Confession time: I love the first-gen Olds Aurora

"WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe" (wesbarton89) 08/18/2015 at 14:10 • Filed to: None

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I almost bought one some years ago. Yes, it’s a big FWD luxo-boat with a four-speed A/T. There’s just something really cool about them. Plus, the dashboard is awesome.

I love how it all curves towards the driver, and I unapologetically love the massive shifter. Sure, the 2nd gen is a little more refined, but there’s something awesome about this one. Plus, it has that little display above the climate control, that shows different pieces of info about the car.

It’s just a big, V8 boat that’s almost like a Cadillac, but in a bit of a more unique package. I’d still love to own one. I’ve already had two late 90s Oldsmobiles. What’s one more?

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 14:12

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It also sounds amazing with straight pipes.

Tuned-Port-Injected-Rage > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 14:19

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Thank God I’m not the only one.

Sneaky Pete > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 14:22

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It’s ok, I’ll admit to, at one point, liking the Alero.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 14:24

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You are not alone, brother.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 14:31

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There is nothing to be ashamed of. Give in to the lust. Let it become you. Let it consume you.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Sneaky Pete 08/18/2015 at 14:48

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I honestly prefer the Alero to the Grand Am myself. They’re not incredible to ride in but they’re not bad. I’ve ridden in a couple Aleros.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 08/18/2015 at 14:49

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I had no idea Aurora racecars (Aurorace cars?) were a thing. Thank you.

The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:09

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I like the Aurora for two reasons:

1) It looks like a spaceship, circa 1988. Its been long enough that that style is becoming cool again.

2) It was actually pretty well thought out and pretty well made. Considering the crap that GM foisted on the buying public for over a decade before and after it’s introduction, it’s a sign that even in an atmosphere of corporate mismanagement, greatness can still be achieved.

For the record, I also prefer the chunkier looks of the 2nd gen Auroras - the first generation’s wheels look awful to me, and the tail lights looks dated. The 2nd generation is a bit more generic, but it aged better. I also like the interior better, and the Shortstar was pretty awesome in an era when everything else made by GM had a 3.1L 60 degree V6 or 3.8L Buick V6.

472CID > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:18

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First gen Auroras are great, no need to confess. Maybe for the second gen though...

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > The Powershift in Steve's '12 Ford Focus killed it's TCM (under warranty!) 08/18/2015 at 15:19

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I’d like to experience the Shortstar. I don’t know if they suffered the same headgasket issues as the regular 4.6L Northstars (which I have experienced, and driven, and when they work, are so smooth), but I’d still like to check it out. I’ve owned Oldsmobiles with the 3.1 and the 3.8 both, and honestly, I prefer the 3.8 myself.

And as far as the second-gen Aurora goes, you’re right, it has aged better overall, but again, sacrificed some of the unique styling that the first-gen had. It doesn’t have the same character. I don’t mind the wheels of the first-gen. They’re not spectacular by any means, but I don’t hate them. And I prefer the full-width tails as well. But that’s opinion for ya. If a second-gen Aurora was given to me, I wouldn’t turn it down, and I’d buy one if I were in the market and the price was good. But I’ve seen first-gen Auroras for under a grand, and that seems like a pretty good deal.

I really wish Oldsmobile wouldn’t have gone under, because they had a lot of potential. The Intrigue I had was a really nice car overall. It had some fit and finish issues, but it drove really well and I liked it. My final-gen Cutlass, while it had more available options, wasn’t quite as refined, and just didn’t check all the boxes the way the Intrigue did. Though I’ve noticed, I think there at the end, if not before, Olds used the same stereo head unit in every single one of their cars.

Jedidiah > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:23

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I also like the Achieva. It also won the SCCA touring car championship. Despite one of the last platforms with engine development from Olds, the Quad4/TwinCam has reliability issues.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:24

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Drunk confession: I love Auroras sooo bad. I really want one but they are impossible to find in Europe

RazoE > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:32

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All this shiny wannabe wood plastic has to go. Otherwise it isn’t half bad. One of the few American cars to have rear fogs as well, if I recall correctly.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > RazoE 08/18/2015 at 15:34

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I agree on the wood. Ironically enough, my first Infiniti had real wood trim, not fake. It was nice.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:36

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The aurora did more to move the USDM into the new millenium than anyone gives it credit for. As I pointed out below, when the aurora landed, these cars were still on the showroom floors -

And on the same lot as the aurora, in 1995, you could get THIS:

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:36

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I quite like them as well.

Your boy, BJR > RazoE 08/18/2015 at 15:43

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The wood in these is real....

coelacanthist > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:45

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I once met a guy who drove one and was so smitten he bought an identicle one and was keeping it in his garage for his next car, no joke.

Your boy, BJR > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:45

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I’ve owned both Gens. A ‘95 Autobahn in seafoam green with oldsmoteal interior and a car phone, and a 2001 4.0 that was total bullshit and the most unreliable pile of crap I ever owned.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles 08/18/2015 at 15:49

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I think you’re definitely onto something here. At the time, cars seemed to be some sort of round yet boxy design paradox, somewhere in between, and Oldsmobile comes in with this sleek, forward thinking design. Even stayed pretty true to the 1995 concept, the Oldsmobile Antares.

Though that concept is kind of a mish-mash of Aurora and Intrigue, it definitely did a good job showing off their new design language. It definitely looked a whole lot more production-ready than many concepts, especially today. Oldsmobile really did a whole lot more than what they’ve been given credit for, and was a diamond in GM’s rough.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > coelacanthist 08/18/2015 at 15:50

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I just hope he ran it regularly, got it up to operating temperature, and put miles on it, so that it would actually work properly when it was time for him to switch.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Your boy, BJR 08/18/2015 at 15:51

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Wow. That first one screams 90s. How was the reliability of the first-gen overall?

coelacanthist > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:55

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I would hope so, he was an engineer, but that can cut both ways.

RazoE > Your boy, BJR 08/18/2015 at 15:55

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Then they managed to make it look fake. Which defeats the purpose, don’t you think?

Your boy, BJR > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 15:59

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I dunno. Had it less than a week. Brake lines split and mom freaked out and intimidated the guy into buying it back.

Your boy, BJR > RazoE 08/18/2015 at 16:01

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Looks pretty real to me. To be fair though, it doesn't photograph well.

WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe > Your boy, BJR 08/18/2015 at 16:12

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Oh wow. That is a bit frightening, though I can’t imagine that being a common issue. Though Jersey moms can be intimidating.

RazoE > Your boy, BJR 08/18/2015 at 16:33

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That does look about a billion times better. Thanks!

Your boy, BJR > RazoE 08/18/2015 at 17:03

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Yeah Auroras were built waaaaayyyyyyy better than any of their stablemates. Their interiors (first gen) were world class. They even feel way better put together than contemporary Cadillacs.

Your boy, BJR > WesBarton89 - The Way to Santa Fe 08/18/2015 at 17:04

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Ha! But yeah the car was sitting for like a year before I bought it and the lines were dry rotted. I wanted to fix them but mom was not about it hahaha