1995 Oldsmobile Aurora from North America - Comments

What hasn't gone wrong? The car seemed to fall apart at 100,000 miles. The transmission started slamming into gear. Then it stopped going into reverse. Had the thing overhauled for 2000 dollars and a few days later it automatically switched from drive to reverse in the middle of a highway. A computer module had gone bad.

Then, the car started running rough when it reached 50 mph. The problem was some kind of fuel regulator. (another 500 dollars)

Then, the air conditioning went out. After spending 12 hundred dollars getting the compressor rebuilt it turns out a wire harness on the compressor was shorting out.

Recently, the fuel pump went out (800 dollar repair because it's in the fuel tank) and the water pump and freeze plugs started dumping coolant. (another 700 dollars)

I've probably forgotten a lot of stuff I've had fixed. The point is, when things started going bad on the car the bills really piled up because the engine has to be taken apart during every repair. Nothing is easy to get to.

On the other hand, I really like the way the car looks and feels when it's working. That's why I have continued to repair it. Wish me luck.

I have just purchased my second 1995 aurora ' my wife totaled the first. one she some how managed to get pinned between a semi and a concrete barrier on the freeway shes OK I'm glad she was in my solid oldsmobile. I've had next to no problems with the first 95 aurora I bought it used in 1999 wity 38k the wife killed it in 2003 with 97k the car gave me no headaces so I just bought another 95 aurora that has 86k, but real clean this one is not as strait as the last one little shakey on the highway between 60/75 smooth out at 80 or fastter, even after new tires and had the frnt end checked they found nothing wrong.but we will fix it. other than that the is beautiful inside/out.i would even buy a third/fouth.

I bought my '95 Aurora 4.0L in '99 with high mileage (around 100K) for relatively nothing.

I have since had to put more $$$ into repairs than I actually paid for the car.

Let's see... the laundry list so far...

-Both rear windows stopped working about 2 weeks after purchase...didn't even bother to replace... then lo and behold, a year later, they worked again. Now, they're back to NOT working.

-A/C compressor - $700 (and it only worked for 5 days due to a short in the harness + another $250 to fix that)

-Transmission - $3000 for a new one, $1800 for a rebuilt. Sad thing is, this car is so "exclusive" that any sort of major rebuilt part (at the time) was non-existent. I ended up having to get a used tranny out a wrecked '95 in a junk yard. And I was lucky to find that.

-Drivers side window controls went bad ($150 for the switch), then a month later the passenger side window AND temp controls are dead. (+ $450)

-Today, I limped it home while dumping coolant. A freeze plug has come unseated somehow and loses coolant/water as fast as I put it in. It took 3 hours to make a 5 mile trip.

So all total...Windows, A/C, transmission, engine... not to mention nearly NOTHING on this car is user-serviceable. Add with the Haynes Repair Manuals that were taken off the market at GM's request because they had invested so much in creating so many new systems and Aurora specific tools for it.

This car has been THE single biggest nightmare I've ever had. I haven't been truly happy with it since about 2 weeks after I bought it.

I hope Carrol Shelby does better with the 4.0L Aurora engines than Olds did.