Learn me: Chevrolet SSR

Yeah, I feel like I'm spending some capital asking about this. Perhaps I'll find myself a "Remedial HalfDork" tomorrow for asking about this truck.

If dealing with a late model, you get 400hp, 400ft lbs, manual transmission, a sizable "trunk", and these days, a sub $20k asking price.

Downsides are a 4700lb curb weight, only 2500lbs towing capacity.

Reviews seem to all be on the early versions with the smaller engine, and mostly seem to complain about chassis flex. I can't imagine it depreciating much further.

Anyone have experience with the SSR?

I have nothing useful to add, but I think they're cool. Cool cars/trucks don't need to be practical or make sense. LS + 6 speed. How bad could it be?

Having run one around a bit they are fun although a bit on the pudgy side.

As long as you aren't expecting to use it like a real truck I say why not. I think they are hella cool.

Much cooler and unique than many other options, go for it after all, with RWD, V8 and manual, how can it be all bad

4700 pounds? Is that a trunk or it is a slab of concrete?

Pretty cool looking rides if you ask me.. Doo eett

In reply to DWNSHFT:

IIRC it's based on the GMT360 chassis family, which covers everything from the old colorado/canyon to the TrailBlazer/Envoy/Rainer triplets to the Hummer H3. So frame wise it's probably a lot beefier than it needs to be. GM parts bin engineering at it's best

EDIT: Just checked Wiki, forgot about the Oldsmobile Bravada, Isuzu Ascender and the Saab 9-7x. Wiki says it was the most rebadged GM platform.

Water leaks, lots of them.

Guy I work with is an ex GM Master Tech and he HATES them.

You should buy the Ural instead.

they wouldn't be bad if they were based on a different chassis and didn't have the retractable folding top.

Go drive one and see what you think.

I have one right now a 2005 manual wiith a cam exhaust and k&n. Seriously fun thBing to have around. Yes they leak but only if you find one where the owner has torn up the window seals. On really common thing to go wrong with them is the gauges have little motors that die, and the clutches can leak which if left untreated is a 3k repair for replacing well everything. Plus body panels are scarce and serous coin to replace.

FYI most of the manuals will not have the chrome wheels or he interior gauge and chrome package. Some like mine will have he carpet and wood in the bed and the Bose stereo. If you want side steps be prepared to pay out he nose for OEM ones of you ant them. Like 1k for a painted set in OK condition.

Picked up mine with 50k miles full history and full clutch upgrade and new flywheel for 18.5k. Mind you I can sell it for 21-22k if I sit on it for almost six months but I have been using it as a DD

I've always thought they were pretty neat. Do they have some oddball wheel bolt pattern? I feel like I never see them with other wheels.

STM317 wrote: I've always thought they were pretty neat. Do they have some oddball wheel bolt pattern? I feel like I never see them with other wheels.

6 on 5 wheel spacing with like 6-7 inches of backspacing. Almost everything will be custom for the truck.

There is someone who makes smoothies that fit modern whitewalls which look really good.

I've had the chance to really check one over when it came in to the shop I was working at, and it didn't appeal to me. My reasons were that the styling is too soft, it's too tall, it's too large in general, it's too heavy, and it isn't particularly fast or well handling. My impression of it is that it's a car for someone who would have bought a Corvette as a midlife crisis car but can't get in or out of a Corvette without joint pain. So it's a midlife crisis car that portrays you as probably 2/3rds through life.

But if you don't care about all that and you just want a unique cruiser convertible with v8 noises that has some storage space, and you're willing to deal with the possible service/repair issues vs something 'normal', then why the hell not?

You can absolutely drive one in anger its actually quite fun at normal legal speeds. With a 100$ flow-master it makes some great noises. Not trying to talk anyone into it but Corvettes are boring on the street at the speed they can hit quickly. They are big but they are surprisingly easy to place in a lane as well. Get decent gas mileage as well.

$1000 cooling fan. That's all I have on these.

I did the Power Tour in 2005. There were a E36 M3 load of these on the tour. GM Performance sponsored the support crew. At every stop, there were at least three SSRs waiting in line for repairs. What I heard most often was "cooling issues."

I always though of it as the tipping point for everyone to yank out the good gm motors out of the crappy gm chassis and put them in something good.

This was GM money wasted on a niche vehicle to answer the Prowler question nobody was asking. Money that could have been used to better develop interior for C5 Corvette. Does SSR stand for drivetrain donor?

It's from the heady days before the recession. It doesn't make sense, but it's a period piece and likely a good investment. Like Syclones and Typhoons ten years ago.

RealMiniParker wrote: I did the Power Tour in 2005. There were a E36 M3 load of these on the tour. GM Performance sponsored the support crew. At every stop, there were at least three SSRs waiting in line for repairs. What I heard most often was "cooling issues."

This could be the case, but personally I wouldn't use anything you see getting fixed there as a barometer. I know a guy who works with the mechanic crew every year and he says there are a lot of folks that try to get there regular maintenance done for free.

I'm surprised that they weigh that much! My Silverado only weighs 4200. I have never seen the appeal of the SSR. I think the general public agreed. Great drivetrain tho, and unique, so there's that.

Investment. The thing that almost all classics have in common is that nobody ever thought they would be worth anything.

These have very little recognized potential and they aren't too common. That's the recipe folks.

Carro Atrezzi wrote: Investment. The thing that almost all classics have in common is that nobody ever thought they would be worth anything. These have very little recognized potential and they aren't too common. That's the recipe folks.

Most were also cars coveted by youth, but unaffordable until many years later, thus driving up the collectibility and value...except station wagons, COE trucks, vehicles with polarizing style, etc. which the SSR could certainly fall into that group.