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My '07 has started bubbling at the front and rear bumpers years ago. The vertical panels behind the front doors have also lost the clear coat, but the horizontal panels look like new. I used to wax the HHR all the time and took good care of it, this is defective paint from the factory. I'm not going to do anything, as the rest of the clear coat will let loose eventually anyway. On the mechanical side I have never had a more dependable car, which is why I keep it. 169,000 miles and going strong.
What vertical panel behind front door? There is supposed to be a plastic guard behind the rear doors on a 2007, 2006 had no protection, 2008 on has a thin film. A TSB for 2006 models says to install "running boards" to solve the rock chip problem. Lots of 2007 and 2006 have the running boards instead of the protective bit.
An Update on the front bumper.
Today I sanded all of the paint failures, then wet sanded, color coated and clear coated.
With the exception of one small run in the clear coat (that you really have to look hard for), I'm pretty happy.
The paint was by "Color Rite", and appears to have matched the GM Imperial Blue metallic well.
I found an entire kit — paint, primer, clear coat, tack rags, prep sol wipes, some abrasive paper & other stuff — on eBay for less than $35 US.
Only thing that remains to be seen is its durability, and with winter coming on, I'll find that out soon enough.
Thanks to everyone who responded with observations & advice.
