If Chevy/GM is aware of the problem then every potential owner should be made aware of the problem prior to purchase and be able to make the decision at that point. You should not have to pay a higher cost after purchase for the boards (some people reporting up to $1,000). To quote myself:

 

Gm probably doesn't view it as a problem seeing as how the same damage appears on all vehicles to some extent. The only reason they are probably offering a one time repaint is too shut up all the people complaining who appear to have never owned a new vehicle. None of the so called damage even touches the chips in the side of my '02 Mustang. The huge fake brake vents on the side were a magnet for rocks and chips. The next time you see a '99-'04 Mustang up close check the fake vent area out if you want to see real chip damage on the side. Never once did I even think of complaining to Ford or consider it their fault or a design flaw. If I had asked for new side vents or a new paint job due to their design flaw they would have laughed at me and told me to go screw myself. I'm smart enough to know that by driving my car I am going to cause damage to it. It just comes with owning a car. Yes it sucks to see that once showroom vehicle diminish but oh well. That's why I think a lot of the people who view this as some major issue are first time new vehicle owners. The damage from daily driving is a lot less apparent when you buy a used vehicle.

 

Captain, the HHR is my 7th new vehicle so please do not tell me that the problem is with all cars. Within the first 1,000 miles of ownership of the HHR it was apparent. My 6 year old Focus with bodykit that almost touches the ground has nowhere near that amount after the entire time of ownership (minus the recent deer hit damage).

 

I'm saying it's not a problem period. Look at any vehicle with bulging rear fenders or side vents both functional and fake and you will see the exact same damage. If you get down on the ground and look at the rocker panel of any vehicle you will see the same damage. It just comes with driving. Some vehicles just seem to show it more. I can tell you from personal experience that none of the so call sandblasting on the HHR can even touch what was on my Mustang. I don't think the damage is excessive on the HHR, but of course we're all going to disagree on what we view as normal driving damage. IMAO to think that chip damage on a daily driver is GM's fault in any way, shape, or form or that they owe you free stuff because of it is asinine.

 

Again we will agree to disagree. other than the free part. (I don't think the boards should be free either. They should just be offered at the same cost as if purchased when new)

 

This is really a touchy subject it seems. I too have an HHR with terrible damage to the passenger door area. I am looking to take my car back to the dealer and see what I can get done to help this. I don't feel that this kind of damage should be done with only 30,000 miles on it! The way mine looks it could possibly wear through the panels within a 100k miles!

Anyhow....great site! I love reading all the different tips and tricks on here!

One last thing....has anyone notice the noise the car makes when you have just the back windows open? It could pop your eardrums at highway speeds!!

 

to the posting part of the site!!! Happy 1 year of membership too

 

Your not the only one who noticed the earpopping with the rear windows down. It was noticed really early......earlier than the running board issue........

EAR POPPING

STRANGE NOISE

 

Mickz76, I think I read something somewhere in the HHR book, that you need to crack your front windows open just a bit to stop that popping noise. I wouldn't swear to it though, but I think it was something like that.

As for the running board situation. Speaking for my husband and myself, it's not a question of trying to get something for nothing. It's a question of a company teaching their employees to be honest. In our search for a good deal on an HHR, we were told time and again that the running boards only served the purpose of adding to the LOOKS, and nothing else. Had we gotten them when we bought the car, we would have gotten a good deal on them, now they want a lot more and we don't think it's fair, so they should at least offer the running boards to us for the price we would have paid, had they told us the truth in the first place.........or don't those sales people have a clue what's going to happen?

I'd also like to say, maybe Chevy should bring those fenders out just a little more. We were looking at the fenders my brother in laws PT Cruiser, and those fenders come out so that they really cover the wheel and any stones that get kicked up are not going to damage the paint. His PT is five years old, and there isn't any damage on his, it's like new.............okay, except for where he backed into something.

 

Salemen aren't GM employees and they'll say just about anything to make a sale. So how is it GM's fault? Wouldn't it be your fault for listening to a salesman and not doing your own research?