Posts in the Owner's Clubs are subject to the same Terms of Use as in the rest of Town Hall.
As to non-auto related political messages everyone, please post them elsewhere. Thanks. Steve Host Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Happy Easter....... All you AZTEK lovers!! Congrats for buying and using a unique vehicle that attempts to change the norm.
Congrats in your ability to express your individuality in a vehicle that is truly different. Enjoy your vehicle. Camp, Travel, Explore in great comfort.
Your safe in your Aztek and you'll enjoy good fuel economy.
Enjoy your great vehicles this Easter Sunday.
All the very best......... keep wearing that AZTEK SMILE!!!!!!!!!
Just came back from exploring my favorite Edmunds page.
BMW x.5 problems. I feel for those people having purchased all that fine german engineering and being "tortured" with countless problems.
Despite seeing that $65,000 dollar catastrophe and despite how lunacy associated with spending such huge sums of money on a vehicle that "squeaks, rattles and rolls"......... I still do not post on that board because I have no interest ......... other then watching their numerous complaints.
I feel blessed with a solid vehicle that is experiencing none of the problems.......experienced by folks who plunked down TWICE the money.
I suggest we start a Board TROUBLE FREE RECALL FREE AZTEK vs Fine German engineered disaster BMW x5
LOL.......... I'm ducking and covering!! hehe
wearing that proud trouble free AZTEK smile .........
Anybody install a trailer hitch yet? If so, which make and are you happy with it? Does it protrude beyond the bumper with the platform removed? Does it bolt up underneath the vehicle? I've found listings for one from Drawtite, Reese and Putnam.
Kissfan: hate to break the news, but there is no such thing as individuality in the auto world. Each company comes up with a strategy to push the metal out the door by appealing to human insecurities etc.
If we subscribed to your censoring temperment, we would be forced to delete all those goofy references to 'Tek'. Lay off it.
I do have a serious question regarding your price point comment. Are the dismal sales of AZZZZkeks due to its exterior appearance, to its high price (certainly considering they expected college grads to buy it), poor marketing, or some combination? Some other new GM models also are expected to have highly angled wheel wells etc (Avalanche, some Caddies). Could these products also face sales problems given the styling similarities. BTW, your comment regarding GM bashers is a red herring. People may not like the AZZZZtek, but still like the general. We just bought one of their trucks.
Zircon's point about common GM styling themes is a good one. Many of the GM concepts and upcoming production cars share many Aztek styling cues. The Blade Runner look is not at all appealing to many and I think GM design is in need of a complete purge. What a shame considering that up until the 80's they were had some beautiful designs. Nowadays it seems like the place is populated by 12 year old boys based on their lack of design talent.
I remember the 1950s, when GM led the pack in terms of styling. At that time auto makers restyled their vehicles yearly, and I always drooled over the new GM models. It is true that the General lost it's styling direction in the 1980s. In my opinion, with the Aztek they have hit bottom.
I went to the International Auto Show in NYC again this weekend with some friends & Family and we went to check out the Buick Rondevous. I was SHOCKED to hear the comments from passers-by! They all thought it was the Aztek. I mean, they all kept saying the same thing "that's that Aztek". I was really caught off guard because, while they do look similar, they are obviously different. So my Dad asked the Buick guy on the platform why he thought people were mistaking the Buick for the Aztek and he told us "it's weird... I keep hearing that too but only when they see the front end. Aparently they confuse the two because they both have the amber parking lights above the headlamps and that's a pretty unique styling element". Sure enough, after hanging out a little longer, when it spun around "nose-out" you heard the "aztek" comments.
Fortunately they had a few on the floor to "play with" and I came away with the following:
The models on display were all "top-of-the-line" and I think that was a mistake because they all had sticker prices over $32,000 which turned a lot of people off. I know the base retails for a lot less. Anyway, the 3rd row seat is VERY cramped and is only good for SMALL children, but no worse than many other small minivans. The interior was definately more upscale than the aztek but the column shifter was a minus for me. Oddly enough, I walked away thinking the Aztek was better looking!
As for the Aztek area, they had 2 on the floor, a yellow and a red... the red had the camping kit attached and some folks were asking about it but things were pretty slow over there. They did, however, have the Aztek Salsa on display and they hinted that this is where the 2002 model was headed. The styling changes did a great job of changing the exterior appearance. Essentially, they changed the front facia to give it a smaller grille. They also moved the "pontiac" embelm from the hood to the grill. The "grey" band of plastic is now only on the LOW part of the car with the fender "flares" and front/rear bumpers painted the color of the car now. In other words, when looking directly at the nose or tail, you don't see the grey anymore... the whole front and rear are painted now and the result is a much better looking vehicle really. The tail-lights were altered so they were all red now and the backup lights were moved to the lower bumper (round and on the ends just like the current sunfire/grand-am models). The hatch was the same, but they pained the D-pillar and whole roof black which gives the rear hatch the look that it's wraping around the side windows. It looks a lot better. Also, they added a spoiler (small) to the end of the hatch between the upper and lower glass to break it up. I don't know if this is on the current models, but the lower rear glass has a defroser element in it now, but there is still no wiper.
The A-pillar was also painted black leaving the c-pillar the only vertical element painted the color of the car. This was definately an improvement. Also painted was the gas-filler area so it didn't stick out so much. Finally, the wheels were 17" and looked like they were pulled from a bonneville and the side mirrors were painted the color of the car. The final result was a vehicle that was much more pleasing to the eye. However, I did notice something odd... I saw the Buick first and what I didn't like was that it looked too tall and stubby because the whole car was painted the same color. The aztek looked less "tall" next to the buick because the lower cladding helped "break up" the look. Now that the 2002 aztek will be painted the same without that lower cladding being grey, it too looked very tall and stubby. But in the end, the "make-over" will definately help sales.
New items for 2002 will be a rear entertainment center (in the ceiling... folds down for rear-seat passengers) and new interior fabrics/patterns.
I remember the sixties and seventies. Would always look upon Pontiacs as disgusting. Now those same models are the ones I consider the best of the bunch.
Just for fun I went over to the Toyota Highlander page and read a few posts. Of course I made no bashes but I did look at the prices some people are paying. Holy smokes! I don't care about what the reputation is, those vehicles are comparable to the Aztek. Those vehicles are a rip off. Guess P T Barnum was right, suckers are born every minute.
Biggest problem with the Aztek isn't anything mechanical. By no means is it the horrendous failure that some want to believe. Tooling costs weren't as bad as what Ford incurred on the Contour/Mystique debacle. Or as bad as their purchase of Mazda. They're proud they're only going to loose 1.2 billion this year. Biggest problem is the buff books won't let anything from the owners come out. There is a lot of bias on their part. But then again, Autoweek is run by a bunch of old codgers, Motor Trend is just like a pay per view wrestling show. (think those car of the year awards aren't up for bids?), Car and Driver's review was largely positive. There's always gonna be those who thrive on bad news. Just like the ones who go to funerals just to find out how somebody died. But if it makes you feel so much better about yourself, keep on posting here. I'm not the one who paid too much for a vehicle. So what if you don't like it. If you tell me once, fine. If you have to come back over and over, you've got some sort of problem I'll never fix. So what's your point?
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the main difference in the Owner's Clubs from the general forums a membership issue?
i.e. Can only members of the club post, or is just that only Karen can start topics up?
In any event, with a more focused set of threaded discussion topics, we can have a bit more assistance from hosts in keeping discussions On Topic, right?
Robyn SE Michigan
P.S. How can I get that little flag to come up next to my screen name?
You need to put your country info into your profile for your flag to show up (you may have to log-out and back in too).
Karen lost some work with the database problem late last week, but I'll invite her to post a status report here when she gets a chance, and ask her to answer your questions. Steve Host Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
I'm still playing seek and find with some Owner's Clubs issues...but I think/hope the worst of it is over.
SO, you want to start a Pontiac Aztek Owner's Club? No problem. This discussion will stay here in SUVs, but you can choose the discussions you would like in your club folder. Only myself and administrators can create discussions in the clubs. This helps focus the discussions and prevents a lot of superfluous clutter. All members of the Town Hall can participate in the club discussions. You might want to look at some of the other clubs for discussion ideas.
Mr . Matero........ Great report on the Tek and the Rendezvous. Thanks for the report and insight. Knew I like ya!!
Zircon.....I understand about pushing tin or any product. There is no question that the auto companies really want to push alot of tin.....
I'm in the Broadcast business and what I'm seeing (similar to Publishing) is something we call "Narrow-Casting" . This is where there is significant desire to narrowly hone in on Specific consumer interests. (Golf Channel, Cooking Channel, Black Entertainment Channel)
I think and believe this trend could extend itself to consumer products like AUTOS. The AZTEK does certain things better then a mini van.....without being a mini - van. I think GM took a risk with this vehicle and I think this risk is to be applauded.
It may not be a commercial success immediately but it does give the consumers something different.
I do believe they have made some serious mistakes: 1. Lack of Colours 2. No AWD at outset 3. Price Point miss. I think some of these issues are being addressed.
I also think the marketing of this vehicle needs to be AIMED at the GRASS ROOTS level.
Their marketing needs to be "outta the box"......similar to the concept behind the vehicle.
Kissfan, I think the main problem is the price. It should definetly be offered at a lower price that's more competitive to an Xterra or an Escape, even if its stripped of many options if its to appeal to 'outdoorsy' types. In any case, I still think its a good concept and the sales of the Rendezvous will show that.
BTW: It would be great to have another Pontiac represented in the Pontiac Owner's Club, now just dominated by us Bonnevillers! ....Aztek smile. ;-)....Pontiac smile.
Just look at an Aztek. You can't miss what the main turn off is.
"The AZTEK does certain things better then a mini van.....without being a mini - van."
I'm curious, what does an Aztek do better than a minivan?
Be less roomy? Sacrifice sliding doors? Seat 5 instead of 7?
The reason the Aztek is a failure is that it is a mini-van for people whe think they are too cool for a minivan. However is is so absurdly styled that it is far more repulsive than any minivan could ever be.
Only 3 in the family, why carry around 4 empty seats.
Had a full size P-Up, it sucked to park, The Aztek is nimble and a breeze to park. Gets 7 to 10 more miles to the gallon too. That it upsets some know it alls is an added bonus.
Hey Matero, you forgot the big news. I have read how Pontiac is going to deep 6 all the ribbing on their vehicles - none too fast if you ask me. In today's National Post they have a pic of the Pontiac Rev concept, apparently from the NY auto show. Nary a rib to be seen - the only true Pontiac clues on an otherwise very clean and cool-looking appearance are the dual hood scoops (why, oh Lord, won't they fire the1960's guy who thinks these are really cool) and the little underside ridges on the back end. Otherwise it looks really nice. Combine this with the pending release of the Vibe and they may be ready to turn a corner.
Kissfan, I am happy we agree that we are all targets of marketers (I got 10 unsolicited emails in 1 hour today - a new record). You didn't feed 'em my email address did you?
If Pontiac lowers the price, uses more hip colours (why was the ugly green released in large numbers while yellow - which many advocates of the vehicle like - was begrudgingly released), and dumps/camoflauges some of the visible cladding, they may be able to recover. Certainly they do not face the very real problems Ford has with the Exploder and Escape.
Interesting... what does an Aztek do better than a minivan....
Well, lets start by stating the obvious. The Aztek IS a minivan. Some have argued "it doesn't have sliding doors so it's not a minivan". Well, sliding doors does not a minivan make... look at the previous generation Mazda MPV: A minivan with rear swing-out doors. In fact, it was available with AWD so it was the closest thing to an Aztek ever on the market in the U.S.
Also, not all minivans COME WITH 7 passenger seating and many are SPECIFICALLY configured/ordered as 5-passenger vehicles, so 7-passenger seating does not a minivan make...
Lets take, for instance, a 5-passenger 2001 Dodge Caravan AWD minivan and compare it to the Pontiac Aztek. Is there anything the Aztek does better? I think so. First of all, for young folks or singles it's a way to get a minivan without the "stigma" of being thought of as a Soccer Mom (no offense to soccer moms...). So, you could say it does styling better....
The roll-down rear windows are better... on the Caravan the middle windows don't even Pop-out let alone roll-down.
It does a tailgate party better... radio controls, air pump, seats and all.
It has slightly higher ground clearance.
With the sliding rear shelf, it does "cargo access" better.
It has OnStar and offers a HeadsUpDisplay.
It offers a tent package.
So, where am I going with this? I think it all boils down to this... it doesn't HAVE to do anything better than a minivan. It's designed for people who WANT a minivan but don't WANT a minivan. The Aztek is a minivan in SUV's clothing and as long as it's as flexible as a typical minivan but doesn't LOOK like one... mission accomplished.
Trust me... after the restyle, sales will go up. It won't be a PT Cruiser or anything, but it WILL sell. Unfortunately, the upcoming Vibe will kill it. It is better looking and more taylored to the under 35 crowd.
I had a 2001 Grand Caravan rental for the weekend for work. I used it and compared it.
1. Mini Van is no where near as nimble as my AZTEK GT.
2. Seats in Grand Caravan a royal pain to remove. AZTEK seats flip up and may be kept in the vehicle. You get instant room. One person.....My wife can flip and remove them.
With the mini van you need to remove them. It takes two people to remove them ...and to get that extra room.....if you are alone be ready to SHIMMY them out while taking out your back.
Now I know GONZO you are very safety conscious. You won't slip a disk getting the seats out of the AZTEK.
3. For us audiophiles.....Every control for the stereo is at your finger tips right on the steering wheel of my AZTEK GT. I switch from Stereo to CD without removing my hands from the steering vehicle.
Might not sound like much.......but when you own it and use it it is a great feature that I missed driving the Caravan.
4. Two mountain bikes standing in the back of the AZTEK. Connected to the Bike system. Tried standing them up in the mini van. NO GO. Take out the seats......Wrench your back. Toss the bikes in . Don't take a turn to sharp......Bikes will stratch up the interior. (Not so with the AZTEK.)
5. Mini Van lighting pathetic.......Every light come on and closes automatically with the AZTEK. Never burn a battery again. Not so with the Mini van.
6. Extra two seats.....in Mini van not needed by me.
7. Better handling with AZTEK and better fuel.
8. Tent which I used and loved. Bike pkg used and loved.
9. Buffalo Bills game tailgate party......Seats on Tail Gate......Pre Game show on radio....With controls right in the back. Tired of pregame........Slam on the Metallica cd right from the back tailgate.
Lotsa things AZTEK does better......... It is the myriad of little things that the AZTEK does so well . Reliability with no recalls.......These are the reasons their owners are loving this vehicle.
See my good friend GONZO.......Living with the TEK you learn what is great. But you just hate the vehicle......your opinion will never change.
........ beaming that AZTEK smile.......Every time I use it ......the joy of ownership of this fine product is only enhanced.
I'm gonna trade my Accord for a Vibe as long as the bean counters don't price it like a Beemer. Its like an expensive prescription (albiet not needed) of Viagra!
I can see some of the virtues of the AZZZZtek, but would still be frightful over the 1st year depreciation. I really believe the general owes its owners a rebate to bring its depreciation in line with other vehicles. Best way to lose a future customer is to scre- the current crop of owners.
Given the choice, gulp, gulp, I too would pick an AZZZZtek over any (beached whale) minivan. In fact, you know you're almost ready for a Buick if you're already driving a minivan...
AZTEK COUNTING : Was out and around Ontario this weekend for Easter visiting family in Orangeville and Kingston. Decided it would be fun to count Azteks. After 850km, counted 11 Azteks on the road. It would seem that they are selling. Also noticed one at a rest stop didn't get almost any looks/stares.
There you go Kissfan, I'm a convert. Perverse as it may sound, I now think that the Pontiac dealer I spoke about the other day may have intentionally priced the AZZZZteks high (40K) to prevent them being sold. By hanging on to the same ones for an extended time, is it possible he could prevent the factory from shipping him more? Then when the big rebates come out with the 02's, he dumps them. Sounds stupid, until you realise this is the car business.
Since I've heard nothing but positive to the Club idea...
Karen,
What do we need to do to get this going?
Aztek Owners,
What do we want to set up as discussion topics? I for one would like to see a discussion of the maintence items (warranty or otherwise) that people have had done and at what mileage.
My wife, having a 4-day weekend for Easter, took our new Aztek GT off on a trip from Michigan to Philly.. (effectively doubling the mileage on the car!
She had no problems, but a few observations...
She found the ride to be comfortable and controllable, even in a cross-wind. She got 32.5 MPG according to the trip computer (I didn't have her calculate actual) with most of the driving turnpike on cruise control.
She did have one episode where one of those big 'ole doors getting blown out of her grip by a gust of wind, banging into a vehicle parked beside her (couldn't get the attention of the driver, yakking on his cell phone!). She soooo wanted to let ME put the first door-ding in my car! Nothing big, just a couple of paint chips on the door edge.
She brought back with her a bookshelf, conveniently resting on the folded-down back seats, with room to spare (I had told her NO Looms!).
I hear that Pontiac is suppose to redesign the Aztec, if that's true then it would be a shame. I've recently seen a white one and a black one, and I thought they were great looking vehicles. The commercial they have for the Aztec does it no justice. I actually didn't know they were that big of a vehicle until I saw it in person. If the '02 Honda CRV isn't what I expect, I definitely will seriously consider the Aztec. It is definitly a bold statement for an American company...........
Please take a moment to introduce yourself and share some details about your Aztek!
My name is KarenS and I am the host of the Edmunds.com Owner's Clubs. Please let me know what discussions you would like to see in your Club folder. I will create them ASAP. You may want to take a look through the other clubs to get ideas for discussions.
Also, if you are interested in a live chat, I can arrange that for you. All Club chats are set up on
Tuesdays: 4:00-5:00 pm PT/7:00-8:00pm ET
-or-
Thursdays: 5:00-6:00pm PT/8:00-9:00pm ET 6:00-7:00pm PT/9:00-10:00 ET 7:00-8:00pm PT/10:00-11:00pm ET (The latter may be rather late for East Coasters, but is available if you want.)
Let me know if you are interested in a chat and the day/time convenient for you.
It's here! The new Pontiac Owner's Club is now available on Edmunds.com Owner's Club board. Please stop by and introduce yourself in Meet the Members and let me know how I can help build your club.
I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in SUVs.
Someone mentioned visiting the Toyota Highlander page and commented on the prices those folks are paying. It's an interesting thing; I was there a few days ago myself. Keep in mind a Highlander is (as I understand it) essentially a Camry platform converted to AWD and with a SUV-like body. Not all that much unlike the Aztek.
The attitude there is remarkable. I was starting to wonder if people there had been brainwashed or something. There can be no question that the attitude of most Toyota buyers seems dramatically different than that of most North American vehicle buyers. These folks are paying big bucks for these things. The big issue there seems to be one that would, I'm sure, be causing howls of anguish and threats of lawsuits if GM, Ford or Chrysler did it:
Toyota offers something called "PIOs": port-installed options. These are not necessarily made by Toyota and are installed at the regional port of entry by the distributor. In addition, they have regional distributors who are apparently independent from each other and who each offer their own selection of PIOs. So, for example, you go buy a Highlander in, say, Dallas, and order a leather interior and a bunch of other goodies. Six months later you get transferred to NYC. Your leather develops a split seam, your roofrack falls off, your plastic console cracks, whatever. You go to your friendly Toyota dealer for a repair. "Sorry, can't help you" is the likely answer, because even things like leather color and console style are PIOs and not standardized across the country. The NYC Toyota distributor may not even know where those bits on your vehicle came from, much less how to source a fix. Those Toyota buyers just seem to nod and say, "oh well, thanks anyway".
By contrast, check out the boards for the new Chevy Trailblazer and the other new GM SUVs. The recall laid these vehicles up, and from reports on that board GM went the extra mile in terms of paying for comparable rentals, making multiple phone calls to owners, etc., to make the buyers at least somewhat satisfied. Yet there are all sorts of folks there talking about wanting their money back, lawsuits, etc. Lots of discontent.
I can't figure it out. Maybe if the Aztek had a Toyota badge on it the thing would be a huge success. Who knows...
My name is Robyn, and I am a new Aztek GT owner (Steel Blue with all the bells and whistles). I am a computer programmer and tinkerer (robotics, lego, lego-robotics) and into all things Science Fiction. (I help out at organizing conventions and such in the area).
I live in SE Michigan with my wife and 2 cats.
I've been enjoying my car immensly so far, having just over 2400 miles on it (1/2 put on by my wife this past weekend.
The reason everyone is going nuts over the Highlander is NOT because it's camry based but because it is a Lexus RX300 with different styling for $10,000 less. Think of it this way... what if the Buick Rondevous was available with a Pontiac badge, different styling and less content... but mechanically IDENTICAL for $10-15,000 less. I think it would be VERY popular.
Actually, I checked out the Highlander twice now and it's a great vehicle. Built like a tank, comfortable, lots of Power and a great alternative to the RX300. The demand for them right now is incredible... most folks are paying Retail or above to get one. Toyota owners are a loyal bunch. Toyotas are VERY reliable vehicles and always end up at the top of any quality rating. Even the corolla (while boring to look at) is one of the most (if not THE most) reliable cars on the road today. I think that's why I'm so excited about the upcoming Pontiac Vibe. It's going to have the 180hp Celica engine and it's mostly Toyota-engineered.
My name is Rich and I, like Robyn, also own a loaded steel blue Aztek GT. We have owned it since mid December and could'nt be happier with it. Unfortunately, my wife drives it daily so I only have evenings and weekends to enjoy it. I live in southeastern Mass.. I am married, have two daughters, two cats (female) and one dog (female), so you can see that I am hopelessly outnumbered. I look forward to some positive and informative dialogue here between Aztek OWNERS. In the past I have tried to steer clear of the Aztek board because of all the negativity (enough said).
Pontiac Aztek: 15,900 Units Produced, 137 days supply as of April 1st (down from 169 days on March 1st). Production of the 2001 Aztek was halted this month so these numbers should come down over the next few months.
The worst are:
Hummer: 1000 2001 models Produced, 466 day supply on hand. Olds Cutlas: 100 2001 models Produced, 450 day supply on hand. Cadillac Catera: 7400 2001 models imported, 300 day supply on hand. Buick Riviera: (discontinued since 1999) 0 2000 & 2001 Models Produced, 203 day supply on hand.
WRT to the Highlander, yes it does borrow many of the RX300 systems/mechanicals, but is actually based a slightly bigger platform (106 inch vs 103 inch wheelbase) that will acutally be used for the next generation RX300.
Comments
As to non-auto related political messages everyone, please post them elsewhere. Thanks.
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Congrats in your ability to express your individuality in a vehicle that is truly different. Enjoy your vehicle. Camp, Travel, Explore in great comfort.
Your safe in your Aztek and you'll enjoy good fuel economy.
Enjoy your great vehicles this Easter Sunday.
All the very best......... keep wearing that AZTEK
BMW x.5 problems. I feel for those people having purchased all that fine german engineering and being "tortured" with countless problems.
Despite seeing that $65,000 dollar catastrophe and despite how lunacy associated with spending such huge sums of money on a vehicle that "squeaks, rattles and rolls"......... I still do not post on that board because I have no interest ......... other then watching their numerous complaints.
I feel blessed with a solid vehicle that is experiencing none of the problems.......experienced by folks who plunked down TWICE the money.
I suggest we start a Board TROUBLE FREE RECALL FREE AZTEK vs Fine German engineered disaster BMW x5
LOL.......... I'm ducking and covering!!
wearing that proud trouble free AZTEK smile
My the Easter Bunny be good to you........
Anybody install a trailer hitch yet? If so, which make and are you happy with it? Does it protrude beyond the bumper with the platform removed? Does it bolt up underneath the vehicle? I've found listings for one from Drawtite, Reese and Putnam.
If we subscribed to your censoring temperment, we would be forced to delete all those goofy references to 'Tek'. Lay off it.
I do have a serious question regarding your price point comment. Are the dismal sales of AZZZZkeks due to its exterior appearance, to its high price (certainly considering they expected college grads to buy it), poor marketing, or some combination? Some other new GM models also are expected to have highly angled wheel wells etc (Avalanche, some Caddies). Could these products also face sales problems given the styling similarities. BTW, your comment regarding GM bashers is a red herring. People may not like the AZZZZtek, but still like the general. We just bought one of their trucks.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
Fortunately they had a few on the floor to "play with" and I came away with the following:
The models on display were all "top-of-the-line" and I think that was a mistake because they all had sticker prices over $32,000 which turned a lot of people off. I know the base retails for a lot less. Anyway, the 3rd row seat is VERY cramped and is only good for SMALL children, but no worse than many other small minivans. The interior was definately more upscale than the aztek but the column shifter was a minus for me. Oddly enough, I walked away thinking the Aztek was better looking!
As for the Aztek area, they had 2 on the floor, a yellow and a red... the red had the camping kit attached and some folks were asking about it but things were pretty slow over there. They did, however, have the Aztek Salsa on display and they hinted that this is where the 2002 model was headed. The styling changes did a great job of changing the exterior appearance. Essentially, they changed the front facia to give it a smaller grille. They also moved the "pontiac" embelm from the hood to the grill. The "grey" band of plastic is now only on the LOW part of the car with the fender "flares" and front/rear bumpers painted the color of the car now. In other words, when looking directly at the nose or tail, you don't see the grey anymore... the whole front and rear are painted now and the result is a much better looking vehicle really. The tail-lights were altered so they were all red now and the backup lights were moved to the lower bumper (round and on the ends just like the current sunfire/grand-am models). The hatch was the same, but they pained the D-pillar and whole roof black which gives the rear hatch the look that it's wraping around the side windows. It looks a lot better. Also, they added a spoiler (small) to the end of the hatch between the upper and lower glass to break it up. I don't know if this is on the current models, but the lower rear glass has a defroser element in it now, but there is still no wiper.
The A-pillar was also painted black leaving the c-pillar the only vertical element painted the color of the car. This was definately an improvement. Also painted was the gas-filler area so it didn't stick out so much. Finally, the wheels were 17" and looked like they were pulled from a bonneville and the side mirrors were painted the color of the car. The final result was a vehicle that was much more pleasing to the eye. However, I did notice something odd... I saw the Buick first and what I didn't like was that it looked too tall and stubby because the whole car was painted the same color. The aztek looked less "tall" next to the buick because the lower cladding helped "break up" the look. Now that the 2002 aztek will be painted the same without that lower cladding being grey, it too looked very tall and stubby. But in the end, the "make-over" will definately help sales.
New items for 2002 will be a rear entertainment center (in the ceiling... folds down for rear-seat passengers) and new interior fabrics/patterns.
Just for fun I went over to the Toyota Highlander page and read a few posts. Of course I made no bashes but I did look at the prices some people are paying. Holy smokes! I don't care about what the reputation is, those vehicles are comparable to the Aztek. Those vehicles are a rip off. Guess P T Barnum was right, suckers are born every minute.
Biggest problem with the Aztek isn't anything mechanical. By no means is it the horrendous failure that some want to believe. Tooling costs weren't as bad as what Ford incurred on the Contour/Mystique debacle. Or as bad as their purchase of Mazda. They're proud they're only going to loose 1.2 billion this year. Biggest problem is the buff books won't let anything from the owners come out. There is a lot of bias on their part. But then again, Autoweek is run by a bunch of old codgers, Motor Trend is just like a pay per view wrestling show. (think those car of the year awards aren't up for bids?), Car and Driver's review was largely positive. There's always gonna be those who thrive on bad news. Just like the ones who go to funerals just to find out how somebody died. But if it makes you feel so much better about yourself, keep on posting here. I'm not the one who paid too much for a vehicle. So what if you don't like it. If you tell me once, fine. If you have to come back over and over, you've got some sort of problem I'll never fix. So what's your point?
Nice report--thanks!
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the main difference in the Owner's Clubs from the
general forums a membership issue?
i.e. Can only members of the club post, or is just that only Karen can start topics up?
In any event, with a more focused set of threaded discussion topics, we can have a
bit more assistance from hosts in keeping discussions On Topic, right?
Robyn
SE Michigan
P.S. How can I get that little flag to come up next to my screen name?
You need to put your country info into your profile for your flag to show up (you may have to log-out and back in too).
Karen lost some work with the database problem late last week, but I'll invite her to post a status report here when she gets a chance, and ask her to answer your questions.
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Thanks, profile finally took, but the Aztek is not listed as a Pontiac model under
Car Currently Owned.
Good luck Karen, know lost work is a bear!
Robyn
SE Michigan
SO, you want to start a Pontiac Aztek Owner's Club? No problem. This discussion will stay here in SUVs, but you can choose the discussions you would like in your club folder. Only myself and administrators can create discussions in the clubs. This helps focus the discussions and prevents a lot of superfluous clutter. All members of the Town Hall can participate in the club discussions. You might want to look at some of the other clubs for discussion ideas.
Hope this answers questions!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
Zircon.....I understand about pushing tin or any product. There is no question that the auto companies really want to push alot of tin.....
I'm in the Broadcast business and what I'm seeing (similar to Publishing) is something we call "Narrow-Casting" . This is where there is significant desire to narrowly hone in on Specific consumer interests. (Golf Channel, Cooking Channel, Black Entertainment Channel)
I think and believe this trend could extend itself to consumer products like AUTOS. The AZTEK does certain things better then a mini van.....without being a mini - van. I think GM took a risk with this vehicle and I think this risk is to be applauded.
It may not be a commercial success immediately but it does give the consumers something different.
I do believe they have made some serious mistakes: 1. Lack of Colours 2. No AWD at outset
3. Price Point miss. I think some of these issues are being addressed.
I also think the marketing of this vehicle needs to be AIMED at the GRASS ROOTS level.
Their marketing needs to be "outta the box"......similar to the concept behind the vehicle.
I think the main problem is the price. It should definetly be offered at a lower price that's more competitive to an Xterra or an Escape, even if its stripped of many options if its to appeal to 'outdoorsy' types. In any case, I still think its a good concept and the sales of the Rendezvous will show that.
BTW: It would be great to have another Pontiac represented in the Pontiac Owner's Club, now just dominated by us Bonnevillers!
;-)....Pontiac smile.
Just look at an Aztek. You can't miss what the main turn off is.
"The AZTEK does certain things better then a mini van.....without being a mini - van."
I'm curious, what does an Aztek do better than a minivan?
Be less roomy?
Sacrifice sliding doors?
Seat 5 instead of 7?
The reason the Aztek is a failure is that it is a mini-van for people whe think they are too cool for a minivan. However is is so absurdly styled that it is far more repulsive than any minivan could ever be.
Who wants them?
5 instead of 7?
Only 3 in the family, why carry around 4 empty seats.
Had a full size P-Up, it sucked to park, The Aztek is nimble and a breeze to park. Gets 7 to 10 more miles to the gallon too. That it upsets some know it alls is an added bonus.
What's your point?
I'm wondering what it does better than a minivan.
Kissfan, I am happy we agree that we are all targets of marketers (I got 10 unsolicited emails in 1 hour today - a new record). You didn't feed 'em my email address did you?
If Pontiac lowers the price, uses more hip colours (why was the ugly green released in large numbers while yellow - which many advocates of the vehicle like - was begrudgingly released), and dumps/camoflauges some of the visible cladding, they may be able to recover. Certainly they do not face the very real problems Ford has with the Exploder and Escape.
Well, lets start by stating the obvious. The Aztek IS a minivan. Some have argued "it doesn't have sliding doors so it's not a minivan". Well, sliding doors does not a minivan make... look at the previous generation Mazda MPV: A minivan with rear swing-out doors. In fact, it was available with AWD so it was the closest thing to an Aztek ever on the market in the U.S.
Also, not all minivans COME WITH 7 passenger seating and many are SPECIFICALLY configured/ordered as 5-passenger vehicles, so 7-passenger seating does not a minivan make...
Lets take, for instance, a 5-passenger 2001 Dodge Caravan AWD minivan and compare it to the Pontiac Aztek. Is there anything the Aztek does better? I think so. First of all, for young folks or singles it's a way to get a minivan without the "stigma" of being thought of as a Soccer Mom (no offense to soccer moms...). So, you could say it does styling better....
The roll-down rear windows are better... on the Caravan the middle windows don't even Pop-out let alone roll-down.
It does a tailgate party better... radio controls, air pump, seats and all.
It has slightly higher ground clearance.
With the sliding rear shelf, it does "cargo access" better.
It has OnStar and offers a HeadsUpDisplay.
It offers a tent package.
So, where am I going with this? I think it all boils down to this... it doesn't HAVE to do anything better than a minivan. It's designed for people who WANT a minivan but don't WANT a minivan. The Aztek is a minivan in SUV's clothing and as long as it's as flexible as a typical minivan but doesn't LOOK like one... mission accomplished.
Trust me... after the restyle, sales will go up. It won't be a PT Cruiser or anything, but it WILL sell. Unfortunately, the upcoming Vibe will kill it. It is better looking and more taylored to the under 35 crowd.
I had a 2001 Grand Caravan rental for the weekend for work. I used it and compared it.
1. Mini Van is no where near as nimble as my AZTEK GT.
2. Seats in Grand Caravan a royal pain to remove. AZTEK seats flip up and may be kept in the vehicle. You get instant room. One person.....My wife can flip and remove them.
With the mini van you need to remove them. It takes two people to remove them ...and to get that extra room.....if you are alone be ready to SHIMMY them out while taking out your back.
Now I know GONZO you are very safety conscious. You won't slip a disk getting the seats out of the AZTEK.
3. For us audiophiles.....Every control for the stereo is at your finger tips right on the steering wheel of my AZTEK GT. I switch from Stereo to CD without removing my hands from the steering vehicle.
Might not sound like much.......but when you own it and use it it is a great feature that I missed driving the Caravan.
4. Two mountain bikes standing in the back of the AZTEK. Connected to the Bike system. Tried standing them up in the mini van. NO GO. Take out the seats......Wrench your back. Toss the bikes in . Don't take a turn to sharp......Bikes will stratch up the interior. (Not so with the AZTEK.)
5. Mini Van lighting pathetic.......Every light come on and closes automatically with the AZTEK. Never burn a battery again. Not so with the Mini van.
6. Extra two seats.....in Mini van not needed by me.
7. Better handling with AZTEK and better fuel.
8. Tent which I used and loved. Bike pkg used and loved.
9. Buffalo Bills game tailgate party......Seats on Tail Gate......Pre Game show on radio....With controls right in the back. Tired of pregame........Slam on the Metallica cd right from the back tailgate.
Lotsa things AZTEK does better......... It is the myriad of little things that the AZTEK does so well . Reliability with no recalls.......These are the reasons their owners are loving this vehicle.
See my good friend GONZO.......Living with the TEK you learn what is great. But you just hate the vehicle......your opinion will never change.
........
I can see some of the virtues of the AZZZZtek, but would still be frightful over the 1st year depreciation. I really believe the general owes its owners a rebate to bring its depreciation in line with other vehicles. Best way to lose a future customer is to scre- the current crop of owners.
Given the choice, gulp, gulp, I too would pick an AZZZZtek over any (beached whale) minivan. In fact, you know you're almost ready for a Buick if you're already driving a minivan...
Depreciation is something fierce.... for me it is not a huge issue cause I keep my vehicles for 10 years. But you are right.
If your reading comprehension matched your giddy enthusiasm you would realize that I never commented on the Aztek's (lack of) safety.
Does anyone know if GM of Canada offer passenger compartment Nitrous Oxide injectors?
As far as that smile thing- Do you have to have one eye closed to enjoy your Aztek?
Since I've heard nothing but positive to the Club idea...
Karen,
What do we need to do to get this going?
Aztek Owners,
What do we want to set up as discussion topics? I for one would like to see a
discussion of the maintence items (warranty or otherwise) that people have had
done and at what mileage.
Robyn
SE Michigan (Aztek GT)
My wife, having a 4-day weekend for Easter, took our new Aztek GT off on a trip from Michigan
to Philly.. (effectively doubling the mileage on the car!
She had no problems, but a few observations...
She found the ride to be comfortable and controllable, even in a cross-wind. She got 32.5 MPG
according to the trip computer (I didn't have her calculate actual) with most of the driving turnpike on
cruise control.
She did have one episode where one of those big 'ole doors getting blown out of her grip by a gust
of wind, banging into a vehicle parked beside her (couldn't get the attention of the driver, yakking on
his cell phone!). She soooo wanted to let ME put the first door-ding in my car!
She brought back with her a bookshelf, conveniently resting on the folded-down back seats, with room to spare (I had told her NO Looms!).
All in all, a very pleasant trip for her..
Robyn
SE Michigan (Aztek GT)
http://www.auto.com/industry/rebates17_20010417.htm
Please take a moment to introduce yourself and share some details about your Aztek!
My name is KarenS and I am the host of the Edmunds.com Owner's Clubs. Please let me know what discussions you would like to see in your Club folder. I will create them ASAP. You may want to take a look through the other clubs to get ideas for discussions.
Also, if you are interested in a live chat, I can arrange that for you. All Club chats are set up on
Tuesdays: 4:00-5:00 pm PT/7:00-8:00pm ET
-or-
Thursdays: 5:00-6:00pm PT/8:00-9:00pm ET
6:00-7:00pm PT/9:00-10:00 ET
7:00-8:00pm PT/10:00-11:00pm ET
(The latter may be rather late for East Coasters, but is available if you want.)
Let me know if you are interested in a chat and the day/time convenient for you.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
Karen's setting up clubs as fast as she can--it won't be too much longer for Aztek's turn (we're still squashing bugs here too).
And thanks for the link tincup47--intersting story.
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
I have linked this discussion into that folder, but it will always reside here in SUVs.
Looking forward to meeting everyone!
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Someone mentioned visiting the Toyota Highlander page and commented on the prices those folks are paying. It's an interesting thing; I was there a few days ago myself. Keep in mind a Highlander is (as I understand it) essentially a Camry platform converted to AWD and with a SUV-like body. Not all that much unlike the Aztek.
The attitude there is remarkable. I was starting to wonder if people there had been brainwashed or something. There can be no question that the attitude of most Toyota buyers seems dramatically different than that of most North American vehicle buyers. These folks are paying big bucks for these things. The big issue there seems to be one that would, I'm sure, be causing howls of anguish and threats of lawsuits if GM, Ford or Chrysler did it:
Toyota offers something called "PIOs": port-installed options. These are not necessarily made by Toyota and are installed at the regional port of entry by the distributor. In addition, they have regional distributors who are apparently independent from each other and who each offer their own selection of PIOs. So, for example, you go buy a Highlander in, say, Dallas, and order a leather interior and a bunch of other goodies. Six months later you get transferred to NYC. Your leather develops a split seam, your roofrack falls off, your plastic console cracks, whatever. You go to your friendly Toyota dealer for a repair. "Sorry, can't help you" is the likely answer, because even things like leather color and console style are PIOs and not standardized across the country. The NYC Toyota distributor may not even know where those bits on your vehicle came from, much less how to source a fix. Those Toyota buyers just seem to nod and say, "oh well, thanks anyway".
By contrast, check out the boards for the new Chevy Trailblazer and the other new GM SUVs. The recall laid these vehicles up, and from reports on that board GM went the extra mile in terms of paying for comparable rentals, making multiple phone calls to owners, etc., to make the buyers at least somewhat satisfied. Yet there are all sorts of folks there talking about wanting their money back, lawsuits, etc. Lots of discontent.
I can't figure it out. Maybe if the Aztek had a Toyota badge on it the thing would be a huge success. Who knows...
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I am a computer programmer and tinkerer (robotics, lego, lego-robotics) and into all things
Science Fiction. (I help out at organizing conventions and such in the area).
I live in SE Michigan with my wife and 2 cats.
I've been enjoying my car immensly so far, having just over 2400 miles on it (1/2 put on by my
wife this past weekend.
Robyn
SE Michigan (Aztek GT)
The Highlander is a Toyota badged Lexus RX300. Difffernet body and trim, but essentially the same exact vehicle.
Actually, I checked out the Highlander twice now and it's a great vehicle. Built like a tank, comfortable, lots of Power and a great alternative to the RX300. The demand for them right now is incredible... most folks are paying Retail or above to get one. Toyota owners are a loyal bunch. Toyotas are VERY reliable vehicles and always end up at the top of any quality rating. Even the corolla (while boring to look at) is one of the most (if not THE most) reliable cars on the road today. I think that's why I'm so excited about the upcoming Pontiac Vibe. It's going to have the 180hp Celica engine and it's mostly Toyota-engineered.
I live in southeastern Mass.. I am married, have two daughters, two cats (female) and one dog (female), so you can see that I am hopelessly outnumbered.
I look forward to some positive and informative dialogue here between Aztek OWNERS. In the past I have tried to steer clear of the Aztek board because of all the negativity (enough said).
-Rich
http://www.autonews.com/html/main/art/416inventory.pdf
Pontiac Aztek: 15,900 Units Produced, 137 days supply as of April 1st (down from 169 days on March 1st). Production of the 2001 Aztek was halted this month so these numbers should come down over the next few months.
The worst are:
Hummer: 1000 2001 models Produced, 466 day supply on hand.
Olds Cutlas: 100 2001 models Produced, 450 day supply on hand.
Cadillac Catera: 7400 2001 models imported, 300 day supply on hand.
Buick Riviera: (discontinued since 1999) 0 2000 & 2001 Models Produced, 203 day supply on hand.
Azzztek Azzztek Azzztek
Have to keep on topic.
I thought they just stretched the wheelbase a bit.
AZTEK!