Chevrolet HHR

smogdung · January 2006

They did something like that for me when I bought the '03 Alero....they added 1-2 K ....back in the begining you could accumulate $1K / year max $7K....it didn't take em too many years to figure out they were screwing themselves on that one.....so far I've used $8K lifetime earnings + that 1-2K they added....+ regular rebates + negotiations...

msdriker · January 2006

I have had my HHR for about a month now. The first week I got a rock chip that had to be repaired and since then it seems like I hear rocks hitting way more than I ever have with any other vehicle and now I have another tiny chip that is too small to fix. I am curious as to whether anyone else is having this problem. Thanks.

luminalady97 · January 2006

Hello HHR Owners!
Just traded in my 01 Malibu for the HHR and I LOVE IT!I've only had it for a few days and I drove it at night for the first time last night. My question involves the power window buttons on the center console. Are they supposed to illuminate at night? I called Chevy's 1-800 number, and emailed them as well.(they emailed back and apologized for not knowing the answer) I also called my dealer and nobody seems to know the answer there either. The tech at the Chevy 800# suggested asking other HHR owners about this. It would seem to me that they ought to glow because I couldnt see them at all in the dark and had to go by feeling them.

Thanks for your input! PS. Dont you just love all the heads that turn when you park or drive down the street?

minarets1 · January 2006

mine dont illuminate

luminalady97 · January 2006

Thank you! It's good to know I don't have a burnt bulb or fuse. Enjoy your HHR! I am having a blast with mine!

smogdung · January 2006

Trip meter = 406.8 miles. 2.4L Automatic 17s.....on tank of 89 Octane.........took 15.15 gallons to fill to the nub...= 26.85 MPG.....fuel range readout switches to bell & says low fuel....then drove about 10 miles to station...since it's a 16.2 gallon tank...I must have still had just over a gallon left. This was not pure highway miles...maybe two thirds highway...one third suburban....filled it up with 87 Octane this time...no ping detected...yet.

gogophers1 · January 2006

Due to a certain alignment of the stars (so to speak), I may (or may not) be placing an order-out for a Sunburst II HHR LT1 5spd later this week.

A couple questions for current owners first...

1. Has anyone experienced a clunk or knock from the front suspension/steering? I drove a used HHR (with just over 6K) and it had such a knock. I'm hoping the problem was unique to that particular vehicle only and not something that is characteristic of the model, but I could swear I heard a similar noise (much lower in volume but still present) coming from the suspension of a brand-new one I drove just a few days later.

2. Has anyone changed their own oil with this rig? I was examining the filter location on the dealer's showfloor and it appears that you need a special tool to get at the filter itself (which unfortunately looks to be of the cartridge variety). Can one even buy an HHR filter at a retail store or are they only available through dealer service departments?

My dad's Intrigue takes a catridge filter and it rather annoys him that he's always got to take it in to the dealer whenever he needs an oil change. I fear it's going to be the same thing for me if I buy the HHR.

Thanks for any help,

Mike

ray80 · January 2006

While the buttons are not backlit, they are supposed to be at least slightly illuminated by the little light in headliner. Depending on conditions they may not be very visible though.

smogdung · January 2006

When we first brought our 2LT home there was an occasional clunk at take off during brisk acceleration....turned out the spare tire wing nut that holds it in place was not fully tightened down....a couple of twists stopped the clunk. Other than that it seems solid as a rock for 3,000 miles. Regarding the oil...haven't looked at it....but oil life indicator suggests...>10,000 mile oil changes....
2LT with sport suspension & 17s almost handles like a sports car with 1 or 2 people in it....with 5 adults...best to keep it under 70 when going round the decreasing radius off ramps of a cloverleaf!! Parked next to a new Z car this weekend....when I glanced out of the store window the Z guy was standing on the passenger side of my car with his greasy nose against my passenger side window. Later on at a restraunt I parked next to a Ferrari ... from the front...I liked the HHR better..

tdbone62 · January 2006

There should be a small light on the roof just above the rearview mirror. The hole is about the diameter of a pencil. It puts out a soft blue glow that should illuminate everything directly below it. I have no problem seeing my window controls.

cob · January 2006

FYI, I owned a 2000 intrigue 3.5 and bought my cartridge filters at auto parts stores Napa/AutoZone. Never had to go to dealer for filters. unfortunately it still wasn't any easier or less messy than changing with conventional filters.

lopper · January 2006

First of all, I'm as car illiterate as I am computer illiterate, so please bear with my poorly worded questions.

I'm seriously considering trading in my '02 Silverado for an HHR sometime within the next month or so, and I've got a couple of questions:

1)How does the engine in the LT2 perform while driving uphill at freeway speeds? Does it have enough power to get you up and over the hill at freeway speeds without stressing too much?

I do a lot of driving between Phoenix and Flagstaff, AZ, and the uphill portions of the drive used to slow my S-10 to a crawl. I just want to make sure that I won't be getting in that boat again.

2)How solid does the HHR feel on dirt roads? I'm not talking serious off roading or anything ridiculous like that, just unpaved/primitive roads.

I was on one today that had my Silverado vibrating and shaking pretty severely, and I'm kind of unsure of how the HHR would hold up. It's not a road that I plan on driving again for at least another few years, but you never know what kind of roads I'll come across while working.

3)For anyone going from a larger vehicle to the HHR: do you get used to the smaller, more narrow wind shield? I took one of these for a test drive last Saturday (and had an absolute blast, by the way!) but I couldn't get over how narrow the windshield was, especially since I've been driving the Silverado for the last four years.

And has the rear view mirror posed any sort of hazard for anyone? I noticed that it creates a pretty large blind spot in the front view, but again it seems like something that could be gotten used to.

4)The brakes. I'm a little leery about the braking capabilities of the HHR. Some reviews really harp on how poor they are, while others just comment that they wish Chevy had done a little better in this department. Are they anything to be concerned about?

luminalady97 · January 2006

Hmmm.... your suggestion probably explains why I can't see the window controls. My dealer provided installation for an after-market sunroof on my vehicle. The electric button which controls the sunroof, along with the OnStar mike are the only items above my rearview mirror. Perhaps that little blue light had been there, but was removed when the sunroof was installed.

By the way, the sunroof looks great! It's hard to recognize that it was not factory installed. This one came with a 6 year warranty as well. One suggestion for HHR owners with after-market sunroofs; due to the height and aero-dynamic shape of the roof of the HHR, it was helpful to add on a wind-buffer shield. In additon to its functionality, this shield also provides a sporty-look. :shades:

PF_Flyer · February 2006

Be sure to join the Eagle One team in a live chat event tonight to find out how nanotechnology is changing the future in car appearance products.

The chat gets underway at 9PM ET/6PM PT.

There's also going to be a special offer available only to those attending the chat, so don't miss this one.

Eagle One Team Chat

Hope to see you there!

smogdung · February 2006

The base 2002 Silverado had a horsepower rating of 300 and a curb weight of 6090lbs ...so the Lbs/bhp = 20.3/1 . The LT2 HHR with the 172 hp 2.4L engine has a curb weight of about 3155 lbs = Lbs/bhp =18.3/1 ...basically the HHR should be about 10% ...more snappy! Best guess is the top speed on the LT2 HHR =126 mph ...+ you're going to go twice as far on a gallon of gas. This is probably the best 4 banger ever built in the USA (the 2.4 is built in Tenn.)...All Aluminum, chain driven (not belt), VVT, duel counter-rotating balance shafts, DOHC, Multi-valve...specific output is 71.66 HP/L...the Z06 = 73.57 HP/L... pretty close......

npgmbr · February 2006

I've seen very few autos with the battery located in the rear of the car but have never seen it in a Chevy or even any other GM for that matter. But then I have not been in a lot of cars.

Does anyone know if that was a space saving feature or is there some sort of benefit from having the battery in the rear? Just curious!

ray80 · February 2006

I have yet to see anything on why its there. It is located in a pretty much unusable place though and perhaps its a space savings thing. One possible benefit is less likelyhood of corrosion (at the battery anyway) due to exposure to weather, which in turn might lessen the chance of weak current affecting sensitive electronic systems.

imidazol97 · February 2006

Helps balance weight away from front of car.
Helps keep the battery cool so it's not aged as fast as with the engine heat on it especially when idling in traffic with air conditioning running and then turned off in a parking lot.
LeSabres have them under rear seat. There's a connection point in the engine compartment for jump starts with the fuse box.

npgmbr · February 2006

Thanks for the responses. You both provided very good answers. I currently have a 99 Infiniti G20 that I love that gets great gas mileage but I'm ready for something new and I love the retro look of the HHR and have been drooling over it ever since Chevy first announced it. And I also wanna come back home to GM. The HHR will be my 3rd Chevy if I get one (and im sure I will).

I was waiting to make a purchase becasue of first generation bugs but, its seems no one is having any problems with their HHRs.

62vetteefp · February 2006

I was waiting to make a purchase becasue of first generation bugs but, its seems no one is having any problems with their HHRs.

Do not know the quality stats on the HHR yet but first year quality issues are no where near where they used to be. the LaCrosse first year results did better than the Camry (per IQS2 JD Power) so I figure the HHR will also do great. GM has really worked hard to get rid of the quality issues.

beliver · February 2006

My mom had a old VW bug. The battery was located under the back seat. The original battery lasted 11 years. I changed it out just as a precaution and found the original build sheet under it. A German brand as I recall.

believer

npgmbr · February 2006

Yes I see your point, but to be honest, the LaCrosse is a totally different animal from the HHR. And IF they are not built in the same plant there is nothing to suggest that they should both have good first year quality scores.

However, I do agree that GM has made significant strides in quality. As the previous owner of a 89 Baretta GT , and a 99 Tracker, I saw first hand the short cuts GM used to take. But competition is so fierce right now they can no longer allow that to happen because too many customers have soured on their products.

They must offer competitive products or die. Simple as that! I am more than willing to give GM another try but its my guess that most other import owners will be much harder to regain.

62vetteefp · February 2006

Yes I see your point, but to be honest, the LaCrosse is a totally different animal from the HHR. And IF they are not built in the same plant there is nothing to suggest that they should both have good first year quality scores.

Quality is only effected partially by the plant. Engineering has the highest effect and the new systems at GM assure a vehicle does not become salable until certain test and valication targets are met.

ooklathemok · February 2006

I've had my HHR for a couple of months now. I read somewhere that it was a quiet ride. I find that under acceleration and heavy acceleration it tends to be loud. Louder than normal. Sounds like it's coming from the muffler. Does anyone else notice this?

ooklathemok · February 2006

Has anyone changed their air filter yet? I just got a K and N air filter and was wondering if anyone else got one and whether or not it was a difficult swap. Reading the owners manual hasn't been much help.

micweb · February 2006

Noise is a matter of opinion. I think the Cobalt and HHR are relatively quiet for this size-category of vehicle. I test drove both in the past six months, with and without an automatic. I was surprised that the stick shift HHR seemed fairly noisy - until I realized that the noise level was only a problem under heavy acceleration, and using the stick had tempted me into heavy acceleration.

I don't think you have any problem with your sample, since you indicated it is only noisy under heavy acceleration.

So long as your HHR is quiet when cruising, and "reasonably loud" under moderate acceleration, the fact that it is "really loud" under full acceleration is perfectly normal.

poncho167 · February 2006

I believe it's a space saving issue with this vehicle. There are several other auto's out there with this same mounting area (Impala I believe for one). In race cars the battery is usually always in the back for extra traction, but this is not the reason for the front wheel drive HHR.

poncho167 · February 2006

The chassis and engine are shared with the Saturn and Opel, so they have been thoroughly tested on the road already.

poncho167 · February 2006

I don't know if this is the case, but a lot of auto's have a built in rumble in the exhaust to simulate performance. Look at all those four banger Neons, Cavaliars, and Civic owners, who modify the exhaust for what they think is a performance sound or gain, but don't realize that it really sounds like a sick lawn mower. I wouldn't want a car with a loud exhaust and would probably replace the muffler if that was the case. The new Civic in one write up has a loud engine under excelleration also.

smogdung · February 2006

Really bad news guys, I discovered today that at a steady 115 mph on I-70 my 2LT doesn't get near as good gas mileage as it does at 70 mph !@ I reset the readout at about 100 mph & it went down to about 20 ...as I took it to 115...it went below 20 mpg....after 115....I decided I should keep my eyes on the road ... but, I think at one point it went to 18 mpg......when I filled it up later..overall it worked out to 27.3 mpg.

medinamalibu · February 2006

at a steady 115 mph on I-70
Wow, I am glad to know that! I'm also glad I live a lot closer to I-90 than I-70. :P

jtheron · February 2006

Noticed an ad showing an HHR with a MSRP of $19,585 discounted by $2,786 for a final price of $16,799.
Nice to see ads showing them discounted.

nova · February 2006

Were are you located? I found a dealer in FL that said he would sell me one on his lot for $100.00 over invoice no dealer prep. He did not have tha one I wanted. Orange/ gray/ 2.4/ auto/ 17' chrome wheels

jtheron · February 2006

Dealer was Sid Dillon, web address siddillon.com and locations in Fremont, Blair and Wahoo Nebraska. Ad was in todays newspaper.

Kirstie_H · February 2006

A reporter seeks to interview owners of the Ford Fusion, Chrysler 300C and Chevy HHR. Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com before Wednesday, February 8, 2006 with your daytime contact info and a few words about the model you chose.

joey0708 · February 2006

can anyone tell me how your airconditiong was , did you find it adequate? i had the pt out on a very hot day and the air was great .

vinney1 · February 2006

Hi I'm new to this board and I just got a new HHR LT sport red mettallic with automatic, 2.4 engine, alluminum wheels and foglights. I just noticed the tachometer makes a ticking noise as it moves up and down and it will do it too while car is in park and you rev the engine. I sat in another car at the dealer and it didn't do it. Should I wait to see if it goes away or should i take it in. Does anyone out there have this? Also, when turning on the A/C you can really hear the compressor just below the console. Its a little louder than most cars I've owned. Is this normal? Does yours sound a little loud when using the A/C? Any input will be greatly appreciated.

62vetteefp · February 2006

just noticed the tachometer makes a ticking noise as it moves up and down and it will do it too while car is in park and you rev the engine

No cables anymore to wear in so I would take it back.

joesquid · February 2006

Mike,
I noticed you said you ordered your HHR? I've been wondering about going that route myself. I test drove both engines and both trannys and decided I really wanted a Sunburst Orange with the 2.4L mated with a five-speed. How do you go about ordering one and do you save any money going that route? Do you have to pay MSRP on an ordered vehicle or can you still haggle price? How long does it take to get the vehicle?

Thanks for any advice you can give! Hope you're enjoying your new ride!!
Eric "Joe Squid"

ray80 · February 2006

I ordered ours in Sept and picked it up at end of October, six weeks and 3 days I think. I believe the wait time now may be around 8 weeks. The right dealer shouldn't have any problem with ordering and you should be able to negotiate price. Feel free to e-mail me and I may be able to pass along a couple other thoughts

ooklathemok · February 2006

I haven't noticed the sound when the a/c is on. It's winter here in Chicago. But I notice it in every other setting. It is unusually loud.

vinney1 · February 2006

Thanks for the info I guess everything is normal except my tachometer that ticks while engine running!

smogdung · February 2006

I had a Dodge Minivan with the same 2.4 L engine that's in the PT Cruiser....they have timing belts instead of timing chains....at about 60-70K miles the belt stretches (PINGING!)and you have 2 choices....use premium or pay them several hundred dollars to replace the belt (internal)....eventually...you'll have no choice. Also, those are iron block -aluminum head engines...more likly to blow head gaskets I think (metals expand / contract at different rates). The ecotech is all Aluminum, chain driven.

ray80 · February 2006

Its my understanding orders are now being taken for this. Victory red exterior (My favorite vehicle color) plus some other added unique items. I should have waited to get mine

:mad:

jerrywimer · February 2006

Don't feel bad. There's always something new and/or improved just around the corner.

Example: Bought my 2004 Silverado in October of 2004. At the time I was comparing the Silvy to a 2004 Avalanche sitting on the same lot. End result- Ave+~$5k = Silvy (equipment levels). So even though I would have preferred the Avalanche, I jumped on the Silverado. December 2004, one of GMs Employee Pricing deals went into effect. 2004/2005(!) Avalanches sitting on the same lot, FULLY loaded, $1k less than I paid for my truck.

Worse. Now GM is bringing out the new Avalanche. I'm probably going to invest some savings to trade my Silverado on the new Avalanche. Rumor has it that there will be a 6.0l 355hp version later in the year however. I'm debating whether I have the patience to wait for that, or whether to just go for the LTZ package NOW with the 5.3l... (Same thing applies to cars that happens with computers nowadays. No sooner than you choose one but it's out of date.

)

lopper · February 2006

I picked up my Black HHR LT2 last night and I'm totally in love with the thing. I was getting compliments on the vehicle all day, even from my brother-in-law who is a die-hard Ford man.

I was a little worried that the jump from a Silverado to the HHR might be a little extreme and take a while to get used to, but it really hasn't been an issue whatsoever.

Did I mention that I love my new car?

I used this site, these forums especially, as a research tool and they were more helpful than I could have imagined. Thanks to everyone for the great questions that were asked for the detailed and helpful answers that were given.

Me + HHR = :shades:

smogdung · February 2006

Stop looking at it so much....you'll go blind!

lestat520 · February 2006

Hello I am Lestat and I am in the market for a HHR. I have gone into review sites over and over and all I read is how it is a duplicate of the PT Cruiser. I would like some input from actual owners to let me know what is good and what is bad about the HHR. My real concern however, is how does it function in snow conditions I currently own a 1993 Mazda 929 and I am sliding all over the place maybe it does not help that the car is RWD.

smogdung · February 2006

Mine is a 2LT with the 2.4L, it has an automatic transmission and like all HHRs with an automatic transmission it has electronic traction control. I've been thru 2 decent snow storms (6-12inches) and it works great. The antilock brakes work great too. All HHRs with an automatic transmission also have remote start from the factory...good feature. Averaging about 26-27 mpg so far.

ray80 · February 2006

Ours seems to be pretty good in snow ( I always run on winter tires here in the NE ,RWD,FWD,AWD whatever I'm driving) The only thing I've noticed is I tend to overpower it a bit (2.4 engine running 93 manual tranny) from a start mostly, I think if I ran lower octane I wouldn't be doing that.

Chevrolet HHR

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