If it has been replace it may not also be a GM beam. It could be a cheap knock off. Mine has been in winters since 08 and no rust here.

 

I can get parts from the dealer at cost. That way I don't have to pay shipping either.

 

 

Yeah, crawling around under the car, I can see on each corner where there has been body work. Kinda bums me out... But I guess if I never knew it for 3 years, what's it matter now. Any problems from poor body work would already be visible, especially without the bumper cover on....

Still it bums me though, idk why though. I mean, it has a clean Carfax, but those things (obviously) aren't fool proof. What really confuses me though, is the bumper cover appears to be original. It has a sticker on the inside with the date, which is the same date range as other various stickers on the car....

 

Its entirely possible that the bumper cover survived the impact that took out the absorbing structure and original bumper beam. When Michelle backed the '06 into a bollard at an estate sale, the cover was repairable, but the absorbing foam and bumper beam were trashed so they did their jobs.

Its possible the first owner of your HHR "parked by feel" or had a minor collision that they paid to repair out of pocket, that wouldn't show up on the CarFax. And since the rear end wasn't done right, I think that's the case, someone "did a dumb" and ate the cost of the repairs themselves.