Well circumstances landed me in Aztek land, but I like it here so far, definitely not what I was expecting. It’s funny, I remember when the Aztek first came out in 2001 I (like most people I think) thought it was the ugliest car ever made, but now, in 2022, it really doesn’t look that bad, just like a typical crossover, only a little more angular so it stands out (a good thing), it was just ahead of it’s time. Most reviews at the time complained that it’s performance was middling, more like a Montana, but I actually find it fairly responsive, I like it. Just a few old car issues though.
Mine is a 2004, the front wheel drive version with the ABS option, with just under 182,000 miles on it (closer to 182,500 now), paid $3,500, which was probably a bit high but not shocking.
The last owner though was not nice to it, there are a couple of cigarette burns in the front seats, the driver’s seat has a small tear, the driver’s side seat recline handle is non functional, the rear passenger door only opens from the inside, the skylight freezes a bit when closing, the rear hatch takes 3 separate button presses and tugs to open and it has to be propped up to stay open, the rear interior plastic is all scratched up, the key requires a screw driver stuck in the steering column to temove, and I don’t know what they did, but both the floor and ceiling are HEAVILY stained, it looks like someone repeatedly spilled something on the floor, but how the hell did the same thing happen on the ceiling? I will have to attempt to shampoo it out. The air vents occasionally briefly spew white smoke, and the air conditioner works but sounds like a Harley with an engine problem. The exhaust is loud, the check engine light randomly goes on and off with a message about the downstream O2 sensor, and the wheel speed sensor on the front driver’s side tire had the ABS light on, the weather strip at the top of the windshield keeps flapping in the wind, the driver’s door leaks from the too (I found that out when I went through a car wash), and to top it off I have some scattered rust issues. It of course also has the old car random noises, squeaks, and clunks. The stereo was also replaced with an after market one and wired wrong so that the audio controls don’t all work and volume up is volume down, etc.
I will not have time to have the mechanic give it a once over until next week though, so that is just what I have observed so far.
That list aside though it feels solid and everything else seems to be working and so far I’m happy, I’ll just take the repairs one at a time. Ultimately I would like to restore it, save for an upgraded stereo (I want a nav system and a backup camera).
What irks me though is that the previous owner stole EVERYTHING Aztek out of it, the cooler (gray) is missing, so are the door zip up pockets, no tent, mattress, or pull out tray thing, and they even took the floor mats (but left the cargo mat, probably because it is stained). I’m also missing the left runner insert for the cubby hole under the steering wheel. The owners manual was also stolen so I need that too.
I have a few questions though:
First, how badly did I do on price?
Second, where can I find the missing stuff?
Third, what should be in the rear storage compartments, the one on the right has the jack, the left has a cargo net, but the shallow middle one by the tailgate is empty and I can’t figure out what should go in there. All I have in mine is what appears to be sand.
Fourth, is the stereo double DIN or DIN and a half?
Anything else I should know or look for?
What is the best way to remove stains from ceilings?
Mine is a 2004, the front wheel drive version with the ABS option, with just under 182,000 miles on it (closer to 182,500 now), paid $3,500, which was probably a bit high but not shocking.
The last owner though was not nice to it, there are a couple of cigarette burns in the front seats, the driver’s seat has a small tear, the driver’s side seat recline handle is non functional, the rear passenger door only opens from the inside, the skylight freezes a bit when closing, the rear hatch takes 3 separate button presses and tugs to open and it has to be propped up to stay open, the rear interior plastic is all scratched up, the key requires a screw driver stuck in the steering column to temove, and I don’t know what they did, but both the floor and ceiling are HEAVILY stained, it looks like someone repeatedly spilled something on the floor, but how the hell did the same thing happen on the ceiling? I will have to attempt to shampoo it out. The air vents occasionally briefly spew white smoke, and the air conditioner works but sounds like a Harley with an engine problem. The exhaust is loud, the check engine light randomly goes on and off with a message about the downstream O2 sensor, and the wheel speed sensor on the front driver’s side tire had the ABS light on, the weather strip at the top of the windshield keeps flapping in the wind, the driver’s door leaks from the too (I found that out when I went through a car wash), and to top it off I have some scattered rust issues. It of course also has the old car random noises, squeaks, and clunks. The stereo was also replaced with an after market one and wired wrong so that the audio controls don’t all work and volume up is volume down, etc.
I will not have time to have the mechanic give it a once over until next week though, so that is just what I have observed so far.
That list aside though it feels solid and everything else seems to be working and so far I’m happy, I’ll just take the repairs one at a time. Ultimately I would like to restore it, save for an upgraded stereo (I want a nav system and a backup camera).
What irks me though is that the previous owner stole EVERYTHING Aztek out of it, the cooler (gray) is missing, so are the door zip up pockets, no tent, mattress, or pull out tray thing, and they even took the floor mats (but left the cargo mat, probably because it is stained). I’m also missing the left runner insert for the cubby hole under the steering wheel. The owners manual was also stolen so I need that too.
I have a few questions though:
First, how badly did I do on price?
Second, where can I find the missing stuff?
Third, what should be in the rear storage compartments, the one on the right has the jack, the left has a cargo net, but the shallow middle one by the tailgate is empty and I can’t figure out what should go in there. All I have in mine is what appears to be sand.
Fourth, is the stereo double DIN or DIN and a half?
Anything else I should know or look for?
What is the best way to remove stains from ceilings?
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