chooch

what do you guys think of the front windshield? When i sat in it a few times , it seemed pretty narrow to me. I sat in a model with power seats and i lowered my seat down which was a bit helpful. I am used to my honda civic which for a little car has a big front windshield. I will assume most of you also probably had previous cars which had fairly large front glass viewing area, as this has been the trend now for awhile. Did it take a long time to adjust to the view looking out ? Have a great day.

stick

I notices when I got mine, there seemed to be a lower head clearance. This in turn seemed to make the windshield seem lower too. I have the power seats and adjusted all the way down and doesn't seem as bad now. Just got used to the rest I guess.

haypops

Since glass weighs more than sheet metal, the small windshield aids in gas mileage. It also decreases the heat load on the air conditioning system keeping us cooler.

TomsHHR

Just think of driving a chopped top, those windshields are shorter..

Old Ray

Hello from a fellow Canadian and British Columbian. Yes, the windshield is narrow, small and steep with vision restricting large a-pillars, just like a 37 Ford I used to have, which I guess is the whole idea of a retro-designed vehicle. If I remember correctly my PT Cruiser was not quite as bad. I get the feeling from reading your posts that you are a very discerning shopper and with all due respect and in my humble opinion I don’t think that a HHR with its design characteristics and distinctness (read flaws?) and the compromises and hardships required would be acceptable to you. I think you should possibly consider a more conventional (read boring) vehicle.

chooch

hi ray! I just want to be a smart shopper and get as much info as possible before i decide to buy. I did the same with my honda civic and its been out for years. I tend to get bored of cars every 3-4 years and this time around i am looking for somethingother then a sedan or coupe. For the last 5 years i wanted a small suv like the new ford escape but as you know...gasoline prices are high and fluctuate wildly here in metro Vancouver. Basically i want the HHR for its uniqueness, appearance, value price and its utility. I dont need a gas guzzling suv or need 4x4. What i do like about the HHR is its 4 doors, cargo and utility for its size, and a strong reliable economical motor in the ecotec. I am on this forum to gather as much info as possible and to look at forum members HHR photos and mods....to look at the possibilities. So far, i like what i see and it seems most here have had a positive experience owning one. Keep in mind that i am going from good reliable japanese cars to american once again and i am catching up with the improvements GM has incorporated across its vehicles.

Frozenspokes

They are pretty good cars, and I suspect that if you are looking at '08s then most of the issues that '06 owners have had have been worked out. IMHO, the American made cars are of high enough quality that I don't see the need to pay the premium for the Japanese cars.

It sounds like you have many of the same criteria for your car that I had when I was shopping for mine not so long ago. Have you looked at the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix? A very nice car with similar space. The engine was a bit of a slug for my taste though. The HHR easily has more power, but you do pay with lower fuel efficiency.

I would avoid the Ford Focus as the 4 bangers in those have a habit of blowing head gaskets at around 100,000 miles or so. Not a real issue if you trade every 4 yrs.

Mazda, Subaru, and Honda all make some nice small cars with cargo space. The Honda Fit has been getting some good reviews on my mountain bike boards.

I looked at all those cars and decided on an HHR. I have had mine for a few months now and really enjoyed it. Yes, the A pillars are wide, and the windsheild is upright, but I have adapted to that. I can honestly say that it is the coolest (thermally) car that I have owned on a hot day. With the glass being so upright, it doesn't let as much sunlight in and has much less of the greenhouse effect that other cars do. I may regret that this winter in ND

Black Rose

I don't know about that. I find the HHR is warmest car I have ever had.

calgaryhhr

chooch, the windshield is small and the biggest problem you will have is not seeing traffic lights when you pull up first in line. I've had mine since Sept 2005 and, for the most part, I've learned to stop further from the cross walk than with other vehicles. That doesn't mean that I remember to do so every time and I do find myself having to bend over to see the lights at times. The worst situation is when the road/intersection dips down a little making the lights appear even higher and really being blocked by the roof line.

The A-pillars are large and difficult to navigate around as well, as someone has pointed out. I don't find them to be too much of a problem but I've had some close encounters because of not paying full attention and not seeing hidden objects behind the pillar.

JimDaddyo

You get used to it. I lean forward a bit at the lights. As the old hot rodder addage goes for chopping tops...if a dollar bill can fit top to bottom and not touch both edges, it's legal. I find that I pay more attention when driving to make up for the windshield/a-piller. Not a bad thing I guess.