Aztek owners and those who wanna *buy* one loves to hear stories about the Aztek that looks like it is good... Take GMDRONE's mail on his daily use of the car to commute back and forth from meetings... While the owners may have found something to cheer about, gonzo7's disection of the piece into what it truly is was dead on. Yes, call it drivel !!! But this drivel is true...
looking for the silver lining about the Aztek ? Anything that portends to sound/look/feel good about this car ? Yes, the Daytona 500 Pace Car, with all of the plasticia painted over... Already, the Aztek-wannabes are saying stuff like: "If they fix it up for 2002 to look more like that... I may be in!", or "If it can stand up to being driven all day from meeting to meeting then that says a lot." Yikes !!! What a drivel, if you've seen one...
Let us review that quote once again: "If a car can stand up to being driven from pt.A to pt.B, that says a lot" Yikes x2 ??? What kind of car is this ? Oh, it must be an AZTEK... one that even those who produce it cannot look at, hence its redesign in only its first-year of production. Even GMDRONE hates admiting he is driving one, and he works for GM !!! Yikes x3 !!! juancho1 cannot be caught dead in an Aztek, even though he owns one... Jeez, if these were meant as compliments of the Aztek, I'd hate to to see what *bad* things are said about it :-)))
The Aztek is a sitting duck ! and a redesign may not even save it, when relatively good product lines like the Olds are being cut from the fold... 2002, I predict will be IT for this car, and it wouldn't come any sooner....
Yeah the sales figures support you nay sayers. But for the PRICE.......nothing better.
Comfort, Size, Strength.......and awesome styling that is aggressive for the mainstream but great for us.
Go spend your time on other boards because you bring little new value to the debate. You drone on and on about things you only read about. Driving this vehicle is alot of fun. Owning it even better.
your AZTEK pal
by the way......come up with something original as a sign off. Now i know why you enjoy boxy cars everyone else drives. Lack of creativity.
I think that was just a little dig at you, kissfan1.
Back on topic, I saw my first Aztek last week while visiting Las Vegas. I missed seeing the back as I drove by it (it was parked at a meter). It was white with black cladding and didn't look too weird at all--the subdued color probably had something to do with it. I didn't dwell on it though as I was busy trying to figure what the True Market Value of all those Caddy limos was.... Steve Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
You saw a roadgoing Aztek in Vegas? I've only seen one on the road here in Sin City, the other 40+ are at the dealer's back lot.
Forget the TMV on the Caddy limos, I want the TMV on the new Excursion stretch "limos" here! IMHO, the "Drive's tree-huggers insane" value is through the roof!!
Yeah, the Aztek was parked on one of the streets heading back towards the strip, parallel to Flamingo I think. It was clean, but not brand new, so someone was driving it (probably wanted something big and beefy for protection from the speeding cabbies there). Steve Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Hey, FWIW, I am a Canadian transplant to the US. Went to graduate school at Queen's up there in Kingston. Lived all my life in Brampton and Mississauga... See, we are neighbors afterall...Maybe next time I come up north, and I see an Aztek, I'll most likely assume that must be KISSFAN at the wheels...:-))
My distaste for the Aztek is not personal, and you shouldn't personalize it. I believe that I have contributed to this thread, although not to your liking, but that's life, you know !
There seems to be, at times, a concerted effort to get the "naysayers" off this posting thread. I find this amusing as the styling of the Aztek invites strong opinions and apparently (not judging by this site alone) most of them are negative. Most folks are not willing to get past the exterior in order to experience any of the other more postive attributes of the Aztek. Right or wrong, this is human nature. For example, if one is in the market for a house (probably the next biggest financial purchase for most folks next to buying a car) they won't usually even go inside to look at one that is distasteful to them from the outside, let alone buy the thing. I guess this is where the real estate term "don't street appraise" comes from. Maybe this could be adopted by Pontiac and the 1000's (literally) of Aztek owners. Just a semi-useful suggestion offered by a unabashed Aztek naysayer.
Curb appeal is an interesting filter. Unless I'm driving by a big plate glass window, I don't really notice my paint color or body style--the handling and comfort should be more important. Funny how outside appearances plays such a big deal when you are buying though (not too much in my case though, since my ride is a minivan, lol).
And an Aztek rental would have been much preferable to the Geo I wound up with, gonzo7. Steve Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Today I was in the dealership I'm purchasing my 2WD Aztek from, and the sales manager mentioned they are not going to continue with the AWD version. I assume sales might have something to do with it, has anyone else heard this rumor?
Hey I graduated from Queen's in 1991! What year did you? Small world.
I was actually in Kingston this weekend. Saw two Azteks on the way there. The look is growing on me, but I still doubt I would buy one. Want to check out the Rendezvous on Friday at the Toronto Auto Show.
It was funny seeing the Aztek pace truck and the race was great.. but none of that matters today. NASCAR lost it's biggest star ever and my heart goes out to the Earnhardt family. A very sad day for racing.
MS degree in 1991 and PhD in 1995... sorry guys for the off-topic here.. It is a small world really. Like you, I saw an Aztek actually packed a few houses from mine last night... Weird ! I am checking the owner out and having a few words with him on how his vehicle is performing. I hope he is not a dealer though :-)
Take care and wish you the best in your search to replace your Intrigue...
For $16,900, you could get a Caddy limo, and have enough left over to stock the liquor cabinet:-). Still looking for the stretch Excursion, thecargonzo. Steve Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Hello all of you, even to you tipgun, or topgun or tpgun and lets not forget gorGONZOla.
This is your friendly neigborhood Aztek lover and although I really have come to not miss this board, I wanted to make mention that the Aztek Owners from e-groups.com (now yahoo groups) are in the process of having a North East Rally and any 'Tek owners are more than welcome. Non owners are welcome to, unless you don't like the 'tek in which case you'll be feeling a mite out of place.
oac3 : Wow.. I graduated in 1991 also with a BA Econ. Small world for sure. Not replacing my Intrigue as it's only a year old. Looking for a second "family" vehicle. Don't want a minivan. Aztek is probably not an option, but Rendezvous mite be.
kissfan : Wow, all the way to FLA in the Aztek. Let us know how it goes.
waymoreblues : Have seen base Azteks advertised for $24500 CDN or around $16k US here in the Toronto Star. Heavy rebates, good deals if you want one.
Finally saw my first Aztek on the road last weekend (unfortunately I didn't get a chance to see who the driver was). My wife was with me and her reaction to the Aztek was as follows: "Yuck! What the heck is that?"
Two days latter we were driving by an Isuzu dealer and saw a bright yellow Vehicross on the lot. My wife's reaction was: "Wow! that's got to be the 2nd most ugliest vehicle after the Aztek"
Just had to weed my way through all 1100 messages, gotta new computer at work, and EDS(Ed's phones and computers) lost all my passwords and aliases, so I gotta reconstruct the entire hard drive.... Just wanted to let you know that I haven't heard anything about AWD being dropped on the Aztec, Production schedules Have been revised at Ramos, upward on the Rendevous, downward on the Aztec, however Powertrain is still building AWD components for both models... FYI
Was driving with my wife yesterday and passed a BLUE RIDGE PEARL subaru. I was startled by my wife yelling EKKKKKK. What I said.....don't like the look of the Forrester. No she exclaimed....... It was the ugly wife in the front seat.
Well I consoled her.......by playing VIVALDI four seasons NICE & LOUD on our fantastic 10 Speaker Pioneer sound system in our Hot AZTEK.
Got a phone call from GM MOTORS CANADA.........They are issuing me a $3,000 dollar check due to my having purchased the AZTEK early in the products introduction.
The call came from a director of marketing who was pleased to offer me the "unsolicited" rebate.
I'm sorry.........these guys know how to delight a customer. I was the GUY who was never gonna buy AMERICAN. But honestly GM have done nothing but IMPRESS me.
kissfan1: congratulations on this tax refund windfall from GM !
Hey, the escuse you got from GM is not totally on the up-and-up... Here is the real reason: Your courageous act of bucking the odds and buying the Aztek deserves a HUGE commendation (can yous ay $3000-worth !!!)... And, your one-man crusade on this and other boards has surely been well received *upstairs*...
Enjoy your well-earned $$$ and keep up the *good* work...
So, as a consumer Kissfan should be happy indeed. $3000 is nice pocket change, and anyone would be happy to get it back from any car company. Why, on the otherhand, did GM do it? They paid millions upon millions in advertising, all will little effect. Yet, Kissfan will argue down anyone who challenges the supremacy of the vehicle he bought (without being censored like detractors of AZZZTek), so it seems like a cheap and effective deployment of resources on GM's part. Keep up the praise and a whole fleet of AZZZteks will be comin' your way.
There must be someting in the water here. I have seen no fewer than 10 AZZZteks in the last 2 days after having seen 2 in 6 months. This is a GM town, so could it be that the execs have all been thrown out of their cars to get these things off the lot?
That's amazing! I assume that's $3000 CDN? I guess with all the rebates on these things they figure you would be unhappy that you bought early and paid more. Probably a smart move on their part. I must say GM customer service has been very good compared with Honda. The dealer I used to bring my Accord to was terrible also.
Saw a black one on the Staten Island Expressway this morning. I swear, everytime I see one it looks like someone caused "blunt force trauma" on the rear-end.
GM giving away money is nothing new, they know they screwed up. Hell, look at Olds right now: Nobody wants to touch a soon to be orphaned brand, so they not only extended the warranty to 5 years (it's about time), they are also giving away cash-back.
kissfan- Calling someone's wife ugly isn't doing anything for your one-man crusade to get everyone to like the Aztek. But thanks anyway, it certainly says a lot about your character and mentality.
tonychry : Oldsmobiles are good cars, probably the best GM line up. Sales are actually up 5% since the announcement. Incentives are playing a role and re-sale doesn't have far to fall as it was already not great. If you hold on to the car for 8 years, re-sale is no issue anyway. Great deals.
I have nothing against Olds dealers, but the reality is that a lot of the current stuff GM makes is just pedestrian crap. We looked at the recent Jimmy/Blazer/Bravada and I couldn't believe how cheap looking they are inside and all the numerous problems reported with them. The technology is old and outdated, and yes, I know that a new design is coming out for the 2002MY.
And before you think I'm a GM basher, surprise: I own a '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE2 (the Alero's cousin). It's a pretty good car and dependable, but everything about the interior screams out "cheap." They have to use lower grade plastics, switches and other doodads to cover all that high-priced UAW labor and keep the overall cost of the car competitive with the imports.
My apologies if I turned this into a U.S. vs. foreign car diatribe... let's get back on topic and puking about the Azzztek.
tonychry : Old Blazer is not very good. It's the oldest design on the market and long overdue for over haul. New models look excellent. If you thought the Grand Am was cheap looking, why did you buy it? The Alero is much nicer inside.
That's a fair question. I guess I was mostly driven by the price at the time! You got a lot of car (V6, power everything, etc.) for what I paid at the time. There was the usual GM customer bribe (cash back) and I had cash-points on my GM Mastercard which got me another $1000 off of the price.
And I guess it ddidn't really look "cheap" when comparing it to itself. Once we got it home and lived with it and started to compare it to our '97 Pathfinder, the differences came out. The plastics, switches and ergonomic design used on Nissans are just plain better than GM's stuff.
Here's a perfect example of cutting corners: Know the vinyl/plastic armrest on the car? Usually these parts are made in injection molds, good molds are very expensive to produce. On my armrests I can see a "seam" running down the middle, obviously from the mold halves. And at 15K miles my brakes are already wearing out and GM expects me to pay for new ones. I know I'm an agressive driver, but I have had 5 new Nissans before this car and never had to replace the brakes so early.
I think the Alero is nice, but I don't remember actually knowing about the car at the time. Other than my "cheapness" complaints, the GA is pretty reliable transportation and the GM V6 and transmission used on this car are a great combination.
Tell that to the Old's Bravada owner who bought brand new 2000 Bravada and wanted to trade it in for , NOW WATCH THIS a REDESIGNED 2002 Bravada.....Well he paid like $34,800. in May of 2000 then went to many Old's dealers and the most he got as a trade in was $18,500..almost 50% of what he bought it for in 2000..To say he is upset is a understatment..( this post is in the 2002 Bravada section)..NOW the Bravada is more popular than the Aztek , so I wonder what happens to that Aztek owner when, just maybe he tries to trade in his Aztek on some REAL SUV not a redesigned MINIVAN in 2001 ..THEN let him say heck resale is not important.....!!!
topgn : Back from lurking I guess. Get tired of hanging out with your BMW buddys?
tonychry : My mom bought an Alero because she thought the interior is much nicer than the Grand Am. I tend to agree. I have seen some future Pontiac models and the future looks much better. Aztek was a mistake, but I think cars like the Vibe will give Pontiac a better image.
I commend you for standing behind your Aztec. A few posts back I told of delivering an Aztec and have not seen a customer that excited about a vehicle purchase in a long time. Of course this person actually drove the Aztec so his excitment was understandable. I will post back the next time I sell a customer who is more excited, it could be awhile.
Just wanted to let all prospective buyers in the Metro Detroit area know that I just got some new info. My dealer just called and let me know that they are running two specials on Azteks. First, if you lease or buy a non-GT pep Aztek then you get an additional $1000 rebate on top of all current incentives. This deal is only good until I believe the end of May but you would have to hurry since there are only around 1000 of these available. Second, if you buy or lease any Aztek and take delivery before the end of April then they are throwing in a free camping package. For all those already interested in buying an Aztek, these deals are just icing on the cake.
As you all know I come on this board and am a mild PROPONENT of this vehicle. As for GM's policy of giving back some money. It is to be APPLAUDED.
I wonder if any of those Tribute / Escape clients got anything back for there 5 recalls. Listen I agree with MANY of you.......the styling is over the top.......but in terms of a well made and great operating vehicle it has been outstanding.
Sales have been poor due to STYLING and no doubt GM are going to lower prices to clear inventory. Is this a manufacturing having missed the bullseye of public taste and perception.......HELL YES!! For Topgun/oac and whoever else .......perception is reality and the vehicle has not sold.
But has IT BEEN a pleasure to own with not one single IOTA of trouble......HELL YES.
Now GM are doing exactly as they should by giving MONEY back. You are criticizing GM from your IVORY perches........and you know what you are wrong.
Sit in my shoes. I 'm real HAPPY with the vehicle. Now the manufacturer is lowering prices. Well give me my piece.........THEY ARE!!
You know.......I've never been an American Car fan but I've been treated TOP DRAWER by this COMPANY and dealership. They have earned another shot at my business in 2011 when my DAUGHTER takes the AZTEK to UNIVERSITY.
I pick up my Aztek tomorrow.... It took much longer to get it than it was suppose too. First off, they sold the green one I wanted. I ended up with a loaded Aztek GT that is a Pewter color.
The salesman I am working with has been selling cars for 30 years and commented that the people that have chosen this car despite its style, have been his happiest new car buyers ever that he can remember. For you negative type, its important to note that this conversation took place after I had already purchased and signed the papers.
Congrats on becoming an owner. As for the sales guys comments. Those words are echoed when I went to the service department. I had a long discussion with the service manager and an idle sales guy (it was 10:00am on a Tuesday).
Their experience was the same. With their sales they have seen the fewest customers ever come back with problems. They said in RECENT memory they have not seen a vehicle as "trouble free". Not so much as a loose bolt.
So that really bodes well. So feel real good about your purchase cause you have a great vehicle.
signed your AZTEK PAL
PS: All the naysayers who visit this board would REJOICE if there was a recall. One naysayer went so far as passing off second hand stories about probelems with RENTALS in Orlando. Well I spoke with the operations manager at Budget , Avis, Alamo cause I was curious. Well guess what........NO ISSUES WITH THE AZTEK. In fact the Budget guy.....(John Lazzario) went so far as to say the product is remarkable in it's lack of problems and families are loving the vehicle. (he did add remarkable and ugly)
So naysayers can go back to there Subaru/BMW boards cause the car they luv to hate is really a good vehicle. TOO BAD!!!!!!!
Edmund's advice: Focus on the vehicle's specifications or practical capabilities and don't believe the ads. Steve Host Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
First of all, Pontiac is giving money back if for no other reason than to quiet the 11,000 owners because they dished out upwards of $30,000 for a new 2001 model that is now being heavily discounted. It's purely for PR. Also, the resale on these vehicles is abominable based on what used models are selling for. Essentially, they're giving you the rebate post-purchase.
No, you won't see Ford give any money back on the Escapes... that's because despite the recalls, people are STILL paying MSRP+ to get one and the wait for an ordered model is EXTENSIVE because they can't build enough of them. It is important to note that 4 of the 5 recalls were not Consumer recalls... in other words, VERY few owners EVER got a recall notice. These were recalls of UNSOLD vehicles.. and in most cases, vehicles that hadn't left the Ford Plant storage lots... to fix problems BEFORE they got to the dealer/customer. To suggest an escape owner has gotten 5 recall notices and had to bring their problem-prone new car back to the dealer is inaccurate.
The Escape is a TOTALLY new vehicle... from the ground up. If you look at the Montana when it came out in the late 90's, there were numerous recalls. In fact, now in it's FIFTH year of production there is now a new recall on 2001 Montanas (156,000 vehicles) because the seat belt buckles are defective. No, there are not currently any recalls on the Aztek but lets remember 1: it is not a new design... the platform has been produced for over 5 years now so the bugs BETTER be worked out. 2: The engine itself traces its roots to the 2.8L from the 1980 Chevy Citation so it's had over 20 years of improvements and should prove problem-free. 3: so few Azteks have been sold that the reports of problems will, of course, be fewer than mass-produced vehicles like the Subaru. Even the BMW's problems can be traced to it being an all-new design. Aztek owners should thank their lucky starts the Aztek is mosty Parts-Bin because based on Pontiac/GM's track record when it comes to "all new", they'd be in a heck of a lot of trouble.
I'm just tired of Aztek Owners trying to justify their purchase by pointing out "The Escape has 5 recalls"... these vehicles are not even cross-shopped. The Escape is smaller and over $5,000 cheaper when similarly equipped. An Aztek should be compared to a Dodge Caravan AWD... a fellow minivan.
Ford may not be cutting prices on Escape but they sure are on the Explorer. Would Escape sales be as strong if Explorer would have "good" reputation? I doubt it. Along that theme, would DCX be making money if they skipped PT Cruiser and sold mini vans instead. Ford is trying to put a good face on why new Explorer is "delayed". Ford says they want the vehicle "polished" when it comes to market. Couldn't that mean that it wasn't designed right and has to be fixed? Same thing for Escape. None of that has anything to do with Aztek but the thing has generated a reputation for being built right. Are you trying to twist that into something "bad" about the vehicle? Any auto maker that uses the consumer as the final validator should not be held in high esteem.
It is annoying that some people continually will twist any attribute about this vehicle as a defect. The styling will change. But look at the good side. Besides the Aztek and PT Cruiser is there anything that isn't just plain flat bland. I've been around cars all my life and recently I find it difficult to tell them apart. Instead of constantly droning about how ugly the Aztek is, I prefer to congratulate Pontiac and GM for showing some courage in a largely guttless and wimpy world. If those of you who enjoy posting about it's failure I hope you realize that someday going down the same beaten path is dull. Adventure is cool. Different is good. Same sucks. If you want to be boring go dig a hole six feet deep and jump in. But don't go telling the world that any effort step away from the crowd is a failure.
Comments
looking for the silver lining about the Aztek ? Anything that portends to sound/look/feel good about this car ? Yes, the Daytona 500 Pace Car, with all of the plasticia painted over... Already, the Aztek-wannabes are saying stuff like: "If they fix it up for 2002 to look more like that... I may be in!", or "If it can stand up to being driven all day from meeting to meeting then that says a lot." Yikes !!! What a drivel, if you've seen one...
Let us review that quote once again: "If a car can stand up to being driven from pt.A to pt.B, that says a lot" Yikes x2 ??? What kind of car is this ? Oh, it must be an AZTEK... one that even those who produce it cannot look at, hence its redesign in only its first-year of production. Even GMDRONE hates admiting he is driving one, and he works for GM !!! Yikes x3 !!!
juancho1 cannot be caught dead in an Aztek, even though he owns one... Jeez, if these were meant as compliments of the Aztek, I'd hate to to see what *bad* things are said about it :-)))
The Aztek is a sitting duck ! and a redesign may not even save it, when relatively good product lines like the Olds are being cut from the fold... 2002, I predict will be IT for this car, and it wouldn't come any sooner....
Comfort, Size, Strength.......and awesome styling that is aggressive for the mainstream but great for us.
Go spend your time on other boards because you bring little new value to the debate. You drone on and on about things you only read about. Driving this vehicle is alot of fun. Owning it even better.
your AZTEK pal
by the way......come up with something original as a sign off. Now i know why you enjoy boxy cars everyone else drives. Lack of creativity.
Back on topic, I saw my first Aztek last week while visiting Las Vegas. I missed seeing the back as I drove by it (it was parked at a meter). It was white with black cladding and didn't look too weird at all--the subdued color probably had something to do with it. I didn't dwell on it though as I was busy trying to figure what the True Market Value of all those Caddy limos was....
Steve
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You saw a roadgoing Aztek in Vegas? I've only seen one on the road here in Sin City, the other 40+ are at the dealer's back lot.
Forget the TMV on the Caddy limos, I want the TMV on the new Excursion stretch "limos" here! IMHO, the "Drive's tree-huggers insane" value is through the roof!!
Steve
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"Avis"
Hey, FWIW, I am a Canadian transplant to the US. Went to graduate school at Queen's up there in Kingston. Lived all my life in Brampton and Mississauga... See, we are neighbors afterall...Maybe next time I come up north, and I see an Aztek, I'll most likely assume that must be KISSFAN at the wheels...:-))
My distaste for the Aztek is not personal, and you shouldn't personalize it. I believe that I have contributed to this thread, although not to your liking, but that's life, you know !
Cheers,
Stephen
And an Aztek rental would have been much preferable to the Geo I wound up with, gonzo7.
Steve
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Great trip, 200 miles round trip. Quiet & Smooth ride in my Aztek 2WD doing 70 - 85 mph.
I'm getting some good ideas reading this website...I think I'll Road Trip out to VEGAS this summer...
Hope you saved a lot on your Aztek purchase. The extra cash might be needed out here...
gonzo 7,
Given the location Steve mentioned, I think you are correct.
I was actually in Kingston this weekend. Saw two Azteks on the way there. The look is growing on me, but I still doubt I would buy one. Want to check out the Rendezvous on Friday at the Toronto Auto Show.
As for some of the comments by KissFan...
I actualy agree with his comment: "The Aztek is Aggressively Styled to the masses"
Websters defines aggressive as:
1. Inclined to behave in a hostile fashion.
2. Overwhelmingly Harsh and Intense
3. Fast growing; tending to spread quickly: an aggressive tumor.
I think the first two sum up the styling and it's nice to see an owner like KissFan agrees
Unfortunately, for GM number 3 never happened
Take care and wish you the best in your search to replace your Intrigue...
Signed
Rick
The TRANY gone. Well thankfully I have a wonderfull AZTEK.
Now I'm in the market for a used vehicle. I'd buy a used AZTEK but none to be found in Toronto area.
Thinking about 1997 Toyota Rav 4. Can scoop one for about $16K Canadian.
Thoughts anyone??
Signed your AZTEK pal
Have you ever BEEN in a RAV 4 ? I test drove one... they're TINY!!! If you're over 5'8" don't bother!!
From Toronto I'm looking at about 23 hours of driving in great comfort while enjoying the tunes and American countryside.
Looking forward to a great drive in a great vehicle!!
signed your AZTEK pal
Steve
Host
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This is your friendly neigborhood Aztek lover and although I really have come to not miss this board, I wanted to make mention that the Aztek Owners from e-groups.com (now yahoo groups) are in the process of having a North East Rally and any 'Tek owners are more than welcome. Non owners are welcome to, unless you don't like the 'tek in which case you'll be feeling a mite out of place.
For more info e-mail aztek@therightwing.com
kissfan : Wow, all the way to FLA in the Aztek. Let us know how it goes.
waymoreblues : Have seen base Azteks advertised for $24500 CDN or around $16k US here in the Toronto Star. Heavy rebates, good deals if you want one.
Two days latter we were driving by an Isuzu dealer and saw a bright yellow Vehicross on the lot. My wife's reaction was: "Wow! that's got to be the 2nd most ugliest vehicle after the Aztek"
-Frank P.
Well I consoled her.......by playing VIVALDI four seasons NICE & LOUD on our fantastic 10 Speaker Pioneer sound system in our Hot AZTEK.
Signed your AZTEK pal
due to my having purchased the AZTEK early in the products introduction.
The call came from a director of marketing who was pleased to offer me the "unsolicited" rebate.
I'm sorry.........these guys know how to delight a customer. I was the GUY who was never gonna buy AMERICAN. But honestly GM have done nothing but IMPRESS me.
This purchase truly has me delighted.
signed your AZTEK pal
Hey, the escuse you got from GM is not totally on the up-and-up... Here is the real reason: Your courageous act of bucking the odds and buying the Aztek deserves a HUGE commendation (can yous ay $3000-worth !!!)... And, your one-man crusade on this and other boards has surely been well received *upstairs*...
Enjoy your well-earned $$$ and keep up the *good* work...
:-)))
; ) THX
Signed your AZTEK pal
There must be someting in the water here. I have seen no fewer than 10 AZZZteks in the last 2 days after having seen 2 in 6 months. This is a GM town, so could it be that the execs have all been thrown out of their cars to get these things off the lot?
GM giving away money is nothing new, they know they screwed up. Hell, look at Olds right now: Nobody wants to touch a soon to be orphaned brand, so they not only extended the warranty to 5 years (it's about time), they are also giving away cash-back.
Desperate measures, for desperate folks.
-Frank P.
Just think! If they offered EVERY retail buyer of an Aztek a $3K rebate it could end up costing them almost $15,000!
Signed,
YOUR VOICE of REASON
tonychry : Oldsmobiles are good cars, probably the best GM line up. Sales are actually up 5% since the announcement. Incentives are playing a role and re-sale doesn't have far to fall as it was already not great. If you hold on to the car for 8 years, re-sale is no issue anyway. Great deals.
And before you think I'm a GM basher, surprise: I own a '99 Pontiac Grand Am SE2 (the Alero's cousin). It's a pretty good car and dependable, but everything about the interior screams out "cheap." They have to use lower grade plastics, switches and other doodads to cover all that high-priced UAW labor and keep the overall cost of the car competitive with the imports.
My apologies if I turned this into a U.S. vs. foreign car diatribe... let's get back on topic and puking about the Azzztek.
And I guess it ddidn't really look "cheap" when comparing it to itself. Once we got it home and lived with it and started to compare it to our '97 Pathfinder, the differences came out. The plastics, switches and ergonomic design used on Nissans are just plain better than GM's stuff.
Here's a perfect example of cutting corners: Know the vinyl/plastic armrest on the car? Usually these parts are made in injection molds, good molds are very expensive to produce. On my armrests I can see a "seam" running down the middle, obviously from the mold halves. And at 15K miles my brakes are already wearing out and GM expects me to pay for new ones. I know I'm an agressive driver, but I have had 5 new Nissans before this car and never had to replace the brakes so early.
I think the Alero is nice, but I don't remember actually knowing about the car at the time. Other than my "cheapness" complaints, the GA is pretty reliable transportation and the GM V6 and transmission used on this car are a great combination.
tonychry : My mom bought an Alero because she thought the interior is much nicer than the Grand Am. I tend to agree. I have seen some future Pontiac models and the future looks much better. Aztek was a mistake, but I think cars like the Vibe will give Pontiac a better image.
That AZTEK will have 140,000 miles and will have served it's lords and masters well.
As for Wife insults........c'mon buddy wake up and stop taking yourself so seriously.
signed your AZTEK pal
Just wanted to let all prospective buyers in the Metro Detroit area know that I just got some new info. My dealer just called and let me know that they are running two specials on Azteks. First, if you lease or buy a non-GT pep Aztek then you get an additional $1000 rebate on top of all current incentives. This deal is only good until I believe the end of May but you would have to hurry since there are only around 1000 of these available. Second, if you buy or lease any Aztek and take delivery before the end of April then they are throwing in a free camping package. For all those already interested in buying an Aztek, these deals are just icing on the cake.
Talk to you all later!
Greg
As you all know I come on this board and am a mild PROPONENT of this vehicle. As for GM's policy of giving back some money. It is to be APPLAUDED.
I wonder if any of those Tribute / Escape clients got anything back for there 5 recalls. Listen I agree with MANY of you.......the styling is over the top.......but in terms of a well made and great operating vehicle it has been outstanding.
Sales have been poor due to STYLING and no doubt GM are going to lower prices to clear inventory. Is this a manufacturing having missed the bullseye of public taste and perception.......HELL YES!! For Topgun/oac and whoever else .......perception is reality and the vehicle has not sold.
But has IT BEEN a pleasure to own with not one single IOTA of trouble......HELL YES.
Now GM are doing exactly as they should by giving MONEY back. You are criticizing GM from your IVORY perches........and you know what you are wrong.
Sit in my shoes. I 'm real HAPPY with the vehicle. Now the manufacturer is lowering prices. Well give me my piece.........THEY ARE!!
You know.......I've never been an American Car fan but I've been treated TOP DRAWER by this COMPANY and dealership. They have earned another shot at my business in 2011 when my DAUGHTER takes the AZTEK to UNIVERSITY.
Signed your AZTEK pal
The salesman I am working with has been selling cars for 30 years and commented that the people that have chosen this car despite its style, have been his happiest new car buyers ever that he can remember. For you negative type, its important to note that this conversation took place after I had already purchased and signed the papers.
Their experience was the same. With their sales they have seen the fewest customers ever come back with problems. They said in RECENT memory they have not seen a vehicle as "trouble free". Not so much as a loose bolt.
So that really bodes well. So feel real good about your purchase cause you have a great vehicle.
signed your AZTEK PAL
PS: All the naysayers who visit this board would REJOICE if there was a recall. One naysayer went so far as passing off second hand stories about probelems with RENTALS in Orlando.
Well I spoke with the operations manager at Budget , Avis, Alamo cause I was curious. Well guess what........NO ISSUES WITH THE AZTEK. In fact the Budget guy.....(John Lazzario) went so far as to say the product is remarkable in it's lack of problems and families are loving the vehicle. (he did add remarkable and ugly)
So naysayers can go back to there Subaru/BMW boards cause the car they luv to hate is really a good vehicle. TOO BAD!!!!!!!
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
No, you won't see Ford give any money back on the Escapes... that's because despite the recalls, people are STILL paying MSRP+ to get one and the wait for an ordered model is EXTENSIVE because they can't build enough of them. It is important to note that 4 of the 5 recalls were not Consumer recalls... in other words, VERY few owners EVER got a recall notice. These were recalls of UNSOLD vehicles.. and in most cases, vehicles that hadn't left the Ford Plant storage lots... to fix problems BEFORE they got to the dealer/customer. To suggest an escape owner has gotten 5 recall notices and had to bring their problem-prone new car back to the dealer is inaccurate.
The Escape is a TOTALLY new vehicle... from the ground up. If you look at the Montana when it came out in the late 90's, there were numerous recalls. In fact, now in it's FIFTH year of production there is now a new recall on 2001 Montanas (156,000 vehicles) because the seat belt buckles are defective. No, there are not currently any recalls on the Aztek but lets remember 1: it is not a new design... the platform has been produced for over 5 years now so the bugs BETTER be worked out. 2: The engine itself traces its roots to the 2.8L from the 1980 Chevy Citation so it's had over 20 years of improvements and should prove problem-free. 3: so few Azteks have been sold that the reports of problems will, of course, be fewer than mass-produced vehicles like the Subaru. Even the BMW's problems can be traced to it being an all-new design. Aztek owners should thank their lucky starts the Aztek is mosty Parts-Bin because based on Pontiac/GM's track record when it comes to "all new", they'd be in a heck of a lot of trouble.
I'm just tired of Aztek Owners trying to justify their purchase by pointing out "The Escape has 5 recalls"... these vehicles are not even cross-shopped. The Escape is smaller and over $5,000 cheaper when similarly equipped. An Aztek should be compared to a Dodge Caravan AWD... a fellow minivan.
It is annoying that some people continually will twist any attribute about this vehicle as a defect. The styling will change. But look at the good side. Besides the Aztek and PT Cruiser is there anything that isn't just plain flat bland. I've been around cars all my life and recently I find it difficult to tell them apart. Instead of constantly droning about how ugly the Aztek is, I prefer to congratulate Pontiac and GM for showing some courage in a largely guttless and wimpy world. If those of you who enjoy posting about it's failure I hope you realize that someday going down the same beaten path is dull. Adventure is cool. Different is good. Same sucks. If you want to be boring go dig a hole six feet deep and jump in. But don't go telling the world that any effort step away from the crowd is a failure.