Surplus Humvee auctions to public a first for DoD

WASHINGTON — What in the world is the U.S. military going to do with all of its surplus Humvees? For the first time, it will auction off as many as 4,000 of the workhorse vehicles for sale to the public, instead of scrapping them. Even as controversy churns over the Pentagon’s transfer of military equipment…

WASHINGTON — What in the world is the U.S. military going to do with all of its surplus Humvees? For the first time, it will auction off as many as 4,000 of the workhorse vehicles for sale to the public, instead of scrapping them.

Even as controversy churns over the Pentagon’s transfer of military equipment to local civilian police departments, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) sent the first batch to auction through IronPlanet’s GovPlanet.com. Since bidding started at $10,000 a couple of weeks ago, pent up demand has yielded bids on nearly all of the Humvees — selling for off-road use only.

“We definitely see lots of interest, and we’re certainly excited to have the opportunity to sell these,” said Randy Berry, IronPlanet’s senior vice president for operations and services. “These items have been scrapped up to now … so it’s a win for the taxpayers and everybody involved here.”

via Surplus Humvee auctions to public a first for DoD.

I guess it’s news. Note that these are all soft top, unarmored Humvees, and they are also quite old. And one has a sneaking suspicion they aren’t exactly in prime material condition. That is, you’re probably going to have to spend quite a bit of money to make them operational.

And AM General doesn’t want to sell you parts or manuals. Flooding the market with surplus cuts into their sales.

Oh, and apparently, they’re not intended to be registered for legal road use.

I think you’re probably better off seeing if you can find a used H1 commercial Hummer.

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  1. JoshO

    Bah, I’d rather have a CUCV anyhow. If you had one of the ones that was still in good shape it could go Anywhere. Though I had always wondered why you never see hummvee fire trucks or work trucks for like the railroad and electric company and stuff.

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  2. xbradtc

    I used to drive an M1009 CUCV, and was very unhappy when I had to trade it in for a Humvee.

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  3. ultimaratioregis

    When DLA auctioned off the CUCVs, they went like hotcakes. I imagine some of these HMMWVs have manufacture dates going back to the late 1980s, and have had decades of abuse at the hands of a Lance Corporal incidental driver and a ten-manual. Thanks, no thanks. Unless I can buy five for the ten grand and cannibalize to make one good one. And even then, I want it registered for road use.

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  4. Esli

    I will take my HMMWV over a CUCV any day. My current HMMWV only has one driver (me). I got it with 7330 miles on it and I’ve put an additional 1200 on it since August. It’s got some get-up-and-go. Fun to drive and periodically explore the back trails in a maneuver box that is only 19x30km. Non stop hills are great. Best of all, contracted maintenance support whenever I need it and the washroom is inside a heated bay. You dint get that back on the line.

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  5. Esli

    Make that 10 x 30. I wish the box was 19 x 30.

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  6. xbradtc

    I spent a heck of a lot more time on the autobahn than I did in the box.

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  7. LT Rusty

    You know Brad, Vince has at least one M1009 at work … if you’re VERY nice he might let you sit in it …

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  8. xbradtc

    I’m not THAT nostalgic. If he’s got an M113 or an M2, that’s different.

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  9. Esli

    I’ve accrued more miles in my HMMWV than my POV.

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  10. JoshO

    Anyone here get to drive one of the dodge ones? I only had the blazers and chevy pickups and I loved ’em but I had heard the dodges were even better.

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  11. ultimaratioregis

    Hell yeah. Loved the M880s.

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