GM..would you trust one to run how many miles?

[Blue_Goose]

Not a bash..just curious...I put over 35K a year on my vehicle and was curious if you guys trusted a GM made product to last let's say 250K miles without having every piece of it fall apart by then.

I'm interested in a HHR but really hedging on getting one based on the miles I put on vehicles....most of the miles (About 90%) are highway..I do 100 miles per day r/t

So based on the amount of miles would you have any reservations on buying a GM product if you were in my situation?

Goose

 

[Aldaris]

GM makes so many vehicles that it's hard to answer the question. Their diesel trucks, for example, can probably be trusted to run that distance, as would their Corvettes. Their lower end vehicles, such as the rental-prolific HHR are not what I would trust to run that far. That doesn't mean that some of them won't go that many miles, it's just that most of them won't without major repair. And finally, the most important factor in a car's longevity is the owner. If you keep on top of all preventative maintenance, and drive sanely, then your chances of trouble-free motoring are far better than the average soccer mom.

 

[buster]

The LS1/2's, 3.8L V6 and Ecotech I believe are their best engines to date for longevity. I was impressed with the Ecotech in the Cobalt. It's about time we have a decent domestic 4 banger.

 

[Brogy]

I had a leased 2004 grand am. My impressions of it were:

-Very nice engine (2.2 ecotech), it had plenty of power, good fuel economy, didn't rattle, and ran just as good in the cold as in the heat. I could see that engine still going 15 years from now.

-Bumpers were pitiful. Someone hit my front in a parking lot, it didn't dimple, it stretched, so it was ugly but no repair was needed. The back bumper was very loose! I think it would have fallen off within 50,000 miles. Seriously, it had a few inches freeplay, I didnt know bumpers had freeplay!

-Body (except for bumpers) was very nice. Strong metal, good looking clearcoat, and the doors were very solid and sealed decently well.

-Transmission felt the same after 3 years/20k hard miles as it did new. 4 spd auto. Easily could have lasted the life of the engine.

-Interior was very cheap, seats were stiff, buttons and knobs kept breaking, and I don't think it would have held up well after 5 years.


So I think that car will still be around in the 20's, but the interior will be shot and various electronics wont work. Only warranty repairs we had done were the security thing, not a system, but it locked the car if someone were trying to start it with a screwdriver or something. Left me stranded 2 times, they replaced 3 times. Also the knob for the heat controls broke, very inconveniently when I needed the defroster, had to stick my head out the window to see my way home.

This was an older model, but I think the same can be said about any GM car. Friend has a lexus, 1993 , everything still works and the car runs like a top, only thing worn out are the leather seats. He also has a 97 saturn, tranny and engine are fine (little rough tho) but the interior looks like it's been through #@$%!(way everything is falling apart), moonroof, defroster, and various other things don't work, not the fuses either.

 

[Blue_Goose]

The Ecotech is the engine in the HHR (2.2)...I too have heard nothing but good things about that powerplant and my thinking is with regular maintenance that the engine/tranny would be the least of my worries?

I'm thinking quality of suspension, brakes(which seems to be a sore spot for GM), basic fit and finish, exhaust etc.

The Matrix has spoiled me a bit other than a few what might be nagging issues with clacking noises coming from the engine area(possibly tensioner?) and a whistle/hoot noise that there is a TSB for but I'm well past the 36K limit on that TSB. In fact I'm still on the original pads at almost 60k.

Toyota quality is not the same as when I bought my Celica GTS in 1991 but so far nothing MAJOR has crapped out on me in 58K....I'll be out of warranty in 2K miles so just doing some exploring I guess


Goose

 

[Pete C.]

I drove a 1980 GMC 4x4 250cid long bed till I traded it in on a 1994 Grand Cherokee. 189673.? miles with just normal maintenance and a water pump. But that's ancient history right? Just take care of it and it'll go on and on and on......

 

[Cutehumor]

35k/year has to be majority highway. it will only take you 7 years to hit 250k. Based on posted UOA's of the ecotec, I would say yes, it would make it.

 

[Blue_Goose]

Yep..majority is highway although that number of miles may be cut by a bunch if I start to take my motorcycle to work 3 or so days a week in the spring/summer/fall


Goose

 

[NJC]

Blue Goose, I think you're going to run into a similar situation:

j/k. As per others have said, it will probably be fine considering the highway miles.

 

[Racerjk]

You will be fine. Go for it.

 

[The Critic]

Let's see...I have a 96 Saturn SL2 with 98,000 miles, 11/1995 build date. So far, I've had the following problems:

(Failed part/miles at time of failure/cost to repair/DIY or professional repair)

1. Upper Motor Mount/80k/$50/DIY
2. Serpentine Belt Tensioner/89k/$200/Professional
3. Alternator/63K/$200/Professional
4. Cruise Control/75k/yet to repair
5. AC/90k?/yet to repair
6. Window trim/95K/$0 (duct tape)/DIY
7. Trunk Wiring Harness/50K/yet to repair
8. Coolant Temp Sensor/95K/$10/DIY
9. Valve Cover Gasket/70K/$35/DIY
10. Transmission top cover gasket/50K/yet to repair
11. Crankcase Breather Hose/50K?/$7/DIY

All of these are exceptionally common problems with this particular make and model. Not all GM cars are problematic, and I don’t consider this one to be.

I’ll step out on a limb to say that most of the new GM cars are pretty good reliability wise, but simply lack the resale or refinement.

 

[alreadygone]

See a lot of them (S10 and full size pu's, Bonnevilles, Luminas,Cutlass etc.) in my shop with 200,000+ and still going strong. My personal S10 Blazer's at 218K mi. and still strong.

Bob

 

[Blue_Goose]

Thanks for the input guys...

NJC.......lmao.......that is EXACTLY what a lot of people think of domestics once they turn 100K....

Went to look at the one I like if I bought one....car was "snow locked" in the lot and with temp at 5 degrees even the salesman wouldn't come out of his warm office to see if I needed help lol....Presidents Day sale ends tomorrow but I'm sure there will be just as good deals in a month or so...GM seems to REALLY discount their cars the closer it gets to summer...maybe the HHR's on the lot will be plowed out by then...I'm really suprised considering they are one of the largest Chevy Dealers in southern NH


Goose

 

[alreadygone]

Gonna show my ignorance,,What's an HHR?

Bob

 

[bretfraz]

http://www.getchevatgan.com/images/fun/chev/2006-Chevy-HHR-2LT-SA-Studio-800.jpg

 

[RacerE7773]

I bought my cavasmear with 5 miles on it in November '99. It was made the month before. I have now 101,000 miles on the clock. Come April it will be getting the 3 month OCI. Same with our '03 impala. 11,000 when we got it used, 30,000 on it thus far. Had a TSB on the lousy half-shaft, but was still under factory warranty at the time.

 

[Master ACiD]

i would trust the ecotec and the diesel engines. maybe the diesel transmission too.
i wouldn't trust the rest of the vehicle however.

 

[Tosh]

I can think of two GM models that would run past 250k: Pontiac Vibe and SAAB 92X.

 

[Master ACiD]

oh yeah, the saabaru. i forgot about that.

 

[MC5W20]

If your going to do that many miles then you will want to consider the extended warranty. One other thing to note, GM has discountinued these so get it while you can. One more thing on top of it all, these are not assembled by GM, it is contracted out to another company.