TO: chevymanls6454: Good luck with your search.

I just purchased a 2010 SS (auto tranny) Victory Red/with Black interior with 15K original miles (purchased from original owner) for around $19,500.00. It is fully loaded, except for the roof rack.

My previous HHR was a dealer ordered Silver 2006 HHR 2LT fully loaded back in 2006, which we sold in 2008.

I was really looking for a Silver SS with Black/Red interiors and my wife wanted an automatic. I also wanted the last SS production year (2010)

We compromissed and got the 2010 Victory Red SS.

 

I think you may like the auto better in the long run. the 5-sp is fun but is becoming mOre primitive as stated above. Plus the auto has remote start.
The only downfall with the auto is that has less power than the 5sp unless you get the GMTU or any other tune. The GMTU is supposed to be an $800 option so talk them into throwing that in the deal

 

From what u guys say I think it most be me..... this dealer isn't a Chevy dealer do u think they would install the tune?? Does a dealer have to install the tune or could anulybody do the turbo upgrade? I think it must have been the road I was on. I drive it again tomorrow...

 

This SS was also very quiet... I couldn't hear any turbo at all.. then again it was 100 degrees and I had the windows up and ac going .. also when I reved it in neutral the boost didn't go upp any reason for that?

 

It's because the air filter is very isolated in that box underneath the hood. When u take the lid off it will 10 times louder and u will have a grin ear to ear.
Btw our cars don't build much boost unless its under load.

 

And It has to be a Chevy dealership to install GMTU.

 

Car does not boost in neutral. Boost is computer controlled. The sound and the speed of the HHR SS is deceiving. It does not have the fury that the big block engined cars do. If there is nothing wrong with it, anything that is not a performance car should seem like it is nailed to the road when you go wide open at 3000+rpm. I sometimes refer to mine as a magic carpet. If I don't watch my speed getting on the highway, I can be whisked away to high speed and not realize it until I have to slow down to merge.

 

Turbo lag is not an major issue here. Yes there is a slight lag but as turbo's go in most cases it is a non factor.

You do have to drive the engine an learn it's nature. It makes power in a different way than most engines and it make power faster than most engines as the power comes in at such a low RPM.

At times I think the power rush makes people think there is a lag as nearly every V8 I have owned takes RPM to built Torque and power when my Turbo gives it at such low RPMs it can be suprising.

 

I think I just need to drive it again....YOu know I never looked at speed during my drive just the boost gauge shoot to 15lbs... So who knows maybe the smoothness I neveer even realized how fast I was going...From what you guys are saying I think that is it...

 

Switch the RPD to the speedo. You'll be suprised how quick it accelerates.

And top speed is a hoot!( slight photoshop)