Oldsmobile Aurora

rjs200240 · July 2003

You are saying they will give you new-car invoice for a used car? Sorry, but I think you are getting screwed. The cars are not that hard to find new, and certainly not used. There are still 03's and even 02's out there new though. I paid essentially invoice minus $1,900 GM Card dollars and got basically 0% financing, and I ordered my car to my specifications. No way I would pay that for one that was used. Hell, if you were buying it new, you could get invoice as you are now, plus about $3,000 in cash back. So you are paying more because it has almost 5,000 miles on it. That's crazy.

I did an Edmund's pricing on a 2002 with 4,600 miles, and every option but the nav system. The Edmund's certified price was just over $25,000. I would say this is a lot closer to what you should consider paying.

You are pretty much in control. Aurora's in a lot of areas are just languishing on the lots. The longer they sit there, the more money the dealer is losing. If you are willing to pay invoice (before all the cash-back), get a new one. If you want that demo, pay a lot under invoice. If the dealer gives you crap, leave. Find another one. The dealer sounds like a jerk anyway, so why buy from them and have to deal with them in the future?

aurora5000 · July 2003

I think you are right. I guess I should quit whining about mileage. When I get the Aurora paid off in 2 years, she wants a new car and it looks like the CTS-V 400 HP version. I am sure that will require the top grade of gas.But I keep telling her "Daddy needs the Caddy".

AWC- We bought brand new when we did because the difference in price between NEW and DEMO was not anything to get excited about. Like 2K or 3K.

KEN....BUY THE BOSE SYSTEM...

rjs200240 · July 2003

Go to http://media.gm.com and they have info up about all the 2004 models including the GTO, new Malibu, and the Bonnie GXP. The GXP will have a Northstar 4.6 with 275hp and a 3.71 final drive. Fuel economy isn't listed, but I'm quite curious. I guess Pontiac is allowed to have a 4.6, just not Oldsmobile. I suppose that's because the Aurora was really a competitor to Caddy whereas a 4.6 Bonnie is too boy-racer to steal Seville buyers... The GXP has 14"/13" brakes, though. I wonder if those would fit on the Aurora...

cehsr8033 · July 2003

In response to a post complaining that there were no new issues on this board, thought I would check in.
I bought a 2001 4.0 in 12/2001 with 9000 miles--I now have 38000 on the odometer and frankly, the car has been so trouble free that I really haven't had to keep up with the board.
I did have some trim issues that were handled by the dealer without complaint--three of the vents on the dash broke vanes (?) and had to be replaced and one trim piece on the pillar at the windshield came loose. Other than these items, there has been no reason for taking them in.
The car's performance has been great. I average about 24mpg on highway and right at 20 around town. I keep very good records on the gas consumption and have documented every fill up.
I live in the intermountain west, lots of grades and some steep ones and these are no problem with this car--even the narrow winding roads are comfortable--the car never loses its stability and, interestingly, I never get a stability warning from the suspension system, except a couple of times on ice.
I have noticed that the cruise control, upon resuming will not upshift the transmission correctly--the revs stay up in the 3500 range even when the desired speed is achieved. This is annoying but a tap on the brakes and resetting takes care of the problem.
Have taken some long trips and on one I drove, in winter conditions from Southeast Idaho to McPherson Kansas in 18 hrs. That was about 1200 miles, some of which was on snowy roads--the car went thru with complete confidence.
My only complaint with the car is that it lacks the trunk space I need. I say this because my wife and I golf and when both our bags are in the trunk there is very little space for the luggage and we do have to put too much in the back seat for my comfort. I believe this may be a problem that has no real solution--I don't know of a car that I would drive that currently has a lot of space!
I am very pleased with the reliability of the car--I have no incidences of fear that the car will leave me stranded. On occassion in wet weather, I have had some "warning" lights come on that indicates a problem with the suspension but a reset takes care of it. I have noticed that in below zero weather, I will get a "Low Tire Pressure" warning but attribute that to the extreme cold.
All in all this has been a fine car. I like the styling, don't feel a bit "under luxury" in it and I especially like the fact that I don't meet myself every five minutes. We just returned from a trip to Torrey Pines and I think I only saw about five other new Auroras the whole way! Lordy, I saw more new dark green BMW 745s than that! I keep finding all sorts of things to enjoy--even the shelf area just above the ashtray and lighter is a perfect size to put a smaller framed handgun! It is out of sight, even when the ashtray door is opened! Now, I don't reccomend that to everyone but if one has a conceled weapons permit--this "shelf" fills the bill perfectly.
So, I am updated with all of you. I can't speak to the benefits of the Bose system because I don't hear all that well, find music irritating in a automobile environment which is, perhaps, the worst possible environment to have a stereo--no car, highway, or weather condition permits even the most rudimentary platform for the nuances of kind of music one should enjoy on the road. Course, if you are into rap crap, I guess a Bose system will get everyone's attention.

rjs200240 · July 2003

Hey, thanks for filling us in on your experiences with the Aurora. Mine has been completely trouble-free as well, though I've only got about 19,500 on my 2002 4.0. My 1st-to-2nd upshift is sort of hard, a little firmer than I'd expect and firmer than the other shifts, but it hasn't bothered me enough to take the car in. The new Aurora really seems to have been built solid.

Hey, you said: "the car has been so trouble free that I really haven't had to keep up with the board." Just so you know, this board isn't only about problems. Hopefully that will be the smallest part of the board. It's great just to hear about other people's experiences and enjoyment with the Aurora. That's really the reason I read this at all. If it were only a trouble board, I would have stopped reading long ago.

Anyway, great to hear from you and to hear about your car, and I look forward to hearing more in the future.

Hey Steve, you mentioned the CTS V-series as your next car. Looks like we might have identical garages. That car is really intriguing me as the Aurora replacement. We still have about 2 1/2 more years of paying off the 2002, though. But my wife likely be needing another car by then, and she loves the Aurora. So at this point the plan is to get a V-series. Who knows what the next Corvette will be like, though, or what other Caddies will be on the scene then. But a 400hp V8, 6-speed manual, plus 4-doors and a much nicer interior all for about the same price as a Z06 is pretty impressive. It's a whole lot of car, though not exactly at an Aurora price.

800wattaurora · July 2003

Sad to say but the 800wattAURORA is gone guys.She will be missed. She just didn't want to stop backfiring. Problem would go away for a while with a new injector(s) but would come back, FPR, Fuel rails, and others where replaced but still goes BOOM out the intake. Along with that, again, the traction off light wouldn't go away and one day I realized there was almost 2-inches of "play" in the stering wheel. Figured it cost more to fix than it's trade in value being a 96 with 98K. Just had to say no more to the white bomb. I took out the stereo and traded her in. I loved that car though. Going to miss it. If it only would of stop backfiring, I would of payed to keep her going, caused I loved that 4.0 V8 Classic.

So What to buy next I thought? I'm 22 don't want to spend a ton on a car but gotta drive something nice. First car was 86 olds cutlass 442, than the white aurora, now what? I'm not going to settle for honda or something. After lots of research and test drives. I was more confused than ever. I didn't really want to spend more than 20 grand or so. What's the best used car for under 20G's and can have low miles? I'm going to drive everything I thought could be nice (this is in no paticular order) several 00-03 Maximas, new style Altimas, two 01 Acura CL typeS, couple 99-02 Audi A4's 1.8T and 2.8's, Lincoln LS, VW's Jetta and passets, Pontiac GTP's and SSEI's, and Subuaru WRX's.

I almost bought a new WRX left from last year for a good deal, but decided I wouldn't be happy with out some luxury features which the Aurora had plenty and don't want a stick car for daily driver in Chicago traffic. I had a reality check test drive, the WRX with turbo AWD power than go back that up with a new 03 GTP w/3k (at same dealer) and think wow, powers right there with out having to shift, and it's bigger and roomier, I can get a roof and heated seats, and the aftermarket world is huge for the 3800Supercharged, So to make a long story short I decided on the new bodystyle SSEi. End up getting a great deal on a 01 SSEi with 18K. . The best thing about the deal was that is was owned by a little old lady. A old couple acutally but she drove. They bought there last 4 cars at this Ponitac/GMC dealer, last 3 were ssei's and they traded this one in for a new GMCYukon Denali, Dealer serviced for all oil changes. What a great history. Grany owned. Soon to be customized by me. The car is in perfect shape, its the Silver metal flake exterior and black/gray leather and has every opiton, 17in chrome rims, roof, HUD, onstar, heated seats. Loving the sun roof, only option the Aurora didn't have plus non-autobaun.

Car dealers are diying right now, I sat at the dealer and said "no that two much" and "I'm not sure" for four and a half hours and got the price down from 22,900 to 17,800 and got 3,750 for the aurora as is, backfiring and ses lights on and all. pretty good dealing if I don't say so myself. So with extra cash to burn, I can mod it up faster than the aurora and put in my dream stereo system.

The ride is different than the aurora, better and worse, but it's mine now. I do like the more "sporty" feel of the car, but it isn't as "plush and comfy" as the aurora, not as classy, but more aggressive. It definintly doesn't pull as hard as the aurora in the high rpms but has that tire roasting low end. The performance aftermarket for the GTP is mostly the same for SSEi's. Already planning on ordering a Thrasher cold air intake and smaller supercharger pulley, maybe even some headers soon. I'll get this Silver bullet running mid-lows 13's by next year. That's the plan. The Sleepier Silver ssei.

The Bose stereo just isn't doing it for me. So one week of owner ship and the new MEGA stereo is going in. Soon to be the 1,450wattSSEi Talked to my buddies at tweeter and the new trunk install will be all custom with Plexi window to see the sub magnets and flush mount the subs in the sides, my dream stereo setup will finally be mine!

Can't wait. Thanks for being there for me guys over that last +3 years, it's been great, never forget my Aurora ownership experience. I'll be checking back with you guys and to get the updated and how many Corsa's are out now. Miss that sound already too. I'll be changing my cardomain site some but it will still be there, I'll let you know when I get some pictures of the new silver bullet up. See ya around guys.

Feel free to email me anytime taylorsturf@attbi.com (soon to be @comcast.net)
http://www.cardomain.com/id/800wattaurora

javidogg · July 2003

Hope you have lot's of fun 800wattaurora,

Good luck with the SSEi.

Peace.

http://www.cardomain.com/id/javidogg

larryfl · July 2003

Thanks for all your input to the board.

I can appreciate your interest in the 3800SC engine. I drove a RIV with the same engine as a loaner once when my aurora was in the shop. Strong engine! Great low-end performance. Too bad you won't be able to hear it with 1450WATTS! DAMN!

Have fun and be safe.

Larry

rjs200240 · July 2003

Sorry to hear your white 'Roara wasn't being nice to you. Did you strip off the performance stuff before you traded it?

Hey, I noticed one car conspicuously missing from your list of test drives. Where are the '01 Aurora 4.0's? Or even a 98-99? I think you'd find the '01 is quite a bit sportier in the suspension department, more like the Bonnie. They are also quite similar in weight (the Bonnie is like 10 pounds lighter than the Aurora). I would imagine you could get an '01 for under $20k, but maybe not with as low mileage as that Bonnie.

The 3800 S/C is definitely highly moddable. And it has a ton of torque. It just falls off as the revs rise, though. You should be able to get into the mid 14's with no problem. 13's will require some serious mods, but still stuff that is easily available. Though, one would wonder what you could do to the 4.0 if you were willing to spend that much money. You could probably port the heads.

My Dad has a Regal GS with the S/C, so I like to check out what sort of mods are available (not that he would have any interest in them). They are tough engines and get excellent mileage.

I hope you'll still cruise the board here, and I'll probably see you at the Bonnie board, which I usually read.

garnes · July 2003

The ssei's are nice cars, and that ton of low end torque has got to be a blast. Plus that car will be every bit as manageable in the Chicago winters as the Aurora.

Thanks for all the help with the throttle body work. I would not have done it if you didn't do it first and coach me through.

I'm curious too. Did you leave the RSM stuff on? Corsa too?

Thanks.

stickking1 · July 2003

Good luck with the ssei...I really like those cars. Almost had one until the Aurora beat it out a couple of years ago. And I'll be the third guy to ask, "Did you sell it with the CORSA still installed?...and the RSM stuff?...and the K&N?" And if you did, tell me what dealer bought it from you and I'll make a trip with my pipe-cutter :-) ....I have to call Jim at CORSA about getting my system sometime this week. Have fun and stay in touch!

Henry · July 2003

Hmm, I would have brought the car without hesitation (no pun intended). But its gone now.

800wattaurora · July 2003

Thanks again for all the fun I had here with all you guys over the last 3 years.

We'll the answer to everyone's question is yes. I Did sell it with the RSM stuff and the Corsa still on. The corsa was the only thing worth selling, but didn't want to deal with the costs of getting the stocker put back on and trying to sell it on ebay and figure out a way to box it up. Too late now. The RSM intake and cone were shot. With all the backfires, the filter looked trashed, black stuff on the inside, and the heatsheild fell apart. Should of used thicker metal. The dealer visits bent it all up and scratched the hell out of the tube. The TB was still good I guess, but whatever. I was glade to help you out Greg with the TB swap. You helped push me to get the Corsa. I just needed to ditch that backfiring beast though. Going to miss it though, glad I made a webpage to remember it by. I did take pictures of it with the corsa too, just never got them scaned, the lighting wasnt real good, the tips barely came out, so I didn't bother. Maybe I'll scan them anyways when I get some ssei picts to scan.

Rjs- I decided not to get another aurora, not either body style. I sat in a 01 in a showroom and thought it was very nice, but just didn't want to go there. Needed something else than the 4.0. I do miss the high rpm power. I wanted and aftermarket selection. The 3800sc is right up my alley. With the money invested to get the ssei running 13's could of been a port/polish job on a northstar, but with the 4.0 I 'd be the guinne pig and not another proven working program. I might even get the heads ported and throw in a cam in there next year, just be cause I can. I better get these experiences in now while I'm young and single, wife and kids and moneypit-go fast- big stereo cars don't usually mix well. Living it up, just doing it behind pontiac now. I'll be around guys.

aurora5000 · July 2003

It will be less than 2-1/2 years before I get the Aurora paid off. The 400 hp version sounds about right not the 500hp version on down the road in the future. We will have to wait until the Automatic Transmission version comes out. My wife hates to shift. I expect the AT to be in the '05 or '06 version about the same time I will have paid off the Aurora.

rjs200240 · July 2003

No way Steve... I'd be going for the manual tranny in a heartbeat. I really miss rowing the gears, though an Aurora isn't really a manual kind of car. But a 400hp CTS certainly is. Sidestepping the clutch pedal with the engine singing at 3500, clenching the wheel in my left hand and the shifter in my right... ooo baby...

Hey Taylor, before getting a cam, try higher-ratio rockers. You won't get more overall timing, but will get more lift. And you won't have to pull the engine to do it. Just the valve covers. If you cam the car, do all the engine mods at once to save on labor...

larryfl · July 2003

AH, to be young and single again with nothing to do with my money but spend it on my car!

Enjoy it now, Taylor! Yes, I'm EXTREMELY jealous!

cehsr8033 · July 2003

The tires on my 2001 4.0 are about worn to the point that I need to replace them. They are OEM Michelins. I have generally been satisfied with the tires but they are noisy on some interstate surfaces. Does anyone have any experience with Dunlop tires that are of this size--the mega tire sales places that rate tires gives this tire a pretty good rating for ride and silence but before I stick a bunch into the tires I would like some input from others that have replaced tires on the new Aurora. My driving will include wet, snow, icy roads in the winter so traction is a real consideration. Being a moderate type, however, speed rating and performance are less important. I want quiet more than anything. Any ideas?

rocket3_50 · July 2003

#3865 on this board. It's not an exact match for the Aurora, but maybe it will help you. It sounds like you and I look at tires in nearly the same way. I chose the Bridgestone Turanza LS-T for my second set on the 2001 Aurora. Next time I think I'll try one of the touring tires, like the Continental Contac, which I would expect to be quieter, but with maybe less wet weather grip. We don't see a lot of ice and snow in central North Carolina. I think it's difficult to come up with really hard data on performance between brands and models, but my comparison tests on the Ford and Sables is all that I have to go on now. I'd be interested in what you decide, and how.

stickking1 · July 2003

cehsr, I got a set of Bridgestone Turanza LS-H...juts a little different from rocket's set. I have been very pleased with them in the last year. When I was shopping for tires it was down to the Bridgestone's and the Dunlop Sport A2's...I went with the Turanza's because I wanted a Grand Touring tire and not a sport tire. The LS-H's still have AA traction, and drive very well through the heaviest of rains...and I have never noticed a problem with noise while driving. I would highly recommend these tires!

stickking1 · July 2003

Well, my 95 turned one-hundred and fifty...thousand that is. I caught a pic of the odometer with one of those crappy picture phones, but at least I've got it. So, how do we celebrate this occasion? With a Mobil 1 oil change and finally painting those rusty calipers! I'll upload a bunch of pics to the photo gallery in just a little bit, so keep an eye out! Now I have to figure out how to get her to blow out the candles......

kayaman420 · July 2003

My 95 just turned 100 over the fourth of July weekend. I gave her a complete salon treatment. I cleaned every inch. Door jams , engine compartment. Under the engine also. I am going to also give her a complete hand job,... meaning the Meguiars three step waxing process, cleaner,polish,then gold class to seal it. i have a dent in the door that some old lady gave me in a parking lot so I want to get that repaired before I wax.

I think she should be happy with that seeing as I just gave her a $3000 tranny rebuild a few months ago.

rjs200240 · July 2003

So are the classic Aurora calipers not painted at all stock? It sounds like a few of you have painted them.

On the new Aurora, I am 99.9% certain the caliper is aluminum, so no rust, but also they are all powder-coated a flat black. I think the powder-coating should prove pretty durable.

I think it would be neat if there were a little "Aurora" or the "A" decal that I could put on the calipers. I think that would look nice. Certainly better than painting them bright yellow or something...

stickking1 · July 2003

Ok, this is getting a bit wierd...where is the dent in your door? I have one one my driver's side rear door that I have to have fixed...I'm telling you, the cars are long lost brothers.

I used to use Gold Class all the time on my car. Liked the look, but have since switched. Its good stuff, as long as you're willing to wax very frequently (and I am). Do you have a Harley dealer or any other cycle shops anywhere near you? If you do, you might want to try to find some S100 wax...they'll know what you're looking for. IMO, its easier to apply, gives as nice a shine, and last a bit longer. But the Gold class will certainly treat you right. Let me know and post some pics when you're done!

stickking1 · July 2003

rjs, my calipers were not painted and were not aluminum...that would have been nice though. I agree that a decal would be great to have. I just sat next to a Corvette Z06 at a red light and was admiring the "Corvette" text on his calipers. Of course, his are more than just a decal...but it would look nice on the Aurora.

kayaman420 · July 2003

You know man this is getting wierd. Drivers side rear is exactly where my dent is. Since they werent built at the same time maybe they were built by the exact same Olds factory workers or something. Or maybe the PCM computers were built at the same time because it is unreal how we have the exact same situations. Just so you dont get scared my tranny rebuild was not totally necessary . I had my input speed sensor go out and they had to pull the tranny to fix it. So I just had the entire rebuild since they were doing 90% of the labor anyway. I used to have a black Lincoln which is why I started using the Gold Class. I always loved it so I never thought about changing, but I'll give the Harley stuff a try if you reccomend it. Im starting a car domain site so I will have pics soon. Just want to get my dent repaired before I post. Should be soon though.

rjs- Yeah the calipers on my 95 look like they are cast iron(not sure). looks like they are painted black at the factory , but definately not powder coated at all. They didnt look horrible when I painted them , just dull and a light coat of rust. The black made them look way cleaner. Maybe after yours is 7 years old you might have to do something. "A" logos would look cool to. I always wondered if there is a company that would custom make badging or decals because I have a few ideas for new ones. I hear ya on the yellow and other bright calipers I see. (pretty corny) but then again if I painted my calipers yellow or blue or something I could put a Type R badge on my car

Sorry for the long post fellas

kayaman420 · July 2003

I noticed the Mustang in your garage pics. Have you ever looked at my profile and seen what my dream car is. cooky isnt it?

stickking1 · July 2003

Not to get off on a Ford discussion but I hadn't noticed that on your profile until now. My brother's is an LX, but he's done so much to it by now that I think the only thing that is stock are the seats. :-) He's got one of the only cars I see around that I don't race...just way too fast. He just got a new set of Firestone Firehwaks for it too (I love those tires, but I think it would be a little bit of overkill for mine). He never ment to have a Mustang, just kind of fell into a good deal with a customer from his shop..plus he was done working on his '82 Firebird (drool) Knight Rider was one of our faves. Heck, I still watch the reruns.

va3pk · July 2003

I have a 1995 Aurora 4.0 with 245,000 km.
This car was purchased 3 years ago with 100,000 km and has generally been good to me.
We are just getting ready to take a 2000 km drive so thought that I would give the car a once over before we hit the road.
Once climbing under the vehicle, I now see that one of teh air shocks is leaking oil and the other looks like it is just about to leak.
GM is willing to part with a replacement shock for $225.00 Cdn a piece.
The local auto parts store is offering a manual fill air shock for $150.00 complete.
Took a look at the compressor, it does not look like it is iin great shape but is repairable.
What I am looking for is anyone that has some experience with this part of the suspension.
I would consider the manual fill shocks but dont know how well they would stand up or become"inconvenient".
The vehicel is typically a good people mover but this upcoming trip and others to come in the near years have to be considered.
Any ideas?.....Peter

Henry · July 2003

KYB in front and stock in back. The way to go in my opinion.

Henry · July 2003

So which one of you calls your car

CHRISTINE ??

stickking1 · July 2003

Hey it's funny you should mention the manual air shocks because my 95 classic has them as replacements too. The car got those long before I took ownership. When the manuals were installed, someone plumbed the air right back to the plastic that separates the exhaust tips. The end looks like a valve stem on a tire, and that's how I fill them. Now, its a pain to go back and constantly adjust the pressure, so I just leave it at about 15psi, and the ride is just fine. I have never had any difficulty with them and even under very heavy load they hold up just fine. I'm at work now, but as soon as I get home I'll post some pics of my setup. When I was having the birthday party last night, I took a few shots of the manual shock system to show everyone...so I happen to have a couple good ones. Keep an eye out, I'll probably put them in the Access & Modifications page to keep the board organized, but I'll put a note on the main board here when I post them

stickking1 · July 2003

Henry -Wouldn't be me...I just never got into naming my cars...not yet anyway. Have you named yours Eric??

stickking1 · July 2003

The pictures of my manual shocks are up in the Problems & Solutions board now. Check it out if you like, if you've got any questions..let me know.

kayaman420 · July 2003

I joking call mine the Emerald Rocket. LOL

mike98c · July 2003

I have painted My 98's calipers black with a flying A in silver on the top (thick part) of the caliper. Before that they were silver. Also I discovered if I painted my steering wheel control for the volume black and then the matching brown and then layed a mask over the paint with the wedge or arrows cut out, I could use naptha to remove the paint where the mask was and then use a bright white transluscent glaze on the mask cutout followed by satin acrylic urethane after it all dryed.

rjs200240 · July 2003

Mike, you painting machine!! You have to put up some pictures of the "A" on your calipers! How did you draw it? Did you stencil it somehow? Are you just super artist guy? I would be very interested in some step-by-step on the caliper thing.

Hey, didn't your steering wheel buttons have backlighting? Or no? I'd guess no since painting it black would have ruined it. I would have thought they did.

mike98c · July 2003

Thats the beauty of the mask with the cutout of the symbols on the buttons. Since the light shines only through the symbols originally, if you use the mask to selectively remove the paint from the button in the shape of the symbol, you end up with the raw plastic that thew light can shine through. If you then paint the symbol right back onto the plastic but with white translucent glaze (Michaels arts and crafts store or the equiv.) the symbolo appears white but the light can shine through just like the factory setup. The flying A stencil also came from Michaels craft store although you could trace out the letter in the shape you want on a sticker and then use a razor blade or x-acto knife to cut out the letter.

larryfl · July 2003

I had all four shocks on my '95 replaced last year. We used Monroe SensaTracs on the front and the Monroe Air Shocks in the rear.

The rear airs are connected to the compressor and have worked perfectly with the automatic load leveling.

The fronts, however, are really more toward the OEM than I prefered. I'm with Henry, I should have gotten the KYBs, and will probably replace them soon, although they work fine for what they're designed for.

AND, I didnt' pay anything like the pricies GM is looking for. I got all four shocks including installation at my local mechanics' AND the complete 60K service for about $600 or so.

blk97aurora · July 2003

Looks like many of us take care of our Auroras in similar ways. I painted the calipers on my '97 with paint named CAST BLAST; it's a medium to dark gray. I usually go for black for things like this, but I decided on the gray because it is closer to stock and looked like cast iron (before the rust sets in).

blk97aurora · July 2003

I have asked this question before but never received an answer, so I'm trying again. I have observed both one-piece and two-piece rear deck lids on 2001+ Auroras; the second piece is roughly rectangular around the licence plate. The difference could be one-piece aluminum 4.0 vs. two-piece steel 3.5; or there could be other reasons for the difference. Anyone know the facts?

blk97aurora · July 2003

The rear ashtray doors on my '97 are completely flat along the top (press down to open). I bought a pair of rear armrests (unknown year 95-99) on eBay and was surprised to find that the ashtray doors have small rectangular handles for opening them. Was this a year-to-year design change? Or maybe a change in suppliers?

rjs200240 · July 2003

The reason was to save weight on the 4.0. I believe there was manufacturing reason with the aluminum that they couldn't (or couldn't easily/reasonably) get the two-piece trunk to work. I sort of go back and forth over which I like better. The piece does add a bit of design to the back of the car, but at the same time it sometimes strikes me as cheapy because it is two pieces. Anyway, that's why there are two trunks. For 2003, the 4.0's had the two-piece steel trunk.

javidogg · July 2003

Someone should post a picture of the rear deck lid, to see the comparison between both.

Cuz, I'm lost on this.

Peace.

shipshape · July 2003

My 98 Aurora trunk lid drips water and/or snow into the trunk in the fully open position.
Does anyone know if technical bulletin 83-16-11 (98) actually fixes this annoyance? Seems subsequent years the design was better. Thanks.

blk97aurora · July 2003

shipshape,

I had a service bulletin applied to my '97 for the problem you mention. I have lost track of the sb number. They added some pieces; I did not note exactly what they did. The trunk still drips at the rear, but the water falls outside the trunk opening -- which is an improvment. At the front (next to rearglass) it will still spill into the trunk if there is a lot of water on the lid and it is opened quickly.

blk97aurora · July 2003

rjs,

Thanks for the answer. I much prefer the one-piece design; I am a minimalist when it comes to lines on cars -- that's one of the reasons why I love the classic Aurora body.

Do you know why the 2003 4.0 dropped the aluminum rear-deck lid? My guess is to save $$$ for a dead division. Does anyone know the weight difference between steel and aluminum?

javi,

Reasonable request. I'll see if I can find an image to scan.

rjs200240 · July 2003

rjs200240 · July 2003

I assume this doesn't violate any copyrights since it is being posted on Edmunds...

Anyway, look at the trunk around the license plate. You'll see the 3.5 has an insert there. You can see the ridge that runs around it. The plate part sort of buldges out as well, adding a little different look to the rear end. I believe this was the original, intended look for the car.

I'd guess the weight savings is around 25-50 lbs, but probably closer to 25.

javidogg · July 2003

I like more the one piece look from the 4.0 (rjs) Aurora without that plate kit.

I don't know why in the world they would go with a design like that,

If in the future I deceided to upgrade to a 2001-2003 Aurora, I will do some research and get the one piece rear license plate look.

I guess if someone really wanted to change the rear plate housing, one way would be to trade or look for one that has the one piece look.

Now I see what all the fuss was about.

Peace.

http://www.cardomain.com/id/javidogg

shipshape · July 2003

The horn in my 98 has become erratic to say the least. The contact ring was 'fixed' twice under warranty, but, the problem has returned. It doesn't work most of the time. Like tonight on the way home - no horn. Pulled into my garage, turned off the engine, horn works fine. restarted the engine - horn still works. But this is the first time in three days. Probably won't work tomorrow.
Anyone else ever experience this? I can't find any TSBs for this issue. Thanks
And thanks to blk97aurora for the quick response on the trunk.
Cheers.

Oldsmobile Aurora

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