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ProDarwin
ProDarwin UltraDork
12/13/13 11:01 a.m.
TheDeafElectrician wrote: It seem with some weight reduction and some gears, it would be a great budget rallyx vehicle. Maybe not so much on the performance end but from a utility standpoint. The cargo capacity is enormous and it has a cooler built in. Plus it looks rad and is very inconspicuous. 200tq/150hp seems easily modded and alltime awd. Am I crazy?

Yes. Crazy.

No, I don't think it has much potential. Way too much weight, too high up. No manual trans.

Maroon92
Maroon92 MegaDork
12/13/13 11:06 a.m.
ProDarwin wrote:
TheDeafElectrician wrote: It seem with some weight reduction and some gears, it would be a great budget rallyx vehicle. Maybe not so much on the performance end but from a utility standpoint. The cargo capacity is enormous and it has a cooler built in. Plus it looks rad and is very inconspicuous. 200tq/150hp seems easily modded and alltime awd. Am I crazy?
Yes. Crazy. No, I don't think it has much potential. Way too much weight, too high up. No manual trans.

Everything has potential in the right hands.

Twice I've seen bone stock cars on snow tires take the overall at a regional. One was a Cavalier, the other was a Forrester XT.

That said, I don't think the Aztec could do much.

Now a Fiero, on the other hand, I think could be a killer MR car.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin UltraDork
12/13/13 11:06 a.m.

If the AWD wasn't necessary, a VUE would be a better option. You can drop in any ecotec/manual combo, a number of which will make 300-400hp reliably.

They are dirt cheap, weigh significantly less than the Aztek, and still have a TON of cargo space.

One of the weird vehicle builds floating around in my head is a Vue + LNF or LSJ, dropped about 4-6".

Billy_Bottle_Caps
Billy_Bottle_Caps HalfDork
12/13/13 11:25 a.m.
ProDarwin wrote: If the AWD wasn't necessary, a VUE would be a better option. You can drop in any ecotec/manual combo, a number of which will make 300-400hp reliably. They are dirt cheap, weigh significantly less than the Aztek, and still have a TON of cargo space. One of the weird vehicle builds floating around in my head is a Vue + LNF or LSJ, dropped about 4-6".

Weren't some of the Vue's AWD?

BBC

93EXCivic
93EXCivic MegaDork
12/13/13 11:59 a.m.

In reply to Billy_Bottle_Caps:

There was AWD but no manual with AWD.

4g63t
4g63t HalfDork
12/13/13 12:04 p.m.

And every Vue with an automatic needs a trans.

Leafy
Leafy Reader
12/13/13 12:05 p.m.

Isnt there a mythical GM awd manual tranny on the modern engine architecture? I swear it was in like a malibu or something, and is stupid rare.

93EXCivic
93EXCivic MegaDork
12/13/13 1:02 p.m.
4g63t wrote: And every Vue with an automatic needs a trans.

That's not true.

belteshazzar
belteshazzar UberDork
12/13/13 1:06 p.m.

i love aztek and rendezvous'. i think they drive way better than they have any right to. i wouldnt look there for any kind of performance potential though. just utility.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin UltraDork
12/13/13 1:10 p.m.
Leafy wrote: Isnt there a mythical GM awd manual tranny on the modern engine architecture? I swear it was in like a malibu or something, and is stupid rare.

I think there is a longitudinal one... but I don't recall ever hearing of a transverse one.

Doesn't matter, if GM did one it would probably be a bunch of berkeleying open diffs and completely worthless from a performance perspective.

Knurled
Knurled GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
12/13/13 1:11 p.m.
TheDeafElectrician wrote: It seem with some weight reduction and some gears, it would be a great budget rallyx vehicle. Am I crazy?

It is a minivan with a tall grille.

That's not an exaggeration. That chassis is the old Dustbuster minivan with a grille that sits up maybe six inches higher than the core support.

jstein77
jstein77 SuperDork
12/13/13 1:40 p.m.

No potential?

Driven5
Driven5 Reader
12/13/13 1:50 p.m.

In reply to jstein77:

I was just going to post that one!

LS1+T56 + Slammed Aztec = Awesome...Who knew?

Vigo
Vigo UberDork
12/13/13 2:24 p.m.

Honestly, if you can get past the front end (surely there are some here who like the Nissan Juke, or the new Lexus IS?) the rest of the car is really good for a fwd GM. The interior is pretty dang good. I love the view out the back with the vertical glass under the main glass.

The thing i dislike about it the most is the engine bay and what's in it. If they had made it with a 3800 i would honestly kinda want one, but i have a pretty strong dislike for the 3400. And the engine bay in general. The transmission and other running gear are pretty good.

ProDarwin
ProDarwin UltraDork
12/13/13 2:51 p.m.

I actually like them a little bit, but I will agree that they are a glorified Minivan. I liked the outdoors-ish marketing they had. I think the same vehicle sold today but scaled to 75%, with a much more efficient 4cyl/hybrid drivetrain would sell well to those who want to spend their time mountain biking/kayaking/etc with a few buddies.

They are heavy. I don't think that "you can custom fab a RWD LSx drivetrain" counts as "performance potential".

JohnRW1621
JohnRW1621 UltimaDork
12/13/13 4:11 p.m.

The 75%, improved and more efficient version of the Aztec is the Pontiac Vibe but again, to get awd, you have to take the automatic trans.

Vues have really weak suspension. Known for lots of sway bar link failures up front and weak hub/bearings in the rear.

nepa03focus
nepa03focus Reader
12/13/13 5:53 p.m.

I was also going to suggest a vibe/matrix. But I do have a weird thing for azteks. I think they had a special tent you can get to hook to the back.

patgizz
patgizz GRM+ Memberand UberDork
12/13/13 6:18 p.m.
belteshazzar wrote: i love aztek and rendezvous'. i think they drive way better than they have any right to. i wouldnt look there for any kind of performance potential though. just utility.

i agree, plus the 3400 v6 means they are no slouch.

i still want to lift an AWD rendezvous and put mud tires on it, only because i figured out how to do it.

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
12/13/13 6:18 p.m.
belteshazzar wrote: i love aztek and rendezvous'. i think they drive way better than they have any right to. i wouldnt look there for any kind of performance potential though. just utility.

I drive my mom's rendezvous weekly. While it is nose heavy and you can definitely feel the weight up there, it does a very good job of getting down the road without feeling all too disconnected.

Billy_Bottle_Caps
Billy_Bottle_Caps HalfDork
12/13/13 6:30 p.m.
patgizz wrote:
belteshazzar wrote: i love aztek and rendezvous'. i think they drive way better than they have any right to. i wouldnt look there for any kind of performance potential though. just utility.
i agree, plus the 3400 v6 means they are no slouch. i still want to lift an AWD rendezvous and put mud tires on it, only because i figured out how to do it.

That sounds awesome

BBC

mndsm
mndsm UltimaDork
12/13/13 6:39 p.m.

I've been discussing this and some other threads with my good buddy SF1..... They all have a very familiar feel to them...... a very....economy feel.... one that stopped a while ago... but seems to have returned.

NOHOME
NOHOME Dork
12/13/13 6:52 p.m.

The significance of the Aztec being a central characterin the Breaking Bad series seems to have eluded most of you. A person would have to be way into the crystal in some way to want one of these things.

Seriously, I can find some love for a Pacer or a Gremlin, but not an Aztec. I would have to poke my eyes out, and that makes it too difficult to drive.

Swank Force One
Swank Force One MegaDork
12/13/13 7:43 p.m.
mndsm wrote: I've been discussing this and some other threads with my good buddy SF1..... They all have a very familiar feel to them...... a very....economy feel.... one that stopped a while ago... but seems to have returned.

One could say they're a beater. That you could take around the world.

Wxdude10
Wxdude10 New Reader
12/13/13 8:44 p.m.
TheDeafElectrician wrote:
jstein77 wrote: No potential?
We have a winner

Now we know where Nissan got its inspiration for the Juke.

Trans_Maro
Trans_Maro UltraDork
12/13/13 8:47 p.m.

Modifying an Aztec is like hanging a new chandelier in a haunted house..

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