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Hummer Under Death Watch, So Prices Creeping Up

Associated Press file photo

New Hummers can cost $73,000 and used ones can go for $55,000.

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By BAIRD HELGESON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 30, 2009

TAMPA - Take heed Hummer lovers: The gas-chugging urban assault vehicles could soon join the endangered species list.

General Motors Corp. is scheduled to announce Tuesday whether it found a buyer for the iconic brand. If not, it is expected to die as part of the beleaguered auto giant's massive restructuring plan.

The boxy behemoths that started as mildly spiffed up military vehicles quickly became a favorite in Tampa.

Popular among professional athletes, rap stars and housewives, the Hummer seldom saw combat duty worse than tailgating at Raymond James Stadium or navigating the bite-sized lot at Ciccio & Tony's restaurant in Hyde Park.

For a town not always bashful about consumption, the Hummer seemed the perfect mobile accessory, 10 miles-per-gallon aside.

"Hummers are huge here," said Darren Vivolo, owner of Bayshore Automotive Group, which buys and sells used Hummers all over the world. "People love them."

Hummer's newer models became tough-looking spinoffs of GM's more humdrum passenger trucks, like the popular Suburban.

Vivolo makes a good chunk of his living buying used Hummers, fitting them with huge, shiny rims and other accessories, then reselling them.

Prices of used Hummers have crept up as buyers sensed the current models could be the last.

The nicest examples fetch an eye-popping $55,000 at auctions, Vivolo said. The same vehicle sold new for $73,000.

Nationally, though, the brand is languishing.

The average price of a 3-year-old Hummer dropped 12 percent in February, the steepest decline of any GM product, according to Automotive Lease Guide.

Vivolo is encouraged by word from other Hummer dealers that GM plans to sell 2010 models.

"After that, I don' know," he said.

Gas mileage compared
Based on highest mileage available for each model.

Model/City/Highway

Toyota Prius/48/45
Honda Accord/22/31
Chevrolet Impala/19/29
Chrysler Town & Country Van/17/24
Ford F-150 Pickup/14/19
Hummer H3/14/18
Hummer H2* 7/14
Bentley Arnage RL/9/15

Source: Energy Department's fueleconomy.gov, except H2*, which is from Consumer Reports. The vehicle is bigger than the range for which the government requires testing.

Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at (813) 259-7668.

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