I bought new, my HHR SS 15 years ago, & it still makes me giggle everytime that a drive it.
The last car that made me giggle all the time was a 1970 HemiCuda that I had 50 years ago.
This is also my 1st performance car that I have kept for at least 15 years.
I should've kept the HemiCuda, but was young & dumb. LOL

I really need to drive it more as it only has 45k miles on it, which works out to 3k per year. LOL
I think that it's 'broken' in now.

My HHR SS is the most reliable car that I have ever owned, as I have never had a 'part' failure.
I've never even had a light bulb failure of any kind.
I have replaced 'maintenance' items such as wipers & brake pads & have always replace the battery every 4 years.
What a reliable little 'buggy'.

I started out using an Ethanol 'blend' of 30% a few weeks after buying it, & by the end of the 1st year I settled on 47%, after a lot of 'testing' by a lot of guys on the Cobalt SS forum.
Zero issues of running an Ethanol 'blend' after 15 years.
A 47% Ethanol 'blend' adds 30HP to our 2.0 LNF engine.

What a 'fun' little 'buggy', a true hot rodders dream.
A real 'sleeper' on the streets.
So easy to modify for a true performance vehicle.

By just adding a good 'tune', puts this little beast into the 13s at the drag strip.
By just adding a good 47% Ethanol 'tune' with a 'cored' 2nd 'cat', a better motor mount, & a K&N air filter system will let you break into the 12s.

It's a 'keeper'

 

Awesome that you’re enjoying that SS much better fuel mileage than the Cuda!

 

At one point I was running a 'crossram' intake manifold with two 780 Holly carbs on the Hemi.
When floored you could watch the gas gauge move. LOL
Also I would drive to the track with a full tank, & then have to refill the tank on the way back home from the track.

With the 47% Ethanol 'tune' on the HHR SS it really does get a good average of 20mpg.
I did a 'hypermiling' drive test once, by filling the tank, drove about 45 minutes to my destination, filled the tank again & had a 30mpg average.
I will never 'hypermile' again as it's not fun. LOL
It's so hard to keep the gas pedal off of the floor. LOL

 

Cool Beans, I have owned my '08 Panel since '09 & Still enjoy it..

Only parts I needed to replace were the sway bar bushings, pot holes I think. & sway bar links for good measure. I have 37k+ So I'm close to it being broke in.

I may even have the key / ign switch recall done.. Waiting on parts now. But it has not giving me any key/ ign issues..

 

I know exactly what you mean! I find myself grinning whenever I'm driving near a wall or in a tunnel and you can hear the exhaust gargle between shifts, fun little car for sure.

 

The 'stealth', sleeper thing is amazing.
Most people don't even know what a HHR SS is, or never even knew that it existed.

At the track I beat alot of late model Camaros, Mustangs, & Challengers.
Sometimes those drivers will ask me what the hell is it, or, how did I manage to get a V8 to fit inside of it.
When I pop the hood, it's just disbelieve on their faces. LOL

'sleeper', 37k, you must have the lowest mileage 'buggy' out there.
If you look at the classified listings out there across the nation, it's hard to find a low mileage HHR for sale.
Most are over 100k.
Such a reliable little 'buggy' we have.

 

2005HHRauto-

Your ride is bad azz. No doubt. I always read your posts much as I can. & Would love to see you smoke some hot shot hot rod.

Thanks, Yea mine is pretty lo-miles. I watch others listed.. I have had ppl make offers on it on another place.
Not wanting to sell. OTOH, I don't want to see the replacement parts dry up either. I'm still having lots of fun with it.