My first night in the Pontiac Aztek was pretty rough. The wind was blowing the tent all over the place — it was loud, it was cold, and my back was the shape of a pretzel by the time I woke up.
I’m finally delivering my end of the “If 200 People Become Autopian Members In April I Will Purchase A Pontiac Aztek, Daily-Drive It For A Month, And Live In It” deal. As I wrote in my article “Our Pontiac Aztek Has Been A Great Daily Driver Except For One Major Issue: Unintended Acceleration,” Daily-driving the Aztek was really not a huge deal, partly because I don’t go to the office everyday, and partly because the Aztek is in great condition. Honestly, for us to have scored it for only $3604 is just the deal of the century.
The unintended acceleration thing, though, is becoming more and more of a problem.
View this post on Instagram
I still haven’t quite figured out what’s going on here, because sometimes the engine revs up, and sometimes it doesn’t. It seems random, and with it comes really rough shifting. I’m worried this transmission is going to grenade itself if I don’t find a fix soon, though as of this moment, the engine idles at a steady 800 RPM, the transmission shifts in a buttery fashion, and the car seems fine. As I said, it’s random.
Anyway, on Monday I began part two of our deal: Sleeping in the Aztent, and I have to admit, my first impressions weren’t great. The tent didn’t seem sturdy, and the vehicle’s rear cargo area fails the number one test for sleep-ability: it’s not even close to flat.
View this post on Instagram
Seriously, look at this floor — it’s not just the rear cargo area trim:
It’s not just the gap and the slippery, sloped tailgate:
But the floor itself is actually far from flat for some reason:
As you can see in the clip above, I didn’t use the old tent I’d purchased from Facebook Marketplace, but rather a brand spankin’ new tent that a generous reader had sold me in a piping hot deal. Just look at this minty-fresh unit:
I followed the never-before-read instructions, which really answered a lot of questions I had about which hooks go where.
The short of it is, the tent involves you hooking two straps to the garment hooks, and closing the rear doors on those straps.
There are two additional hooks near the tailgate; those get fastened down around the wheel well. Normally, you’re not supposed to hook the front one to the wheel, but I didn’t want to stretch this minty tent. It’s a historical artifact, valuable to possibly multiple people!
I had been a bit hasty on night one. I set up the tent and just crashed on a really thin mattress pad there in that work parking lot. You can see the setup above; obviously, it’s not doing much to “flatten” out that big hump in the cargo area (hence my back ending up as a pretzel). I also forgot to put on my wool socks, so I woke up freezing my arse off (top tip after far too many subzero camping trips: Even if you don’t normally sleep in socks, if you’re camping in cold temps, throw some thick socks on).
Anyway, I woke up looking rough:
I did a bit of blogging, then needed to use the bathroom, so I headed towards the office wearing my pajamas before realizing it was Tuesday, so there was a big department-wide meeting happening right on the other side of the door. Thank god I realized that, or that’d have been awkward.
Night two took place in my fiancee’s parents’ driveway. Temperatures didn’t seem as cold on Tuesdsay night, Elise (Not Her Real Name)’s mom had given me a nice warm blanket and a sweet lantern, and I awoke to some chirping birds, so the whole thing was actually quite pleasant:
Notice how I look at least 20 percent less miserable:
Here’s Elise (Not Her Real Name)’s dad, whom I’m excited to soon call my father in law, standing next to my Aztek:
Night two had actually changed my mind about the Aztek. The spine-in-the-shape-of-a-pretzel thing is still an issue, but that can be solved by the official Pontiac Aztek air mattress, which I’ll be deploying this evening.
As for the wind noise, I think that’s just a product of me not staking down the back of the tent, since I’m parking in driveways. There are loops on the tent, which came with strings and stakes, so if I were to actually park this thing on some dirt, much of the noise/instability would go away.
More importantly, setting this thing up is just so easy — even alone:
View this post on Instagram
What’s more, there’s just so much cool storage in the back:
Plus there’s a 12-volt outlet for you to charge your phone:
And the rear window sills are nice and flat, acting as great nightstands:
That first night in the work parking lot had me skeptical that maybe the Aztent was just a gimmick, but actually, I’m now 100 percent onboard. Look at how tight the tent fits:
With an air mattress, this actually has potential to be a legitimately good camping setup — offering elevation and setup-speed over a ground tent, and offering extra legroom/ventilation over just sleeping in a mid-size SUV.
Check out our Instagram to follow along. Tonight I plan to inflate the brand-new air mattress for the first time ever, and I’m planning on cooking a meal on a propane stove…somewhere. Probably along the coast somewhere.
When I worked in product development I used to say that there are two types of products. The first is products designed to be sold. The second is products designed to be used. It would seem this tent is in the first category.
This is charming. The learning curve for camping is real.
Just curious – exactly how do you put on your socks? Maybe the ones that came with the tent aren’t the only instructions you need to read.
Any experienced outdoors person will tell you cold feet and/or cold head are a sure path to feeling cold everywhere.
Hat, gloves and socks people.
That’s right. Nothing but those and you’re good to go!
well maybe one more sock
I fit myself and a 6ft air mattress in my Matrix, for overnight “camping” to view the Solar Eclipse in 2017. With the back hatch shut, too. Also, flatter floor than this. And still got 32mpg on the drive.
This Aztek thing sucks ass. It had one job, to look presentable as a vehicle and couldn’t do that. Now, it has this second job as a camper and can’t even do that.
Even Elise’s parents are supportive of your shenanigans? At least until you work on a car in their driveway and use their pool to clean car parts.
Geez, you’re at a dealership. Go get a diagnostic test done at the dealership. They’ll probably give you a discount.
Oh, and never get contacts. Your mug without glasses is scary.
The nice way to say that is “your glasses frame your mug so well!”
Hey man we’ve tried nothing and we are all out of ideas.
Maybe let us know if you tried anything and what you found? Oh and using that big automotive repair facility your partner has might work? I’m doubtful though.
I can’t help but think about how much faster the Edsel’s redemption arc would have been if it had come with a tent.
Just reading about sleeping in the Aztec makes my back hurt.
An Exped sleeping mat would solve most of your comfort problems. They’re way better than air mattresses and roll up to about the size of a camp chair. They’re pricey but 1000% worth it.
have one in my camper van and they are like a real mattress. I like it more than the thermo-pedic it came with. Exped makes great packs also.
Second this – too bulky for backpacking, but if you’re car camping, absolutely get the Exped.
Bonus rec: pair that with the Sierra Designs Frontcountry Bed zipperless bag for an unbelievably comfortable outdoor sleeping experience. It rivals my bed at home.
Should have sprung for the factory Aztec air mattress.
Pontiac Aztec 2001 Original Tent Attachment With Air Mattress | eBay
He mentions having one that he’s going to try tonight
The OEM part has to be better, right? 😉
I mean, yeah, that’s why it costs more.
i breezed past that fact, I assumed that if he had one he would have used it. Unless he is a masochist.
Yes but that type of person erects the tent at least the first time in daylight and uses all comfy add ons first day as well. God he looks rough.
I mean, he’s living in an Aztec, I feel the masochist part is pretty heavily implied
I see you’re new around here…. :^)
IIRC That was some silly single guy that made that promise. Give it up! You got way too much going on right now to put your health at risk.
You don’t sleep in the doghouse Before you get married.
Maybe a test run
It does feel very GM that the setup doesn’t fully work as advertised unless you have ALL the assorted pieces (sold separately) like the air mattress.
“Optional equipment sold separately/may raise MSRP” and all that.
So Elise’s mom’s name is Elinor and the dad’s is Cedric?
Is her mother’s name by any chance “Gloria”?
Let’s make the call now! Elise (Not Her Real Name)’s parents shall henceforth be called Gloria and Cedric (Also Not Their Real Names)!
Do you think David uses their first names yet, or if he still calls them Mr and Mrs (Not Their Real Names)?
You mean Mister and Mrs Fairlady?
Does Elise have a sister?
Perhaps by some chance she is named Sylvia?
Of course the family dog is named Sunny…
I’m think Archie and Edith that way David can be meat@#$_
If I know Travid Dacy, I would say Elise is her last name or close to it
Hooray! The Autopian version of the “The Princess and the Pea” is here.
The Wrencher & the Wretched!
No disses of the Misses
The Jeeper and the Junk.
Nailed it.
The princess and the 10mm socket.
excellent..
I use a 1 1/2″ Thermarest in the back of my truck, it is perfectly comfortable over the ridges of the bed and odd bit of tree left in there.
the Honda CR-V has a similar tent that clips on to the back end. My wife bought it with her new CR-V, too cold to camp in Colorado for a while yet. Will report back once the snow melts..
Oh that looks compact!
I’m a big fan of the Thermarest, and also the Klymit Static-V, but it may be too cold for that out west right about now.
I have a Static V insulated I have used for 8 years now. It kept me warm on many nights. One of those was ice fishing on Strawberry Reservoir (in Utah) Mid February. So the double version that will fit in the back of vans/cars would be plenty warm for California
DT. I love you to bits but the quality of the last video has room for improvement. A tripod and a flashlight would have done wonders to timelapse you setting up the tent and show the inside of those cubbies. If Doug can film himself with a phone and a tripod, you can too!
One actual question though, is that 12v in the back constant hot? Most vehicles I’ve been in shut that off with accessory or the Bronco keeps it on for about 30 minutes before shutting off. Which sucks because I wanted to use it for a 12v fridge.
Why can’t they have a setup that runs when there is a device pulling current and stops when it isn’t. For around $10 or $100 in California I can buy a Halloween decoration that only moves when someone is near. So why can’t they invent an automatic power inverter that is only on when needed?
This wouldn’t work for a fridge, specifically, because the compressor does not continuously run. I had a portable battery pack that also had an auto-shutoff after so many minutes of power not being pulled and also, warm beers.
But, yeah, it’s an easily solved problem. How about a switch? Or make use of that mongo touch screen and let me set the behavior of various switches and lights.
The power points on most Fords are programmable. You’ll need ForScan and a compatible OBDII adapter, hard wired is preferred for programing. Not certain about the Bronco but most are able to be kept on for up to 18hrs. That does not guarantee that it will stay on 18hrs though as the Battery Monitoring System will shut it off if the voltage drops too low. That of course is a good thing because it keeps enough power to start the vehicle. You should also be able to monitor the battery’s SOC and the current flowing in or out of the battery. Lots of other things can be adjusted as well depending on the vehicle.
Hm. I didn’t see anything in the “Ultimate Forscan” thread or anything regarding the rear power point. In any case, I wired it up to an accessory block that’s constant hot, anyway, so it’s no longer a problem.
Bummer, what you can change does vary from vehicle to vehicle and year to year.
Ha, I haven’t been able to read this site as often as I’d like and I thought you had already done this and I missed the article. Glad that’s not the case.
A good mattress makes a huge difference. Over the last year I’ve slept in the back of my Sequoia 14+ days already. I have a 4″ thick tri-fold foam mattress and it’s damn near as comfortable as my bed at home. It’s annoying and bulky to transport compared to an air mattress, but totally worth it for the comfort once I get there.
This article is timely. This weekend I’m going to my in-laws’ place for early Thanksgiving (family couldn’t make it on actual Thanksgiving). The last couple of times I stayed there my wife and I slept in my father in law’s bed which is just awful with a worn out mattress, plus they normally have a cat in the room and I’m mildly allergic to them, so I previously proclaimed I will never sleep in the house again unless something changes. Well now I get to put my money where my mouth is because we’ll be sleeping in the back of my Sequoia in the driveway. Of course it looks to be the coldest weekend of the year so far but I have a 12V power station and 12V electric blanket so hopefully it’ll be fine. I normally have a hatch tent that I deploy when camping but this time I think we’ll just keep the rear hatch shut.
No problem get an air mattress but fill it with water. That way no problem
Not always an option with desert camping.
got a 12v electric blanket for this winters ski trips in my camper van this year. want to decrease the hours on the heater. need to service it in 1000 more hours, want to put that off.
You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.
Love the Vice Grip!
Camping on the beach in the Aztec should be a blast, though you may want to bring some heavy items to connect those stake lines to since they probably won’t stay in place in the sand.
Also, for the high idle issue, make sure you check the throttle body for carbon buildup, inspect the idle air control valve, check the throttle position sensor, and look for vacuum leaks. Some GM vehicles (I don’t know if the Aztek is one of them) also set idle based off of the coolant temperature sensor, so if that goes bad it will keep the vehicle in perpetual high idle (though not normally higher than 1500rpm). I’ve had high idle and drive surging on two GM V6s in the past, and one was the IAC being stuck open (kept idle around 1800rpm) and the other was a vacuum leak (the idle wanted to stay around 2500rpm, but also had a misfire due to insufficient fuel from the unmetered air).
The IAC Valve would be my #1 suspect
The only thing that has me thinking the IAC is not the culprit is how high the car wants to idle. The IAC valve is a pretty small diameter, so it shouldn’t allow enough air to pass through to feed the engine up to 3000rpm. But, it could be a combination of a gunked up throttle body and a failed IAC…
Gonna second the TPS as a Mopar guy…
Used to just open the hatch in the Vega and throw a blanket over it. Room for two, many nights spent. There is a story from Yosemite about leaving an ice chest on the roof, and a bear, for some time.
Well, don’t tease it: tell it!
OK, ‘way back in Summer 1984, picture a weeklong road trip in my canyon-racer aluminum V8 Vega which was a cool car at the time, fleeing L.A. during the Olympics and sacking-out in back most nights. In Yosemite, there are warnings everywhere about bears so when my partner for the trip and I rolled into a campground late and tired; I sloppily just put our ice chest on the roof as a concession and we crawled in back w/ the seat folded down and feet toward the front and cozied up. It was warm and I didn’t throw a blanket over the hatch so there happened to be a clear view up-and-forward through the window. About 3 a.m. with me fast asleep, Liz (her real name) started poking me, saying there’s a noise outside and she seemed a little panicky. I didn’t hear anything and told her to go back to sleep…then there’s a “thunk” and the whole car dropped about an inch. Now I’m awake. My first thought was some crackhead trying to rob me but the next thing would be, through the glass just a few inches in front of our faces there is a medium sized bear in the moonlight, standing on the roof and looking down straight at us.
So I make the connection between what I did earlier and what is happening now; what an idiot. At least the food was not inside. I didn’t have to tell Liz to get up front, I pulled down the hatch from the inside, slid into the driver’s seat and we rolled up the windows with the bear still on the roof. Starting the car didn’t make it jump off but backing out of the camp space did. Now there is a bear directly in front of the car in the headlights.
I make minor charges at it, popping the clutch just enough to jerk the car without having the ice chest fall off. The bear doesn’t give an inch; in-fact it appears to get more aggressive. So I slowly drove over to the bathrooms where there is a lit area with a tree branch over the road, and after checking that we weren’t followed I got out and threw a rope to tie the ice chest up as I should have done in the first place. The whole thing took about 45 minutes, with no other campers waking or otherwise paying any attention to us. Going back to our campsite, the bear was gone.
Somehow we got back to sleep and woke around ten a.m. with the whole place deserted, everybody was off to do their thing for the day. I considered making a report to the Ranger, took a moment to imagine what would happen if I did so and since I am uncomfortable being laughed at and called names I chose to just let it go.
Anyhow, a little later on the way out of the park the clutch cable broke and on Sunday with nothing open we drove the entire way back to L.A. without a clutch…it can be done; we did it. A while after that she would become my regular girlfriend and we would be doing more camping in non-bear areas.
Seems like it would be more comfortable to forego the tent and curl up in the back.
Glad to see that the rest of Elise’s family doesn’t suffer from Blurry Face Syndrome.
Weird to have such an uneven floor when it was planned to have a tent, implying people would sleep in it. My mk1 Legacy had a flat floor and was actually fairly comfortable.
I’m sure that Aztek air mattress will be contoured on the bottom to provide a nice flat surface (provided you point it in the right direction). Maybe those nutty engineers designed an uneven floor to sell more of those sweet accessories.
Happy to hear about those nice flat nightstand windowsills at least!
I can’t camp without an air mattress anymore. What am I, 20?
Well, it cannot be said that DT is not a man of his word! Much respect!!
I am just concerned that he looked like a Serial Killer in those morning pics! 🙂
Anyway, DT what would you do for a Klondike bar?
(you’ll have to google that, I’m sure) 😉
I think a nice air mattress will make a big difference, we’ve got a cot and by itself just horrible, throw an air mattress on it and it’s a whole different feeling. And yes get to the beach, that’s a great plan, falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the ocean, also the salt air can really help clear sinuses.
That mattress will definitely make a big difference. Unless you are used to sleeping on the ground, the comfort will skyrocket.