2001 Oldsmobile Aurora - I Like The Aurora...But Not This One

Originally, Oldsmobile intended this car to be something called "Antares" and was to be slotted below a new more upmarket Aurora. However, with Oldsmobile bleeding cash, GM pulled the plug on a new Aurora and made the Antares the "second generation" Aurora come 2001. Six inches shorter and some four hundred pounds lighter than the 1995-1999 "first generation" Aurora, seldom has less actually been more but such was the case with the Aurora/Antares. Especially with the NorthStar V-8 derived 3.5 liter V-6 that helped make it a better balanced, more sprite automobile than the first Aurora.

I came across this 2001 Aurora at a used car lot near our home in Cleveland, Ohio a couple of months back when I was shopping for a car for our younger son. I didn't pay much attention to it despite just 72,000 miles on the clock, it being in really nice shape and with a reasonable asking price of just $3,495. Why'd I ignore this vestige of old school GM?

First off, the lot gave me the creeps. The sales people were nice and not pushy but the lot wasn't paved, the sales office was in a dirty trailer and their inventory was mostly over priced, cigarette stinky, rusty junk. Save of course for this Aurora but I've never liked the half baked yet at the same time over done styling of them. Even shopping for a cheapie beater, if I don't like the looks of it, I ain't buyin' it. I've heard the Northstar V-8 derived 3.5 liter V-6 engine, despite being smooth and rev happy had many of the same cooling and head gasket issues the V-8 did too. 

Those good enough reasons to forgo it for, of all things, a 2003 Chevrolet Malibu with more than 25,000 more miles on it for similar money instead? Yeah. I'd say so. Especially considering the troublesome Northstar V-6. What's more, I've never thought twice about my decision. 

Shame too considering the general condition of the car. I mean, look at this thing. Zero rust and nary a hint of cigarette smoke inside either. This was by far and away the cleanest car they had on the lot at the time. However, this thing is just so damn ugly. I mean, seriously, look at that rear end.  Can you say, "too many chefs in the kitchen?" The three quarter view is fairly handsome. It's certainly no first generation Aurora but oh, dat ass. And something tells me many people feel the same way seeing this car is still for sale and with the price reduced another $600 or so. Such a deal, right?

Those first Aurora's were something, weren't they? They weren't for everyone but for those of us who "got them", they may have been the best looking domestic sedan of the 1990's. I know. That's not saying much but these cars did have it going on to such a degree that I remember well heeled buyers cross shopping them with far more prestigious luxury makes and models. Kid you not. But too many buyers fund the design polarizing and Oldsmobile over priced them. Just as well as it was too late to save Oldsmobile anyway; the first Aurora was too little, too late and if anything, may have staid off extinction by five another five years or so. That said, you have to applaud the clean sheet progressive thinking that went into them.

I think I could have warmed to this car if it was the baby brother to an Aurora that didn't eschew so much of the original; sort of the way the Oldsmobile Intrigue was to it. My wife put it best when she said, "I liked the Aurora, but not this one".