I'm ex-Club DSM.
Good 10 year old AWD/turbo DSMs (Eclipse/Talon) were going for $3K plus when I got my first (stock) one.
I put in ~$2K in mods, drove it all over the country (45K), raced it and sold it for ~$5K after 2 years with 164K on it.
It's a '90 and it's still racing.

HHR isn't AWD but it's turbo with ~30 MPG and much more functional than a DSM.
You ever try to sit in the back of a Talon?

Treat it right and it'll last as long as I want it.
If it needs a motor down the road there will be plenty available for fair $$.
A built DSM 2 liter turbo motor is worth less than $2K (used but with excellent compression).

I'm not planning on racing mine but it gets it's excersise.
The harder you play the more you pay.
I'm hoping for 250K before it needs real $$ but what'll be will be.

My SS (super sleeper)

 

My SS is a bit different, but its a keeper, so are the HHR's. Can't see getting rid of any of them.

 

We have 2 HHRs, a White '06 2LT (automatic) & a Black '09 LS (manual). I have no plans to get rid of either of them at this time, I wanted a HHR from the time I first saw the early drawings of them around 2004/2005 & I would continue to buy them if they only built them longer. I have had the white one almost 5 years now & I still love it like the day I picked it up. Also just put SS rims on our black LS & she looks BEAUTIFUL .

 

I would buy another one if they still made them, but the new colors are all metallics, and I love my solid black one. Shows the dirt quickly, but when it's clean there are few better looking ones (maybe the solid red one!). I am a bit of a detailing nut, so it's condition is far better than usual - few to no swirls, and Always sporting a coat of sealant and wax.

 

Same answer. Did it with a 74 Chevelle. In that case, that was quite a LOT more than 5K as I went through all major components of the car.

 

When the BAT RIDE is used up (2-3 years) I'll be searching for a stock SS panel, 5 speed , Black . Or half panel (that will have panel doors installed - Thus becoming panelized)

And it will become "BAT RIDE 2.0"

 

Wouldn't that make it a sequel?

 

Did the panel or half-panel come first?

It might be a prequel

 

Wouldn't that be BAT RIDE 2.0 2.0?

 

Mine is already NOT what I wanted EXACTLY, but I am learning to like it. I haven't been truly happy since my 1995 Riviera left me. I can't quite place why. Once I embellish my HHR how I want, I think I'll love it and keep it. Until then, she's just a ride to work and back... and gets bullied when passing on the highway.