Apr
21
Dreaming of off-roading like Rambo? There’s a way to make it happen.
I’ll never forget the day we were meeting at an off-roading trail and my buddy showed up in an honest-to-goodness military Humvee. Like any 4×4 fan would be, I was intrigued how he’d gotten his hands on it. He revealed that he’d bought it at auction, and paid less than you’d spend on a side-by-side.
Here’s the deal, the government has a duty to the taxpayers to make back money wherever it can. So it is legally bound to auction off surplus property to the highest bidder. My colleague Erik Sherman has written at length how to buy surplus military vehicles. But the long and short of it is you just need to find a website with military auctions. GovPlanet.com is one option. GovLiquidation.com is another one. The government actually keeps on official database of auctions. But first, a couple of things to consider.
The government orders Humvees in many different configurations. First and foremost, some are for road use and others are off-road only. Before you buy any surplus military vehicle, make certain it has been registered for on-road use, because it may be a nightmare to get it registered for the first time.
Second of all, the configurations. Some Humvees don’t even have doors. Others have high ambulance bodies. So decide what you want to use your juggernaut of an SUV for and then shop accordingly.
Finally, many military vehicles have had a very hard life. If trucks have a plow frame attached or maybe a fifth wheel for towing they could have been pressed in to hard duty. So read the descriptions before making a decision.
Obviously, look for vehicles on bases where you can easily pick up your new Humvee. Otherwise you’ll be responsible for shipping. Happy Humvee hunting.