Hotrodbob

Good luck on your search... If the SS was available when I was buying it would have been a no brainer.. SS all the way.

GeeMac

I've got a 2.4 five-speed. Love it. Bet the turbo SS really hauls with the standard shifter!

ronstevens

I had to order my 2LT w/ 5 speed. I also have leather. I have not driven any other HHR 5sp to compare, since there were none in my area at all.
The SS 5sp will probably give you a better resale value over the 2LT, but IMO the real important part is that you like and enjoy your car while you own it. I was personally turned off by the SS interior, which could not be upgraded to a leather interior. I drive some roads that wind around and the sport suspension holds really well--I've even pushed it a bit in some of the turns and have yet to even squeal the tires.

Ron
--Isn't it amazing how BMW and other foreign manufacturers make and sell a nice number of manual transmissions in very well-equipped cars, but American manufacturers fail to recognize that this market even exists?

Hotrodbob

You are looking at different market segments then the US big three go after and even BMW sells more automatic cars then manuals.

My last vehicle was a 5spd, 4 cyl Colorado crew cab and got 25mpg. I really liked it. I bought the HHR because GM quit making the Colorado/Canyon/Isuzu truck in 5spd except low equipment models. When it came time to sell mine for the HHR there were no takers after 3 months of trying. My son finally traded it on a Crossfire with 5spd. We are car nuts and going shiftless is not a welcome option.

I work in the industry and even in the medium duty truck market the manual trasmission is less the 5% of sales. The american market is not interested in general with manual transmissions. Most can't drive them and the rest are to lazy to make the effort.

strddr

I have the 2LT, 2.4 , 5speed with leather '08 Panel. Ordered it that way as all the Dealers around here only order the LS 2.2 with a 5spd, everything else on lots are automatic. I agree about the dealerships don't think the 5 spd is
a seller as most people don't want to have to shift gears. I also did the leveling springs and TTR swaybar and love the way it handles.

Hotrodbob

strddr, I did my panel up like yours except Eibach sport springs, Progress rear bar and cloth seats.

ZTony8

A crazy thought just occurred to me.Are automatic trans drivers a shiftless bunch?

Hotrodbob

Yeah and they want things done for them automatically! They wont be clutching their shifters now will they!

edawg

OK, I'm thinking of changing this into a "Does anyone in Atlanta area have a used 2.4 2LT HHR with 5speed and leather for sale" thread...

The exact package I'm looking for is exactly 1.4% of total HHR sales according to the thread I just saw on 2008 sales. Oh well, I guess it's a good thing to be in the top 1.4%!

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/general-hhr-4/2008-hhr-production-numbers-17517/

08SS

I like 5 speeds, but ended up buying an auto 08SS. I drove all three modles before I bought, and the SS was with out question the way to go. I have about 32 houndred miles on it, and have driven it on rides over 100 miles. It rides great, not to stiff. It gets softer the more people you have in the care. The power is what I found to be nice to have when the car is full of teen age boys. I like super chargers, so I would have preferred that over a turbo, but its not an option. Also, I am not a big fan of leather, but the SS cloth seats are nice. My advice is buy what make you happy, and you won't be sorry.