Chevy HHR - Bigest Turd ever pushed out by the Gen, Saw the thing on Leno last night. Options

[TOO Z MAXX]

I saw an HHR today and I don't think it looks all that bad, its just kind of boring. With gas prices where they are GM will sell a bunch of these. 30 MPG and a lot of room inside. I really do like the SSR though, but it serves no purpose. Its a crappy truck and a crappy sports car, one big expensive toy.

[AllZWay]

I am not all that crazy about the HHR...but for the money it isn't a bad vehicle.

And it is not nearly as bad as the Asstec in styling. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rant2.gif)

[rmackintosh]

I saw an HHR today and I don't think it looks all that bad, its just kind of boring.

Same here.....I was one of the first to bash GM for making YET ANOTHER copy of something successfull.....a day late and a dollar short....but after seeing one in person...

They are MUCH BETTER looking than the pics...and the inside looked kinda nice...I had a PT Cruiser rental car once and it was typical Chrysler junk on the inside...do I still think it is "the best" GM could do.......no...it is still derivative, and not very forward thinking...

However, I think, to the masses, it might just sell/work....it is definately servicable...

...just wish we could get something a little more cutting edge from the general...maybe SOMETIME in my lifetime... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[z28barnett]

I know I am being pretty harsh on the HHR, but the comercial really put me on slow burn.

Build something really average and then hire every ad company and actor to push the thing.

That is the cart pushing the horse.

But to use my approach you would have to add content to the car, that costs money. I would assume that the actors were cheaper than building a great car, and they assume we are all stupid.

Many people have posted on how cheap and efficent the HHR is.

I don't buy it.

The LS1 Z28's were rated at what 25-27 highway? The HHR is at 30 and some great achivement?

If you had left off the '40 Ford fenders and huge side flares, that would have improved the aerodynamics of the HHR and reduced weight. That would have been efficent and perhaps a 6 speed auto, you would have a simple streamlined box that would have gotten much better than 30mpg.

Look at the new Civic, not great looking, but I can respect aerodynamics.

But what I am describing is content and features.

That is a moot point to a company that would rather blow money on actors and ads and to hell with value and content.

Remember they are smarter than us.

How they can do the HHR and the Z06 at the same company is beyond me. But surprise, you don't even see an ad for the Z06, I guess they don't have to sell it as much, wonder why?

Z28

[Nick]

I had to stop by the dealership parts dept today, so I checked out the HHR.

With it being compared to the PT Cruiser, I expected it to be smaller. It appears to have more passenger and cargo room than the PT. I didn't think the exterior styling was that bad. Better than the Grand-Amesqe GTO. More curves than boxy minivans and most SUV's.

The HHR should satisfy the people mover bunch quite nicely.

[slowTA]

I know I am being pretty harsh on the HHR, but the comercial really put me on slow burn.

Me too, I can see the HHR getting it's job done fine. But to watch GM and Andy Dick working together kills me. Especially since the commercial was SO bad. It's almost like they HAD to get someone stupid enough to be in it because everyone else under the sun knew it was a horribly stupid commercial to begin with.

Can you tell I can't stand stupid people? I know everyone pulls some stupid moves every now and then, but this was stupidity piled a mile high.

Andy Dick
:stupid:

[bsim]

I travel a lot, and get to experience many of the fine 'fleet' vehicles produced by the big 3.

A few weeks ago in Orlando, I rented an HHR. I came away very impressed. No, it's not a Z28 (on anything SS), but GM did a great job on this car.

Having rented more than a few PT Cruisers (and even SSB Neon racing) gave me a good base to start from, and the HHR is that much more of a car than either of the Chrysler twins. For what it is meant to be, it had:

Good power (damn, the thing reves past 5k without getting 'buzzy', and even pulls up there),

Excellent room inside (3 6 footers, plus 3 sets of golf clubs, 1 hard golf club case PLUS beer)

Very good comfort level, in all seats

Very good gas mileage (though I AM comparing it to a Vette and an Avalanche)

The fun part was, pulling into a gas station after I landed (for a lighter - damn flight security), and a non-local born fella comes out of the store, stops and stares, and says "Hey man - is dat the new Cheby?". (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) "Does it have a V8?" That one killed me. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif)

I think if people looked at it for what is IS, instead of what they WANT IT TO BE, it would rate very high for them.

[Absolut Speed]

I think if people looked at it for what is IS, instead of what they WANT IT TO BE, it would rate very high for them.

Bingo!

[z28barnett]

I think if people looked at it for what is IS, instead of what they WANT IT TO BE, it would rate very high for them.

Bingo!

If you want the only turd with a bowtie on it, here ya go!!! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

[Rob 94Hawk 319]

GM is not "wasting money on actors". It's called marketing and advertising, most companies can write that stuff off. If you think hiring Andy Dick stopped a future Camaro from being produced, then you are sadly mistaken. The HHR is obviously not marketed towards you, or people like us. But it is far from the biggest turd ever pushed out. If you feel you could run GM better, why aren't you up there bidding for the Job, you're obviously a marketing genius. It's easy to play Monday morning quarterback. My $.02.

I remember a time when a certain company put out something called a Pinto, or Mustang II, funny, that company is now being lauded as the only company to cater to enthusiasts.

[Nick]

If you want the only turd with a bowtie on it, here ya go!!! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/rotf.gif)

I'd give that title to the Trailblazer before the HHR. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[slowTA]

GM is not "wasting money on actors". It's called marketing and advertising, most companies can write that stuff off. If you think hiring Andy Dick stopped a future Camaro from being produced, then you are sadly mistaken. The HHR is obviously not marketed towards you, or people like us. But it is far from the biggest turd ever pushed out. If you feel you could run GM better, why aren't you up there bidding for the Job, you're obviously a marketing genius. It's easy to play Monday morning quarterback. My $.02.

I remember a time when a certain company put out something called a Pinto, or Mustang II, funny, that company is now being lauded as the only company to cater to enthusiasts.

We're saying that Andy Dick was a waste of money, ANY other actor would have been a million times better. I also saw the first part of a show where 3 custom shops were building their own versions of the HHR. They should have shown that during Leno instead.

This has nothing to do with a new Camaro or the rest of GM, just the stupidity of that commercial. Some of us like the HHR, some don't, and most don't even care. But GM should hang their head in shame for that commercial.

[z28barnett]

GM is not "wasting money on actors". It's called marketing and advertising, most companies can write that stuff off. If you think hiring Andy Dick stopped a future Camaro from being produced, then you are sadly mistaken. The HHR is obviously not marketed towards you, or people like us. But it is far from the biggest turd ever pushed out. If you feel you could run GM better, why aren't you up there bidding for the Job, you're obviously a marketing genius. It's easy to play Monday morning quarterback. My $.02.

I remember a time when a certain company put out something called a Pinto, or Mustang II, funny, that company is now being lauded as the only company to cater to enthusiasts.

I don't think you saw the comerical, it was beyond bad.

I don't think you need to be a marketing genius to run GM.

The comercial made it clear that no marketing genius works at GM.

Yes I could have done better than anybody they had, because I would have killed the project.

Why do you need massive marketing? I can answer that one, "because you are building boring crap".

If you build a better car you don't need marketing, notice how few ads you see from toyota and they are out selling GM.

Build a better car, let people know it exists, price it in a reasonable manner, and get out of the way.

The Z06 is an amazing car, see any big hollywood type hyping it? Not needed, its a great car.

Value= cost/Hype as hype goe to infiniity, value goes to zero, or in this case the lower limit is HHR.

Z28

[Guardsman]

I haven't seen one in person yet, but from the pictures of it on the Chevy website, "Dopey" is the best way I can describe it's looks.

If the retro look is done right, it can make a really nice looking car, but if not, it makes the car look stupid, and the HHR falls into the second category, in my opinion.

The drivetrain (on sedans, etc.) is a gripe that I have had with GM in general, and this is no exception. There's not enough engine, and generally poorly programmed transmissions, which results in a slug of a car.

Don't get me wrong, for driving down the boulevard, they're fine, but when I need to merge onto the freeway from behind some idiot doing 35mph on the on-ramp, and there's a tractor-trailer heading my way, I need a car that will get up and move right now.

My experience with 4-cylinder front wheel drives, with a couple of exceptions, is that they are slow to respond (1 or 2 second delay from the time I hit the gas to the time it kicks down and starts picking up speed), and they just can't move fast enough.

Even my Camaro, with the V6, was slow to get up and get going, and that was with a 200hp, 225lb/ft engine. This problem would only be compounded in a vehicle that was as big or bigger, both in size and weight, than my Camaro, and has a smaller engine.

I'm going to be buying a sedan for my wife in the next few years, and GM isn't on my list of companies to check out.

It's funny, a few years back, I thought Chrysler was in the lame category, because they didn't have a single V8 and/or rear-wheel drive car of any kind, and the cars that they did have were pretty bad quality, and over-priced.

It seems that now, the situation has reversed, with GM, with the exception of Cadillac and the Corvette, in the lame category for basically the same reasons. Plus they have the added insult of some seriously poor attempts at "Cool" cars, a la the Impala SS and the last "sports car" version of the Cavalier.

John

[jraskell]

I think if people looked at it for what is IS, instead of what they WANT IT TO BE, it would rate very high for them.

The problem there is the car itself doesn't look like what it is. The average person isn't going to WANT the car to be anything. They're just going to look at it and interpret what it's supposed to be based on what it looks like.

GM could have built this vehicle with contemporary styling and still attained what everyone is claiming the HHR is in this thread, but without the off-base, misguiding retro-styling.

[Racer X]

FWIW yet another production increase has been ordered.

HHR is hot, so GM raises target again
Automaker looks at boosting production to 120,000 annually

Jamie LaReau
AN / October 10, 2005

DETROIT -- General Motors believes it has a hit with the new Chevrolet HHR wagon but must figure out how to build more of them.

"What we're trying to do is ramp up the capacity of the components and the plant so that we can build without having to go build another plant for it," says Lori Queen, GM's vehicle line executive for small cars.

Robert Lutz, GM's vice chairman for product development, says GM plans to produce 120,000 HHRs annually.

[z28barnett]

FWIW yet another production increase has been ordered.

HHR is hot, so GM raises target again
Automaker looks at boosting production to 120,000 annually

Jamie LaReau
AN / October 10, 2005

DETROIT -- General Motors believes it has a hit with the new Chevrolet HHR wagon but must figure out how to build more of them.

"What we're trying to do is ramp up the capacity of the components and the plant so that we can build without having to go build another plant for it," says Lori Queen, GM's vehicle line executive for small cars.

Robert Lutz, GM's vice chairman for product development, says GM plans to produce 120,000 HHRs annually.

I heard a quote somewhere,

"No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."

Here is another case of sucess.

Sad to say,

Z28

[2000Z-71]

So am I the only one who thinks it's only a matter of time til someone puts a 10" lift on a HHR, 44" Super Swampers and a green and black Grave Digger paint job?