Test Drove my first SS, my observations
Senior Member
Joined: 03-28-2008
Posts: 1,115
From: Oshawa
I bought my 2008 HHR SS(Auto) brand new. When I really gave it a test run...I was so disappointed. How could GM call it an SS, just poor performance!! Then Bill Duncan announced the GMPP kit. I couldn't order one and get it in the SS fast enough. The difference is like driving an old glue factory nag to a young colt, turtle to a rabbit. You get the picture. That's why I still own mine, I never get tired of WOT. If you need to test drive an HHR SS...make sure it's "tuned".
Senior Member
Joined: 04-26-2009
Posts: 669
From: City of Champions
Ok this explains a lot. I test drove an auto SS this past weekend and thought HMMMMMM I expected more from it. I am like the op though, and not looking for an auto but that was what I came across and wanted to at least drive one to see if I will keep it on the list or not.
A simple 'tune', will wake-up, the 5sp, also...
Here's the power-curve, that you want your 'tune' to have…
Compare this curve, to the stock curve, & you'll see why, that a 'tune',
is the simplest, single best thing, that you can do, to your 'buggy'...
100% full power, from about 2,900 RPM to infinity and beyond...
The reason why you don't want 100% at the low-end, is because you'll be 'boosting',
& smoking the tires, at every stop-light...
It's really cool to have 100% everywhere, with an automatic, as when your just cruising,
at any speed, below 25 MPH, just floor it, & insanely smoke the tires,
just like in my small signature picture below ...
I would do this, instead of honking my horn, when I saw one of my buds...
Senior Member
Joined: 10-06-2011
Posts: 1,150
From: Mesa, AZ
I am just referring to the not getting 100% in all gears. A tune was already a given. I did not expect a monster. 250hp is not monster power for sure. I just expected 250hp and from what you have shown I did not get to feel it's full 250hp. I was test driving during rush hour time frame so I never got to open her up for very long. It was mostly just blips.
New Member
Joined: 01-29-2015
Posts: 19
From: San Diego
As a new owner of an SS auto I'll chime in here. if I just step on the throttle while driving in "D", I may, or may not get a good response, depending on factors I'm not even sure of. If I drop gear to "I", it gets up and goes faster. the times I have put it in competition mode and had it "I" I've left an undefined amount of my tires rubber behind in the first two gears. Just my experience -
Senior Member
Joined: 10-06-2011
Posts: 1,150
From: Mesa, AZ
As a new owner of an SS auto I'll chime in here. if I just step on the throttle while driving in "D", I may, or may not get a good response, depending on factors I'm not even sure of. If I drop gear to "I", it gets up and goes faster. the times I have put it in competition mode and had it "I" I've left an undefined amount of my tires rubber behind in the first two gears. Just my experience -
Member
Joined: 07-26-2014
Posts: 69
From: Rowan County NC
Boost/torque, is limited in all gears, but 3rd, with an automatic, as shown in the chart below....
You can see that 100% of boost/torque/power, is available in one gear only...
Ony 63%-79% of boost/torque/power, is available, in all gears, but one...
There is NO other vehicle, that GM has has done this too, in history, but this is the only way, that GM was allowed, by engineering, to put an automatic, in our HHR SS 'buggys'.
That's why a 'tune', any 'tune', is the single most best improvement, that you can do to an automatic HHR SS 'buggy'...
Our 4T45E automatic, can handle more power, better than GM thought, that it could...
I've proved, after 6 seasons at the track, with 60' times in the 1.6s, & ETs in the 12.3s, that it can get the job done..
Here's another stock graph, of the pitiful , 'power-curve', that shows even more loss of boost/torque/power, on top of the reduction, in the 'gear' chart. Notice how the power, takes a 'dive', after 5,900 RPM
Combine the two, & your stock HHR SS automatic, is a slug…
You can see that 100% of boost/torque/power, is available in one gear only...
Ony 63%-79% of boost/torque/power, is available, in all gears, but one...
There is NO other vehicle, that GM has has done this too, in history, but this is the only way, that GM was allowed, by engineering, to put an automatic, in our HHR SS 'buggys'.
That's why a 'tune', any 'tune', is the single most best improvement, that you can do to an automatic HHR SS 'buggy'...
Our 4T45E automatic, can handle more power, better than GM thought, that it could...
I've proved, after 6 seasons at the track, with 60' times in the 1.6s, & ETs in the 12.3s, that it can get the job done..
Here's another stock graph, of the pitiful , 'power-curve', that shows even more loss of boost/torque/power, on top of the reduction, in the 'gear' chart. Notice how the power, takes a 'dive', after 5,900 RPM
Combine the two, & your stock HHR SS automatic, is a slug…
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post