What can one expect from a 2006 HHR

My sister is looking at buying a used 2006 Chevy HHR with about 36,000 miles on it at about 10,000 dollars. What are some of the issues with this car if any and what if any are the general maintance things to be on the look out for.

Bodywork, if you aren’t careful with the thick roof pillars which can make cars coming from the road on the right side become invisible. Other than that there is nothing bad. Brakes and suspension get low scores for reliability or frequency of repair but nothing really major. Overall reliability is excellent.

I would check pricing information. Edmunds shows that the $10K is relatively high dealer retain for the LT version, depending on options. You may want to do some research to use aa leverage to get the price down.

MSN Autos says there is an occasional problem with fuel injection and the PCM programming. The cost to repair both is well under $500, though. And it is only an occasional issue. The HHR is essentially a Cobalt station wagon. I wouldn’t let either issue stand in the way. Retail price is about $10,000 on a base LT model. Is it an LS or LT, and what options are there? A private party sale would be about $1500 less.

it is the LT version and milage is closer to 34,000 over the 36,000 I thought it was.

interesting, Kelly Blue Book has it listed at 13,500 price wise, wonder why the difference?

On CR the main trouble spots are suspension and brakes, so have a mechanic take a look.

I rented one a few months ago and I wasn’t impressed. Not very comfortable, under powered, and look like hearses. For the same money you can find a much newer and more comfortable car with a 100,000 mile warranty. Check the G6 or even Impalas.

Sis is in love with the car, loves the look the ride and all, no chance of talking her out of it…

My personal opinion is that Kelly tracks higher pricing than Edmunds. I may have also not gotten the options correct when I did my quick check. I like to look at Kelly, Edmunds, and nadaguides.com for pricing info, and then decide who I may believe. Obviously, as a potential buyer, lower pricing is better for me.

Well that’s the important part. It’d be nice to get a V6 instead of a four but don’t know if they come with it or not. I really think the price is a little high though for the year. Try checking the rental returns for an 08 or 09.

Offer $8800 and see what happens. $10k is a LOT for a 5 year old Chevy no matter what the online guides say. Personally, I like the look of these cars too, but I never liked the PT Cruiser. Go figure.

Sis is really in no position to haggle, has no downpayment or trade in and has scratchy credit. Car maybe 5 years old but very low milage at 35,000. Plus our family is just not good hagglers…:wink: