Used 2008 Chevrolet HHR Consumer Reviews
Great choice
My 08 LS Auto is fabulous. 2.2 motor 149hp is more than adequate despite the heavy vehicle. Ride is soft as expected and comfortable. We use this as a family hauler with two kids 3 and 4. They can actually get in all by themselves unlike the large SUV guzzlers out there. This is an inexpensive, economy vehicle with some flair and modern features. The info panel is fantastic and interior versatility is top notch. GM is offering the goods to the lower price buyers for a change, not just the monster SUV crowd. Interior quality is better than expected for price and segment. I think it looks more premium than the msrp commanded. Replacement parts are inexpensive too (brakes, rotors,etc)
Great Vehicle
Bought used with 10k miles for $12K. Saved thousands off new and still looks and smells new. Styling is great and there are a lot of customized parts available. It has the solid rear quarter panels which is extremely rare and it gets looks everywhere I go. Great mileage and very user friendly. Highly recommend.
Loved it - til I hated it
Special ordered it brand new. Put an exterior woodgrain trim kit on it and enjoyed riding around town and on road trips in 'Lil Woody'. Drove it easy, always kept it in the garage at night. Everything was fun and fine until 40k, then things started falling apart. Shocks/struts replaced due to leakage. Ignition switch replaced due to lockup (recall). Front wheel hubs replaced due to grinding noise (just plain worn out). Lower control arms replaced due to disintegration and tearing of non-repairable rubber joints. Electric power steering motor replaced due to failure (recall). Engine compartment fuse/relay box replaced due to no start when hot. AC freon charge valve replaced due to cracks (leaked out all my expensive freon). AC condenser replaced due to pinholes (which again leaked out all my expensive freon). Painted wheel covers replaced due to paint bubbling and discoloring (literally sunburned - remember, car is kept in the garage when not in use). All 4 TPMS sensors replaced - two of them twice. Check engine light stays on chronically, showing PO121 throttle position sensor fault and PO300 engine misfire detected. Neither of these conditions true. When reset, the check engine light comes on within 2 days. Mechanic said to just ignore it. Final nail: Engine quit running on the freeway. Had to be towed to mechanic. Next day, started right up and mechanic said he couldn't find anything to fix - no fault codes, etc. So that was it. I can't have a car that may randomly just stop running. 15 years, 96,000 miles, and a very unhappy ending. Dealer would only give me $1,000 as a trade-in. Some would say I got my money's worth. I disagree. My previous car, a 1987 Cavailer Z24, gave me 20 years and 201,000 miles with very little trouble. That's what I expect. Maybe my new(er) Ford Edge will deliver? We'll see.
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BRAKES OF HELL
I purchased this 2008 HHR LS Wagon 4dr car used on February 15, 2016 on Presidents Day Mon. As far as RELIABILITY - Wednesday, I was at the repair shop to let them know when you first get in it to drive to work in the morning...it will not accelerate properly. At lunch time it does the same thing. But as you get going it doesn't do it again for the rest of the day. When I got to the service/repair shop they had me sit in the lobby, then they came and got me and asked me to ride along with the mechanic so I can tell them what I'm talking about. It never did it again in the presence. Of course the next day it did it again. As far as PERFORMANCE/SAFETY - On Saturday February 27, 2016...I got into a 3-car accident, I was the third car. the car in front of me instantly stopped I SLAMMED on my brakes in which I had PLENTY enough time to stop, but the BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I'm telling you my daughter had a 2006 Chevy Blazer and those brakes stop on a dime. Other than the safety...the car looks amazing. The electronics, sound system, interior, style, everything is great as far as that.
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Don't buy this car
I have a 2008 Chevy hhr 2lt with the 2.4 engine. For two years I have been deal with a major brake problem the master cylinder and power brake booster has been replaced and to this day the break paddle goes to the floor. It's has been to the dealer and to brake max and they can't even fix the problem all they do is bleed the system. And you can forget it out. don't even think about doing emergency stop because the brake pedal just goes to the floor it's kind of scary when you're doing 65 miles an hour down the freeway.
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