I have made attempts to reduce the tolerance of the hood fit to the front fenders without much success.
In looking at 2011 models in particular, it seems that Chevrolet dropped the ball on the stamping tolerances of the hood.
Mine and many others I have looked at have an uneven and wide gap at the hood - front fender area that allows no simple way to adjust.
Has anybody dealt with this "Boo Boo" in a meaningful way?

Clue me in ....

 

Cross your eyes... It helps. In 08 same. I don't think its the hood, more likely the fenders are off.

 

What exactly is your complaint? Gap on mine are the same on both sides.

 

My 2011 is the same way...a little off on one side. I just don't pay any attention anymore.

 

With a ruler I can tell one side has a larger gap than the other but barely, MAYBE, by 1mm......

 

In looking, I see some of the earlier model HHR's had a closer and more consistant gap.
For some reason it also seems to depend on the color of the car.

Mocha
Cyber Gray
Black

In general seem worst.

I have seen many White and Red HHR's that are almost perfect and tight.

It seems strange that they did not allow for any meaningful adjustment to the tighter side.

You could shim the hinges and adjust the hood latch to widen the gap.

Pretty hard to just ignore when it's one that really off, especially when you have a good eye for Quality body fit.
I owned a 1950 1/2 ton pick up where the hood shape/fit was similar.
It fit Crappy too.
It always looked to me like it was just sitting there loose.

 

Its not so much that the gaps are the same each side as it is about the width and shape of the gap.
Mine has a reasonable fit at the door end ... then bows open to the center ... then tightens again at the front.
Looks like H--l
I see no way to make it look right.
I am not sure if it is the hood with a wrong curve to fit right, or the way the fenders bolt on possibly with a dip in the middle.

I have seen many 2011's and some earlier ones too.. the same way.

 

Other cars have nice tight, even gaps between the body panels. My HHR gaps are all over the place, especially the hood (big wide uneven gaps). Some of the gaos are wider than others. Uneven gaps, etc. Looks like crap. The only option is to take it to a professional body shop & have them loosen everything up & then try to slowly tighten the bolts to even up all the gaps.

 

All these comments and nobody has posted any pictures? Kind of hard to have an opinion about this.

 

Can't speak for the rest of the body fit, but the hood gap has been a complaint in probably 2 other threads in the existence of the forum. I don't believe anyone every came up with a solution....in those 6+ years.