Faults:

My head gasket blew at 28,000 miles.

The heater is not adequate.

The air conditioner is not adequate.

It took three years to fix the rear hatch so that it would open with remote or inside release.

The transmission is getting louder as I approach the 35,000 mile mark.

General Comments:

This is the most comfortable car I have ever own.

With the design of this car, I can buy and transport large items without even needing a tie down strap.

Handles bumpy roads without a problem.

Interior is quiet and privacy glass is a nice touch for kids in back seat.

Love the stereo designed for tail gate parties. And the kids can access the radio and listen to their own music with headphones in the back seat.

Faults:

Engine heats up while climbing hills.

Speedometer stopped working.

Regular problems with the headlights.

A/C went bad and not working.

Rear hatch will not work.

General Comments:

In general I don't like this car. My wife drives this one for local school access and shopping only.

Faults:

A/C compressor cracked and leaked after 9 months. Dealer replaced under warranty. Less than a year later, the replacement compressor cracked and leaked, but dealer would not replace because car had over 60,000 miles on it. Have not had A/C for most of the vehicle's life.

Right headlight failed after 2 years. Can only be replaced by dealer.

Fuel level sending unit failed 2004. Cost to replace: $550.

Water pump failed 2004. Cost to replace: $1350.

Lumbar adjustment handle has fallen off.

Interior trim misaligned since birth.

Radio antenna only partially functions.

Cost of brake job: $600.

General Comments:

This car seems to have been designed to keep the Pontiac service crew fully employed. Nothing is easy to fix, so repair bills are sky high. That factor leads to delayed maintenance, compounding the problems.

Although the car has good utility and can hold a lot, it can't hold a candle to my old Mazda MPV. That car cost less to maintain over 9 years than the Aztek has cost in 4.

Faults:

First of all, what hasn't gone wrong with this car??

First - the knobs and controls of the car are very poorly made. The gas cap has broken, the control for the lumbar for the drivers and passenger seat has broken, and the rear view mirror has fallen off several times.

The sunroof which came installed from the factory has leaked since the day the warranty expired. The ceiling liner is stained from 2 years of leakage.

The brakes only last about 10,000 miles, and then I need new brake jobs. A new set of tires only lasts about 20,000 miles on the car.

The two front window motors have both gone bad. The windows start to rattle and then they just fall inside the door. The whole motor needs to be replaced.

The door locks do not work. I have to open the window to use my key to unlock the door from the outside.

The bumper panel is lopsided, and cannot be hooked back into place.

The back hatch does not pop open without having to continue lifting it and pushing the unlock button.

Ready for the good stuff? As of today, I have a leak in the: Water Pump, the Condenser, the compressor, and an oil leak in the Intake Manifold. All total, about $2500 to fix.

I have had several go arounds with the car overheating. There have been coolant leaks galore!

Also, the special DEX antifreeze coagulates, and hardens, causing the car to overheat. You must drain the antifreeze and flush the engine.

I have put about $8,000 of maintenance into this car over 3 years.

General Comments:

This car is a disaster. First of all, I paid $25000 for it, brand new. It has sunroof, multi-CD changer, and 4 captains chairs, the tent attachment, and the drawers in the back.

The best part of the car is the storage room overall. No car matches it. But, I'd have been much better off renting trucks for the $$ I've spent.

The worst part about this car is the rapid and total depreciation. You better love this car, because you cannot trade it in, nor can you sell it. After 3 years, no dealer will pay me more than $3500 for the car. I still owe $15,000 on it.

It never handled well, performance was average. I bought it to camp in the NC mountains, and it ran hot over the mountain driving the first month I owned it.

The vinyl and interior of the car is cheap and cheesy. It scratches easily and looks very worn after 3 years.

Overall, if I can save anyone from the impulsive decision of buying this car, my experience won't be half as bad. At this point if I had GAP coverage on my insurance, it would be in the bottom of a canal somewhere very far away!! Don't do it!

Faults:

The Aztek has been rugged and dependable through some pretty horrid winter conditions this past year. However, recently we had a recurring problem with our Traction Control and ABS brake system. The warning lights would go on almost immediately after ignition and the brakes would suddenly become mushy, although they worked fine when needed. It took about five trips to the dealer to finally get it rectified. It turns out the problem was with the speed sensor. This was repaired (under warranty) and since then has given no further trouble. The car has also weathered the attentions of two my young children remarkably well.

General Comments:

I purchased this car used. Ironically, had you asked me "what car are you going to buy today?" when I went out looking, the absolute very last vehicle I would have said was "Pontiac Aztek". I hated them with a fury when I first saw one -- ugly, boxy and angular almost to the point of being asymmetrical.

But, as a joke, I took one for a drive and fell in love. Big, roomy interior with heated, comfortable seats that fit me perfectly. And the back of the 'Tek is like having the Carlsbad Caverns on wheels! I've moved several people's households already (word got around!). It handles well for an SUV, has excellent climate control and rumbles along the highway without slowing the pace. And I've grown to love its menacing, snub-nosed glower.

Just be prepared to be gawked at.