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Oldsmobile Aurora

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Comments

  • jonbgoodjonbgood Member Posts: 157
    The black trim on my factory sunroof is flaking off exposing the chromed metal underneath. The car is under warranty so I assumed it would be covered. The srvc. mgr. looked at it today and said GM wouldn't pay for it. I don't understand this. About half of the Auroras I've looked at over the last two months had this same problem. Someone here told me their dealer repainted theirs. I put a call into the 800 number listed in the warranty book in the glove box. Lady was very nice but couldn't resolve the issue without talking to a district somebody. She said she was getting conflicting information on if it was covered. Anybody else having this issue with their sunroof? Anybody get any warranty relief on this? (still love the car regardless!!)
  • mindseye97mindseye97 Member Posts: 25
    Musclecar97- I saw that same loose hose when I changed plugs/wires a few months back. I automatically assumed that it may be a vacuum leak after not finding any fitting for it so I put a screw in the hose. Guess I better dive into the shop manual now and make sure it's not a vent hose...
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    I got an email from Oldsmobile that they changed the specs on the 2003 Aurora because of me. I feel so validated now. If you go here you will see that the compression ratio, fuel suggestion, and the EPA fuel economy are now correct. Even though the stats were wrong for the most important sales years (2001 and 2002) of the new Aurora, I can die knowing I've helped in some small way with the preservation of the Aurora through the dispersion of accurate information. Fifty years from now when car buffs look back on the Aurora, they will know that for its last year on this world it was accompanied by a correct spec sheet.

    Actually, it's funny that the Northstar/Aurora was redesigned to run on 87 octane gas, but that Olds didn't even bother to make that fact known by having the correct info on their website. media.gm.com is in fact where the media gets their specs from. Most every maker has a site specifically for the media to get info to them. So if the media.gm.com specs say it uses premium, then that's what the magazines will report.
  • javidoggjavidogg Member Posts: 366
    A while back I posted a note on my sunroof having problems with the black triming peeling off all around looking all nasty, look at Aurora Owners: Problems & Solutions post number 168. Then my sunroof just started acting up, not closing all the way or not venting up all the way. I took it in to the dealer and they told me they will have to replace some internal parts, also they had to replaced the whole glass wich included the "outside black trim". In a way it worked out for me I some what got a tune up on my sunroof with a new glass and trimings too. To tell you the truth when I got my car back I did not open the sunroof for like 3 days, just so it had enough time to dry out so I don't damage anything, but when I opened it again for the first time it felt like a brand spanking new sunroof that was never opened before. Hope this helps, the dealer should be able to help you out with something especially if you have the GM Warranty. Let us know how it turns out for you. Peace.
  • symi81symi81 Member Posts: 5
    I was wondering what all of you think Olds should do for the last Aurora's ever built - the Collector Editions next year. Personaly, I think they should go all out: Increase power to around 300 hp, tighten the handeling, offer 18 inch wheels, a 400 watt stereo, Xenon headlights, a wood wheel and shifter, silver or black exterior and a leather interior in either solid black, or a two-tone option of some sort. With the two-tone they could have black, then maybe tan piping and tan seat inserts that are preforated like the Collector Edition Intrigue's are. Suede inserts would be cool too. Anything unique that stands out!

    Speaking of a black interior, why dont they offer a black interior with the current Auroras? I had to settle for that dark grey, which looks nice, but black would have been so much better.

    Finally, I was wondering what the performance transmission mode was that I hear about sometimes. I have looked all over my car's interior for a button of some sort, but I cant find anything. Can anybody explain what the deal is? Thanks!
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    Oldsmobile will produce an Aurora V8 Collector Edition. The last 500 vehicles that roll off the line in mid-2003 will come equipped with distinct embroidery, wheels, ornamentation, color, and badging, along with a special Collector Edition certificate for the owner.

    Personally, I've never really liked wood steering wheels or shifters as they don't feel good on the hand. They look nice but I prefer the soft grippy leather that is on the wheel now. Grab the wheel on a wood-equipped STS and compare it to your Aurora's wheel. I doubt you'd want to trade. A bump in power would be nice, but I doubt it will happen... Actually, Taylor has shown that you can squeeze a fair amount more out of the car with some well-though-out mods. It looks like he'll get at least 280hp with some intake and exhaust finessing without any driveability trade-offs. I would be interested to see how the new Aurora compares to the classic in terms of tuneability. I tried the ram-air yesterday and will post some picts and the story on Acces & Mods later.

    The power button was on the classic Aurora but was dropped for the new one. It was just a button that adjusted the transmissions "attitude". In the normal mode it probably shifted with similar logic to our tranny. In the performance mode, it would hold gears longer under part-throttle and downshift sooner. However, under WOT they all do the same thing. I've been very satisfied with the way the tranny shifts, and don't miss having the button. It will downshift when I want it to, and upshift when it should.

    It's interesting you mentioned the interior colors. They actually pared the choices down for 2002 from 2001. You should be glad you could even get the gray. Apparently no one bought anything but the neutral. I really like the two-tone neutral interior because it highlights the wood and chrome and is a very welcoming color.
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    Who is Karen S and what happenned to PAT?
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I'm right here! You may have seen KarenS in an Owners Club discussion? She's the host of the topics that are exclusive to that board.

    :)

    Pat
    Sedans Host
  • symi81symi81 Member Posts: 5
    rjs200240, thats interesting that you tell me the "power button" is not offered any more. I am sure you are right because I have no such button or option on my car. The thing that confuses me is that on the Aurora homepage they say, "The 4.0-liter also offers a choice of normal or performance transmission operating modes." Maybe they mean you can shift it yourself for a "performance mode" through the gated shifter.
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    The site was probably not updated for the change when it was revamped for the 2K1 models.

    Surely, you don't believe everything you see on a website!
  • musclecar97musclecar97 Member Posts: 111
    Nice to have you on board, Henri's right as usual, the website wasn't updated.
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    That website is wrong. They had all sorts of carryover information. It's pretty annoying.
  • jonbgoodjonbgood Member Posts: 157
    My 1 wk old (to me anyway) '99 Aurora servc. engine light came on Thursday. Took it into the shop today and the codes were going through the roof. They won't be able to diagnose it until Monday so they gave me a Delta 88 to drive until then. Hope this is not a sign of things to come.
  • javidoggjavidogg Member Posts: 366
    Does anyone here know if the Classic Aurora has a passenger air filter inside of the car, like in the Intrigues? If there is one where is it located at and is it easy to replace?
  • hammen2hammen2 Member Posts: 1,284
    Javidogg,

    I don't think the Classic has an air filter for the passenger cabin (would have been nice for us allergy-prone folks, though :-)

    --Robert
  • mike98cmike98c Member Posts: 293
    I noticed on the contemporary Cadillac board a posting talking about the standard seville (non STS) having no rear sway bar and a THICKER 3/4 inch front bar than the STS Does anyone no how this compares to the 98 and newer front bar on the Aurora?
  • jg28jg28 Member Posts: 257
    look at the collector Intrigues. Not a very special edition if you ask me. Some cherry paint and 17 inch aurora wheels and some heritage badging do not a collector's edition make. They didn't even include Precision Control System.
  • HenryHenry Member Posts: 1,106
    I heard GM was going to give the car Special 442
    badging cause the Aurora was the only car they make that could carryout the "name".
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    Yeah... 4 liters (instead of 4-barrel), 4 on-the-floor, and 2 exhaust tips (not quite a dual exhaust, though)... It would certainly be better than some of the recent 442's. Wasn't there one in the mid eighties on the FWD Calais platform?

    I'd really be surprised if they pulled that name up, though.

    I too was a bit disappointed in the CE Intrigue. I can't believe they didn't base it on the GLS and load it up. Pretty dumb if you ask me.
  • daevendaeven Member Posts: 28
    Shame on me for talking about selling my 95 Aurora. It has had a mysterious leak in the AC refrigerant (i.e. mechanics can't find it). We have assumed it was the condensor. This morning when I started the car, there was a horrendous grinding in the area of the serpentine belt. Funny thing is that it went away after about one minute. So, can I assume it was a contaminant in the bearings of some accessory, and that it cleaned itself out? Come on, help me out here. :-)

    Since the AC has been leaking, I would hope it is just the compressor. Too bad the leak hasn't been visible, which means that it is probably not JUST the compressor.

    I guess the lesson is that 200K miles is good enough for any air conditioner.
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    Have they tried that A/C dye? It's some dye you put into the A/C system and then you look for the dye to find the leak. It seems like if it is leaking somewhere it would have to leave some trace of it... That's pretty strange.

    As for the noise, you might try looking under the hood to make sure everything is ok.
  • daevendaeven Member Posts: 28
    Yes, A/C dye has been used in it each year. No dye was ever spotted leaking out. I heard back from the mechanic. The compressor is definately shot. I've got a line on a used/rebuilt compressor for $200. I'll go with that.

    The mechanic said I should replace the receiver/dryer and orifice tube at the same time since they can get contaminated with bits of the compressor.

    These new parts plus the compressor installation will set me back an additional $538. I probably still have leaks in the condenser behind the dash.
  • oldsman2oldsman2 Member Posts: 14
    I just replaced my compressor and orphus tube this weekend, and the entire project ended up being a disaster! I was able to get a rebiult compresor for $170, and the orphus tube was $9 from the dealer. As for the receiver/drier, this car does not have one! It does have an accumulater, though, which serves a similar function. In conclusion, my A/C now works perfect, but the check engine light is one and the car is running like crap! I suspect that I accidentally broke a wire to a sensor during this major repair.
  • ygo2workygo2work Member Posts: 5
    I have a 99 Aurora with the standard CD/Cassette/AM/FM set up. Has anyone tried an add-on satellite (XM or Sirius) radio and antenna? I may be taking some long trips and I'd like to get uninterrupted radio. The radio in there won't even receive any AM stations in many locations, and maybe only one or two FM stations. It's apparently not a very strong tuner in there.
    Louis
  • 800wattaurora800wattaurora Member Posts: 187
    Here's a joke I found off the GM formus by Cruzship, I thought it was good and true.

    "For all of us who feel only the deepest affection for the way computers have enhanced our lives:

    At a recent computer exposition (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated: "If General Motors had kept up with the technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

    In response to Mr. Gates' comments, GM issued a press release stating: "If General Motors had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

    1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice aday.

    2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.

    3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason, you would simply accept this

    4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.

    5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun,was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive --but would run on only five percent of the roads.

    6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "General Protection Fault" warninglight.

    7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.

    8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.

    9. Every time GM introduced a new car, car buyers would have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.

    10. You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off."

    pretty good huh?

    800wattAURORA
  • symi81symi81 Member Posts: 5
    that GM/Microsoft thing is pretty damn funny, mainly cause its true.

    Concerning the C.E. Olds', I agree they are pretty lame considering they are the last of a legendary, 100+ year-old brand. They definetly should have made them more special than they are. Furthermore, the Aurora should be the last Olds ever produced, not the Alero. Think of how sweet it would have been if the last ever Oldsmobile was a souped-up Aurora with like 350 horsepower and every luxury feature available in the GM parts bin.

    ...Oh wait, nevermind, we wouldnt wanna put any extra money or resources into a stupid collectors edition car, especialy if its only the last car for America's oldest car brand.
  • hardestyhardesty Member Posts: 166
    Too bad that when they make corrections, they don't bother to read over the whole page. The spec for F/R weight is 67%/27% (only adds up to 90%), I wouldn't mind is my car was 380 lbs lighter, and the engine only takes 5.5 qts of oil (so why do I always put in 8?). I pointed out to Olds that the picture of the V8 that was on their site for most of 2001 was an older engine (plug wires visible, the current motor has no plug wires). I am a spec nut (mostly, I just like to know whats real).

    After looking at the sales figures for Oldsmobile this year (through May), I am suprised that GM is even going to finish the 2003 model year at all. Sales were down last year, and this year is running at about half of last years pace. I bought the last 2 new Oldsmobiles (2002 Aurora 4.0 & 2002 Silhouette Premiere AWD) to be sold within 50 miles of home, so even though I would love to have one of the last off the line, I will wait for them to show up used.

    Re: the 442, Those of you with 17" wheels, pull off one of the center caps and look at the mold number. Yep, mold # 442. Somebody at Olds design has a sense nostalga afterall.

    Oldsmobile 1896-2003, the only car sold in America in the 19th, 20th, AND 21st centuries.
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    I'll be danged. I never noticed that weight distribution thing. I did notice the oil capacity but figured it was for the 3.5 liter. I guess since there isn't a 3.5 anymore they should change it. I'll have to look for the 442 thing.

    Yes, I don't see the point in "winding down" Oldsmobile. Once you decide to kill it, the sales are obviously going to suffer. I'm not sure what the point of dragging it out is. I mean, I don't want to see Olds go but that isn't going to change. So at least let it go with some dignity. Magazines won't even include them in comparos anymore since they are getting the axe. I imagine the Alero will probably still sell pretty well next year, though, since it is so much more attractive than the Grand Am.
  • matrixfrogmatrixfrog Member Posts: 180
    I bought 4 Yokohama AVS Intermediate tires from Discount Tire. I paid $312 for everything and now im just waiting for them to come in. Discount Tire will match any competors prices so I used tirerack.com and they matched them at $56 a piece. I think he said they normally sell them for $87 a piece. They're ZR rated. I let everyone know how I like them when I get them on.

    I painted my brake calipers gold today with some high temp paint. I like it and really goes well with the gold package. I'll post pictures as soon as I can.
  • blk97aurorablk97aurora Member Posts: 573
    musclecar97:

    The part is an "evaporative emissions canister purge vacuum switch."
  • larryfllarryfl Member Posts: 214
    ...Help!

    I've put about 3500 highway miles on my classic over the last 2 weeks and weird things are starting to happen (car now has a total of 85K miles). I typically run about 85MPH +or-.

    The biggest concern to me is what seems to be the torque converter locking up and releasing under a steady cruise. After about 2-3 hours at speed in the Florida heat, I can see the tach drop about 200-300 RPM and a few moments later it jumps back up (very fast, like you threw an electrical switch)and I feel a jolt (kinda disconcerting at 85-90MPH in the middle of nowhere late at night). This happens over and over again with varying frequency.

    Other weirdness that began in the last few weeks:
    1- The car has started surging at low speeds. When pulling into a parking space or up to a stop light it will suddenly want to surge forward.
    2- My 95 doesn't have the security system but does have the GM Passkey. The security light (owner's manual says it indicates a failure in the passkey system)came on one day for the whole day. The next day it's off and hasn't come on again.
    3- The check engine light hasn't come on once so I assume there are no fault codes being written.

    So what do you think, guys? Is it finally time to get that 3rd party warranty?
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    What do you think of painted calipers? Not painted some bright or outrageous color, though. The only way I'd consider it is painting them the same exact color as the exterior. I think it might look nice that way. Maybe not, though...

    I'm not sure what I'd have to do to paint them with exterior paint, though. There is already a black coating on them.
  • javidoggjavidogg Member Posts: 366
    I'm considering painting my calipers red or blue. I have 18inch chrome wheels, my Aurora is Onyx Black. What do you guys think?
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    Nothing says I like "Uncle Ben's" like painted calipers. If you're really going for the gull wing / giant air dam / green turn signals / clear tail lights look - sell your classy Aurora and go purchase a Civic. I hear their calipers are easier to paint without feeling like you just ruined something good.

    If you want your calipers to look nice behind the wheels, get them polished. Or get them POWDER COATED black. The powder coat will be more durable and the black won't be obscene like some other colors mentioned above.

    The only time red belongs on calipers is when it is in the shape of the word "CORVETTE"
  • shucknetshucknet Member Posts: 98
    If you have those 18" wheels on the car, you really should go buy a Baer big brake kit for the car (Deville kit would probably work) and put the 13" rotors and 3 piston calipers on it. Now that would be a nice look.
  • musclecar97musclecar97 Member Posts: 111
    Thanks blk97 I figured it had to be some type of relief valve when I couldn't find a hose to hookup to the outlet. Is the metal fitting which connects the part to the engine rusting on yours?

    T-minus 10 days till the carshow/ 1/4mile runs, starting to get pumped!
  • blk97aurorablk97aurora Member Posts: 573
    musclecar97:

    You are welcome. Yes, my bracket is rusty also; I hadn't noticed it until seeing your post.

    Good luck with the 1/4-mile runs. I look forward to seeing your results.
  • blk97aurorablk97aurora Member Posts: 573
    Henry and rjs200240:

    It could be named the 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-2. For 4.0 liter, 4-on-the-floor, 4 camshafts, 4 valves per cylinder, 4-bolt mains, 4 doors, 4 ignition coils, 4 wheels and tires (stretching a bit here), and dual exhausts (sort of).

    Seriously, as the owner of a 1970 4-4-2 I cannot agree that either Aurora carries out the "name." Don't get me wrong, I love my '97 Classic. Its luxury creature comforts exceed the 4-4-2 without a doubt. But 500 ft-lbs of torque certainly exceed our 4.0's output; that 500 gross equates to something like 350 to 400 ft-lbs net as measured today. Zero-to-60 in less than 6.0 seconds versus 7.3 to 8.0+ depending on whose figures you believe. Comments are always made about how heavy the classic Aurora is; it is less than 200 pounds heavier than my 3800-pound 1970 4-4-2 sport coupe. 1970 top speed of 132 mph at 6000 rpm redline (with 3.42 rear end) is lower than the Autobahn top speed. While today's radial tires are far superior to 1970 Goodyear Polyglas bias-belted tires, I do not believe the rest of the suspension is better for handling.
  • blk97aurorablk97aurora Member Posts: 573
    shucknet:

    I enjoyed reading your tasteful comments about brake caliper colors. Clever, insightful reference to Uncle Ben.

    The calipers on my '97 were showing some rust, so I pulled the wheels, sanded off the rusty spots, and painted the calipers with a medium gray spray paint called Cast Blast. I cut a piece of card board to use as a shield to prevent spraying paint on the rotors. Powder coating would be nice, but is mucho more than I can afford.
  • rjs200240rjs200240 Member Posts: 1,277
    You don't think matching the body color (mine is a dark red) on the calipers would be tasteful? Well, that's why I asked. Actually, I went and stared at the wheels for a while and I think it would be pretty tacky. They are already black, so not much point in painting them black or powder-coating. Blk97Aurora, there are some do-it-yourself powder coating kits, but I think you have to bake the part. This would be a problem if you didn't want to disassemble your brakes.

    I guess the Z06 has the red lettering? In 1996 the Collector's Edition and the Grand Sport had white lettering on the front caliper. Maybe I should get some stencils and paint "Aurora" on mine... :) Just kidding...

    Blk97, by 1987 (the last RWD 442) the 442 only put out 170 horsepower and 250 lb-ft and had a top speed of 120 mph. Plus, a 0-60 time in the mid 8's. By 1990, the 442 was a FWD Calias with only 4 cylinders. So I have to say, I don't think the Aurora would be the car that cheapens the 442 name...

    If your 1970 442 weighs 3800 pounds, then it is pretty dang close to the new Aurora's 3802 pound weight. Plus, the new Aurora tops out at 132, but isn't at it's redline. So the new Aurora could keep pulling to an even faster speed (perhaps with 2003 442-specific Z-rated rubber). I suppose you could make the case that the 442 was about the biggest power, in which case the Aurora and Calias are still cool as they have the most powerful engine Olds offers at production time (even the 3800 didn't make the 180-190hp of the Quad 4 in 1991). You could also make the case that the 442 was about putting this biggest of engines into the lightest car that can fit it (which would make the Calias a legit 442). While the Intrigue might fit a 4.0 Northstar (but I doubt it) there won't be any Intrigue for 2003. That leaves only the Aurora and the Alero. I'd say the V8 Aurora is much more "442" material than the V6 Alero... If they do go with 442 for the last year, I hope like hell they don't paint "442" onto the doors!
  • hammen2hammen2 Member Posts: 1,284
    In a recent message, someone commented on the poor AM reception on the Classic. I'd like to echo that - had to drive to Fond du Lac (about 75 miles northwest of Milwaukee) the other night. With previous (GM) cars, I used to be able to pick up WBBM in Chicago all the way up to Green Bay, but I couldn't even keep it all of the way to FDL. Heck, I could barely hear Milwaukee AM radio! I also noted there seemed to be a lot of engine interference - when I stopped at a gas station and shut the engine off, reception clarity improved significantly. Is this everyone's experience with their AM radios? I have the Bose/Accoustimass stereo, and thus don't listen to AM much, but was trying to keep up with a news story...

    Also, a favor to ask of anyone who has had a road-force balance on your Classic (to eliminate the "65 to 74 mph vibration" issue). May I ask what you paid to have this done? Has anyone had this done and had it NOT resolve the vibration?

    Thanks, in advance,

    --Robert
  • renmundrenmund Member Posts: 1
    Replacing all 4 rotors and pads on my 96 Aurora (well my dad is actually doing the work, as I am not exactly automotively inclined) and I have a question. Are there any secrets for getting the brake knuckle away from the rotor on the rear brakes? The front is allready done, but we seem to have hit a snag with the rear brakes. After a buch of looking and experimental bolt unfastening we seem to have everything apart. The knuckle is off the rotor and we seem to have found that there is some swivel that might have been the easy way to go from the start. We have the new rotor on but are having a heck of a time getting the pads to stay in their retaining clips and getting everything to come together again. If you could give me some advice on how to get the knuckle to swivel away from the rotor easily that would be great so that we can at least do the other side the right way. ALso a little help on what we might need to do to get everything to come together again without the brake pads falling off the clips everytime we try to slide them on the rotor would be great as well.
  • oldsman2oldsman2 Member Posts: 14
    Doing this has reduced the vibration problem, but not 100%. I also live in the Milwaukee area (Oak Creek), and there are aparently very few tire shops and/or Olds dealers that have this equipment. I had new Aquatreds put on the car back in October, and that ios when my problems began. The morons at the Goodyear shop I went to never heard of any balancing issues with this car (these particular morons are from the Goodyear shop located on HWY 100 across from Budget movie cinemas). After locating the service bulletin my self, I took the car back to them and told them how they should correct the problem...after 2 tries, they seem to have at least gotten close enough where I will not have to go back. An important side note is that they had to drive my car to their shop out on Bluemound Road in Waukesha because that is the only Goodyear shop in town to have the proper equipment. Good LUCK!
  • garnesgarnes Member Posts: 950
    Hammen2 - I had this done at Discount Tire where I bought the new tires. I had this vibration problem right from the first mile with the new MXV4's on the 98. (I think we have the same black 98 autobahn - options and all).

    Anyway, they did this without charging because I had just bought the tires and was having problems. They said the normal charge was $15 wheel.

    It seems to have worked. They said they found two of the wheels over the limit of 16 lbs of force. They remounted them to cancel out rim/tire high spots. Apparently they monitor the rolling force and a high spot will produce a spike in the force reading as the wheel rotates. The tires and rims were OK, they just were unfortunately mounted in the worst way - just bad luck. Sometimes the tires can be defective or the rim bent as well. They can detect all this.

    Apparently, there are different levels of sensitivity this test can be done. I'd ask about this too.

    This equipment is pretty expensive - 11k or 12k. Some Goodyears have it (I think they quoted me $150 or so). But try Discount Tire if they are around. Just remember to re torque all the lugs. They can't do that right as I documented before.

    Oh yeah - absolutely go with the weights clipped on the rim. The ones they stick inside the barrel are less accurate and actually end up using more weight.
  • garnesgarnes Member Posts: 950
    That was great.
  • daevendaeven Member Posts: 28
    I'm not an expert of any kind, but I did do the rear brakes on my Aurora. I remember the only difference was having to back out the calipers (I think). This was done by rotating what you might be calling the knuckles. I figure a real mechanic has a special tool to attach to it. I just put a screwdriver to it and tapped it with a hammer to loosen the thing.

    Like I said, I didn't know what I was doing, and I can't say that it will work for you. Be careful and don't break anything.

    The high mileage Aurora is no longer in my possession. I sold it with 213,000 miles on it. It apparenly got pissed at me for listing it last weekend. The A/C compressor siezed. I got one for $200 in a junkyard and had it installed. Now it's colder than I ever remember.
  • beach15beach15 Member Posts: 1,305
    I'm just curious, but what was the Aurora like at 213,000 miles?? A lot of squeaks and rattles? Any leaks? Did you have to replace a lot of components over time?

    Just checking, but what's the general reliability and problems with 95-99 Auroras? I'm just now starting to look into a first car (though probably still many months off), and have always been a fan of 1st gen Auroras and Rivieras. My current fave is the Intrigue, I just love driving my grandmother's 99'. Seeing that an Aurora had 213,000 miles before being sold is quite inspiring.
  • hammen2hammen2 Member Posts: 1,284
    Beach15, look up approximately 100 or so messages - for jonb I put together a list of the "common" problems with the car. I don't think that squeaks/rattles are a consistent problem with the Aurora (the Lake Orion plant, which built both the Classic and the New, is known for its inconsistent quality - and, after hearing stories from my mother-in-law, who used to work there, I can understand why).

    I have a black interior in my black car, and the center console is more likely to squeak/groan going over large bumps than my mother-in-law's tan interior on her pearl white car - probably due to the higher heat levels inside my car causing the plastic surfaces to distort somewhat. I'm just super-picky about my car - the average person would probably not notice anything.

    The big achilles heel of the Classic is the A/C compressor - very common, and easily a $1k+ dealer repair. Lots of other "common" GM problems - water pump, alternator, etc. The fuel pressure regulator is another common repair item. Some people have tranny problems. Every model of car has its "known" problems, some are just more extensive (and expensive) than others.

    I don't want to scare you away from the Aurora - it's a great car - but, if your expectations are flawless reliability, it ain't the one to get. I highly recommend an extended warranty - mine paid for itself when my A/C compressor seized earlier this year, and I've had a subsequent repair, too. These third-party warranties can be expensive ($1k - $2k), and you have to clearly investigate what they will cover, and what they won't (and the financial soundness/backing of the company). There's more info/horror stories on the finance and warranty board here on Edmunds.

    I know the thought of having to spend another $1k-$2k for a warranty probably doesn't appeal to you, but this is mitigated by the fact that the "street price" of used Auroras is so low (due to the demise of Oldsmobile, as well as other reasons), the car represents a tremendous deal as is. Of course, resale value also isn't great, so don't plan on it holding its value. If you intend to drive it until the wheels come off, it's a great car and will, with proper maintenance and care, do 150k-200k miles (the engine is fantastic).

    Hope this helps,

    --Robert
  • beach15beach15 Member Posts: 1,305
    No, I know all about GM and inconsistent build quality, so I wasn't expecting the Aurora to be stellar either. I'm beyond anal when it comes to cars and have my own detailing business, so little things tend to annoy me big time. Rattles are one of the main reasons we got rid of our 2000 Chrysler 300M. That and it was way too noisy, wasn't very powerful, was too small for us, etc., etc. It was our second Chrysler and now we're back to GM only. We currently have a 1969 Chevy Chevelle Malibu, a 1979 GMC van, and a 2002 Chevy Avalanche. The first two are my father's, and he swears by most GM products (as expected), and it's all he'll probably ever buy.

    I'm still thinking more towards an Intrigue. I just loved driving the 99' GX with the 3.8 my grandmother has. I've been looking around at just about every other GM sedan or coupe (used) in the same price range, but keep coming back to the Intrigue, with the Aurora a close second or third.

    It's a beatiful car and no doubt luxurious and high performance, but maybe a bit too large and/or fancy. But, you never know. I haven't driven one yet, but sure would like too!
  • gisomgisom Member Posts: 144
    has just turned over a 100k and I want to replace the struts on front. Do I need power tools to take struts off? Since I replaced the rear shocks, my load levelers still buzz while driving. I plan on letting the dealer look at that and also ask about the decals for the steering wheel controls. My controls for the volume and seek are really getting scratchy.
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