I'm still guessing its a cable problem, not the clutch. There is a post regarding cable replacement just above your last post, which includes costs. Not exactly inexpensive, but what today is?

 

I agree, it does sound like a cable problem to me... I know the one time that I had my shifter apart (i popped it out of the socket down below the boot while speedshifting!) I noted how cheap and flimsy those connections are under there. The 2 cables have these little plastic snap-in-place ends and I have heard of others having them pop out of postion making it much more difficult to shift.

With mine, when I jammed to 3rd I got a little over zealous and popped the bottom of the shifter stem right out of the socket! I had a wet noodle for a shifter and limped it home in 2nd where I had the tools to take it apart!

Hope you can find your problem!

 

I just go my HHR last fall, and the stick didn't always want to go into 1st, and wanted to grind going into 3rd. I took it to the dealer, and they adjusted the shifter cable under powertrain warranty at no charge. It shifts much better.

 

is it hard to shift when you first start? bc if it is, it might be that the transmition is not warmed up and its still a thick fluid making it hard to shift

 

Update on my front. 90K, the cables had seized. This winter, it's the actually shifter mechanism itself that has physically worn out and would lock up when cold during the winter. I need to replace the stock one with something better this round. Opened it up yesterday when I was added in a PAL unit into the vehicle, and noticed the significant wear of the plastic on the shifting ball and around.
Going to replace with milled aluminum performance unit. Cheaper and better quality than the GM shifter.