Hi,

I am in CA, but thinking of purchasing an HHR SS that comes from the snowbelt.
Is that a dumb thing to do? Only reason is it the color, interior, etc that I have wanted. Been looking for about a year.

Are there major issues that occur with these vehicles that are driven in the snow, etc. Front end bearing wear, strut wear, wheel well, kick board rust?

Is rust an issue? Corrosion? Is any of this covered by Chevy?

Thanks for any help.
Sam

 

chevy cut a lot of corners with these cars, especially with the cheap thin sheet metal used. I live in Canada and I know what these winters and road salt can do to vehicles.
If they undercoated the vehicle , then it might be fine. Look for the usual rust at the bottom of doors in the door seal, fenders etc - the usual places and take a look underneath the car as well! You might get lucky and the previous owner actually cared for the vehicle

 

Thanks for the info skyline.
I will only be able to view the car via pics. If I have the car shipped out to CA then I get three days and 150 miles to accept or decline the vehicle.

 

get them to take very detailed pics! ...me personally I wouldnt buy a vehicle this way but to each their own.

 

So. I read some of your older posts and see that you've been looking for a SS for over 3 years ?
Wow. Your color and option choices must have been for a rare optioned one.

If you want it, get it. If you have any doubts, then don't.

 

Yeah, the first set of pics they sent they had three pics of the undercarriage. I asked for more pics. Not getting the warm and fuzzies on this, but the pics will tell me more. And if I don't have to pay for return shipping of the car, then nothing lost.

Thanks for your help and ability to bounce my thoughts off of you.

 

I have found only two near me that were what I wanted, but had 80k or 90K on the odometer. May need to stop the looking.

 

I got to work on a few snow belt cars while I worked at a GM dealership out here in AZ. Most everything on the undercarriges were rusted. Obviously the more seasons the worse they were. I remember one that came in wanting a new fuel filter along with other items and I had to end up replacing the entire fuel line that ran under the car. Due to those fun to work on cars I will not buy cars from snow belt area's.

 

I live in Southern Ontario Canada. A major snowbelt area where they use tons of salt every year on the roads! My 2007 HHR has the least rust I have had to deal with in 45 years of owning many cars and trucks, yes I have had rides with corroded fuel and brake lines rusted body panels and all that but I do take care to rinse off the underbody at the coin wash once a week
So, maybe this SS is clean as a whip because it hasn't been winter driven!
If it's close here in Ontario I'll go look at it for you!

 

Wow Oldblue, that is the nicest thing anyone has every offered to me and I don't even know you. The car is in the states on the NY side of Ontario. Probably way to far for you to drive.

Dealer has not gotten back to me today, so I figure he does not want to deal with me. Which is weird. He has a sale in his hands right now. Oh well, on to the next car, maybe.