'Again' is an appropriate word, because I do feel I wasted money the first time around, i.e. buying the HHR.

All in all, it just doesn't make me happy anymore. The MPG is good, though. Plus, it just started doing this in the past couple months-- for the entire year of ownership prior to that it ran good all the time, so something definitely is going on beyond some normal condition related to emissions.

I looked at some '09 Subaru Foresters today. MPG is a few clicks worse but I guess that is the price of AWD. Forester might serve my needs, although its a little short on style. On the up side, they're built in my home state, though.

 

You might want to upgrade to an HHR SS. The LT just doesn't cut it. I owned an '06 LT and traded in for the SS. Absolutely no comparison. As Mikey would say,"Try it...You'll like it!"

 

Agreed! My LT is a POS.

 

I think the 09' Subaru's do like nice. I looked at there web site and a few others back about 3yrs ago and would consider one if it was in my budget but the style of the HHR hooked me and had to wait for them to come out and wait again since I don't like to buy first model yrs (bug history). I found this site http://www.cars101.com/subaru/subaru_history.html They sure have come a long ways in style. We can't all drive HHRs or Fords or what ever, and can't blame someone because his likes are different from ours. You just have to do what you feel is best.

 

The Forester is redesigned and on a redesigned platform for '09. I think it offers a lot of content for the money (only if you stay with base or keep options to a minimum), but the new styling is kind of ho-hum-- looks like most of the other cross-overs today.

I do like the HHR's body style, and I have to like the appearance of a vehicle or its no deal. But again today, on the way to work its a cool 68 degrees, very low humidity (deep blue sky!), yet my HHR was boggy and had the problem again-- throttle response muted, kind of sluggish. This really feels like a Torque Converter problem to me. I'm sure the engine is making consistent power, but I think the transaxle is having an intermittent issue with how it sends it to the front wheels.

One thing I have noticed: If when I start the car I get the lurch and clank that Chevy says is a normal condition for the 4T45E transaxle due to residual fluid in the clutch packs, if I get that on startup its a guarantee that its going to have the boggy issue throughout that session of the engine running. If I don't get the start-up lurch then it runs the way it used to with crisp throttle response and good pull.

This is why I believe it to be a transaxle problem. But because its not setting codes, and because Chevy calls the start-up lurch w/ the 4T45E a "normal condition", I'm screwed on getting it resolved.

 

One thing that might make sense as far as it being related to the start-up "clank" and lurch movement from the transaxle is *maybe* the tranaxle is noisier during operation throughout the subsequent session of driving when this "normal condition" issue occurs with the transaxle at start-up, and the engine's knock sensor picks up this noise as false knock and is pulling timing or something. But I am just grasping at straws here.

 

Okay, I've kind of been throwing a conniption fit about this. I'm over it for now. Still a bit frustrated and disappointed, but over it.

I'm going to have fun with it and use it as an excuse to hunt down a tight deal on a remaining '08 SS 5-speed w/ Limited Slip. In Silver w/ ebony cloth.