Aurora Owners: You know you are obsessed with your car when...
Henry
Member Posts: 1,106
Author Zinc1
Original title: Junk and Revenge (zinc1) Fri 09 Jun '00 (09:37 PM)
Whew. I'm sorry to hear that you got a lemon. In fact, the degree of lemonness of this vehicle seems to be high, even for GM. They barely make simple cars right, let alone a complicated engineering forte such as the Aurora.
The thing that drew me to this car was its unique
package - body, interior, and engine. I'm still
happy with the 'intent' of the engineers and I put
up with the visits to the shop the same way an owner of the '60s or '70s might have pampered an oil-belching, plug-fouling, embarrassingly-dead-by-the-side-of-the-road Jaguar.
It's the diamond-in-the-rough that you keep
cutting and polishing. Hoping that, some day,
you'll have vanquished its demons and you will
finally be driving the nirvana that it was meant to be. What the UAW stunted in its nascence. I agree that the 2001 may end this model for good - but then our taste isn't what GM is after
nowadays.
I'd like to direct you to an AA meeting
(Auroraholics Anonymous), but this may be it. This may be the the last refuge for those of us who are addicted to the whims of this evil temptress of the dawn. Catering to its every zap
and clank. Sure, it'll whisper ecstatic nothings in your ear, if you'll just buy her one more tiny
bobble "This will be the last one, sweetheart. I
promise". Yeah, sure babe. And I'm the Sheik of
Arabia.
Well, call me a fool for indulging her. But I'm
still in sweet denial. She'll come around. Just you wait.
Original title: Junk and Revenge (zinc1) Fri 09 Jun '00 (09:37 PM)
Whew. I'm sorry to hear that you got a lemon. In fact, the degree of lemonness of this vehicle seems to be high, even for GM. They barely make simple cars right, let alone a complicated engineering forte such as the Aurora.
The thing that drew me to this car was its unique
package - body, interior, and engine. I'm still
happy with the 'intent' of the engineers and I put
up with the visits to the shop the same way an owner of the '60s or '70s might have pampered an oil-belching, plug-fouling, embarrassingly-dead-by-the-side-of-the-road Jaguar.
It's the diamond-in-the-rough that you keep
cutting and polishing. Hoping that, some day,
you'll have vanquished its demons and you will
finally be driving the nirvana that it was meant to be. What the UAW stunted in its nascence. I agree that the 2001 may end this model for good - but then our taste isn't what GM is after
nowadays.
I'd like to direct you to an AA meeting
(Auroraholics Anonymous), but this may be it. This may be the the last refuge for those of us who are addicted to the whims of this evil temptress of the dawn. Catering to its every zap
and clank. Sure, it'll whisper ecstatic nothings in your ear, if you'll just buy her one more tiny
bobble "This will be the last one, sweetheart. I
promise". Yeah, sure babe. And I'm the Sheik of
Arabia.
Well, call me a fool for indulging her. But I'm
still in sweet denial. She'll come around. Just you wait.
0
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((This is Henri retelling Zinc1's story of hitting 139mph on the speedometer.))
I had just finished having my aROARa in the shop for the 100,000 tune up. The car felt new again, like the day back in 1996 when I drove it off the showroom floor. In driving this instrument that melted the computer technology and mechanical engineering of the NorthStar together under the celestial name AURORA.
The car was saying I am young again.
As I took my drive home listening to the radio station my kids had put on the station the day before, the youthful energy the car had with its 100k tune-up started become infectious.
I was approaching my favorite stretch of highway. It's a straight stretch that descends from a hill into a valley where you can see for a good mile. It then ascends up another hill. There's no place for the Highway Patrol to hide in front or behind when there are few cars there This asphalt slice of motoring heaven had taken me pass the 109mph Autobahn Package threshold.
The highway was now calling to me again. The car was shouting I am young again.
And then it happend . . . .
It was no longer 2001, it was 1985. It was time to replace the Backstreet Boys, N Sync, Britney Spears, or whatever was passing for the latest musically challenged, highly processed and marketed wonderkid(s).
I searched trough my collection. The mood had to be right. First one song, no , another, no , another, not that one. And then I heard it. . . .
It is the Night
My body is weak
I am on the run no time to Sleep
I have got to ride
Ride Like the Wind
to be Free Again!
Yeah that is it.
ME!
AURORA!
CHRISTOPHER CROSS!
HIGHWAY!
NO COPS!
It was time. I FLOORED IT. And the car responded. 80mph, 95mph, 110mph, 128mph, 139mph. All the time the Aurora V8 roaring like the big cat it is. The mighty Simba the child of Mufasha - the Cadillac NorthStar.
But all too soon, in such a brief moment, it was over. The top speed limited at 139mph - but a speedometer pinned to its extreme nonetheless. As I eased back into the speed limit the song said it best . . . . . .
Never was the kind
To do as I was told!
Gotta ride like the Wind
Before I get Old!
(((KIDS DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME)))
Week five - I visited my car today. It didn't say anything at first but I could tell that it was glad to see me. We talked for awhile and then I had to go. I did bring it a get well soon card. I left it on the windsheild where it would be easy for my Aurora to see and read.
Poor baby had her transmission removed. She told me it hurt but that she didn't cry. She was a trooper! I'm so proud of how the car is keeping a postive frame of mind during this difficult multi-operation repair.
If you like I can post the car's mailing address. Better still, don't waste the paper and the postage. Go out and do something nice for your Aurora. Show it that you care. Show it that it is appreciated. Remeber, you still have yours. Think of Henri, a man separated from his Aurora. Think of how lucky you are.
Go . . . Do it Now before you forget
Where is she parked?
Have you seen her ?
Tell me have you seen her?
Oh I hear her roar as the cold winds blow
On the Street
Music on the Radio.
Have you seen her?
Tell me have you seen her?
Stupid Infiniti.
Henri(or was it Zinc that did it) that story about hitting 139mph with the Christopher Cross song is killer. Thats a cool driving song. I haven't done 139 in the Intrigue yet, but I've had her up to 115. The song I did it to was GnR's "You could be mine" from Terminator 2. I was scanning stations and came across that one so naturally I cranked the Bose system up and when I hit the freeway I killed the A/C and floored it. Didn't even look at the speedo as the tach was much more fun to watch and I had to keep a close eye on the horizon for cops. When I did look at the speedo it was at about 115 and thats when I decided to ease off a bit. Considering what a gas the Intrigue's 3.5 liter V6 was when doing this, I can only imagine what an Aurora's V8 is like.
Hardesty, do you live in TN? I hope you don't because you just gave me an idea for personalized tags. Thats cool that your getting those for your 2002 van too.
Call it a DAY
ME and Aurora
Have to end it THIS WAY.
NO reason to pretend
We knew this repair would spell the end.
Lets not pretend.
No more MONEY will I throw your way
NO this is our last today.
Yes evil temptress we did the 139 club!
Yes the highway was our hide-away
But we have come to the End of the Road
We must both let go
WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS!
when they ask you why they shouldnt wash your car, and they know its a 97, and you are kind of hesitant to say because you love the car and dont want strangers washing it only because they cant do anywhere near as good of a job as myself . .
and when you go outside, you see the water spots not dried off and point them out to the poor guy -
i think thats obsession....
You passed the car wash test!
Now, can you handle the parking lot test?
questions:
1) Under what circumstances is it okay to park the Aurora next to an SUV or coupe?
2) Should you always park the Aurora nose in or nose out?
3) Bonus Question - What must every Aurorian be conscience of when parking the car or entering/exiting any driveway?
You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.
Welcome to the Aurora Madness.
But through all the madness remember this . . . .
Its STILL THE BEST LOOKING CAR ON THE ROAD!
2 - Thats tougher - i generally like to back in , BUT. then no one can see the best looking rear end on a car . . see , a tough one . . cause the front is so sleek and I keep her very clean, so the shifting paint colour can be seen better if i back in . .and the rear is soooo sexy , folks should be able to see that too . .
3 - too new to the car for this one, but perhaps it is the chin spoiler . . . mine is missing
Oh man, I didnt know it was gonna be this tough owning the car . . . and its a winter beater for me too . . i just thought, buy it - drive it. I didnt intend to fall in love
I will usually let the drivers side door of the car I am parking next to determine whether I park nose in or out. The theory being that in order for the door edge guards molding to work most effectively, the car should be pointed in the same direction as the car you are parking next to.
Question 3 is the airdam, although I like Dennis calling it a chin-strap. When parking nose in, you gotta be careful of hitting the curb with the chin-strap. The chin-strap has a way of finding the road/curb because the stlying makes the nose of the car is so long (something GM "corrected" for the 2K1's).
The chin strap is the reason I never opted to lower the Classic with the after market springs available for the car. I figured if I moved the car closer to the road, the chin-strap would have an even shorter life. I have a 95 Classic, it was 2002 before I finally had to replace the strap.
Are there any 95 owners out there that are still on the original strap???
Henri
1) your wife is having a baby and there is absolutely no other space available in the emergency room parking lot.
2) the guy that parked the coupe/SUV was musclecar97 in his Hertz rental.
3) the guy that parked the coupe is Henri in his rental because his Aurora is again vacationing at the service department of the dealer. (see post #4)
question number two makes no reference to driveways etc, it talks about parking . . an assumption being we are talking about parking lots , and the curbs are only on the perimeter. there could be ones with those cement curbs throughout, and then i see your point.
almost everywhere i park, the curbs are exterior spots only - and yes - you either learn the distance or back in . .
but otherwise, i think i get full marks still . . .
signed
Dennis (the owner of the car parked nowhere near anyone)
http://www.cardomain.com/id/javidogg
"I'll get out the lube and have some fun tonight."
"...and just a hint of squish to it. But it is thick and firm and comfortable. I find it to feel excellent in my hands. Comfortable yet serious, a bit of give, but a firmness hidden under that..."
Jeez Bob, we're going to have to make this an adults only thread soon. You and the Aurora need to get a room!!
(for those who don't know what I'm talking about, look at who posted a bunch of Aurora pictures in the alt.binaries.pictures.autos newsgroup on 3/23 - yep, our old friend Zinc :-)
--Robert
who was demonstrating a new Usenet reader application for a co-worker, decided to show him how easy it was to view pictures inline, and was surprised what he found when he searched the car pictures group for "Aurora" :-)
But the wife never turns down a chance to take her for a spin.. (when I let her)
Aurora 96k. I first saw the car on TV. I was watching HGTV and a contractor pulled up in a car I didn't recogize. I was driving a 94 Infifity J-30 T. I knew I had to have that car. It runs hot. Occasionally dies for no reason. Milage stinks. Slams into reverse in the morning. And I love it. Just a stupid passion for a unque marque. Looks like the day it was new. Two shopping carts dings that I don't look at unless I'm waxing and hold a moment of silence. A mite too heavy to be nibble. But I would buy another tomorrow. I only wish I had the guts to change those understated rims. Glad too join your group.Looking forward to sharing with a group that only can be describe as smart enough to own an Aurora.
95Phil
Welcome.
Guts not required. Just some $$$.
I like plain and simple myself, but the stock Classic wheels are too much of both even for me. I replaced mine with 17" 2001+ Aurora v8 wheels. They look great. You can occasionally find them on eBay.
Les
Phil
I would also recommend that you upgrade the antisway bars to the ones for the caddie. I believe the thicker sway bars were also put into the 99 Classics. I upgraded both of the sway bars and the difference is worth it. No more "rolling onthe river" whenever I take a turn with some speed. Thhough, even with the upgrade it is still not a nimble corvette in the turns.
I have 95 also.. It should not die for no reason and the slamming into gear is a sensor problem (I had the same issue).
Welcome to the Hotel aROARa. You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.
Henri
What tires are you running? When I mounted the new wheels three years ago, I went with Continental ExtremeContact 255/50-17 because I was pleased with the original equipment Contis. Recently I discovered that Continental no longer makes that size.
The only alternatives I have been able to find are Kumho ECSTA ASX and BFGoodrich g-ForceT/A KDWS. I want to maintain at least 100 service rating in an all-weather tire.
Les
I used to have the Toyos (when I had the 16"s), but they stopped making them in that size.
How did you fix that slamming into reverse problem?
Phil
I found another one a couple of hundred miles away. It is also an '01, but with only 25K miles. We went over last evening and traded up. The new one is a classic little old lady car, immaculate inside and out. This one has the polished wheels, pearl paint, Bose sound, and a moon roof which her previous one did not. She loves this car. Frankly, I do too.
This time, I will do what I can to get her to care for it better.
racing at the strip one day blew 3 rods in my engine, had to take the engine out and completly remade it, im still in the process but i have all the part, im changing the tranny to a 5 speed manual and converting it to read wheel drive. i have the engine forged and a borla exhaust system added on, i know that as soon as i finish adding everything in, it wont be an 03 aurora anymore. itll just be a monster.