2008 HHR production numbers
Senior Member
Joined: 05-06-2008
Posts: 1,076
From: Over here
Member
Joined: 10-07-2008
Posts: 46
From: las vegas
Well there are few limited slip 22.6% as there are few 5 speeds 28.1%.
GM stated from the start they expected sales for the Auto were going to be 70%. I think GM just built these numbers and the dealers ordered what they could.
The entire manual market is declining every years and are a hard sell in anything outside a sports car. I would assume since most HHR sales already are Auto 91.5% GM played it safe and did not over build the speeds.
Lets face it fewer and fewer people not only don't buy 5 speeds but even more don't know how to even drive one.
This is in no way the dealers fault it is just the way of the market.
They did the same on color as your black and reds always are your top sellers on most performance cars. So in that case they built more cars in these colors.
Planning and building what you think people will buiy is a tough job and in this day of losing money they are playing it safe.
We may have a lot of people on here wanting a yellow but in the real world sales would be under 10% at best.
General hard core perfomance buyers are in the minority and they have to build most dealer stock so anyone could drive it or buy it. Those who what the hard core stuff order there cars most times anyway.
I could see some more 5 speed sales next year but not too many more. Let face it how many here have familys that bought this HHR SS and have wives that can't drive a stick.
Now on the other hand the Cobalt SS is bought by more single people and they are the sole driver. THe 5 Speed only works in this case.
GM puts a lot of time and thought into this and if they are wrong they end up with a lot of product just sitting around. After the hard time I had finding the Auto I bought I feel they are not in danger of having too many left over 08 Autos by Sept.
If you want more 5 spped or 6 speed cars in the future teach a kid to drive one. That is the only way the market will grow.
GM stated from the start they expected sales for the Auto were going to be 70%. I think GM just built these numbers and the dealers ordered what they could.
The entire manual market is declining every years and are a hard sell in anything outside a sports car. I would assume since most HHR sales already are Auto 91.5% GM played it safe and did not over build the speeds.
Lets face it fewer and fewer people not only don't buy 5 speeds but even more don't know how to even drive one.
This is in no way the dealers fault it is just the way of the market.
They did the same on color as your black and reds always are your top sellers on most performance cars. So in that case they built more cars in these colors.
Planning and building what you think people will buiy is a tough job and in this day of losing money they are playing it safe.
We may have a lot of people on here wanting a yellow but in the real world sales would be under 10% at best.
General hard core perfomance buyers are in the minority and they have to build most dealer stock so anyone could drive it or buy it. Those who what the hard core stuff order there cars most times anyway.
I could see some more 5 speed sales next year but not too many more. Let face it how many here have familys that bought this HHR SS and have wives that can't drive a stick.
Now on the other hand the Cobalt SS is bought by more single people and they are the sole driver. THe 5 Speed only works in this case.
GM puts a lot of time and thought into this and if they are wrong they end up with a lot of product just sitting around. After the hard time I had finding the Auto I bought I feel they are not in danger of having too many left over 08 Autos by Sept.
If you want more 5 spped or 6 speed cars in the future teach a kid to drive one. That is the only way the market will grow.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 07-05-2008
Posts: 5,464
From: Akron Ohio
driving a manual car is easy and saves on gas and less wear on your brakes. also if you want power all you have to do is down shift but in auto you have to step on the pedal down in order to tell the ecu to down shift. which is gay because you just waste gas right there and if you down shift on your auto theres a little tug but then you just wear out your tranny by doing that which cost more then a manual. just my 2 cent....
Also they about run you off the road while they are on a cell phone or some other activity other than driving now. Imagine some of the idiots on cell phones shifting and not paying attention.
There is nothing wrong with a manual it is just each year people buy less and less of them. Car companies don't want them sitting around if they will not sell.
I tried to find a red loaded with all the options I wanted I could find them all over with a 5 speed but the Autos were gone.
The other problem is the emission are harder to control so it is getting harder to get them past emissions at the MFG. Also on some you get the fames skip shift like on the Vette and G8 to meet milage on the larger cars.
As for wear and tear most clutches will wear out long before any auto will wear out. For the most part you have a few of each fail early but both are pleanty bullet proof so it is a non issue no matter the choice.
For the record I love a manual on a weekend car as there is nothing more fun. But for the stop and go of the daily grind and a wife that is not a manual driver the Auto was my only opthing here.
I plan on taching my son to drive a stick and do my part to try to keep them alive. That is the best we all can do and hope enough other do the same to keep some demand for therm in the future.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-29-2008
Posts: 727
From: Mass
Sorry, it's 28% of 4519 were 5sp and 5.2% of 4519 were imperial blue. So it's possible (doubt it) that all 235 imperial blue's were 5 speeds. There were, maybe, 10 listed on dealer lots around here for all of 2008. So unless people ordered one like me, doubtful I'll see very many.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-13-2006
Posts: 1,567
From: Geneva, FL.
driving a manual car is easy and saves on gas and less wear on your brakes. also if you want power all you have to do is down shift but in auto you have to step on the pedal down in order to tell the ecu to down shift. which is gay because you just waste gas right there and if you down shift on your auto theres a little tug but then you just wear out your tranny by doing that which cost more then a manual. just my 2 cent....
Senior Member
Joined: 02-29-2008
Posts: 838
From: Oak Creek, WI
Wow !! Only 4,519 Ss's Produced ? Ya Know , About The Som Ones, My Wife & I Wanted To Get One Of Those When We 1st Looked At Em. But The Dealer Didnt Have Any In An Ss Trim, Another Dealer Did, But It Was Stick & My Wife Didnt Want A Stick Model. However, The Black Looked Just Bad-arse, So We Got That !!
Senior Member
Joined: 07-03-2008
Posts: 1,664
From: jerSSey, exit 5
Wow !! Only 4,519 Ss's Produced ? Ya Know , About The Som Ones, My Wife & I Wanted To Get One Of Those When We 1st Looked At Em. But The Dealer Didnt Have Any In An Ss Trim, Another Dealer Did, But It Was Stick & My Wife Didnt Want A Stick Model. However, The Black Looked Just Bad-arse, So We Got That !!
I thought about the SOM, but my GP was already that color. And besides, I don't think I've ever seena SOM SS yet. Maybe I'll alternate between SOM and red. My 1999 Grand Am GT was bright red also.
Senior Member
Joined: 03-29-2009
Posts: 1,097
From: Quebec City
Well there are few limited slip 22.6% as there are few 5 speeds 28.1%.
GM stated from the start they expected sales for the Auto were going to be 70%. I think GM just built these numbers and the dealers ordered what they could.
The entire manual market is declining every years and are a hard sell in anything outside a sports car. I would assume since most HHR sales already are Auto 91.5% GM played it safe and did not over build the speeds.
Lets face it fewer and fewer people not only don't buy 5 speeds but even more don't know how to even drive one.
This is in no way the dealers fault it is just the way of the market.
They did the same on color as your black and reds always are your top sellers on most performance cars. So in that case they built more cars in these colors.
Planning and building what you think people will buiy is a tough job and in this day of losing money they are playing it safe.
We may have a lot of people on here wanting a yellow but in the real world sales would be under 10% at best.
General hard core perfomance buyers are in the minority and they have to build most dealer stock so anyone could drive it or buy it. Those who what the hard core stuff order there cars most times anyway.
I could see some more 5 speed sales next year but not too many more. Let face it how many here have familys that bought this HHR SS and have wives that can't drive a stick.
Now on the other hand the Cobalt SS is bought by more single people and they are the sole driver. THe 5 Speed only works in this case.
GM puts a lot of time and thought into this and if they are wrong they end up with a lot of product just sitting around. After the hard time I had finding the Auto I bought I feel they are not in danger of having too many left over 08 Autos by Sept.
If you want more 5 spped or 6 speed cars in the future teach a kid to drive one. That is the only way the market will grow.
GM stated from the start they expected sales for the Auto were going to be 70%. I think GM just built these numbers and the dealers ordered what they could.
The entire manual market is declining every years and are a hard sell in anything outside a sports car. I would assume since most HHR sales already are Auto 91.5% GM played it safe and did not over build the speeds.
Lets face it fewer and fewer people not only don't buy 5 speeds but even more don't know how to even drive one.
This is in no way the dealers fault it is just the way of the market.
They did the same on color as your black and reds always are your top sellers on most performance cars. So in that case they built more cars in these colors.
Planning and building what you think people will buiy is a tough job and in this day of losing money they are playing it safe.
We may have a lot of people on here wanting a yellow but in the real world sales would be under 10% at best.
General hard core perfomance buyers are in the minority and they have to build most dealer stock so anyone could drive it or buy it. Those who what the hard core stuff order there cars most times anyway.
I could see some more 5 speed sales next year but not too many more. Let face it how many here have familys that bought this HHR SS and have wives that can't drive a stick.
Now on the other hand the Cobalt SS is bought by more single people and they are the sole driver. THe 5 Speed only works in this case.
GM puts a lot of time and thought into this and if they are wrong they end up with a lot of product just sitting around. After the hard time I had finding the Auto I bought I feel they are not in danger of having too many left over 08 Autos by Sept.
If you want more 5 spped or 6 speed cars in the future teach a kid to drive one. That is the only way the market will grow.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: 07-05-2008
Posts: 5,464
From: Akron Ohio
Canadian info is hard to get in the States.
I have a Fiero that was sent to Canada and GM did not have anyhting on it from historical services accept that it was built. GM Historic Services of Canada were able to give me my informtion once they were formed a few years ago.
