(Former) Stepdaughter has a Chevy HHR. We're still on good terms, so she calls me and says the clutch pedal went to the floor and just sat there. I suspect broken cable, so I tell her this is why I pay for AAA. Have the car towed to the mechanic I set you up with and all will be well. No problem, no anger.

Mechanic calls me the next day. He's worked on the car since she got to college, and we know each other. He starts explaining to me this complete goat fuck of a clutch assy., and how it mounts and has a rod running to a pump and the whole assy. is mounted to the firewall.......AND THE ENTIRE FIREWALL SECTION HAS RIPPED OUT OF THE CAR. This isn't some rusty piece of shit, its a 2006 that has been well taken care of. He has called Chevy already, and they say they have never heard of such a thing (why do I doubt this) and have no idea have to fix it. As it happens, I am headed down that direction anyway, so I drop by to see the car fo myself.

The firewall appears to be made of tinfoil backed with earwax. I can flex the panels with a gentle push. A magnet sticks to it, so it apparently has SOME steel. I ask the mechanic why they would build such a flimsy piece of shit, and he says its to get weight down for gas mileage. Gas Mileage? Are you fucking kidding me? I have a 1975 Volvo 242 that gets within 2 MPG of this 2006 HHR, while weighing a shit tonne more, and being capable of driving directly THROUGH said HHR.

This is driving me crazy. The shifter knob broke in half at a year. Goddamn flimsy ass little rims bend when you drive over a squirrel, it leaks more antifreeze than a 1950 Buick in Death Valley. Onboard computer has obviously seen Terminator: Rise of the Machines, and its getting a head start on trying to kill us all. I have replaced enough fancy high dollar headlight bulbs to know the procedure blindfolded. Etc, etc.

I'm not bagging on CHevy here. The ex-wife's 3 year old Dodge pickup leave a little trail of parts behind it wherever it goes, like breadcrumbs to find its way home. My friends 4 year old Escalade smokes like a 60 year old French whore, and even my Dad's 2 year old $600,000 motor home gets petulant and simply refuses to obey commands. I hate this shit.

Personally, I have a line on hw new a vehicle can be. If it has fuel injectors or a computer, it can go be someone elses problem. My 1973 Ford F250 would drive to Alaska tomorrow,and if something did break, you could beat it back on with a rock. Screw new cars.

the clutch assembly was ALWAYS a bad idea on the Delta bodies... three days after I bought my Cobalt SS, the linkage popped free and left me in 3rd gear... the tech had it fixed in 15 minutes. He said it was improperly installed at the factory... As for the firewall 'ripping' out of the car, are you sure the (former) stepdaughter doesn't have a douchey boyfriend doing burnouts?
I used to RACE my Cobalt and never had that issue... I called a friend of mine a the dealership as well as my brother (Who was a GM tech for almost 10 years) and they had never heard of such a thing, especially on an HHR.

pics would be helpful.

She does have a boyfriend, big Tejas country boy who won't even ride in her turquoise HHR, much less drive it.

I'm already back in NM, but I shit you not Sam, piece about 8x11 just ripped loose and hanging by the top flap. Stretch marks around the edges like it had been happening for awhile.

Funny this conversation would happen today. Just got a text from my Dad that the electric eye on his new Trailblazer that senses day or night has quit, nd his dash panel is on night and he can't see anything. My newest car is a 1988, (though I do have a 96 Ninja) and all my shit runs perfectly.

Posted by JonseredI have a 1975 Volvo 242 that gets within 2 MPG of this 2006 HHR, while weighing a shit tonne more, and being capable of driving directly THROUGH said HHR.

This made me laugh so hard! I learned to drive in a 244 only thing I remember about that car was was it being built like a tank!

Never had any issues with it either! The power steering bracket broke twice, so I had a local shop weld it back together for something like $15 hahaha

Posted by Jonsered She does have a boyfriend, big Tejas country boy who won't even ride in her turquoise HHR, much less drive it. I'm already back in NM, but I shit you not Sam, piece about 8x11 just ripped loose and hanging by the top flap. Stretch marks around the edges like it had been happening for awhile. Funny this conversation would happen today. Just got a text from my Dad that the electric eye on his new Trailblazer that senses day or night has quit, nd his dash panel is on night and he can't see anything. My newest car is a 1988, (though I do have a 96 Ninja) and all my shit runs perfectly.

that's an easy/cheap fix for the trailblazer.

Posted by MeoW This made me laugh so hard! I learned to drive in a 244 only thing I remember about that car was was it being built like a tank! Never had any issues with it either! The power steering bracket broke twice, so I had a local shop weld it back together for something like $15 hahaha

*Adds Old volvos to the list of cars to own*

I basically daily drive a 44 year old Beetle. It's bulletproof. The secondary daily driver is a '99 Diesel Beetle (So still fully mechanical diesel injection) with 650,000 km on it and it hasn't let me down yet. So although "modern", it's miled right the hell out.

Posted by bandi I basically daily drive a 44 year old Beetle. It's bulletproof. The secondary daily driver is a '99 Diesel Beetle (So still fully mechanical diesel injection) with 650,000 km on it and it hasn't let me down yet. So although "modern", it's miled right the hell out.

The beetle is brutally simple - You can fix it with parts from a variety store.

Posted by Ricky_from_TV The beetle is brutally simple - You can fix it with parts from a variety store.

but does that make it good?
I own a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze, the latest in what has been a pretty good streak of GM ownership (with the exception of this one piece of shit 98 Cavalier i bought for a winter beater). With that said, even if you love the air-cooled Beetles, and they nifty as hell, personally, I like a/c, cruise control, power windows and locks, a decent stereo with XM, Onstar, comfortable seats, fuel injection and 44mpg. Shit, i have even come to love cupholders.

... i still hate 4 doors, though.

Posted by Samurai but does that make it good?

Yes.

Because I haven't needed any variety store parts for it yet in almost 3 years of ownership.

I like the modern car driving experience, but nothing puts a smile on my face more than an aircooled VW, and when people ask me what my dream car is, I tell them I already own it.

Posted by bandi Yes. Because I haven't needed any variety store parts for it yet in almost 3 years of ownership. I like the modern car driving experience, but nothing puts a smile on my face more than an aircooled VW, and when people ask me what my dream car is, I tell them I already own it.

nobody ever believes what my dream car is...

Corvair.

1991 Cavalier RS 2 door.

Posted by bandi 1991 Cavalier RS 2 door.

close

1981 Citation X11 or a 1988-1990 Cavalier Z24 coupe

I personally don`t like the sealed transmission that`s on my 2001 Cavalier. I like to be able to keep an eye on my own transmission fluid without having to take the car to a mechanic.

Posted by Jonsered Corvair.

My guilty pleasure...

No apologies necessary. I have 3, including a convertible and a van.

Posted by Jonsered No apologies necessary. I have 3, including a convertible and a van.

i knew there was a reason i don't like you very much...
you have 3 corvair and i have no corvair...

Posted by Samurai i knew there was a reason i don't like you very much... you have 3 corvair and i have no corvair...

:p) The van is for sale. Motor doesn't run, but the van is intact, with no rust. Greenbriar window van. I'd take $600 and throw in a bunch of parts.

double post