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Oldsmobile Aurora

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Comments

  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    I got really really lucky last night on the way home. All of a sudden, the misfiring in my engine got really bad. Bad enough to set the check engine light. This was good because we could finally get something useful out of the diagnostic computer.

    Turns out that it is a bad ignition control module and bad ignition coil. I bet that 9/10 of these surging problems are bad ignition coils that just haven't failed bad enough to set a flag in the computer.

    I don't know a great way to test this without a diagnostics computer short of getting an extra coil and swapping it with each one down the way and observe changes in misfiring and surging.

    What led me to the ignition coil was that if the voltage in the car was at 15.1 or above, no misses at all. If it was between 14.5 and 15.0, mild surging was evident, but at it's worse, when you stopped at a light and the brake lights were on and the engine was running slow, the voltage drops to 14.0 (normal) and then it really starts to miss.

    This felt just like a fuel flow problem anytime the car was accelerating, though so it was really confusing. Hopefully this will shed some light on this situation for the people who are dealing with it.

    Disclaimer: I'm no mechanic, just an engineer.
  • nne3jxcnne3jxc Member Posts: 134
    and how much did you get wacked for the new ignition coil?
  • garnesgarnes Member Posts: 950
    I got the mass air flow sensor in the mail today. I really don't think it is for my car. It doesn't look like the stock unit. Perhaps it is the wrong unit. Oh well. I'll call and confirm this. I was really looking forward to trying something more.

    Shucknet - thanks for the info. All you guys sharing information together have more on the ball than any dealer I think. I hope I never have any of these experiences, but if I do, I hope I remember all this.
  • fjk57702fjk57702 Member Posts: 539
    Don't be too hard on the dealers, if they haven't seen the problem before it can take a while to sort it out. My 95 Riviera turned off the traction control and turned on the service engine soon light, so I took it in and they thought it was the mass air flow sensor. So they got a new one and it didn't fix the problem. So they had to discuss the problem with GM. Turned out the supercharger had sucked the seal in far enough to leak. The new seal was stronger to prevent more trouble. Electrical problems that are intermittent are really hard unless they have seen enough of them before.
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    IT is intermitant, but every now and then the car does not crank right away when i turn the key. I thought it was the battery, but the dealer said it could be the ignition switch itself. Anybody have this happen to them?? It is not a big issue now, but I do not want it to become a BIG ISSUE. Remember I am the SHOP KING at 9 1/2 weeks in the shop. I do not want to be runner up to myself.
  • drew43drew43 Member Posts: 18
    Henri:
    Yes,I have the same thing happen to me on my 95'.Like you said it happens now and then.Turn key,for like half a second doesn't crank,then it starts right up.This has been going on intermitently for like a year.Not a big enough deal for me to bring it into the shop yet.Maybe we can have a race to see whose car does not start first.
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    WANT
    TO
    PLAY
    A
    GAME
  • drew43drew43 Member Posts: 18
    Henri:
    What did you have in mind? Whoever has the worst horror story to tell wins? Because let's face it,this "slight" delay in cranking is going to get us eventually.I must warn you I am known for my BAD luck.I bet when it finaly does'nt crank AT ALL I will be 300 miles away from home in a VERY BAD part of town, in need of a QUICK GET AWAY when I turn the key and hear.......NOTHING.......
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    What happened? Did everyone's car start working all of a sudden? No Aurora stories, etc to post? It's been so quiet around here lately - tell us about your car!!!

    I just had a new ignition control module and 6-7 ignition coil put on mine to fix the surging problem. Runs like a champ now.

    Also just added a delco 12 disc CD changer. How did I ever live without that before?!?!
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    Did I mention the cost of the repair was $700? 100% covered by my extended warranty from Warranty Gold. I was really worried after some of the stories I'd heard about them, but so far - I'm very satsified. They got back to my mechanic about the repair in less than 24 hours and there was no stink getting them to authorize the repair.
  • aurorabillaurorabill Member Posts: 22
    I hope this doesn't happen to anybody.

    A dash light (don't remember the color) came on my '95 at about 98,000 miles in the past few days. It warned about re charging problem, every time I started the car the message would appear where the date is. I drove another 80 miles over the weekend.

    Yesterday evening I worked until 10pm, drove my car towards the highway and weird things started happening. My radio shut off. My dashboard lights shut off. I thought my headlights shut off, but they were still on, perhaps in parking mode. The funniest thing is my transmission seemed like it was still in second gear even at 50 mph. I tried shifting to jolt it loose to no avail.

    Fortunately, I did not take the highway (GSP) but I took a secondary road (Rt 46) because within a half a mile the car completely shut off.

    I won't bore you with the whole episode of getting it towed, but... my mechanic replaced the alternator and got my a new battery since it was under warranty.

    Some his advice was to remember that a red warning light means check it right away, a yellow light means at my leisure. (My light was white and not directly above the steering wheel.)

    He said that the battery was probably not getting charged in recent days, that the alternator was not working or working only slightly. He said that if it had rained, it might have died earlier due to the windshield wipers using up DC power.

    The labor was 4 hours as the alternator is hung under the engine. I am hoping that an increasing thumping of trans downshift at 2-12 mph is eliminated by this as the computer and its power hungry needs evidentally controls more of this car than I ever realized.

    It is unlikely I will need a new transmission (until 150,000 miles), but if I do does anybody know what they cost with labor?

    The ending: I am thankful that I broke down in NJ relatively close to home as I travelled to NY and western NJ over the weekend!

    Bill
    Aurorabill
  • zinc1zinc1 Member Posts: 133
    Unless it's the "Service Engine Soon Light" which comes on with as little prompting as 90> octane gas. My favorite light (DIC warning actually) is when I forget to turn off the signal light. After about a minute the DIC says "Turn Signal On?" It's so cute.

    The Cadillac dealership charged my very accommodating warranty company (American Guardian/WarrantybyNet) $3,000 for a refurbished transmission, including labor. That was at 100k miles. A new one is probably much more.
  • fjk57702fjk57702 Member Posts: 539
    The transmission is electronically controlled. So if your electrical power is marginal, the transmission will have trouble shifting. The fuel injection system is powered by electricty too.

    The DIC should remind you to shift out of power mode after some length of time too. It doesn't.
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    Why should it remind you to shift out of power mode? I drive in power mode all the time - I like the shift points better. All it does is change the shift points of the transmission,
  • fjk57702fjk57702 Member Posts: 539
    will use more fuel, since the transmission tends to downshift more. I use power mode for passing and otherwise stay in normal. My fuel useage is reported in the "Real world fuel milage..." thread for those interested.
  • f1julesf1jules Member Posts: 288
    If I were considering a new or used Aurora I sure wouldn't be after reading some of the posts on this board. Anyone here with trouble free Auroras?

    I know two people who've owned Auroras. One needed the engine replaced at 60k miles and the other had numerous electrical problems and the A/C compressor go out before she hit 36k miles.

    This is why I won't buy GM.
  • fjk57702fjk57702 Member Posts: 539
    my 98 Aurora has not had much trouble. There was an oil leak in one of the valve covers (a minor problem) and the fuel pressure regulator needed replaced (also minor). Now it does not use oil between changes and runs very well. I have 42K miles on it. I have owned a number of Buicks which have been trouble free too - at least while I owned them.

    If you go to the bimmer.org pages, you will wonder why anyone buys a BMW.
  • garnesgarnes Member Posts: 950
    F1jules - in the spirit of Halloween, why haunt this board? If you made up your mind never to buy GM, fine. Stick with your BMW. What IS the point of basically putting the intelligence of the owners that post here in question? If you really have read through the posts and don't "get it" as to why we love the Aurora then maybe you should open your mind and read again.

    People are going to share repair issues and don't really have anything to say about trouble free driving. So you see all the dirt. My car has been basically good.

    Heck, I saw a guy on the Lexus LS board discussing that the HVAC system in the LS 430 has a problem with incubating germs and he was getting sick from his car. Others addressed this as well. Nothing like some bio-terror from your 50+k car. Other Lexus sites have their share of problems. I think every board I've seen has many posts addressing problems. That's a great function of the boards.

    But if it makes you feel good to haunt the Aurora site for no apparent reason - well go for it, it's almost Halloween. It should be amusing. This board has been a little slow anyway.
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    I like your idea about the a contest on who has the worst breakdown story for when the car actually stops cranking. At least when I turn the key and nothing happens AND I am in a messed up situation, there will be at least one good thought in my mind - - - - I WON THE CONTEST!!!

    Garnes - But I ask you, What Do You Really Think of fljules???

    :^)
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    What year Aurora do you have??

    How did you add a 12 disc without changing the radio?

    I did not think the standeard Aurora radio would control the 12 disc CD changer.

    How much was the changer??
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    I have altered my plans and will not be in your area until maybe around Christmas. I must admit I was thinking of bringing the Aurora (coming by train). The only reason Iwanted to do it was to join the 139 club. I have heard that the drive to Las Vegas is lengendary for the open highway, no cops, no speed traps. Hmmm a half hour at 139 and the car will probably purr like a kitten after having all the carbon deposits burned off.

    Care to take the drive with me Captain Kirk??
  • wingnut396wingnut396 Member Posts: 50
    I will NOT say that I have not had a single problem with my Aurora.

    As soon as I make that statement, something will blow up. Also, we don't want to upset any of the others.

    I love my Aurora and have not been a day without it since I bought it. I have no problem with most GM products.

    Don't listen too much to Henry's story. That was mostly just dealing with his exceptional warranty service.
  • garnesgarnes Member Posts: 950
    Henry - I think we have all seen this on various boards. Import buyer that feel compelled to jump on a domestic board and make abunch of general slams against the car. The only thing I can think is that after paying so much for the import, they need to do this in order to literally feel good/justify what they drive. It's part of that "mine is better than yours" gradeschool mentality. I don't mind comparing specifics here and there, but general bashing is pointless. That's what I think.

    Zinc - I have heard that operating the car at high rpm's adds to deposits and build up. It has to do something with the engine not being able to rid itself of combustion by products as well at high rpm's

    Hey, I'm going to do a lot of surgical cutting, sanding and filing the inside of the air box to try to reduce turbulence. The box is full of those square waffle patterns. I'll dyno it too. It is a rush to do it. If any of you looked at the curves I posted on www.caddyinfo.com you will see a big power drop at 4600 on the stock box and it is delayed to as much as 4900 with my initial modifications. I really think this is due to turbulence. I even plan to do a run where I am drawing air from the bottom hole that I now have, and block the side air. Maybe the air entering from the side interferes with the flow from the bottom headed straight for the filter. I'll let you guys know.

    I did some calcs on air flow. 244 cubic inches would pull 122 c.i. per rpm (four stroke). At 5000 rpm's, I come up with 353 CFM of air flow. Assuming the hole I created in the air box bottom it 4 inches x
    5 inches, it comes out to the air passing through this inlet at about 30 mph. Correct me if I'm wrong. I'm also sparing you all the intermediate calculations. I was curious because of the turbulence issue. I just want that 4.0 to pull the best dense air it can rather than the cylinders "filled" with a thinner air due to pulling against lower pressure caused by turbulence. But I realize there is only so much you can do with that stock box.

    I did get the wrong Mass air flow meter. I am getting one directly from Granatelli now. It will be a modified meter from the dealer. I'm still hoping ultimately for a 280 to 290 HP Aurora with the air box, filter, meter, and cat-back. So far so good.
  • drew43drew43 Member Posts: 18
    GARNES: That was a GREAT POST! How dare anyone question the intelligence of us AroarA owners!
  • fjk57702fjk57702 Member Posts: 539
    So my trip to California at 70 mph and engine turning over at 2100 RPM's may have done it some good getting the carbon burned off? Anyway it averaged 29 MPG over 5000 miles with the computer saying 30 MPG at times. My 29 average is based on what I put in the gas tank. I find that a fraction of a gallon goes through the evaporative emissions system on each tank full (about 3/4 gallon depending on season). I don't think I have a carbon build up, and it doesn't use oil since the valve cover leak was fixed (under warrenty).
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    Any GM radio with a Tape/CD or Tape/AUX button will control a CD changer. I'm pretty sure this includes All Olds and Cadillac. Most Buicks and Chevrolets. Most Pontiacs won't control a CD changer (anyone know a Pontiac with a factory changer? The 2001s will, though).

    I bought the CD changer from a guy who had totalled his Aurora. I can't even remember where I found him - might have been on this board even. Got a great deal ($150 shipped) and he was a good guy. There are some on eBay - usually around $250-300. New from dealer - $600ish

    Most Auroras are prewired for the CD changer. Look around the power antenna behind the carpet. There should be a connector somewhere back there with a 6/4 pin harness on it. Will have a dark green and brown wire, for sure in addition to a few others.

    If you don't have this connector back there, you can always buy an add-on cable on eBay or something. I bought one of those because I was doing a bunch of cutsom stuff with my stereo. It game me something to mess with wiring on without screwing with the harness in the car. (search for CD changer cable or similar)

    If anyone has any more Aurora stereo questions, I can probably answer them - I replaced everything with aftermarket stuff except the headunit and I've been through the entire stereo system of this car more than once. Get the best of both worlds - aftermarket sound quality with DIC time in tact and steering wheel controls. That and it all looks perfectly stock.

    Also, that guy who is dogging Auroras - he can go live in Afghanistan where I'm sure they make cars that he will enjoy. Oh yeah - and make sure to get the red and white circle paint option.

    Ok, I really don't wish death on the guy, but seriously - he's a puke.
  • fjk57702fjk57702 Member Posts: 539
    he's bugging the intrigue owners too.
  • lobstermanlobsterman Member Posts: 31
    i'd like to thank webescapee, nne3jxe and shucknet for your help. i will be changing wires and sparkplugs this weekend to see if my problems will be fixed. however, i think i have the exact same problem as shuckknet. my car is doing the same thing with the voltage drop, service engine light, etc. i figure before i bring it to the dealer, i'd do the wire and sparkplug first because these are not covered under warranty. by the way shucknet, i also have warranty gold. had 4 claims with them with no problems. someone posted that he put a container of chevron techron in their tank and it worked. is this advisable?
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    You can try the techron. It won't fix an electrical problem. I tried some STP complete fuel system cleaner before I started replacing stuff, but it didn't really help. Cheapo gas will exacerbate this problem, but it's not the cause.

    My 6-7 ignition coil was bad (so I was driving a mistuned V6) and so was the ignition control module (part that sits underneath the coils). I think the ICM had been bad for a while and then the 6-7 coil went and that was enough to make it easy to find.

    The ICM was something like $450. The coil was much less. Saw a whole set (ICM and 4 coils) go on eBay for something like $150 - that would have been nice if you were doing the repair yourself.

    Anyways, car runs like a champ now and my fuel mileage is considerably better.

    lobsterman: what were your other claims?
  • lobstermanlobsterman Member Posts: 31
    had my alternator replaced in dec. 2000. radiator in feb. 2001. front hub assemblies in april 2001. each time there was no hassle. i have the wg diamond plan that covers 5 years and 150k miles. paid $1999. hope i have the same experience you had, shucknet, when i bring it to the dealer.
  • lobstermanlobsterman Member Posts: 31
    i was two months off on each of my claims with wg. alternator in oct., radiator in dec. and hubs in feb. my other warranty service happened under the factory period, passenger seat motor replaced. i called my dealer and he said when they plug into the diagnostic port, they will be able to pin point the cause. true?
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    Yes, that is true as long as the check engine light is on. That indicates that a code has been set in the computer because something isn't working right.
  • aurorabillaurorabill Member Posts: 22
    I have been reading lots about the 2002 Altima, so I thought I'd stop by my local dealer to give it a try.

    I checked out a discussion here on Edmunds about this car and most of the comments were about how downscale the interior is. I looked at 3 interior offerings and the lower cost cloth is nice. The leather or leather-top is a disappointment. The dealer actually offers a real leather aftermarket seat - it looks okay, but somehow Nissan may have missed the boat on this feature.

    The car was supposed to be priced (according to magazine speculation)at a high of $23,000. Most of the 6 cylinder models (240 HP) were over that and one was over $29K>

    The handling was okay although I didn't get a chance to really test it. The acceleration was good, but not what I would expect from a car that supposedly does under 6.5 for 0-60 (with a stick). I drove the automatic; living in rush hour traffic around here (NJ) does not make a stick very practical, sorry to say.

    Steering was very tight, maybe cause its a new car. The interior is like a "high-teens" Japanese car. The ride is okay, but baby, its hard to go from a luxury-sport-galaxy cruiser like the Aurora into one of these. The trunk is ample, good enough for my needs.

    I'd like to throw in my .02 and douse a little water on the press coverage of this car. It looks great, although soon there will be many on the road and the inevitable copycats so it will be just another Accord-Camry-Nissan. Anyway the press seemed to be raving about the performance for the price. Nobody seems to be saying what I have now concluded: this is just a card trick. A few years ago you could get a Maxima for a little over $20K. This Altima is basically less car for more money. The Altima is actually a little bigger in some of the dimensions, but with a much cheaper interior.

    I am glad this car is on the market and it is probably the right car for someone moving up to an Altima/Maxima, but it is hard to consider after riding around in an Aurora for almost 2 years.

    We now return you to your regularly scheduled program... the Aurora.

    Aurorabill
  • garnesgarnes Member Posts: 950
    Aurorabill - your reasoning seems pretty clear. Card trick is a pretty good analogy. And you are right, after driving the sleek luxury Aurora with the fighter-jet dash and controls, most other cars leave you empty.

    Yeah, I've had it with all the HP and 0 to 60 hype and nonsense in the auto industry. Various publications post widely different numbers for the same car, and the MFG always seems to claim something that at the very least pushes the envelope of honesty. Isn't this the same company that had to revise HP claims? Because they LIED. The credibility is gone. I've seen our Impala 3.8 listed at 7.7 for 0 to 60. I love that car too but NO WAY it is that fast. If so, My Autobahn has got to be in the 6's. Blk97aurora listed a wide range of 0 to 60 times for the autobahn in 1995.

    After going to the dyno, and getting into this a little, I realize how unimportant "peak HP" is. First of all, the torque is what launches the car. And some of these cars with high HP have much less torque, and make you climb past 6000 rpms to get all the HP. A really steep climbing HP curve that perhaps levels off early is going to give you more performance than one that climbs more slowly - even if finishing at a higher HP at some screaming rpm. I still think a Caddy SLS if given the 3.71 transaxle might be quicker than an STS. The SLS just has more HP and torque throughout most of the power curves.

    Well I got an e-mail from Granatelli Motor Sports. I guess they are done with the mass air flow meter and custom built it. They said they bench tested it and it allowed 38% more air flow. I'm not sure under what pressure differential, and maybe they will clarify this with my follow up e-mail. Ultimately, I'll dyno it and let you guys know what happens. I hope some of you others may be interested in letting the Aurora breath better and really pump out the HP and torque.

    FJK - I was referring to really high rpms like 5000 being possible conditions for producing deposits, but yeah, I was always under the impression that a long highway drive was good for cleaning things out.
  • gisomgisom Member Posts: 144
    Henry, I bought a harness (about $80) that hooks up to the radio and to the cd changer in the trunk. With this harness attached you could use the steering wheel controls also. There is a canal on the right side of the car for the wiring and all you do is plug the harness into the radio, drop the harness in the canal and slip the end of harness through the back seat into the trunk. I used velcro pads on my cd changer in the trunk because I did not want to drill any holes and placed right on the floor. Works perfectly.
  • gisomgisom Member Posts: 144
    It is very helpful to have this board because that is what you are looking for to find out if anyone has had the same problem you are having so that you can find out what the solution was or at least point you in the right direction. I have not drove past any import service shop empty because the so called import cars are so much better. They sure are not in there just getting oil changes. I love being in my classic and it is really a dream on the highway. Everyone who has ridden in my car have nothing but praise about it, impressed the way the dash lights up at night, the gadgets because the Aurora has every toy in it, and of course the beauty of that northstar v8. Even though Olds is going away I am going to buy me a '04' aurora.
  • hardestyhardesty Member Posts: 166
    ... as the latest from GM says that the Aurora 4.0 will end prodution in May of 2003. The Aurora 3.5 will end production with the Intrigue this coming spring after only two years. My 2002 4.0 is just approaching 1000 miles, and has broken in nicely. The V8 is incredibly smooth, one of the advantages of one extra blast on every revolution is a rock steady 600 RPM idle. Torque steer is gone completely, traction control off, hands off, pedal down from a dead stop results in straight line fun. If you are really interested in having one of the very last made, I would keep an eye on GM. They may change the schedule again as it seems that many Olds dealers are closing now. Once a multi-line dealer takes the GM buy out deal and closes the Olds part of their dealership, they are no longer authorized to sell new Oldsmobiles, even the ones that are still on the lot.
  • keithpskeithps Member Posts: 3
    I replaced my early production 4.0 '01 with a leftover '01. Now I have the 5-60 warranty,
    OnStar, a sunroof and the White Diamond paint. I was approaching 17k miles on my
    Cappuchino model. I had considered buying an extended warranty, but decided to go
    with a fresh start. There really isn't another brand of car that I'd prefer right now. I'm
    hoping over the next five years that there will be something new that I like.

    The only thing lacking on my new Aurora is a cd changer in the trunk. It's not possible
    to add the Delco factory model. I checked with a local Pioneer dealer about installing an
    RF model that hooks up to the fm antenna, but when the installer looked at the car, he
    couldn't see any place to attach it to the antenna.

    Keith Smith
    see how to attach it.
  • kemo444kemo444 Member Posts: 15
    i just bought a 97 with 59000 miles for 10900. i love this car. in city driving it runs about 190-220 degrees. is this the normal range for the aurora? it seems a little hotter than my previous cars. the car is silver/teal mist with autobahn. once i drove it i fell in love and found out what a good price it was and that was it. mine! would someone respond about the normal operating temp for these fine autos. thanks
  • fjk57702fjk57702 Member Posts: 539
    In stop and go traffic when its hot (over 85) the aurora's run a bit warm. I think this is because there is no radiator grill and the fans have to pull the air up from below the bumper. Anyway, I have not noticed any caddy owners concerned about their engines running warm.
  • smcmillansmcmillan Member Posts: 1
    I have seen various posting on this board about extended warranties for a 1999 Aurora, but have not checked it lately, so sorry. The General Motors Protection Plan (GMPP) is about double the price of the warranties offered by Interstate National Dealer Services (warrantydirect.com) and American Guardian (Warrantybynet.com). Each of the independent outfits covers things the other independent does not. Any suggestions/comments? Thanks!
  • garnesgarnes Member Posts: 950
    Congratulations! The temps you mentioned sound just like my car. Everybody asks that when they get one. I think you are fine.

    Make sure you read over the old posts here for lots of good service information in case anything happens. The guys on this board really know the car. I highly recommend it. Go as far back as you can.
  • delrickdelrick Member Posts: 105
    Have been following the discussions concerning aftermarket devices. I assume that most, if not all, of this discussion relates to the 4.0.

    After reading some of the reviews, comparing the price of the 3.5 vs 4.0, and driving a sweet 3.5 powered Intrugue for over 2 years, I am leaning heavily toward ordering a 3.5 Aurora.

    Anybody here drive one of these cars?

    I know the Aurora is heavier than the Intrigue, couple hundred pounds I think, but I have been very satisfied with the performance of this engine in the Intrigue. And that means foot in the valves, tweaking front tires stuff.

    Anybody have any hands on comparisons? Is the 4.0 worth the $4 to $5 grand difference, if money is an object?
  • webescapeewebescapee Member Posts: 3
    Hi Aurorabill the dealer estimate is 12hrs to change my transmission I had a service code which read Turbine sensor error. The dealer informed me a GM rebuild was 5k Cdn + 12 hrs labour which is 4k U.S. the car ran fine. I find the Aurora is prone to giving false codes, more so if it is hot out. Fall came, codes went away.But I still love the car.
  • hammen2hammen2 Member Posts: 1,284
    About a month and a half ago, I went with 1Source Auto Warranty (http://www.1sourceautowarranty.com) for my Aurora. They "used" to have a section in the Finance/Warranty board and used to be Edmunds' "chosen" warranty partner (Warranty Gold before them, WarrantyByNet since then).

    Their pricing was fair, and their (pre-sales) customer service good. I did not hear the horror stories about them that I did from WG (Henri and others). One thing I like about them (in theory) is that they are their own warranty administrator. Their financial backing (reinsurer PrimeGuard) seems decent as well.

    They supposedly pay shop rates and one deductible per visit (not per repair). I have the $0 deductible so it doesn't matter for me.

    Bear in mind that my factory warranty expires 11/29, and I've not yet had an opportunity to use 1Source's services.

    I don't speak for them/have no interest (financial or otherwise) in their success, other than as a customer who hopes his experiences with the company are good. Of course, I hope my Aurora doesn't suffer the maladies of many on this board, so that I don't have to find out :-)

    --Robert
  • kemo444kemo444 Member Posts: 15
    would some other owners comment on their experiences with warranties. i am fixing to get an extended warranty from the web and would like to hear some pros and cons before i spend my dime. thanks
  • jcy2k1jcy2k1 Member Posts: 9
    I own a 2K1 Aurora 4.0. The car has been an absolute headache, and BTW, is currently in the shop addressing a transmission whine issue. But like others on this board, I still maintain the desire to own and drive it because of its many positive attributes. I researched heavily before purchasing the car comparing many makes. One comparison was between the 3.5 and 4.0 versions of the Aurora. When you compare apples to apples and figure in all the packages needed to bring the 3.5 up to the level of equipment that the 4.0 comes standard with, the price difference comes to about $2400. This isn't too bad, IMO, for the added performance. I felt that the 3.5 performed really well. When you stepped on it, it growled and went. But when you step on the 4.0, it purrs and zooms. I hope my wording doesn't throw you off, but for me, the 4.0 was just more desirable. I really noticed the difference at about 50 mph. When I punched the 3.5 at that speed, it downshifted and accelerated quickly. When I did the same in the 4.0, it felt like it lifted up and launched. Its a 'seat of the pants' type feeling but one that I, for my money, wanted. As a counterpoint, I feel that the 3.5 may be more bulletproof and less prone to failure but I'm saying that based on my personal experience as I've had numerous minor and major problems. Others on this board have had few or no probs with the same car. I had a 3.5 ordered but passed it by for the 4.0. Once again, a matter of opinion. Best of luck-they're both nice!
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    My experiences thus far:

    Was travelling on a business trip and oen of the guys in my group got an Aurora 3.5 as his rental car. The 3.5 was ok, but really was not enough engine to pull the car around that well, especially with 4 guys in it.

    My 98 (with the 4.0, of course) has no problems with a full load of people. To me, that was the biggest differences.

    The sound of the V8 is cooler. The v8 just has that flatter HP and torque curve that make the car easier to drive. Sure, if you stomp on the V6 it'll move the car, but it takes a lot less effort from the V8.

    If you're a serious Aurora person, you will demand the V8 as the Aurora is supposed to be a sport / luxury sedan. The v6 version was simply made to replace the 88 and with GM trying to fit that car into a segment like that, ruined the future of the Aurora.

    So, V8, V8, V8, V8.
  • hardestyhardesty Member Posts: 166
    I'll weigh in in favor of the V8. Having owned both a 2001 & 2002 Aurora 4.0 and having test driven a 2001 3.5, I can't say enough good about the V8. The numbers just don't tell the story. The Aurora (classic & current) was designed to carry the V8 motor and the 4T80E transmission. The 3.5 V6 & 4T65E tranny fits, but is less weight than the front suspension was designed for and exhibits torque steer that the V8 combo lacks. As shucknet stated, the torque curve of the V8 is sweet, and the peak numbers hide a major powerhorse from outside view. If I turn off the traction control, I can light up the rubber through an intersection. This is with 1200 lbs on each front tire (235/55-17). When the car is put in drive, it does a musclecar twist of torque at idle, begging to be let free. If buying on a budget, I would opt for a slightly used V8 over a new V6. The poor resale value of Oldsmobiles makes for some incredible bang for the buck on the used car lots.
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