Oh boy......it gets better. Spoke with the body shop today. Now remember, I dropped my baby off on May 1 for the rear quarter repairs as well as my front passenger door. Today is May 10. Now......drum roll please........GM notified the dealer that my replacement door shell will be released for delivery on May 19. Isn't that great! The poor guys in the body shop have pulled everything apart in anticipation of a quick repair, now I won't have my ride until who knows when. Very frustrating. And to top it all off, I don't have rental on my insurance, and my daughter comes home from school on Friday. Looks like I'll be hitchhiking!

 

My dealer basically told me that it would get painted once for free and thats it. I phoned GM of Canada and told them the story. They just got back to me to day and said that the paint is free. I have to dish out 200 bucks for the running boards and the loaner car is free. I feel good that they are doing this for me. Most Canadian HHR owners aren't so lucky from what I heard.
I just hope that they give me a HHR for the loaner.

 

Two hundred isn't bad. While a few owners have gotten the boards for free it seems most are being charged the original option price. I got mine installed for $318 and am satisfied that I got the best deal I could.

 

Did you folks read the service bulletin about the chips? Glad I got mine with the running boards. Read the info, gota feeling GM screwed up.
http://www.alldata.com/tsb/General-M...51-002/21.html

(it may be necessary to perform the following repair in order to meet customer expectations and gain their product satisfaction), goes on to say one time fix....What I see is the folks that bought their HHR without the running boards are gonna have to live with it, unless you shell out more money....The big companies don't make enough now HUH?
I think this is wrong. If they have a problem and are trying to keep customers happy, maybe they need to make a good product, or make a fix for it. They know they have a problem from how I read it.
Hate to tell people not to buy this vehicle, but maybe they need to be warned, you're gonna loose paint on your rocker panels and fenders, going to look bad after a few months of driving....sorta like the rusty trucks and cars of the 70's. Just think the Big Companies keep getting richer at the poor mans expense. I like my HHR and have the running boards, and am glad.

 

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. I did not get the RB's on mine. I prefer the look of the bodylines without them. I have had mine just over three months, have 20K miles on it and have no paint chip problems (knocks on wood) On top of everything else, I live in the country and frequently drive down white rock roads and even the "city" roads in my small town have quite a bit of loose gravel and rocks on them. I just take it slow and easy when I get close to home. The rest of my driving is all highway.

CBL

 

6000 miles and no chips yet, but I am working a deal with my dealership on running boards. we will see where that goes, I didn't pay much attebtion to the board issue when I bought mine, I got in a hurry...but I don't care, I love it and in the rea world you do have to deal with issues...

 

Update on paint chip problem.
Dropped the HHR off yesterday at the Dealer to install the running boards and paint.
GM Canada is paying for the paint job as out lined in the TSB. This was decided before the TSB was released. GM is paying for installation of Running boards and one running board.
Kudos’s to City Chev of Hamilton. They weren't the selling dealer but they sure went to bat for me. I'll post pictures in gallery later on in the week.
Hopefully it will finally be warm enough to put my CHEVYHHR.NET sticker on.
It has been sitting in the envelope for a couple of months
.

 

Well.....it's been 20 days that my HHR has been in the shop. They called late this afternoon and told me the door was in! Now it's all a matter of paint and reassembly. I hope to have it back by the end of the week. Stay tuned

 

The body shop called this afternoon. I can pick it up tomorrow morning. All painted including the rocker repair from GM. They installed mud flaps for me and are buffing it all out as well as detailing it (freebie). I got it mid-December and the paint had swirl scratches from washing it. (It was VERY nasty and cold when it came in). As far as the boards......I just can't afford them, even with a dealer discount. They are not a huge dealership and can only afford to go so low. Me....I'm on a pension and just can't afford certain things. I do have other obligations that have to come first. So hopefully, one of these days GM will admit they messed up and offer some type of "molded assist step corrective installation" program. Until then, I guess I'll have to park it when the roads are crummy in the winter. I think the great thing is that I hooked the guys at the dealership to this website. They can't believe the problems! They really had no idea.

Remember....if you are in the market for a Chevy in the Metro-West Massachusetts area, Herb Connolly Chevrolet in Framingham. They are the best! Ask me how I know (and I don't work there!)

 

If you can;t afford the boards yet. Might I suggest that you put real low mud flaps on. GM will only paint the rear fenders once for free. The long flaps will help lots. I have them on mine till my boards get in. Glad to see that you have your baby back at home.