn't do jack. True story.