1. April 16,2001 AUTO AUCTION SHOPPER
- photo by Joseph Cabadas
UGLY DUCKLING: The buyin g public may be starting to accept GM's Aztek, The
automaker sent 125 of them through Manheim's Detroit Auto Auction in Taylor, Mich ., and
dealers snapped them up.
Aztek Auction Price: $15,500
By Joseph Cabadas
Used Car News Staff Writer
DETROIT - Will the
200 I Pontiac Aztek turn
into one of the "hottest"
new sport utility vehicles to
hit the auctions'?
Dealers snapped up
used Azteks at a recent auc­
tion.
Although criticized by
pundits for its looks, Gen­
eral Motors Corp. and the
dealers who are buying the
four-seat SUVs at auction,
say that the Aztek is turning
the corner when it comes to
public acceptance.
On the new-car side,
since the beginning of the
year, the Aztek has seen all
uptick in sales for three con­
secutive months, said a GM
spokesperson.
In January, 1,930
Azteks sold, then sales
climbed more than 25 per­
cent to 2,567 in February '
and March saw another
uptick in new Aztek sales,
22 percent to 3,140.
The increase in Aztek
sales coincides with Pon­
tiac's advertising campaign
during the time slot of the
"Su rvivor 2" TV series.
The increasing sales
have rekindled GM's hopes
to sell 50,000 new Azteks
by the end of the model
year, the spokesman ad­
ded.
The Aztek's successful
new-car sales may be per­
suading some dealers to buy
used Azteks at auction for
resale 011 their used car lots.
For example, at a
recent closed GM factory
sale at Manheim's Detroit
Auto Auction in Taylor,
Mich. , about 125 Pontiac
Azteks were among the
1,400 vehicles that went
down the lanes.
Out of those, about half
of the SUVs sold, between
the mid-$15,000s to the
upper-$17 ,OOOs, according
to Donald Hayati, owner of
Don Automotive Group of
Wauseon , Ohio .
A new Pontiac Aztek
has an MSRP of $21,445
for the base front-wheel
drive version up to $26,915
for the all-Wheel drive
version (not including
options).
OM is also offering I
Turn to page 17B
LI
Cc
~~)~~~

2. - ----- ---~~ - - -
April 16, 200 I AUTO AUCTION SHOPPERIUSED CAR NEWS
EastPontiac Azteks Hit Auction Lanes
._---- ~
From page 5
new-car buyers a $1,000
cash rebate on new 200 I
Azteks along with a free
camping package - a tent
that fits over the back of
the SUV and a camping
mattress - to both buy
and lease customers
through the end of April.
- photo by Ken Dumminger
DEALER HYPE: An Ohio dealer teamed up with his local
Kroger store to offer a coupon on an advertisement on the
store 's baskarts.
Mich., said that he bought
one Aztek with 2,900
miles at the Manheim
DAA sale for $15,500.
And , when future ones go
on sale, he said that he
plans to buy a few more
"if they 're the right price."
Manheim auction
officials declined com­
ment on the sales rate and
price range of the Azteks
sold at the closed OM fac­
tory sale.
rr== Used Car News
Data Source
Book
Everything you always
wanted to know about the
used car industry but
didn't know where to ask.
May 15
Kau
,/ Excellent
,/ Over 40Y
and Lease
,/ Prompt, E'
,/ Full Recor
,/ Beller Bu)
the Wester
,/ Monthly 1
• 16'-1
• &5
~~
Aut~
. ~
! 57- - - - -.. - ." - ~