I was just reviewing the TSBs and ran into the one that says that the passenger seat only has a heating element on the bottom cushion and not the back. When the HHR was introduced, the old GM emphasized all the things that came standard. See the "HHR walkaround" on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laJMb48QRBk However, there are also many things left out. In addition to the missing seat-back heater on the passenger seat, there's also the fact that the leather seating SURFACES are not leather in other parts of the seat. There's the absence of a keyed lock on the rear gate (despite the rear mounted battery) or the passenger door. There is the absence of any power adjustment for the passenger seat. The vanity mirrors have space allocated for lights on their sides, but no lights are offered. No heated mirrors (except on my HHR). No climate control available. Wimpy single-tone horn (even on the SS). Lower opening which exposes AC evaporator to road hazards (except on the SS). Low quality plastic interior (the looks don't bother me, rather the squeaks and creaks where plastic rubs plastic). Did I miss something?

 

when you battery goes dead it is a pain to change it out since the back lift gate has no key. Unfortunatley found that out first hand.

 

How do you think Vette owners feel?? They have the same button as we do on our tail gates on their doors.

 

I'm just planning on changing Paddy's battery this year, he'll be four in June and NC summers kill batteries anyway. It might be wasteful, but reading about all the issues dead batteries in HHR's can cause I'd rather be safe than sorry. The big question is whether I'll go with another Delco or an aftermarket battery.

 

Use a battery booster/jumper pack on the connection point up front, use it to unlock trunk, problem solved.

 

If they did not cut corners on many things the price of the car would swell greatly.

Car companies with low price cars are damned if they do and damned if they don't.

The lower the price of the car the less room for profit. the little things add up. Did you know that leather sent in a car cost money?, The sent is not natural and has to be added to the material. That is why top end cars like Rolls have a famed sent and many imports from Asia have no leather smell at all.

Now that there are new UAW agree ments it will make it possible to make better and profitable small cars starting with the Sonic. But be warned the UAW is wanting back already what they gave up even though GM has not paid back the GOV loans yet and even Ford is still sitting on junk bond status. The UAW is looking into declairing Human Rights Violations.

Running a car company and making a profit on small low price cars is a challange.

GM with the Cruze is trying to make a better quality and equipt car for a little higher price. That may work but it would have worked better in a better economy. Today people are willing to buy more on price per month.

If it were easy to build and sell cars everyone would be doing it. THere is a lot more to it than 98% of the people realize.

 

It's true.... Chevy interiors suck compared to many Euro and Japanese rivals. But if these minor quibbles were deal-breakers, you should have bought an VW wagon or some such car. But you would have had to pay more.

I'm glad the SS doesn't have heated seats, a special horn, lighted vanity mirrors or all that crap. I would have liked manual windows too! The simpler, the better, IMO. The less things to go wrong, the better!

 

There is another good example. Note most cars today only come with powe windows. They do becaus they are the most popular version but also if GM builds them all with only one option it makes it cheap to build. That is why often on many options anymore you can get them only one way.

 

I'd like the manual windows too at times, but on a nice 100 degree Carolina summer day, hitting all four buttons and dumping that 140 degree air in a hurry is very nice. It probably won't be too much longer before your choices when ordering a new car are the color and one or two trim levels, no stand alone options at all.

 

What you are saying is true but the HHR is also a very affordably priced vehicle. I could get all those features but then be paying $30k for a Honda Pilot which I would rather have but I can't justify or afford the huge increase in price.

I think the HHR is a very nice vehicle for the money.