First post, thinking about SS
 

Hi, I'm new here and I'm thinking about getting a new car. I presently drive an '06 Honda Civic. I've had several Toyotas and my wife currently drives an '08 Yaris. I've never had any electrical or engine problems with a Japanese car, incuding a pathetic little Echo I abused for 90,000 miles before I got sick of looking at it.

I am leaning towards a Toyota Matrix XRS so I can haul my bike in the back, but I stumbled on some reviews of the HHR SS and can't take my eyes off it. 100 more HP and about the same mpg and cargo capacity for the same price. Problem is, it's built in Mexico and it shows. There's posts all over the internet about bad connectors, weird brakes, clips missing and just general stopped-in-the-middle-of-road stuff. Do y'all consider this a small price to pay for such a cool car and just deal with it?

I spend a huge amount of time in my car and any time in the shop is a big deal for me. Is it true that a lot of people are having problems, or am I just being spooked because people WITHOUT problems don't post?

Don't take this as a slam against your rides. I really like this car, I'm just worried.

PS. It pisses me off I have to go to Mexico to buy American. My last Toyota was built in California!

No problem. I understand your concern and I will say one thing, all cars will have problems and some people are lucky and unlucky. Im had nothing but chevys and beat the hell out of them and never broke down unless I did it with my own 2 hands. We all want cars that last and won't break the bank. So far my SS HHR has been wonderful. It's a 5 speed so "I" had to learn it's temperment. At first the shifter was a little stiff sometimes but some of my buddies said it was normal for manual cars because the parts need to break in a tad. Now it's very smooth. take car of a car and it will take car of you. It's not the old days anymore with American cars. The HHR SS was tested harshly on proven tracks in Germany. Very well put together.

The HHR SS is very quiet compaired to my friends brand new corolla S. I get wonderful gas mileage and has a lot of power. Very roomie for 5 adults "Im talking about 5 Army and Airforce friends in it" and no complaints with them while going out for lunch.


I would suggest you go out and test drive all the cars you can before you buy. If you find an SS drive it as soon as possible because someone might scoop it up. "very rare in most places".

welcome to the board

When I first bought mine I had several electrical problems, no power windows is what it started with. The dealer found it to be a bad body control module. They put a new one in and I had even more problems. I finally lost my temper with them and they found the new module did not completely take the program. Finally got it fixed. Other than that.........I can say this is the most fun vehicle I have every had. It gets looks everywhere you go. I went to a car show and parked behind where they were showing the cars and a half dozen people had gathered around it when I got back. I use to ride my sport bike all the time for gas mileage and that power to weight ratio, but I find it sits more and more because the HHR has both as well.

Mine too was a show stopper at a Local car show. More looks than my Z28 got. LOL

I don't have one yet--ordering a 09 next month.. "but"--I noticed you are in Lake County & I just went thru Clear Lake last month on a motorcycle trip.. Those roads up there "call" for a car like the HHR SS--all those GREAT winding & smooth roads! (and I saw that "Servipro" in Clear Lake uses HHR's (not SS) for their work vehicles.. Good luck!!

SargeChris, you're right about the roads up here. Did you do the Poker Run around the lake? What kind of bike?

Firewatcher, why an LT2 instead of SS?

HHRemi: Harley Road King (FLHRI--hard bagger), 2000 with 80k miles and still going strong!! I was flying solo--went all-over the State & So. Oregon... (I take a trip in August almost every year--last year I went to N. Carolina and back--but via a "big loop" North going out and South coming back.. Thanks for your interest--do you ride also?

Not anymore, just recumbent bicycles. My last motorcycle was a Yamaha SR500 [great bike] about 20 years ago. If I could figure how to replace my $20,000.00 car with a $20,000.00 Harley, I would do it!

By the way, right after I posted my question it dawned on me, "Dude, he drives an HHR SS. Of course it's a Harley." You're right to list the specific model, though. I would have wondered. I saw a 105th Anniversary Electra Glide Ultra the other day. That gold is amazing!

First off I would like to thank you for having an open mind to give Chevy a chance.

But here are some of the fact you don't get some to tell you.

The gap between American cars and Imports has shrunk and in some cases the American cars are much better on some models.

YES some American cars have problems but so do the imports. I myself and a few of my friends have over the years made a living fixing Toyota's and Honda's with blown head gaskets and other related mechanical poblems. You should see the labor on a Lexus SUV to justy change the plugs!!

On the other hand you only read about the poor things on American cars on the web as most people who have no problems are not going to take the time to say how great things are.

Over the years my Father and I have had 27 GM cars. 20 of which were purchased new. The worst I have seen on any of ours was a bad cam on a 1978 Buick at 100,000 miles, one computer box fixed out of warrranty by the dealer, on AC compressor and a hand full of water pumps on several models. Other than that we have had little issues as must owners have had.

The wife is driving a 04 GTP and we are right at 58,000 miles and are still on the original brakes. We have not has any issues other than poor chome on the wheels that was address when it was new.

The only American car I can say was a lemon was a 1995 T bird That had issues of all sorts. heater moters, brakes, MAS, etc.

I think if you keep an open mind you will find many of the newer GM cars post Bob Lutz arrival have more than improved and are the measure of most other companies.

As for the Mexico thing. I would rather see them built here but at what cost?
Thew UAW does not have the same hold on Toyota or Honda as they do GM. They have started to give GM some breaks and we will see more built here as with the new lines going into Lordstown.

I have purchased two new GM cars this year the SS and a Malibu and both have been trouble free and a joy to own. The Mlaibu is one of the best bargins on the market right now as it is a lot of car for the money. It is also a very comfortable and well built car.

I hope you take the time to drive the SS and see it is a great bargin for the money. I think if you would ask here you will find more people have not had problems vs those who have with near 300,000 HHR's sold in the last 3 years Chevy must have done something right as it has a very good over all rep.

Enough of my rant just go drive it and it will sell itself. I never though I would own a HHR and the test drive sold me!