Pontiac Aztek

gonzo7

Wow! Look at post 798!

Kissfan referred to the Aztek as a "Beauty"

I guess because, like the group "KISS", the Aztek is an odd looking middle aged creature wearing a ridiculous costume and lots of make-up trying to be something it is not.

mark156

WOW, 45 new posts since yesterday. Several of you have posted that you have "5,000" miles and your Aztek is fine. Well, very few cars have trouble during the first 5,000 miles. I hope that all of you who have bought the Aztek have the best cars around and don't experience any trouble. At 30,000 miles, will you be singing the same tune? We'll see.

A good friend of mine bought a 2000 Cadillac DeVille and it has been trouble from the beginning. It has had stalling problems and now there is a rattle in the rear end that the dealer can't locate. Hopefully, they can get it worked out. I like the new style Caddies.

My Dad's '91 Buick Regal has the duel climate control that have never worked right since it was new. I don't know why he keeps it but he does. My Mom's Buick LeSabre has been OK so far.

What concerns me about any car is "Built-in Obsolescence" The 2001 Aztek is changing next year already. I would be concerned about resale value. You can't carry insurance for everything. The only good thing about lower resale value is.... is that if you are in an accident, it won't take much to total out because the insurance adjuster will total out your car if the damage is 75% of current value. Burst 4 tires and, hey, you got a new car coming! Just joking! Happy Azteking!!! Mark

stever

Your Socialistic Comrade Host has been pruning some off-topic posts this morning:-). Carry on.

Steve
Host
SUV and Vans Message Boards

drzoom1

Have sale of the Tek been influenced in part by salesman who are embarressed to sell it? In other words, it can be hard to sell something that you think is ugly.

Probably would not have a big effect...would it?

tincup47

It could have an effect with people you have to sell the vehicle on, I would think that it wouldn't have an effect on people who already knew they wanted it. I have sold products in the past and it is hard to push products you don't like.

mark156

If a post is snipped, would the person who sent the post know that it has been snipped?

Just wondering, Mark

stever

Ordinarily we try to email the poster with a copy of the offending post and reference the Terms of Use. Some things have slid in getting up to speed in this Board:-)

Steve
Host
SUV and Vans Message Boards

mdaffron

I've been reading the posts here for a while ("lurking," I think they call it), but I finally have to make a comment after what happened to me the other morning on my way to work.

I happened to come up behind only the second Aztek I've seen here in Richmond, Virginia, at a traffic light. It was a white one. To my amazement and humor, the driver had printed a notice and posted it in the little back window above the trunk lid. It read, and I quote:

"Stop laughing --
It's a rental!!!"

HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!

Meade

rkuehn

give the product credit, some have bought an Escape/Tribute and experienced five recalls before driving 5,000 miles

...yet I don't understand why someone would buy one now knowing the refresh is just months away... please, for your sake (and all of ours who must look at them on the road), just wait for the restyle. your fellow drivers and checkbook (i.e. resale value) will thank you

isellpotiac

to customers that the Aztec is ugly. We had a factory rep come into the store to educate us on the Aztec. He told us the Aztec is not supposed to be pretty. And everybody here thinks that GM missed the mark on this one. I say they hit the nail on the head. Almost all of the customers who I have test driven this vehicle with have purchased it. It is a nice handling vehicle and very versatile.

tincup47

In the interest of fairness it is true that the Escape has had 5 recalls, but all but two of those effected less than 1500 vehicles, and most of those were repaired long before owners got them.

kodename

Here's my chance to pile on some much deserved critism of the Aztek? First off, anyone who drives one of these is certainly not the type to read any consumer guide. GM products as a whole rate terrible year after year.
Car Manufactures know that "Style" wins over substance for many buyers.Latest Example PT Cruiser. No one driving and Aztek cares a hoot about style,even GM loyalist seem to want to distance themselves from the Aztek when they are off the record. For GM to have green lighted this vehicle is astonishing and shows they still are as arrogant as there were in the 50's and 60's. If you love the Aztek that's fine. It shouldn't bother you that it's a huge marketing failure with all the visual appeal of a train wreck. It will no doubt be as "quality challenged" as all GM vehicles are today. You can run up and solute the GM flag all you want,it won't change the facts.

topgn

GOOD POST..
However, It might be deleted, it seems that on this board if you say anything negative about the Aztex or GM ( NOW)>>> your post will be erased.
This forum is not as much fun anymore...!!

kissfan1

How do you define quality?

I define quality as a vehicle that performs flawlessly over time. I define qualty as a fit and finish that is outstanding. I define quality as outstanding performance where the vehicle does exactly what it is supposed to do.

I AM not a GM fan. In fact I've purchased Toyotas/Honda in the past and was astounded by the arrogance found in the dealerships.

To date the AZTEK has performed without FLAW and ultimately that is the proof in the PUDDING.

Now regards to looks.......beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Remember what sells the most is not always the best.......But if you think sales mean quality then have another McDonalds Hamburger.....they sell a LOT.

signed

your AZTEK pal

tincup47

Comparing a $2 hamburger to a $25,000 vehicle is a bit of a stretch. A large part of a vehicle purchase is based on emotion, style plays a big part of what drives car-lust. The fact that the Edmund's forums exist, and people get so hyper defending and attacking vehicles shows the emotional attachment we have to our vehicles. One of the tendencies we have in this country today is to demonize people who don't share our views, it is rampant in our politics and is also very prevalent on these forums.

juancho1

Your incessant beratement of the Aztek solely based on its looks has become tiresome. This issue has been beaten to death. Yes, we understand that you think the Aztek is ugly, now please move on to another forum before I let your bosses know what you have been doing with all your free time.

Has anyone else purchased an AWD Aztek yet?

ctnewton

Every time I see the Aztec on the road I have to question "what were they thinking?" That car is so ugly.
Please, stop buying these things. Go get yourself a nice mini van. You'll be happier in the end.
I heard they only sold 11,000 when they planned on selling 80,000. a! I can't believe they sold that many. Maybe Budget or Axis (or Rent a Wreck) got a good fleet deal.
So I say again, please don't buy this car. If you like the features (which you'll never use) go buy yourself a cooler and a tent and a mini van. You (and I) will be grateful

kodename

KissFan: O.K. Quality is only real when it's consistant. Quality is teamwork. Quality is fixing a mistake BEFORE you market 100,000 units. One "Perfect" Yugo doesn't mean Yugo's were great cars. Put another way, if on the basketball court I sink a half court shot,nothing but net, will the NBA sign me up for 25 million a year? Of course not. One basket don't tell the whole story. I can name many respected long term auto testers who are not beholding to Ford,GM, Honda,etc. who have consistantly rated GM products poorly wheather new or used. Fact is this: too many GM products today are purchased by fleets and rental agency's at huge discounts.Years ago GM lost it's bread and butter customer base and started giving there cars and truck away anyway they could to keep the numbers good on paper. If you take away all of those fleet,employee,and subcontractor discounted sales , GM is a disaster.
It's not GM Bashing if it's a fact, and fact it is. People are not buying all those Camrys and Accords because they love the Japanese, they have run of of patience with GM in particular. Do you suppose GM did any market testing with a sample Aztek? I doubt it. They just said "build it-people will buy it because it's GM."

ruteger

It baffles me when people mention the versatility of the Aztek. Someone went so far as to compare it to a 'Swiss Army Knife'. Frankly, I have a hard time understanding how the Aztek can be more versatile than a normal minivan, with the limited rear cargo area thanks to the styling. I would think that one could use minivans like the Honda Odyssey or Mazda MPV with their disappearing rear seats a lot more than the Aztek. Where you have to slap a tent on the back of the Aztek to sleep in it, you can simply fold the rear seat and sleep *inside* with the others.

As to the McDonalds and GM analogy currently going on elsewhere in this forum, I think it's an accurate one. Both are very large, omnipresent organizations that sell rather mediocre products that are atleast consistant.

Imagine, too, what would happen if McDonalds began marketing a sandwich that, although it tasted okay, was really strange looking. Although there's a chance that it might really catch on (especially with young people), there's an even bigger chance that it might not, particularly if it was a rather expensive sandwich. Sort of like a large auto company coming out with a really oddly styled, expensive vehicle...

topgn

I am sure if you ask Gonzo, he will tell you were there was a add for a used Aztek for $13,000.
I think it was in the classified..Not a bad resale::
only 50% loss in six months....

Be nice when you inquire this from Gonzo..!

gonzo7

The 13K+ Aztek I referred to was sold at a large public auction of bank repo vehicles. There were several hundred bidders in attendance. It was a red GT with about 5k miles- looked in nice shape.
(condition-wise; not the style)

kodename

I do enjoy sharing my opinions, but the Aztek is just too easy a target. IT's like beating an already dead horse. Time to put this subject to rest. The people have spoken overwhelmingly with their pocketbooks. :-)

topgn

Aztek Facts::

1. Gm hoped to sell at least 35000 units the first six months..YTD sales in 6 months 11,480.

2. It is being redisigned in it's 2 year of production...UNHEARD OF..!! If anyone can remember this being done to ANY auto in the last 20 years please let us know...

3. Resale seems to be already a 50% loss on a vehicle only 6 months old..

4. At the very least the looks are "polarizing"
Not good in America where looks and image are very important ..yes sad, but true..!!

dindak

kodename : There are a number of GM cars and trucks recommended in both Consumers Digest and Consumer Reports. While GM cars on average are not the most reliable, most models exhibit average reliability or better. While the Aztek is not the commercial success that the PT cruiser is, the fact is some people like it. I am not crazy about it's looks (and probably would never buy one) but it has had FAR fewer problems than the PT, Mazda Tribute, Ford Escape or Honda Odyssey.

topgn : Thanks for the 100th repeat of those "facts". We all know Aztek is not selling well. Nothing new.

ruteger

September 04, 1957 was 'E-Day', the day that the Edsel was introduced. By year's end, 63,107 had been produced of the projected 200,000 (around 32%). The following year, 44,891 were built, less than the number of low-priced 2-door Ford Ranch wagons built for 1959. The next year, only 2,849 Edsels were made before production was halted, for a total of 110,847 Edsels built over three years.

If the present trend continues, Pontiac will produce 22,960 Azteks of the hoped-for 75,000, which will be around 31% of the projected 2001 MY goal for that vehicle.

Two of the major failings of the Edsel were styling and price. The first Edsels to hit showroom floors were loaded and expensive. That, combined with the strange-looking horseshoe 'grill' (technically a bumper), made it a tough sell in a recession year.

Innovative features of the 1958 Edsel that are still in use today were that they were the first vehicles to have self-adjusting brakes and a transmission selector that had to be in 'Park' before the key could be removed.

Source: www.edsel.com

The only cars I can think of that were redesigned after their first year were GM's 1958 products. They were crash-redesigned for 1959 after Chrysler brought out their radical (but very popular) 1957 'Forward-Look' cars. But the redesigning of the 1958 GM cars actually began *before* they were introduced (1957), not after (like the Aztek).

kodename

O.K. , I admit I'm enjoying reading all the Aztek postings. It's a small payback since GM sold me a new 1982 Cutlass with the shake n' bake 3.8 V6, I didn't learn from that apparently, so I moved on to a 1983 Olds 98 V8 the folllowing year.Better , but not by much, so AGAIN in 1985 I purchased a new 2.8L Fiero. Never have I had so much trouble with a car. I owned over the course of 5 years a small, intermediate, and large GM. None were any good, compared to my previous 61 Impala,64 Lemans,67 Chevelle or 69 Skylark. I didn't grow up anti GM , I was I felt abused by GM,and used as a test bed for their half developed ideas. Since they never acknowledged their failures, they lost me forever. In 72 I purchased a Ford Torino. I loved the car , but in a little less than 3 years it was rusting out all over the place. Ford did a half fix and then sent me surveys for comments for the next 4 years! Not a stellar performance, but next to my GM experience I might think so. Then I bought an Acura. I didn't know it could be this good. Bought two more and I was always treated like a customer and not an annoyance. I don't think my experience is all that uncommon.

kissfan1

Well CODE. My experience totally different. My AZTEK performing flawlessly. My DEALERSHIP has performed FLAWLESSLY. They offered customer appreciation night that was more like an automotive seminar.

They have delivered on every promise.

The PRODUCT fit and finish is superb......When I visited other EDMUNDS sites for SUBARU FORRESTERS, SIENNA's and ODYSSEYS ...I see tons of actual owner complaints. NO OWNER COMPLAINTS here........I TELL YA THIS VEHICLE is AWESOME!1

Signed

your AZTEK PAL

kodename

I don't want this to turn into a Mustang/Camaro never ending argument. The web has sites full of "kids" shouting back and forth the same tired old things that always boil down to "Oh, yeah , well my dad can beat up your dad"
How your spend your money is YOUR concern.There are People are out there who still think O.J. didn't do it , and there are those who think Clinton was responsible for our economic boom of the last 5 years, so be it. WE all vote with our dollars in one way or another. If you own and Aztek and you think it's a fine ride , then you need not worry about my opinion , right? GM will move all the Azteks built eventually, even if they have to give away every one of them on gameshows.(sorry, the devil made me say that)

carguy48

Yes, the Aztek is ugly. You don't buy it because it's a PT cruiser. You buy it because you like the features, the ride, the handling and the interior space. The car handles great, and it has alot of neat innovation. But if you need your friend's approval, and you are really concerned abuot the opinions of a Camaro driving testosterone junkie, then buy a hopped up neon(PT cruiser)
Otherwise, take the Aztek as the whimsical, unusual, fun vehicle it was meant to be...

topgn

What Country are U from...???
I think you should be a spokesman for GM, you think GM is better than Toyota, Honda, BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes..On every forum you state how much better GM products are that any of the above competition...

I am sure you would even take a Aztek over a 4Runner if the two were priced the same..

jcandor

I'm well aware of the removable cooler and the tent that hangs off the rear end like an egg sack on a tarantula (and that doubles as a handy easy-access route for theives and carjackers).

Considering even these features, what exactly makes the Aztek so earth-shatteringly unique, so mind-bogglingly useful, such an unequalled performer?

Is it the leisurely 0-60 times? The handling that's been described as "ponderous" by the automotive press? Every day comes another hossannah about the automatic headlights, which have been available on many cars for at least 10 years.

I'll give you the HUD and rear radio controls, which I'm sure are helpful and nice (and, yes, not available at Ford, Chrysler, etc.)

(As a side note, I'd be interested in hearing how many times any of the Aztek owners here have actually pitched those tents or pulled those removable coolers.)

But fundamentally, what we have is a rather ungainly-looking minivan, with an adequate but unremarkable engine, soft, top-heavy handling, little if any off-roading ability, and as much room as any other minivan ever built. In fact, many minivans have far greater utility with regard to their easily moved or removed seats.

Throw in a pinch of unreliability (too early to tell on the Aztek per se, but the brand is unreliability personified) and a half-gallon of ugly...I just don't see why the Aztek owners seem on the verge of nominating the thing for the Nobel Peace Prize.

So I guess my question is: How is it fundamentally any different from, say, a 7 year old Mazda MPV or the Montana on which it's based?

(Please, don't try to explain the wonders of removable coolers and carjacker-friendly "tents". And I'll give you a head start -- the HUD is cool.)

dindak

You are putting words in my mouth. I never said anything you are claiming. The only thing I would like to see is people with repetitive nonconstructive comments to stop because it doesn't make the forum very useful for people who may actually have an interest in the vehicle and want learn more. It's unfortunate that people like you (who obviously have no interest in Aztek) have hijacked this forum and turned it into a bashing stage.

FYI... I would take a 4Runner over an Aztek any day. It doesn't mean I can't be interested in the Aztek though.

dindak

Why are you here? You never do answer that question, though I have posed it 3 times before. You have no interest in Aztek, so why bother?

kissfan1

This Board does not care about a thoughtfull discussion of the AZTEK buy its OWNERS.

Reasoned posts that Describe the Strenths of the AZTEK as a PRODUCT and compare these strengths to the Strengths and weeknesses of other PRODUCT do not get thru the CENSOR board.

I in the last 2 days put up two reasoned posted describing STRENTHS and WEAKNESSES.

In addition these posts answered questions. Both posts deleted.... FOR no good reason.

INSTEAD the censors let DEROGATORY comments thru about giving away AZTEKS on GAMESHOWS.........This BOARD IS COMPLETELLY UNINTERESTED in TRUE owners EXPERIENCES............

THIS POST IN ON TOPIC.......BECAUSE IT DISCUSSES THE AZTEK AND THIS FORUM.

It should not be deleted.

kissfan1

Firstly, I'm an owner who has driven each of the Usual suspects in my shopping
quest:

1. Subaru Forrester: Small very small. The back seat is strictly made for
children. A full sized adult will not be comfortable for any length of time. Sound
system is very mediocre at best. Controls are ergomically challenged at best. As
far consumer complaints......I have found many. (by the way the XXXXX that
control this board have stopped me from posting REAL consumer complaints about
the other products)

The road noise is abtrusive. Dealer network is weak and on my visit completely
unsupportive.

2. Honda CRV: Woefully under powered and strictly utilitarian interior.
Uncomfortable seating positions. An engine that groans incessantly trying to keep
up with traffic. Components ergonomically poorly placed. In Canada, the 4
cylinder CRV priced same as AZTEK. Simply not interested.

3. Toyota RAV 4: Tiny is positively the best way to describe this vehicle. Again
underpowered. The handling is nimble and the fit / finish and creature comforts
better then the CRV. But expensive and dealers that you must thank for the
PRIVILEGE of buying from them. I would not want to drive this vehicle from
Canada to Florida. CRAMP-CITY!

4. EXTERRA.....Nice utilitarian but In Canada too PRICY.

5. Sienna / Odyssey comparable.......but go to their boards. Some horror stories
from real consumers.

AZTEK:

Pros: Very comfortable for both front and rear passengers. From experience,
6'6" buddy of mine sat in rear seat on trip to Buffalo. He commended the
comfort.

Ergonomics: Controls perfectly positioned. Stereo controls on steering wheel with
cruise just behind. HUD is awesome. Automatic everything.

Heaters and Fans: Small thing but living in Canada this vehicle heats up in no time.

Sound Sytem: Sorry this is important as I drive alot and enjoy listening to tunes.
Best factory sound system I've heard. Ten speakers standard.

Fit and Finish: Rivals the Japanese. In fact it equals the Toyota.

Snow: I test drove these vehicles in snow. Subaru was the best but I could not
get past the conumer horror stories. The AZTEK front wheel drive handled great.

Quiet: In my quest.....This vehicle was dead quiet. I drove both Ml300 and Lexus.
Guess what ..for road noise AZTEK comparable. This was surprising.

Cons:

Power: I would luv to have 210 HP engine. That extra UMPH would be liked

Styling: Some would say only a mother could luv. Think that the different styling
is awesome. Different is good in my eyes.

Breaks: 4 wheel disk would be nice.

So there it is from a REAL live owner who NEVER thought he would buy
American. Personaly I like the Toyota brand.

signed

your AZTEK PAL

gonzo7

Maybe it just seems that way because you're the only person who's actually bought one.

kissfan1

stever

I don't understand. He's not calling anyone a XXXXXX? He just doesn't like the car. Please email me if you wish to pursue this. Thanks.

Steve
Host
SUV and Vans Message Boards

topgn

:Let me put it this way..!!

You stated that::

The Aztek has the same fit and and finish as Toyota ...,,OK

You did compare the Aztek to Lexus RX300 and Mercedes.....OK

HMMM

kissfan1

I drove the ML300.......Sat in LEXUS......Unfortunately both those vehicles are exobitantly expensive here in Canada.

I personnally would have liked to driven the Acura MDX and of course the BMW x5.

I did not compare the vehicles.......however as far as road noise the AZTEK rates very high in a comparison......Which was huge surprise to me.

Top we both know the Aztek not anywhere near those other vehicle.

Signed

your AZTEK pal

topgn

I NEVER hear of anyone comparing a RX300 with a Pontiac Aztek...Very intersting..!!

topgn

I will not quote directly because this is in violation of the Town Hall agreement,
However, it went something like this...>>

In order to get the public more interested in the Aztek,GM forced many a manager in Pontiac to drive the Aztek to and from work in order to get more of them on the road..The reason for this was lackluster sales and by forcing the managers to drive them around Michigan it would hopefully increase sales of the Aztek..

topgn

The Market is the true expression of sucsess or failure of a automobile...
The Aztek has not reached it's goal and even GM now admits it will scale back it's forecast to hopefully 30,000 units a year...

kissfan1

You certainly have ve an inordinate interest in a Vehicle you do not own or are not interested in buying. I'm curious as to the source of your intense interest in this vehicle.

Now on to your points:

I never compared the 3 vehicles in question:

ML300: I drove out of curiousity and clearly it is superior as one would expect given the $20 K difference in price. What I did notioce was the quietness of the AZTEK rivaled the ML.

BUT TO BE CLEAR.....in no other area were the two compable. (well SIZE and Comfort)

The LEXUS I only sat in.

2. Interesting.......At my Dealership. Laurie Williamson in Mississauga. The Chief bean counter and Service manager both wanted the vehicle badly. My Buddy (the Bean counter lost...Topgn you would say he WON!!....lol) and the service manager is happily driving the vehicle.

3. The MARKET no doubt will determine the commercial success of the vehicle. However there are many vehicles that are lousy but are commercial successes. K CAR , TAURUS , Chysler Vans.

Drop me a line Topgn........kissfan@raidersfan.net

signed your

AZTEK PAL

carguy48

The tent package does not stay on the car while you are driving, and I kinda doubt a carjacker would be prowling the woods lookin' for that Aztek to jack...
Also, 4 wheel disc brakes are standard on the AWD Aztek...

Seems like they're are alot of Aztek haters on this message board. Have any of you folks driven one?...

mark156

Carguy... I actually tried to rent an Aztek when I'm in Florida on business next week. But, Hertz or National didn't have them. So, I'm getting a Ford Escape from Hertz. I'm curious to how it will perform. I usually get the Lincoln but I want to try something different. I also asked for the PT Cruiser but none were available. As I have mentioned before, since the Aztek is only a five passenger vehicle, the choices in that area are mind boggling. I'll let you know how the Escape turned out.

Mark

nick29

Where do they come up with these names? I suppose if I were ugly I'd drive an Aztec then I would look gorgeous next to it.

kevinnh1

Ok, I went out and bought one. It's black with AWD. I paid $15,700 with a $6,000 trade in of a '97 Geo Tracker. (read: wandering piece of tin.) Is this a good deal? I don't know "dealers price." So far, I like it. It rides well, abeit it does seem slightly underpowered. I mainly bought it for the safetly (compared to the Geo) and it has just too many cool gagets.
I read this board a lot in my decision, and I have to say, for all the compaints, all the people who actually own one, no one has complained about it. (except one I read a long time ago with electric problems)

So, that's it.

dindak

Topgn has no interest in anything to do with Aztek other that to bash it. I have asked him why he is here but I never get a response.

Glad you like your Aztek. I see base Azteks being advertised for around $25K CDN in the Toronto star which is a good deal. Even a CRV will run you $27K.

topgn

My opinion is that the people buy the Aztek because that's all they can afford..
Otherwise they would purchase a 4Runner, Pathfinder, Montero, or even the Hyundai Santa Fe..(wich are selling at MSRP, they cannot keep them on the lot's)..the real reason for purchase of such a polarizing vehicle is affordability...