Anyone drive an Aztek?

[BridgeRunner]

The continuing car search is leading me to another compromise between age/mileage, fuel economy, and price.
I've always rather liked the look of the Aztek--not attractive, but maxing out interior space in a fairly efficient shape that looks to drive like a car.  Looks like a very functional vehicle to me.  Ian has always said they are ugly as sin, so I might have a hard time selling him on this one.

Just thinking about it.  The more I think about it, the more I don't want another tiny Saturn micro-sedan, even if it does have a nice trim package.

Odd that we can get an '04 Aztek for the same price as an '03 Saturn Ion, roughly similar condition.  Strange.

Thoughts?

[Manedwolf]

No, I'm sorry. They're not just ugly. They're the only car of which the look would be improved by a front end collision.

[BridgeRunner]

No, I'm sorry. They're not just ugly. They're the only car whose looks would be improved by a front end collision.

This might well be true.  I know some people like that too.

But it is an ugly that I can get along with. 

[Gewehr98]

They're a sleeper.

Anything ugly enough to garner Manedwolf's displeasure is definitely worth buying.

I rented one in Omaha a few years back, and got acquainted with it over the course of a week.

It ain't the prettiest thing, but by gawd it is very utilitarian, and if you have kids you'll discover all sorts of features geared towards that particular hobby.

Since so many folks are revulsed at the lack of rice-ishness, you can probably find one for pretty cheap these days. 

Had I not bought a new Jeep Liberty a couple weeks ago, I was seriously considering finding a low-mileage Aztek to buzz around in.  FWD in the Wisconsin snow would work just fine.  Alas, the 4WD of the Liberty was my downfall. 

[roo_ster]

What is this, "The Fugliest Auto Hunt?"

First, the Honda Uglyment is high on your list.  I own and appreciate mine, but I am under no illusion that it is a fine lookin' automobile.

Then, you are interested in the only auto on the market that makes an Uglyment look good in comparison.  If the Uglyment is homely, the Aztek is "scare the children" fugly.

I have no idea how one would drive.  If their reliability record is good and it will do what you need it to, don't let its looks stop you.

[BridgeRunner]

Well, it almost is.  I can't afford a fine looking vehicle, and I'd kind of rather have an ugly albeit utilitarian one than a a blah-vanilla-boring econobox.

I decided to skip the Element because of the high miles.  The Element was appealing for its utility, as well as my positive personal experiences with it.  I was selling new cars for Honda when it came out, and I sold a lot of them.  I really liked it then, too.  The Aztek is a more reachable car with some of the same utilitarian value.  Too bad it's all carpeted.

The most useful vehicles tend to not be the prettiest.

I'm giving up my 1993 Jeep Cherokee.  My first 4WD.  It was not attractive, but it was a very useful vehicle.  Sadly, it had too many problems to be safe, but it sure was handy last winter when we got record amounts of snow, spread out over an unprecedented number of snowfalls.  I'll miss it this winter.

I'm sad that I can't get the Element, but it really is still beyond my price range.  My real misgiving about the Aztek isn't looks, but gas mileage.  <20 mpgs.  Just barely under 20 for highway, but still not good.  My Jeep was around 12 mpg, and the gas was just about breaking us. 

[Gewehr98]

Ahem.

She's not looking for a beauty queen of an automobile.

She's looking for something to tote herself and her family around, with good internal space and functionality.

She's already mentioned the looks of the Aztec don't dissuade her from what could be a nice vehicle for her purposes.

I've driven one for a while, and had subordinates who owned a couple.

Beauty is only skin-deep, and with the Aztec, the depth of ugly is very shallow. 

Go drive one, BridgeWalker.  You may be pleasantly surprised, and you'll be comforted to know at least some of the folks here at APS won't steal it. 

[Harold Tuttle]

A neighbor had the Buick rendezvous which is made in the same factory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buick_Rendezvous

It could not pull itsself down a snow covered road that had been driven on by several 4wd trucks

It high sided the belly pan and gas tank on the 8 inches of snow between the tracks and was immobilized

[BridgeRunner]

This is, of course, a major hesitation.  Why pay for truck-level gas consumption without a truck's snow handling abilities?

I am sure gonna miss my Jeep when the snow flies.  Our neighbor with a Rendezvous had no problems this winter.  The key to crossovers seems to be remembering that they are cars with the interior flexibility of a small SUV.

[Scout26]

I've always rather liked the look of the Aztek

You been hittin' the sauce again ??  


On the plus side the Azbutts are sooooo fugly, that Pontiac was practically giving them away just to get them off the lots.  So they should be fairly cheap to buy used.   Got pretty good JD Powers scores IIRC, on everything except exterior style.....Yep, here Wiki's take on it.....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_Aztek

[BridgeRunner]

Yeah, my dealer's prices are pretty high, which is unusual.  Most of their asking prices are quite reasonable, which helps cut down on negotiation time. 

I like the look because I want something that looks useful rather than pretty. 

Incidentally, I'm also considering a Grand AM GT 
Better gas mileage than the Aztek.

I dunno.  I'm all the place, just trying to find something that has enough practically and excitement and interesting-ness to last me five or six years.

I had a Sunbird years ago, but even that classically girly econobox had the typical Pontiac red lit dash with a just enough overdesigned IP that it's fun to look at.

[mtnbkr]

Bridgewalker, it was a Grand Am SSE (similar to GT) that tried to kill me. 

Chris

[BridgeRunner]

Bridgewalker, it was a Grand Am SSE (similar to GT) that tried to kill me. 

Chris

Details?

[Balog]

Consumer reports archives empirical data on reliability. Undoubtedly a more useful resource if you want actual info.

[BridgeRunner]

Consumer reports archives empirical data on reliability. Undoubtedly a more useful resource if you want actual info.

But less interesting than hearing the story.

[mtnbkr]

Bridgewalker, it was a Grand Am SSE (similar to GT) that tried to kill me. 

Chris

Details?

Cruise control tried to engage 3 times while puttering along at 10mph in DC Metro rush hour traffic.  Each time I had to stand on the brake and kill the engine. 

Otherwise, it was merely a lemon.  Wife rebuilt on tranny and had a new one installed later before we got married and I got involved.  Third tranny was on it's way out when we sold it.  It never ran right during the time it was under my care.  Power windows were flaky.  ABS failed.  Stopping was interesting while it was in the process of failing, sometimes it would stop normally, othertimes it would think we were skidding and engage.  Etc and so on.  Her dad and brother had Grand Ams as well, both of them had all sorts of problems.  Her brother's blew a head gasket and overheated. 

I don't recall the year, but I think all three were mid to late 90s models.

Chris

[Manedwolf]

The only Pontiac I had experience was was a rental Sunfire. Not only was it the worst designed dash I had ever seen, it refused to accelerate at any reasonable rate, and it handled with all the grace and agility of a lawn mower.

[Ryan in Maine]

What's your price range? Under $5000? $3000?

[Kwelz]

the Aztek is a perfect example of a fine car that the beancounters ruined.  Find some photos of the orinal concept and sketches from pre-production.  It was a very agressive looking crossover.  However then the GM bean counters got ahold of it and ruined the thing.  It is probably considered the ugliest car ont he road right now.  Heck I would pick a new style Scion xB over an Aztek looks wise. 

However, I have a friend who dries one and loves it.  He will tell you it is ugly but he likes the way it drives. 

[Tallpine]

Well, look at the bright side - no one will ever steal it

Have you looked at the Chevy HHR ?  Lot's of room and about 30mpg

[Bigjake]

For the gas milage/utility,  why not just another, later model jeep? 

[BridgeRunner]

I'm just gonna be girly and cry for a while now.

We finally found the car we want.  We're sure.  It's good.  And so far my father in law and my best friend have both told us we are morons for considering it.

It's a 2006 Pontiac G6 with 60,000 miles.  It is $11,000.  That is $1000 more than we were gonna spend.  It is comfortable.  It is not too big (I hate driving full-size sedans).  It has some safety features.  It looks ok.  We like it.  It is in good condition.

Yeah, we'd rather it had half as many miles, but it's also a couple thousand bucks less than it would be with fewer miles.  I dunno.  I am so stressed about this whole car thing that I'm just thoroughly miserable.   

[BReilley]

I don't know if you've completely made your decision yet, but I'll offer my two cents on the Aztek - having seen enough of them go through my shop.
First, the bad:
I find them to be very underbuilt.  Rear shocks have been seen to leak as early as 15,000 miles.  Has that stupid 60-degree V6 with the lower intake manifold gasket that likes to leak, seen to fail as early as 30,000 miles.
Let's talk about that engine bay - replacing a battery is easily a half-hour's work, *with* proper(air) tools.  As I recall, the job requires a 13mm socket, an 11mm socket, a 10mm socket, and an 8mm ratcheting wrench, and you have to move all kinds of electrical wiring and a big junction box aside, plus lift the heavy battery straight up and out.  And that's a "routine" repair.  For comparison, I need a 10mm socket to replace the battery in any of my Toyotas or my wife's Miata.
Now, the good:
I thoroughly enjoyed test-driving a few customers' Azteks.  They are quite comfortable, roomy and all that.  Drove nicely enough, more like a minivan than anything else.  Fairly quiet inside.

[BridgeRunner]

What do you think of the G6?  We were decided on that until people starting telling us we were idiots.

[Kwelz]

G6 shares the same platform as the Chevy Malibu and the Saturn Aura.  I personally drive the Aura and love it.  I looked at the G6 but am not a huge fan of the interior of the G6.  There is nothing wrong with it but it just isn't my style.