Father Azmodius

I'm slowly changing the things I don't like. Seats....swapped out and sold, tires...will be gone soon enough, stereo......components in the basement waiting for warmer weather. I'm currently trying to come up with a solution for the pedal spacing. Time will tell.

1970judge

Kind of how I feel, these cheap cars are throw away cars..use from 100k and ditch em. If you want long lasting dependability, ergonomics, fast, and spacious all in the same token...then pay for it

JoeSchmoe

0-60 in around 6 seconds.... goes around corners like its on rails... great breaks.... frugal on fuel.... I can live with minor incoveniences.

cup holders seem to work... i don't really care about the passengers in the back. One of them can hold on to their coffee... it isn't that onerous of a task.

I don't even have an armrest and I don't miss it...

Lack of storage? ummmm.... are you sure you are talking about the hhr? It's cavernous!! If you need cubbies, buy a rubbermaid container or two for the back to put stuff in.

I don't use maps... but there are two glove boxes that would hold more than enough maps...

One gripe - no holy-$h!t handle for my passenger. That does kinda suck for them....

3amigos

I understand that some of you think that my complaints were about wanting a 40K car for 20K. Nothing could be further from the truth - I think that for 20K these issues could have been very easily have been better thought out. I like a lot about my car - but there is a lot a don't like and did not know until I owned it for a while. Some things have been corrected (moving the window switches back to the door) in later models.

For me - I just wished they would have thought out the front interior ergonomics better, placed the Vibe/Matrix locking rails in the back, placed an overhead interior light in the front of the sunroof opening, made the door (map) pockets flat along the bottom, added a dead pedal for us manual trans guys, placed the cup holders in a better location and made them either sizable or have the rubber grip things like they put in a lot of their autos. If the Asians can do it and bring out a car for 20K - then the Americans should be able to as well.

An inexpensive car does not need to be a cheap one.

urbexHHR

Well wasn't the reason for the window switches on the console meant for foreign markets? I know the G8 had them like that, because in Australia they have right hand drive...that way they can save by making the same part. Isn't the HHR sold in Europe in some places?

Jeda13

I agree with 3 amigos and the author. GM spent all the $$$ on making the car look cool yet my 1st car, 1993 Escort Wagon was way more practical, could put maps in the doors, etc.

I'd like to see:
*Center armrest/counsol
*Holy CraP handle for the passenger.
*seat that drops down 2 more inches.
*slightly deeper cupholders. Nothing like having your water bottle pitch
forward when you brake and end up at your feet or under a pedal.
*Get the map lights out of the rear view where they're useless and put them by that "mood light" thingy.
*Open up the back a bit more. (lots a wasted space)
*better quality plastics that don't sound and feel cheap+++ (I have a thread upcoming on a solution here)
*roof rack that is not just for show.

This is not something one needs to pay $40K for when the successful cars of the past had them and more.
But if driving a hot looking car that is somewhat practical (LOVE the front folding seat!!!) And is frugal on gas, can lay waste to a Civic SI means putting up with moronic engineers and horrible resale value, I can deal with it for now. We'll see how well she holds up over the years before I buy another Chevy.

Jim

terryk

I found another little detail. The seat belt comes over the recliner lever as it comes up from the floor anchor. I was always hunting for the back recline lever until I figured out it was under the seat belt.

Minor.