Wow! I never thought I'd get so many responses in such a short period of time! You guys have provided a lot of excellent info. Thank you, guys.

I have yet to get a chance to drive one but it looks like I'll get to go out to the dealer this weekend. Even though I test drove and liked the Vibe, I still think (hope?) the HHR will wow me.

If the HHR does wow me (or even just seems the same as the Vibe), what I'm concerned about are whether or not the longer warranty does indeed apply (I thought I read about that way back when but can't find anything in writing on that yet -- does anyone have a link or something in writing on this?) and whether or not the 2.4% finance/lease rates listed for the 2007 apply.

Am I missing anything else?

Thanks once again for your welcomes and replies. This community support helps a lot towards swaying my decision. Cheers!

 

My wife drives a '04 Vibe and it now has 50k miles. It has never been in the shop a single time and every part on the car is 100% factory original except for the obvious oil, air filter and tires. It has the 1.8l Toyota engine. It has been an excellent car. My only complaint is the steering column does not have a good adjustment and the steering wheel is too far from the driver and is in an odd position until you get used to it.

I have an '06 HHR and love it as well, mainly due to stlying and I am a Chevy person through and through. I have had it in the shop three times for minor things that were fixed under warranty, but that is a hassle more than anything. It is now out of alignment for no reason whatsover after just 18k miles.

Vibe pros: fuel mileage, reliability, reliability, reliability, very sharp turning radius, extremely low operating cost over all.

Vibe cons: poor steering wheel position, rougher and noisier ride than HHR

HHR pros: much more power with 2.4l, styling (IMO), smoother, quieter ride, leather seat option, more of a masculine vehicle

HHR cons: less reliable than a toyota (Vibe has toyota drivetrain), less fuel efficient, really crappy window switches.

Good luck on your purchase.

 

jbbadboy......

You probably need to check on the Chevy Canada website. Often what is available in the States is not the same as Cananda....and vice versa.

Maybe some of the Canada members know.....

 

JB, since you are going to test drive one anyway, just ask the dealer about the warranty. If the 06 doesn't come with 100,000 mile warranty, see what kind of deal you can get on an 07. I bet you can work a great deal. The 08 will be out in a matter of weeks.

 

Well, I was finally able to take an HHR for a spin today. The dealer has two 2006 LT's, one with leather and one without. He gave me the keys and told me to take my time with it.

Hands down the increase in power is noticeable in the HHR over the Vibe. Driving it was enjoyable as it was smooth and controlled. Steering is lighter and not as precise as in the Vibe but not unacceptable. Road noise (especially when stepping on the gas) is noticeably more than my Monte Carlo but nowhere near as much as in the Vibe.

The interior is definitely quirky. While the Vibe is bland, unassuming yet well laid-out, the HHR has a more polarizing style. The bumpy feel of the two-toned beige dash is different and would take getting used to. Seating was nice and high but the leather didn't seem like the same quality as that in my Monte Carlo. (Could it just be my perception?). The radio controls are very busy. I don't mind the placement of the power window switches and getting in and out of the HHR is easy. The windows are a lot smaller than I'm used to though.

All in all, driving the HHR was much more enjoyable than the Vibe. I liked it a lot. The sticker price of the one I drove was $21,500CDN. As much as I might be able to get a great deal price-wise, I wonder if I should worry about it being a first year vehicle and if I'm missing anything else? Hmmm.....

 

What is wrong with a 07 again? afaik you can't get the 5/100000 PT warranty on a new 06. I had a Matrix...same interior as the Vibe. The Matrix/Vibe interior is defintely more user friendly than the HHR imho. Better cupholders, more storage, better laid out. I found the same thing with the steering. Leather seems ok to me..have never had leather so.....

After you drive the HHR for a few weeks all the stuff that seems really odd to you sort of fades away...you get used to things. Now I don't know how I lived without the "dash pod"...that thing is so handy!

All in all I really enjoy driving the HHR...never got that feeling with the Matrix...now I'm not trashing the Matrix or the Vibe......I think they are solid , great cars. No real reson tfor me to get rid of it other than I rented an HHR last October and loved it....that's all!

Oh..the beige dash is all the same color(beige)in the 07's fwiw


Goose

 

Go for the style. HHR. Plus, how many Vibes are in official law enforcement use?...:

 

Nothing wrong with 2007's, Goose, other than the 2006's are a lot more affordable for me. Going for a 2007 would have meant a 99.9% definite lease whereas going for these last new 2006's would mean a financed buy.

I think I'm coming down with HHR-itis. I can't stop thinking about the one I drove. Granted, it's not in my favourite color (red) but it looks to have everything else I'd want in an HHR, and more. I even drove out to see it again today with the dealership closed.

There's another 2006 HHR LT at a dealership right around the corner from me that is listed as a blowout price of $22,500 CDN. This one is the Sunburst Orange colour but has 2800km's on it. The red LT price is listed at $21,500 CDN but I believe it to have less than 100km's on it.

Now comes the difficult part for me: pricing and negotiating. Given these sticker prices, what would you offer and what would be the highest you'd pay for the 2006, knowing that 2007's have the better warranty, are more abundant and the 2008's are around the corner?

Thanks for all your help, guys!

 

We bought an '06 that had everything I wanted from the factory, it is loaded
We got it at a 5K savings over new since it had 8K miles on it and was used. This was last April/May.
Ok, it was NOT the color I love ( Orange), but the red has grown on me, but why can't we call it what it is, maroon?

I say go for the trim level you want and let the color fall where it has to. I did, and it got us one nice HHR. No real bad colors choices in HHRland, but more seem to be coming in each model year.

I like the idea of Gold Teal, but have not been sold on the ones I see. I'll bet they;ll grow on my , but I prefer the teal of my Corvair in my sig pic.

Good luck and have fun. I'm sure you'll have one soon!

 

not too sure of exchange rate, but with halfway decent negotiating skills you should come out ok. i bought my 2007 LS for $15800 out the door. the LT just wasnt that much more appealing to me. we have a dealer here in town moving out 2007 program HHR's with remainder of 5yr/100k warranty for $12500 so i am sure you could find a good deal if you are not in a hurry.