Hmmwv shopping, have a few questions

[Inline6359]

Recently I have gotten the itch again for a Humvee, but before I sell one of my pride and joys I want to know a few things. In no way am I asking how to circumvent the off road only designation they are sold with, but the recent infux of adds on Craigslist with these "titled" vehicles has me wondering. If I'm shopping around how do I go about finding out if one of these was originally purchased on an auction site? Most are not willing to divulge their sources for these vehicles, and I'm not looking to go to their source. But I don't want to deal with any shady shenanigans. What are the tell tale signs things are not as they seem, and the circumvented the off road use only designation?

My search didn't yield may results.

 

[DanM7890]

As someone who went through all this recently with mine on CL after I pulled it off, does it matter if it came from auction? At some point they all came from auction, other than a few through the program where government gets first pick. Ask the right questions about what's been done, and what hasn't been done, go see the truck in person, drive it and look at it again. If it's a clear title in hand, all should be good. Just be diligent and do the research.

 

[Wire Fox]

Also as is my norm for every vehicle transaction I do via private sale: arrange a police officer to come out and perform a VIN inspection of the vehicle before you hand the seller your cash. I refuse to get caught up in stolen or gray vehicle shenanigans, so doing that up-front really helps start you down the right path. Also, you'll need that VIN inspection anyway if it's out of state, at least for Indiana, so you just get that step out of the way early...

 

[Inline6359]

As someone who went through all this recently with mine on CL after I pulled it off, does it matter if it came from auction? At some point they all came from auction, other than a few through the program where government gets first pick. Ask the right questions about what's been done, and what hasn't been done, go see the truck in person, drive it and look at it again. If it's a clear title in hand, all should be good. Just be diligent and do the research.

To me it matters because I don't want to deal with the legalities of a vehicle sold with an off road use contract should something happen. I understand there are ways to obtain a title, legal or not. Dosent make it any less of a liability should something happen, they may go after the seller but that dosent leave me out of the firing lane. And often times the "right" questions don't get you anywhere if the seller lies or skirts them. So I'm looking for a sure fire way to make sure the vehicle is on the up and up.

Also as is my norm for every vehicle transaction I do via private sale: arrange a police officer to come out and perform a VIN inspection of the vehicle before you hand the seller your cash. I refuse to get caught up in stolen or gray vehicle shenanigans, so doing that up-front really helps start you down the right path. Also, you'll need that VIN inspection anyway if it's out of state, at least for Indiana, so you just get that step out of the way early...

pa is different. We have annual inspections here. So when I buy a vehicle, I have 30 days from the time of purchase to have it inspected. So we don't need to involve the police. But that may be the best option if I can get one to run the bin even if it's not required for the state. With a BOS any legalities here fall on the seller should the vehicle be stolen.

 

[ryanruck]

Your surest bet is to buy one of the newest USMC M1123s or M1045s that's come from GP with a non-branded title.

But that's no guarantee either. Some places are painting all HMMWVs with the same brush (as is the respective states' prerogative) and not allowing street use. Just see MaverickH1's thread about his M1123 in VA.

 

[jeffy777]

Recently I have gotten the itch again for a Humvee, but before I sell one of my pride and joys I want to know a few things. In no way am I asking how to circumvent the off road only designation they are sold with, but the recent infux of adds on Craigslist with these "titled" vehicles has me wondering. If I'm shopping around how do I go about finding out if one of these was originally purchased on an auction site? Most are not willing to divulge their sources for these vehicles, and I'm not looking to go to their source. But I don't want to deal with any shady shenanigans. What are the tell tale signs things are not as they seem, and the circumvented the off road use only designation?

My search didn't yield may results.

I would only take them if I could complete the deal at the DMV so that the title and money occurred at the same time.

 

[DanM7890]

Well sorry to burst your bubble but there's no sure fire way when it comes with these trucks. You're taking a risk going either direction because every state views them different. As far as believing the seller or not, that's when your research comes into hand as well as a visual/driving inspection.

 

[tage]

In my experience a lot of dirt bags have been buying them in states that will let you title them. Then slap some fresh paint, fresh top kit, and doors and sell them for 20+. Without even touching the mechanical, or let alone good maintenance.

Drive a humvee for a week and you'll either love em or hate em.
Get a diesel unimog. Less headache IMHO

 

[Inline6359]

Well sorry to burst your bubble but there's no sure fire way when it comes with these trucks. You're taking a risk going either direction because every state views them different. As far as believing the seller or not, that's when your research comes into hand as well as a visual/driving inspection.

Im not sure where your getting the problem is with the state? I'm not asking how to tile one. I'm asking how I know one is or potentially could have been a truck sold as off road use only. And a test drive and inspection isn't going to do that. Research only goes so far, for instance I looked at a truck in Maryland and a simple google search brought up the old auction. Some do not retain the old listings that long in their system so you can search with no results.

In my experience a lot of dirt bags have been buying them in states that will let you title them. Then slap some fresh paint, fresh top kit, and doors and sell them for 20+. Without even touching the mechanical, or let alone good maintenance.

Drive a humvee for a week and you'll either love em or hate em.
Get a diesel unimog. Less headache IMHO

Thats pretty much what im trying to avoid. I messaged a guy today local asking if he would provide the bins before I came and looked at them so I could do some research, I have yet to hear back.

 

[ryanruck]

Im not sure where your getting the problem is with the state? I'm not asking how to tile one. I'm asking how I know one is or potentially could have been a truck sold as off road use only. And a test drive and inspection isn't going to do that. Research only goes so far, for instance I looked at a truck in Maryland and a simple google search brought up the old auction. Some do not retain the old listings that long in their system so you can search with no results.

Basically if it's an M998 or M1038, A0 or A1, there's a near certainty that it was originally sold for off road use only. This also includes the old Atlanta auction HMMWVs which had off road branded bills of sale. I saw a picture of one of those someone posted somewhere but, didn't think to save it. Not sure about the original 1999 California USMC HMMWVs...

Like I said, the only ones you're going to get without any history of branding are the M1123s and now the M1045s they just started selling.

 

[Inline6359]

Basically if it's an M998 or M1038, A0 or A1, there's a near certainty that it was originally sold for off road use only. This also includes the old Atlanta auction HMMWVs which had off road branded bills of sale. I saw a picture of one of those someone posted somewhere but, didn't think to save it. Not sure about the original 1999 California USMC HMMWVs...

Like I said, the only ones you're going to get without any history of branding are the M1123s and now the M1045s they just started selling.

Thank you. So pretty much what I'm seeing is that for what people are asking for these 998's and the 1038's I'm better off just buying a 1124 or 1045 in the auction and being legit. The price these people are asking is what the legit ones seem to be going for.

 

[98G]

Thank you. So pretty much what I'm seeing is that for what people are asking for these 998's and the 1038's I'm better off just buying a 1124 or 1045 in the auction and being legit. The price these people are asking is what the legit ones seem to be going for.

That's my take....

 

[darkturbo]

Recently I have gotten the itch again for a Humvee, but before I sell one of my pride and joys I want to know a few things. In no way am I asking how to circumvent the off road only designation they are sold with, but the recent infux of adds on Craigslist with these "titled" vehicles has me wondering. If I'm shopping around how do I go about finding out if one of these was originally purchased on an auction site? Most are not willing to divulge their sources for these vehicles, and I'm not looking to go to their source. But I don't want to deal with any shady shenanigans. What are the tell tale signs things are not as they seem, and the circumvented the off road use only designation?

My search didn't yield may results.

the old USMC truck should have registration record going back a few years

 

[Inline6359]

After some looking it seems it's going to be hard to find what I want. I enquirer about 7 trucks over the last few days, either nobody would respond when I enquired about the S/N or if t was purchased as off road use only or were very vague like they didn't know what they had. I'm about to say screw the hmmwv and maybe go for a lmtv.

 

[kc5mzd]

After some looking it seems it's going to be hard to find what I want. I enquirer about 7 trucks over the last few days, either nobody would respond when I enquired about the S/N or if t was purchased as off road use only or were very vague like they didn't know what they had. I'm about to say screw the hmmwv and maybe go for a lmtv.

Only in America could it be easier and make more sense to register and drive a LMTV than a HMMWV as a toy!