Just bought my first HHR SS, love the car, completely stock 2008 front wheel drive,74000m what are some of the first upgrades I should do, and is there any hidden surprises I should be looking for.

 

Welcome to the site Mike
First upgrade would be IMO would be a Dyno tune from a tuner who has a good reputation as a HP software tuner good for 40-50 hp.
Tim

 

GM also has a tune. It will put you up to 290hp. Whatever the tune...just get one. The stock SS is pretty tame.

 

Welcome to the site! Enjoy that SS! Is it an automatic?

 

I would go for the Trifecta tune. $335.00 and adds 40-50 HP. The Trifecta tunes the transmission too. You can tell the transmission is tuned when you put it in gear the first time. Made Black Beauty a fast car.

Get your trifecta at Flash Intro Page

Boydie

 

Welcome to the site.

A tune is nice but in my opinion adding a rear sway bar should be the 1st mod done. Really will improve the handling.

 

I agree with George, a rear sway bar is a great first mod for both the SS's and LS /LTs

 

1. A good tune from CJ , (Trifecta) , or from an HPTuner
2. TurboTech engine mount, to plant the power, & control torque-steer.
3. K&N air intake system, for great throttle response around town, & HP gain.
NO retune needed with the K&N system...
4 thru 100 Whatever your heart desires...

 

Why not a sway bar on that list 2005HHRauto ? All those on your list may be good mods power wise, but for a daily driver, a sway bar is almost a must have.
No sense in "putting down" some HP if you can't handle it better in the turns.

 

Sway bar is in there, 4-100,
Hmm, My buggy will be 6 years old, next month, & I have never even thought,
about changing out the sway bar.
It handles, very well stock.
Maybes I got to do, like that Salt & Pepper Geigo commercial, & Push It, Push it
real hard, just Push It...
Really, not a lot of nice, 'twistys', in Pittsburgh, mostly 100 year old roads,
full of pot-holes...

Now, I'll go on to say the the 1st 3 that I listed, are MUST have mods, before
doing any other mods.
1. A good Trifecta or HPTuner tune, good for 50HP/75'lb torque. How sweet it is.
A mod that will surely put a on your face, & be your, 'key-stone', mod.
It will also make your buggy a true muscle car, with ETs in the high 13s too.

2. Really, a good solid engine mount, should be standard, from the factory,
in our buggys, for the safety factor alone, as it controls wrong-wheel-drive,
torque steer. If you don't go for the best mod, a tune, then please put in, a Turbo-Tech, engine mount.

3. The K&N air intake system is so wonderful, with low speed, around town, throttle response, & it removes the intake restriction, of the stock system. I had removed it, & my buggy felt like a pig, around town. If this system was outlawed, I would sell my buggy, as without it, forget it...
I'm now running it with my GMPP tune, just playing around, & it's a 'game-changer', with any tune, even the stock tune...