Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Ugliest Cars of All Time
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http://earth.vol.com/~augie/carsairio275matador.html
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I can't imagine why.... So far I've only seen a couple of Azteks other than this one. One showed up in our company parking lot for a couple days but turned out to be a loaner someone got. Didn't get to talk to them, but got a close look.
If the Erector Set company built cars... this would be it
1948 Simca
more pics are here
I wonder what the Aztek would look like as a low rider with a faux convertible top...or white walls,opera lamps wire wheels and a vinyl top?If we're going to be gauche let's go ALL the way!. Dave
Unfortunately I have seen 2 in as many days. I bright-red one yesterday with out-of-town plates -- I swear passers-by were shouting at the thing -- and a white one today, on display as a prize in a contest. Only question I had was, is second prize *2* Azteks? ;-) I expect we'll see a lot of them as giveaways. The white didn't look quite as bad as the red.
The one mentioned earlier with Michigan manufacturer plates was probably one of the 2800 or so that GM is forcing managers to drive instead of their regular company cars. Faced with thousands in inventory with no chance of selling them, GM has taken this drastic step. I have heard of getting a turkey as a Christmas bonus, but this is ridiculous.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
72 Ford Torino, Ford back in the days when every car they built had a family resemblence to the Pinto.2 dr. fastback is the worst;but add those goober bumpers and you've got a candidate for worst of the 70's.
Thing about it is,ugly is ugly 4-ever,the latest "in" thing BECOMES ugly or worse;COMMON! At least starting from ugly you NEVER have to be out of fashion......you're never IN fashion....in a few years you'll be glamorously "eccentric", even cool while your up to the minute neighbor is still paying off his 8 year contract on the latest thing, missing house payments to buy the 100 count bottle of Viagra and waiting for his order of spray on hair to be delivered in a plain brown wrapped package. Bingo, you've won again!!!!There IS a place in the world for ugly cars after all! Great posts everyone,Dweezil
Post 508 talks about the Korean made Pontiac LeMans. My sister bought one of those because she wanted something cheap and she wanted to buy American-LOL. Not only was the car ugly, but it had to be the worst designed piece of crap ever. On the inside, if you put on a turn signal, it showed both the left and right arrows illuminated-similar to putting emergency hazards on. You could not tell if you had your left or right blinker on.
Once when I had an accident and had my car in the shop, I rented the cheapest car they had. It was a puke green Ford Festiva or Fiesta. Looked and drove like a little waterbug. People would give me nasty looks, like I was some type of jerk to drive it. I had to tell everyone that saw me in it that it was just a rental, but it was no use, my reputation was shot forever.
Perhaps the ugliest thing that i ever saw on wheels was just that-The volkswagen Thing. It looked like it was part German half track from world war II and half tin can. I don't know if anybody mentioned that.
Mid seventy's Datsun 210's with those bee hive wheel covers. Or the BMW 2.0cs coupes before the redesign, which brougt us the 2800csi and
3.0 csi's which must be the most beautiful Coupes in the world.
But: Toyota has some even uglier cars that they don't sell here: The Will Vi.
I've actually seen a couple on the road in Japan
and I think we'd be having a debate about this or the Aztek if they sold these things here
Here's a link:
http://www.carmarket.ru/show/style/willvi.html
Don't be deceived by the artsy stuff - it's a real car -well a full sized car - well people drive them...
Heck, the EPA fines you for pollution if you park one in your front yard! They'd rather you drive a 59 Caddie that needs a tuneup!
UGGGGGLY!
Things got a lot better in the 60s.
I just got back from a vacation to Houston, and saw not one, but three of the danged things on the road! This was the first time that I've seen them, other than sitting on the lot collecting dust at a dealership.
Does anybody remember the LeMans? I'm talking that nasty Korean insult to the name they sold in the late 80's, not the REAL LeMans from the '64 or so to '81. Well, it looks like they took the whole hatchback and taillight assembly off of that insult-to-the-name and grafted it onto the back of the Aztek.
I'd take any GM monstrosity from 1959 over the Aztek. Heck, the Pontiac and Olds from that year are actually pretty attractive...
-Andre
I would have to put the 1961 Plymouth Valiant, in the classic white, 4-door sedan, (6-cylinder column shift of course)in the top ten of all time Ugly. One note...they are sort of cult classics now. It's nice to see a collector spend thousands to restore one of thes babies.
As for the Valiant, I thought the only really ugly thing about it was the fake spare tire indentation in the trunk. Funny that they called the car European-inspired, but then in the 1970's, the Granada, the Seville, the 1975 Nova clones, and the 1977 GM big cars were all called "European inspired"!
As for alternators, I think all the Chrysler models switched to them for 1961. Wasn't Chrysler also the first to switch to electronic ignition in 1971?
-Andre
I'm sure there are other advantages to alternators...they're smaller and lighter, so maybe they rob less power from the engine than a generator would.
-Andre
2000 monte carlo
1998 taurus
I have one of the new 2001 Mote Carol AS models with the High Sport package. Its black with the silver ground effects and racing-style spoiler. It has received more compliments and looks than any car I have ever owned (about 60 now), Including Corvettes.
I know, I know... it has to grow on you. But this new style starting in 2000 was a radical change from the previous models. Mine looks like Dale Earnhardt's NASCAR racer, less the decals. Actually, its close to the Pace car version.
This is one of the "sleekest" cars I've ever owned. Check the http://www.chevrolet.com web site and look at the "High Sport" black and silver model...and tell me if its that ugly.
I don't think so.
Old style DC generators and starter motors are similar, but the location on the flywheel and RPM they turn to crank the engine would cause them to wear out in a short period of time if left connected. How could you belt drive the front end pulley and connect to the flywheel to start at the same time?
This is my first post and don't know if you mix subjects, but regarding the new Ford 49, it looks more like the original 49 Mercury to me than a Ford. We had a 49 Ford, bought in late 48. I always thought it was designed to look like a jet plane, with the front scoop with a ball in the center. It had 16" wheels and the Flathead V-8 didn't even have an oil filter. The body leaked air and would have been a cold riding car if we did not live in Florida; however, the ugly part was the mechanics, not the look of the body.
For a vehicle that "so many people hate" why do you people keep whining about the Aztek? I've seen some people fabricate false safety data, miss-spell the name into "funny stuff", but nobody is complaining about steering wheels falling off or any issues of quality. It's odd that no matter what vehicle you search on the home page here leads to a discussion of Azteks. And it's only "liability" is the styling. Kind of like kids when they start crying about something, they just can't stop. I guess if any of the whiners actually drove one, I would find them to be worth listening to. But I'll bet less then one out a dozen have done more than look at a picture or let someone else decide for them. It's too bad because the Edmunds' board deserves a better fate than this. It's starting to look like some wrestling or sports team board.
But since this board needs some more trash on it, here's mine. If retro styling is so "hot" why didn't Ford copy some of it's own? I was looking at the "new" T-Bird and it does look familiar. Ford is going to build a copy of the 53 Corvette. It sure doesn't look like a 55 T-Bird. But that front is a dead on replica of the first gen Corvette. Too bad they didn't slope the a pillars. And it could use some chrome.
There's an old saying "what goes around, comes around" Since DCX parroted the 37 Ford, and Ford the 53 Vette, Pontiac copied the Airflow and called it the Aztek. And of those three, which was called "ahead of it's time"?
I agree totally about the new T-bird...the first time I saw a pic, it made me think more of a first-generation 'vette than a T-bird. For it to really resemble the original T-bird, the front really needs more of a forward thrust to it. I think the real dog of that platform is the new Jaguar S-type. It looks too much like a Contour with a little bit of Neon and 1958 Edsel thrown in. Although I have to admit, the taillights are kind of cool when they light up. I happened to see one of the old Jaguars that was the inspiration for this new S-type, sitting in someone's driveway, quietly gathering leaves and rusting away along with a 1973 Chevy Monte Carlo. I have to say, the Monte Carlo was the better looking of the two!
As for the Aztek, I've never driven one, but I'm just so turned off by the styling that I wouldn't want to! I've seen them up close at the dealership, and looked inside. The interior is as much of a styling disaster as the rest of the car, although interior design has been a Pontiac weak point for the last 15-20 years. As for their reliability, give them time. Not enough people have bought them and they haven't been on the market long enough to really give a good sample. I'm sure they should be as good as the minivans upon which they're based. Buick is coming out with a version called the Rendevous which, in my opinion, doesn't look much better. It looks like they took an Aztek and added some Lexus SUV styling cues.
-Andre
As far as the S-Type, that's another gorgeous car. I'd have to give "Worst looking DEW98-Car" honors to the Lincoln LS. It's not ugly, but it looks a bit too chunky to be as graceful as the Jag or T-Bird
As far as the Aztek, There's an old saying "You only get one chance to make a good first impression." For cars, that one chance is how cool it looks on the showroom floor. If it looks like an alien snot-ball, then it doesn't matter how good the vehicle is, the potential buyer will pass it over without so much as a second thought, and go test drive the new Jeep Liberty across the street. The Aztek blew it's one chance. Then again, it's not the first car to do so, and, unfortunately, probably won't be the last.
Mr Shiftright
Host
I believe you mean "is" not "are"
"spelling...is" (or spellings[plural]...are)
Tell you what: I won't bash your grammar if you don't bash the innocent errors of posters eager to chime into the discussion. For that matter, I'd also prefer you not imply there ought to be some minimum IQ or educational threshold required for posting. The smartest man I know insists on writing "were" when he means "we're" and "that's" when he means "thats", and he doesn't just post - he VOTES, too.
OMIGOSH!
Regards,
Scott
In the contemporary category this must give the Azteks and 2nd Gen Tauri a run for their money.
(I may have missed earlier votes for this; If so, please add another check in its column.)
Also, does anyone else feel that the Mazda MX-3 was as ugly as the MX-6, Miata, and Last RX-7 were gorgeous?
2.1958 Buick Anything
After we get a little distance away (in time) it may be possible that some cars in the past have been even uglier than the Aztek.
(Hey I said possible!)
58 Buick anything - good choice!
I always liked those 59 Chevy Batmobiles.....
#2 Pontiac Aztek
#3 Pontiac Aztek
#4 Pontiac Aztek
#5 Pontiac Aztek
#6 Pontiac Aztek
#7 Pontiac Aztek
#8 Pontiac Aztek
#9 Pontiac Aztek
#10 Pontiac Aztek
12 Ford Taurus
13 Ford Taurus
14 Ford Taurus
15 Ford Taurus
16 Ford Taurus
17 Ford Taurus
18 Ford Taurus
19 Ford Taurus
20 Ford Taurus
BTW, someone with a dictionary might want to check the spelling on # 14.
Rob Fruth - Houston, Tx
http://freeweb.pdq.net/rfruth
1981 Raleigh for commuting, errands & fun
1997 Trek 2300 for real fun !
2000 5 speed Civic hatchback