New from Illinois
02-09-2012, 03:52 PM
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-04-2012
Location: Illinois- land of straight flat boring roads.
Posts: 10
New from Illinois
Greetings from a new member.
I got interested in HHR's after helping my two son's find one each in the last two weeks. I did all the on line and phone research and went with them to check them out. My younger son was first and we found a nice 2010 LS with 22k miles. We liked it so much that we told his older brother about it and I found a beautiful 2009 1LT with leather interior and sunroof and 19k miles for him. I drove both cars and quickly learned that I liked them a lot. Now I am considering getting one for myself as our second family car. Presently our second car is a beautiful 04 Mazdaspeed Miata turbo that I really enjoy driving. Unfortunately, my wife can no longer get in and out easily, so she isn't able to enjoy many trips in it with me. Therefore, it makes more sense to replace it with something like the HHR.
With that in mind, I have been trying to learn all I can and have read quite a bit on this forum. I have a couple questions to start off.
First, if I have read correctly, starting in 2009 both the 2.2 and 2.4 engines went to variable valve timing. Do you all think that this was a significant improvement in engine performance and/or efficiency? Do the 09+ engines get better mpg than the earlier models?
I didn't think I wanted to go any earlier than an 09, but saw a decent deal on a well equipped 08 2LT that has me interested. Any advice woud be appreciated.
Thanks
I got interested in HHR's after helping my two son's find one each in the last two weeks. I did all the on line and phone research and went with them to check them out. My younger son was first and we found a nice 2010 LS with 22k miles. We liked it so much that we told his older brother about it and I found a beautiful 2009 1LT with leather interior and sunroof and 19k miles for him. I drove both cars and quickly learned that I liked them a lot. Now I am considering getting one for myself as our second family car. Presently our second car is a beautiful 04 Mazdaspeed Miata turbo that I really enjoy driving. Unfortunately, my wife can no longer get in and out easily, so she isn't able to enjoy many trips in it with me. Therefore, it makes more sense to replace it with something like the HHR.
With that in mind, I have been trying to learn all I can and have read quite a bit on this forum. I have a couple questions to start off.
First, if I have read correctly, starting in 2009 both the 2.2 and 2.4 engines went to variable valve timing. Do you all think that this was a significant improvement in engine performance and/or efficiency? Do the 09+ engines get better mpg than the earlier models?
I didn't think I wanted to go any earlier than an 09, but saw a decent deal on a well equipped 08 2LT that has me interested. Any advice woud be appreciated.
Thanks
02-09-2012, 06:06 PM
#2
Deceased
Join Date: 06-30-2010
Location: Kannapolis NC
Posts: 25,739
to the forum fredz43!Well I've got two non VVT engines and one with VVT and honestly there isn't a whit of difference in fuel efficiency between them. The average for the three is right around 24mpg in mixed city/highway driving, what kills my economy is my route to the office on Interstate 85 and 485, both of them become parking lots at the worst time.
Long trip highway mileage averages out to 34 mpg on all three. Despite the differences in engine size and state of tune between the oldest of the herd(2006 LS), and the youngest(2011 2LT), they only vary by an small percentage.
I wouldn't let the presence or absence of VVT sway my decision either way, find the best HHR you can within your budget and if it checks out, snap it up.
As of now, my three have a total of 228,000 trouble free miles between them, 38,000/68,000/122,000 respectively.
to the forum
02-10-2012, 09:57 AM
#9
Premium Member
Join Date: 10-09-2010
Location: Tacoma
Posts: 14,420
Welcome to the forum, The height of the seats is the best thing about the HHR, feels like sitting on a kitchen chair.
I'm with A&P, cept I would say get both the panel and the SS, you will not miss the turbo'ed Mazda, and the Wife, will not only love getting in and out, She will want to drive it !!
Ps. And the boy's will want to borrow it.
I'm with A&P, cept I would say get both the panel and the SS, you will not miss the turbo'ed Mazda, and the Wife, will not only love getting in and out, She will want to drive it !!
Ps. And the boy's will want to borrow it.
02-12-2012, 03:29 PM
#10
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 02-04-2012
Location: Illinois- land of straight flat boring roads.
Posts: 10
Thanks for the replies, folks. I subscribed to this thread, but missed the part about notification by email, so didn't know anybody had replied. 
I missed a deal on a 2011 1LT just like my son's 09, silver, leather, sunroof and 12.5 k miles. Inclement weather prevented me from driving to this dealer about an hour away when I first saw the ad on a Saturday and when I got there on Tuesday, it was gone. Incredible deal at $13k. It seems that the 2010's and 2011's are going pretty high right now, but I'll keep looking for another low mileage late model with the equipment I prefer.
Drove another 09 1LT at another dealer that same Tuesday, but I didn't care for it at all. They did a poor job of detailing it and the cloth interior had a bad chemical smell from whatever they used to clean it. After finding the two prime HHR's for my sons, I know there are much better examples out there, I'll just have to keep on loooking.
Thanks again for the feedback. Now I know that I won't turn down a great deal if I find one without VVT.
I missed a deal on a 2011 1LT just like my son's 09, silver, leather, sunroof and 12.5 k miles. Inclement weather prevented me from driving to this dealer about an hour away when I first saw the ad on a Saturday and when I got there on Tuesday, it was gone. Incredible deal at $13k. It seems that the 2010's and 2011's are going pretty high right now, but I'll keep looking for another low mileage late model with the equipment I prefer.
Drove another 09 1LT at another dealer that same Tuesday, but I didn't care for it at all. They did a poor job of detailing it and the cloth interior had a bad chemical smell from whatever they used to clean it. After finding the two prime HHR's for my sons, I know there are much better examples out there, I'll just have to keep on loooking.
Thanks again for the feedback. Now I know that I won't turn down a great deal if I find one without VVT.