Oldsmobile Aurora

b4z · January 2001

Living in SC it is a trip for me to get to a CART race. Homestead is over 550 miles away and i think that race was dropped? I much prefer road racing to roundy round. Those people that killed in the stands during the IRL race didn't stand a chance. With road racing there are more runoff areas and you are a little further from the action. I would like to attend Mid Ohio, Elkhart Lake and some of the other famous tracks like Laguna Seca. How do you feel about the street circuits?
Which CART races have you attended and what were your favorites?

dindak · January 2001

I live near Toronto, so I renew my Molson Indy tickets on an annual basis. I have also been to the Michigan 500 and the Cleavland OH race at the airport. While the street courses are great, nothing was more exciting than the Michigan 500 this past year because there was sooo much passing. That being said, not all ovals are as good. The NASCAR race in Charlotte I attended was not nearly as exciting as the Michigan 500 either. I am a racing freak, so anything is better than nothing. Also like F1 a lot.

Do you go to a lot of NASCAR then??

b4z · January 2001

Sent off for the F1 tickets last year, then promptly lost the package and didn't do anything about it. History was made and it sold out and i couldn't go. Oh well.
I talked to this guy from Scotland and neither he nor any of his friends like NASCAR. He said it was too competitive. The europeans are into the technology and the British put their whole being into destroying their opponent. That is why F1 is so popular over there.
I like the technology, which is why I watch every f1 race and every CART race.
I would like to see NASCAR go into more technology such as fuel injection ,DOHC motors etc. But that is not what it is all about. It is about the drivers and keeping everything equal and the have been HUGELY sucessful at it.
How about a high winding Aurora motor in a Monte Carlo stocker, that would be something.
CART needs to promote its drivers and rivalries more. This is what the average spectator comes to see. Except for Andretti and Zanardi there are no big draws in CART.
When Mansell was racing ,that is when CART was really doing well, But that was 6 years ago.
They need some serious help, and until the owners relinquish some control it will not get any better.

dindak · January 2001

Most F1 races turn out to be dull. CART is probably the only really competitive open wheel series out there. IRL is ok, but it's always ovals and half the drivers are unknown. I would like to see GM get into CART again with Chevrolet and into F1 also with Opel.

As for NASCAR, I like it a lot also but the races are not near here for the most part. Closest is Michigan which is 4 hours away and sold out months ahead. NASCAR doesn't need to change as they are booming.

CART does need to promote better for TV. Attendance wise, some races like Toronto and Laguna are great, but in Michigan the stands are half empty which is sad because it's probably the best race around.

Anyway... bottom line is, I love racing in general. ;-)

tpken · January 2001

Can I ask how much the 98 Aurora was? I am in the market for a car this year to replace my (ancient) Grand Marquis and am leaning - one could say toppling- towards a 2000 preowned Impala LS but the Aurora is a very sweet car and a low mileage 98 would be very acceptable if affordable (under 20K) alternative.

Ken

joeolds · January 2001

Ken
Got the 98 for 18K. It was by far the best deal I found. The dealership had 2 98s one with 48K miles the other with 19K. The salesman told me they had put the wrong one in the ad, and that they meant to advertise the one with 48k, but they would still honor their ad thru that weekend. Carfax report told me they had had this car since July and had put 2K on it. F&I guy said since they had the car so long they needed to move it. Whatever the case they would not budge on their 17,995 price. Next closest deal I found was a 98 with 23K miles for 19,995. Never drove this car, or tried to negotiate, and think its still in town. If your not afraid of buying cars over the internet a friend of mine bought a 99 with 13K miles for 16,100 plus 700 freight. The car must have been sold new in Canada because everything is in Kilometers. Hes happy with it. Buying a car without inspecting and driving scares me. Hope this helps you in your decision

redskin024 · January 2001

i havent been to the ovals, but i have been to Toronto once and Watkins Glen twice. the indy cars were cool(this was before the split) but the methanol burning gave me a headache by the end of the day. my complaint about road races is that you dont see much of the race. but it is cool to see cars flying down the straights and 150+ mph!

b4z · January 2001

The michigan CART race was amazing! Andretti and Montoya just inches from each other, passing and repassing. WOW! One of the best races ever.

dindak · January 2001

bz4: Ya... the big downer of that Michigan race was the stands being only half full. We may try to make it to the Chicago race this summer as my wife's best friend lives there and we have a place to stay.

redskin: Love the smell of racing. I think I should have gone into engineering so I could get a job with a racing team. Unfortunately I was better in business . :-(

Back to the Aurora..

tpken · January 2001

Sounds like you got a super deal on your Aurora. There are definitely bargains to be found if one is patient, flexible and ready to move quickly when the right buy comes along.

BTW, your vintage collection sounds very interesting. I always have thought that the early 70's midsized Olds was one of the nicest looking cars ever produced. My personal favorite is a 72 Cutlass Supreme convertible. Never owned one but always admired them. I did have a 74 Cutlass coupe - first new car. That 350 4bbl was great!

Your wagon is a very interesting car - I loved those vista windows in the roof - early precurser to sunroof - look what BMW and Subaru do with 2 today! With the woodgrain on the side and the unique top windows those were very distinctive cars.

Other GMs during that period were nice too. My all time favorite personal car was my 73 Buick Centurian conv (replaced Wildcat in 71). I absolutely cherished that car for about 7 years before it rusted away on me (I was 2nd owner - bought it in 82)

Have a great day!

vwbus1979 · January 2001

Looking at the engine specs on the Northstar (dimensions), it doesn't
look like a proper fit. You'd need one VERY LARGE shoehorn to get
that Northstar V8 into Auroras very limited engine compartment.

The bolt patterns differ slightly as well. You would need to cut into the suspension (not to mention, REDO the entire suspension because of
the weight differences)

I would say that it is not cost effective to place a Northstar engine into the Aurora. You wouldn't get THAT much more out of it.

There are MANY alternatives to juicing up the 4.0. Have you ever thought about an NO2 system? Just replace that silly transmission
"power" button with an NO2 switch. Get an upgraded air induction system. They are an inexpensive alternative to an engine replacement.

I was at the LA autoshow this past weekend. I saw some juiced up old school impalas there. NICE. I asked the boyz what shop did the work.
They stated that they belonged to a shop and when I mentioned I owned an Aurora, they had ALL kinds of suggestions for me. They
wanted my business too! I was told I could squeeze out around 355HP from the little 4.0. The cost was around $6k out the door.

Hmmmm....(This did mean removing some of the weight from the vehicle for modifications...No Air, etc...Poo Poo)

I pick luxury over speed anyday...The two together ain't bad,either!

The end

b4z · January 2001

I though the 4.o was a destroked or debored 4.6 and that it had the same exterior dimensions. Please correct me if i am wrong.

etharmon · January 2001

The December 1996 issue of MT had a Borla modified Aurora in which nitrous oxide was used. It cut 0-60 times to 5.8 if I'm not mistaken. Basically the NOx, a Borla exhaust, and some suspension mods were all that was done. I'll post more when I dig the article up.

etharmon · January 2001

From the December 1996 issue of Motor Trend, here are the stats on the Borla NOx Aurora: 317 HP @ 5500 rpm and 337 lbs-ft torque at 4750 rpms. At the track it did 0-60 in 5.9 seconds and 1/4 mile in 14.4 at 98mph. The mods also helped bring 60-0 braking to 118 feet and improved skidpad to 0.82g. Brembo cross drilled discs with four piston calipers were added to the front while the stock rears were retained. The transmission shift points were reprogrammed and the wheels were upgraded to 245/45 17s on Crager rims. The NOx and Borla cat back exhaust top it off, Total cost of the mods was estimated at $9550 including labor. Certainly not cheap, but an effective way to surprise a few 540 and GS400 owners.

hardesty · January 2001

The 2001 Aurora service manuals are now available from www.HelmInc.com . The are expensive ($120), but comprehensive, so I ordered a set that should arrive in a couple of weeks. When they arrive, I will see if I can find out why the sound system is on all the time (the source of previously discussed hiss).

jclarr3 · January 2001

I am planning to move on from my Intrigue to an Aurora. I would like to get some feedback from the owners of the new 2001 Aurora. Is there much of a difference in the engines aside from the performance numbers? Which engine is less noiser?
What are your recommendations?

daddyf · January 2001

I recently purchased a 1995 Aurora and was amazed at the corrosive rust colored fluid all over the top of the car after turning on the washers. I flushed out system and have not had an issue since.

Have noticed a hesitation from idle in traffic, feels almost like a fuel line or pump. Any suggestions discussion group? Thanks!

etharmon · January 2001

If you can afford it, go with the V8. In addition to the better performance, you get 17" wheels with a slightly different design which I think looks better. My father has a 95 Aurora and I have driven several Intrigues with the 3.5 liter V6 and while I cannot comment on which is quieter in the new Aurora, I will say that the V8 sounds better if you do hear it. IMO, nothing beats the sound of a good DOHC V8.

daddyf · January 2001

I have a 1995 Aurora with 44 thousand miles and am looking at warranties. Can any of you suggest a company? I hae a quote from warrantybynet for 2, 3 and 4 years. After reading about all of the transmission, electrical etc. problems, I am convinced to buy a warranty. Am thinking of 4 year/50k will still have under 100k.

dtadlock · January 2001

daddyf: I've checked most of the on-line car warranty offers. The best one seems to be www.warrantydirect.com. They do a very good job of explaining the subtle nuances of the different types of warranties and tell you what to look for. DO NOT buy an extended warranty from any of the car dealers. Check with warranty Direct and you'll see why. I hope this helps you. Good luck.

Henry · January 2001

I too thought the Aurora engine and the Caddie were the exact same thing (i.e. engine block) except for the liter size. Where did you get your spec information? If you have it handy, can you include a copy in the mail you are sending me? I will give a copy to my mechanic.

Henry

Henry · January 2001

I would be interested in reading that article. Is it something you can fax me?

Henry

joeolds · January 2001

I just bought a 98 Aurora, and have been checking the different warranty options. The diamond coverage with warrantydirect.com is a little more costly, but there is no exclusion for "excessive oil consumption, or gradual loss of performance" as in the warrantybynet contract. I would recommend getting copies of actual service agreements emailed to you, and visiting with the service manager or owner of shop you normally do business with to see if they have had any experiences with said companies on claims. I plan on purchasing a plan from warranty direct in the next week or so. I hope it is the right decision. Good luck

tpken · January 2001

Super pics and layout. Got to say though, that I don't think I could experience what you've endured on that Aurora of yours and retained anything close to a positive attitude about the car. It is a strikingly beautiful piece of body sculpturing though.

I have not yet looked back into the posting history on this car - I hope your experience is not typical for Aurora.

Question - do all 95 and up Auroras require premium gas? What about the new 2001 3.5L?

Ken

smuvej · January 2001

I am considering buying a base (no options) 2k1 Aurora but have misgivings about Olds going under (resale value) and quality. I'm picky, but 3 of the 4 cars I test drove had a subtle dash rattle. Otherwise, I really liked the car. I haggled them down to $25,895, including destination, but I'd rather not pay more than $25k for any car. Anyway, I wrote to the salesman today stating that I'm going to hold off for now (and look at other makes/models) unless they're able to sell a brand new 2k1 for no more than $25,000. What do you think - is $25,000 a good deal given the possibility resale values may plummet now that the division is closing?

mwdream · January 2001

Looking at buying a 1995 Aurora with 47,000

only needs new drive belt and tires and rear brakes...

no sunroof or heated seats... very clean

$10,080 figure $600 to get it top shape...

please email if this is good deal... mwdream@aol.com

Thanks

mwdream · January 2001

Anyone guess what Aurora with 100k miles ,1995 will be worth in year 2004 ???

if I pay $10 now can I get back $6 k 3 years from now?

dindak · January 2001

tpken :The new 3.5 Aurora's run on regular fuel. Same engine as the Intrigue.

smuvej : $25K would be a great deal. Offer and see what happens. Resale should be ok on Aurora, it will likely be around for a few more years. Oldsmobile is the second eldest name in automobiles. Everyone knows the name.

redskin024 · January 2001

you're too cheap to drive an Aurora. You want a car for $25,000 with no haggling? buy a Grand Am or a base Park Ave.

Henry · January 2001

That is too much money for the car. I own a 1995 Aurora ATS. The car should be in the 8-9k range maybe even lower depending on the condition and the local market. I like my car, but i would not pay over 10K to have it. Not becuse I don't think it is worth it, but because the market price for the car is not that high.

teo · January 2001

Own a new 2001 Aurora 3.5? Experiences? Likes/dislikes? Reliability/quality issues? Deals out the door?

Thanks!

b4z · January 2001

Sorry to hear about your impala troubles. Don't let them put you off, pursue it until you get what you want. I think i waited too long with my intrigue and will probably not see any help from GM.
Don't know if the aurora shares the same suspension flaws as the intrigue, maybe some of the owners can share some insight on that front.
Even with my intrigue problems i still think it drives better than the impala. And the engine is something else.
Good Luck.

vwbus1979 · January 2001

Hey everyone...This group has really exploded...WOW...

First off, I will mention warranties. I BOUGHT a warrantydirect contract
and I am TOTALLY happy with it. The customer service is outstanding
and they really cover almost everything. But because my Aurora
is such a well engineered car, I have yet to use them. 55k miles now!
(Someone PLEASE knock on some wood for me)

Speaking of wood. The wood dash kit for these cars makes a real
difference on the inside. It's much warmer. (yes, I finally got the kit!)
Anyhow. It was easy and it made a big difference inside. I think Zinc
has photos on his site. Amazing...

Engine specs. Here is what Olds verbally told me in person about the
4.0 engine. The specs are the same, but the mounts are different.
Due to the front suspension assembly, engine mounts are placed
in different locations. He showed me one that is actually UNDER the
engine. I saw it. It raised the block by 4 inches. If you look at the
clearance with the hood, 4 inches is everything. If you were to add
the Northstar, there would be significant modifications needed to
the suspension/mounts to correct for this 4 inch gap.

Henry: I would suggest discussing this with a local GM dealership.
Get the technical specs and have an engineer show you the
differences in engine mounts. I believe it can be done, but the cost
could surpass the value of what you get out of it.

dindak · January 2001

I'm surprised GM Europe is doing so poorly. I always remember the European division as being a strong part of the company.

carbuyer66 · January 2001

I am considering buying a 97 or 98 Aurora. Are there any problems with these models that I should be aware of?

auroraluvr · January 2001

I'm 19 years old and have owned a 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora for 16 months, and I've logged 42,000 miles on in this time. Its my families 3rd car with a Northstar (the other two being 4.6 liters in Cadillacs) How about a 350 hp supercharged version for a final production car before Oldsmobile is done with car production. Anybody for this idea?

vwbus1979 · January 2001

I own a '97 Aurora. I simply LOVE the car. I think that the year to
watch out for would be the '95 and '96 models. GM is notorious for
making "test" cars when they first come out. '95 is the first year of
the Aurora, so it has some obvious problems. By 1997/1998, they
hammered out most of the engineering problems and designed a
well balanced automobile.

Each Aurora is unique though, so not all will perform/behave the same.

My '97 has had very minor issues. The seals around the rear window
came apart and the air conditioning main control door. It was under
warranty at the time. Other than that, I have 51k (not 55k) happy
miles with my car. Keep in mind that I BABY this car as if it was a
human being. But I am a sick, materialistic individual that cares
WAY too much about cars. I get it serviced and keep it maintained
at REAL strict intervals.

Oh...And I NEVER EVER let my wife drive it. (Dont tell her I said that!)

Henry: Gimme a little more time to get that envelope/postage to you.
I've had a very tuff week here at the office. Real Busy! ...

joeolds · January 2001

It will never happen. It would be cool, but Olds (GM) isn't going to re-engineer any lame duck car lines. Also I don't think a great majority of people this car would appeal to could afford it new. I was able to afford a 3 year old Aurora only because it had depreciated to half of the original sticker (and the fact that I love Oldsmobiles). You are 19, and probably don't have a wife, kids, or mortgage. These tend to limit automotive expenditures, at least to some extent.

lobsterman · January 2001

i have not posted anything recently, but my 97 just hit 57k. had an altenator go in oct., 2000 and a new radiator put in in dec., 2000. thank god for warranty gold! just noticed little oil spots and a little coolant on garage floor. someone way back in this forum also had this problem. please give any info regarding this minor problem?? my car runs great otherwise. i get 22/23 mpg, stares, compliments and a lot of people ask what brand and model the car is. i live in so. florida and only have seen maybe about 12 different classics since i had mine9 (feb.,2000). Great car!

carbuyer66 · January 2001

just test-drove a '98 aurora w/30k miles. very nice ride. dealer wants 19.7k for it; didn't bargain YET -- first car to try out so far. told him i'd be back later. still trying to decide, but this is definitely worth a serious examination.

joeolds · January 2001

I don't know what your local market is like, but you should be able to buy that 98 you speak of for 17-18K. I bought my 98 on 12-30-00 with 19,400 miles for $17,995. My car only has the pearl white paint for options, but even if it has all of the 6 or 7 options offered the car should not be worth more than 19K.

Henry · January 2001

I agree with Joeolds that the dealer is asking too much for the car. You should be able to do $16,500 for the car.

I was just at a Pontiac dealership looking at the T/A for 2002. I parked my 95 Classic in front of the dealership in front of the service entrace since it was closed. NEVER park a CLASSIC in a parking lot next to another car. (see rule #3 in the Aurora owners manual)

I came out to find two people standing there admiring the car who told me never to sell the car because it will be a classic (as if any Aurorian needed to be told that). One guy was a Pontiac salesman that used to sell Olds. He stated that this and the Toro coupe were the best cars Olds produced (he obviously forgot the 442).

While this is not a swipe at the 2K1 kids, we all agreed that the Classic was a better looking car.
I say if you can get your hands on a Classic buy it, but be sure not to overpay. the car is a real sleeper so it is relatvely cheap to buy [[for now]].

VWBUS -- If I did not say this before, thanks for all of your information on installing the caddie engine.

carbuyer66 · January 2001

joe & henry -- you're right. i think edmunds inflates the price of this vehicle - people just aren't buying it, so I can surely do better than 19k. there seem to be a lot of them for sale in Dallas (and in Texas generally) so it should be easy to bargain. Looked on Carfax -- some of the cars have been out there for months, waiting to be sold. I really like this car. I have narrowed the search to this versus the Infiniti. I started out wanting to get another Volvo -- the S70, but why pay that much and get less? Besides, the Aurora looks so unique and has MORE power. I will miss the tank-like safety of the Volvo, however.

dindak · January 2001

I mentioned in the Intrigue forum that an article in this weekends Toronto Star interviewed some GM execs unofficially that said Aurora and Bravada are very likely to live on in other divisions as they are both very new models. Unfortunately Intrigue will be gone for sure in a couple of years. This is very good news for anyone considering a new Aurora though and perhaps we will see a 350HP supercharged version after all.

etharmon · January 2001

So your moving up from the Intrigue to the Aurora, not a bad move. I have an Intrigue as you know, but my father has a 95 Aurora and I have spent plenty of time behind the wheel of it. If your wanting more luxury, go with the Aurora. The Intrigue is more sporty and I like mine alot, but I'll be the first to tell you the Aurora rides smoother, is MUCH quieter inside, and despite it's heavier weight still handles pretty well. And the first generation Aurora's styling is very unique. And if you like the tank-like safety of a Volvo, the Aurora is better than the Intrigue in this regard as well. The Aurora is a very solid car. Seeing that 98s with low milage are selling for under $20K may cause me to rethink my decision. The lease on my Intrigue is up in August and I was really leaning toward taking advantage of the $1500 off and buying one(an Intrigue) if they were running the low finance rates as they have been, but a low mileage 98 or 99 Aurora sure is tempting as well. I've always leaned more toward luxury cars and while the Intrigue is an excellent sporty midsize sedan, the Aurora is clearly a more isolated and nicer car. Good luck on your decision.

redskin024 · January 2001

to find the value of the car you are looking at, go to www.kbb.com. it lets you select the options and gives you an aproximate estimate of what you should be paying.

carbuyer66 · January 2001

etharmon--

Yes, I am now leaning to the Aurora. I think you suggested that I try it out (due to my affinity for the Volvo). I had such a nice drive and was impressed by the style. Also -- UNLIKE THE VOLVO -- I have not heard much in terms of reliability issues in the Aurora -- at least the newer models. I was going to get a fully-loaded Intrigue GLS; now, I am leaning toward luxury. The problems associated with the '98 Volvo have kicked me into the direction of the Aurora; the styling has moved me away from the Intrigue.

Redskin --

I believe that KBB inflates prices in favor of the dealers. NADA.Com (run by the National Association of Auto Dealears!!) certainly does so. I prefer Edmunds and other sites out there (Intellichoice.com, Caranddriver.com, etc.) So far, I believe most of the sites have failed to factor in the plummeting demand for cars -- new or used. I expect to see an ever larger drop in market values for February.

etharmon · January 2001

I was not aware that Volvo had many reliability problems, but I've never really researched them. As for the Aurora, as most here have said, 98s are pretty reliable. It was the 4th year of production and there had been no major changes. My father has a 95 Aurora(first year) with over 75K now and despite being the first year of a totally new design(engine, chassis, everything) he has not had very many problems. And again, as much as I like the Intrige I don't think it will feel as tight as the Aurora does at 75K. It it still rattle free and the chassis itself still feels very solid. Only problem with the Aurora(as with most newer cars) is that repairs can be expensive and unless your well trained, the averge owner cannot do much under the hood of one it is so tight in there. My father bought his used and got them to throw an extended warranty in as part of the deal. It just expired at 75K so he's on his own now. Only other bad thing is it likes to drink premium unleaded fuel and if you like to drive the V8 the way God intended for it to be driven, you'd better have some extra $$ for gas. However, on the freeway at a steady speed, it can average up to 27mpg.

carbuyer66 · January 2001

Yes, the Volvo s70 had many electrical problems -- lights, batteries burning out, car dying in the streets. see forum on edmunds. consumer reports says the '98 is a car to avoid. i think most of the problems were electrical, not with the powertrain. it is a good car, but not worth the fear. the base model is just under the price of an aurora for the same year, but you don't get all the goodies that you get with aurora.

dcchristopher · January 2001

Just talked to Olds Customer Assistance and they said the $1000/$1500 certificates are being sent out tomorrow and should arrive within two weeks. For those that haven't received the mailer, Olds is rewarding recent customers with a voucher good for $1000 towards a GM vehicle or $1500 towards another Olds. The voucher doesn't expire for 5 years or so. From what the guy was saying "recent" customer sounded like anyone with a 96 purchase or newer. I doubt it covers non-dealer purchases. If you guys want more info call Olds Cust. Asst at 1-866-306-6030.
BTW, the reason I called was to ask about the new 5/60 MPP which I thought was more like a warranty (even if it was obviously a marketing thing) but it ends up it's more like an MPP

I was trying to claim they should give it to recent buyers like yours truly but since it's not a warranty (i.e. they stand by the car) it doesn't work that way. Oh well, doesn't hurt to try.
Take care, all.

Oldsmobile Aurora

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