Aurora: Oldsmobile's last shot to survive

[@OLDS98]

You did an excellent job. I first wanted to thank you the mention at the beginning of the video. The information is correct. The footage was good also. You told the story exactly how it was. Oldsmobile may be gone, but it is not forgotten. Aurora took on a big role, but it was not successful in the end. The mistake they made with the second generation is it was too close to the other Oldsmobiles in appearance as the second generation was supposed to replace Eighty Eight. The issue with new Oldsmobile was the marketing was off and not correct and the new brand names did not resonate with buyers. There was the issue of Oldsmobile's image too. The Ciera signified what was the issue. Thank you.

[@autochatter]

I'm glad you enjoyed it Olds! 😊 Thank you!

[@ChrisHsuCars]

I remember first time I drove this car. Was amazed at the build quality and feel - very unlike other GM cars of the time. Had a very Japanese feel. Sad that they couldn’t save the division.

[@autochatter]

They did put alot of thought into them..If only Oldsmobile started 5 years sooner.

[@Hobotraveler82]

Excellent video. I had the privilege of owning an Oldsmobile. My dad owned two of them. Really nice. 😊

[@autochatter]

@Hobotraveler82 Glad you enjoyed it and thank you!

[@beaversareinsane726]

I had a 2001 Aurora 4.0....white with chrome wheels. Loved it...very reliable, comfortable, and fast!

[@autochatter]

@beaversareinsane726 Awesome! I haven't seen a second gen Aurora in some time.

[@Nothingtoya]

You didn't have any engine problems out of it?

[@MyerShift7]

I recall after the second Gen was released, the head of Olds petitioned GM to use the Sigma platform (CTS, STS) for the Third Gen Aurora, but heard absolutely nothing in response; that's when he knew Olds was done.

[@autochatter]

@@MyerShift7 I could see that happening.

[@DMETS519]

I think about 1985 was the high water mark for sales for Oldsmobile. I swear those Cieras were everywhere. Then when everyone was driving around in a Grand Am I was driving my 1994 Achieva. I tried to hang on to that as long as I could. Now I can't remember when I've even seen one on the road in the last 10 years.

[@autochatter]

Funny how the 1980s was their high mark...and also the beginning of the end.

[@JeffKing310]

Very good review. I’m surprised this channel is still as undiscovered as it is. Keep up the great work and the subs will come.

[@autochatter]

Thank you! The channel has had slow but steady growth.

[@BELCAN57]

Back in the late 1970's the Olds Cutlass was THE car.

[@autochatter]

@@BELCAN57 I imagine it was!

[@ric889]

I had 75 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. Was a beautiful car!!

[@MidnightPolaris800]

Crazy you only have 5k subs and you put alot of time and effort into these...excellent work!

[@autochatter]

Thanks! Being a car nut, I don't mind. Now making videos about basket weaving not so much.

[@mbaer5]

Listening to Auto Chatter got me through todays work day. Now I get to see a new one home relaxing. Thank you for helping me survive Friday the 13th 😂

[@autochatter]

Yeah...That was my plan all along..LOL. Ive got to do some pressure washing tommorow, so wanted to get this out first. Thanks for watching again, and I hope you liked it!

[@mbaer5]

@@autochatter always enjoy them! Love your channel and your unique style for these videos. "Chatter out" 😎

[@autochatter]

@@mbaer5 Thanks...Just trying to make them a little more...fun I guess. But I love watching total nerdy, all info type car vids too.

[@doug6191]

9:41 - The humble Cutlass replaced the Achieva until the Alero arrived.

[@autochatter]

@@doug6191 Humble was the word..Official car of the Bingo Parlor.

[@P_RO_]

@@autochatter 🤣

[@petestaint8312]

Had a 2000 Alero for many years. Best car ever. 👍

[@autochatter]

@petestaint8312 Haven't done them on here yet, but did the Grand Am.

[@weegeemike]

Never has such a major car brand fallen so quickly. They were selling 1 million cars as a division in the mid 80s, only to be completely gone less than 20 years later. Inept GM management is to blame, much like the other troubles the company has faced over the years. They failed to make Olds as unique as it once was, and by the mid 90s ended up with a strange hodgepodge of models from the super cheap economy Achieva to the German-fighting Aurora, with more traditional models like the 88 and 98 holding on. It just wasn't a good strategy, and the brand started getting a negative "grandma" car reputation as a result. I always found it strange that Buick had/has the same old person car stigma to it, but it was even able to survive the 2009 bankruptcy unlike Pontiac and Olds earlier in the decade. China sales are the only reason Buick is still around, even though all they sell is crossovers now, I really wish Buick still made nice cushy sedans but I guess that market is dead. I was very sad to see Oldsmobile die, I'm a huge fan. My first car was an Olds. At least they live on in the hearts of car enthusiasts as they had so many cool and unique models over the years. Great Chatter as always.

[@autochatter]

Great assessment about Oldsmobile, and thanks for the continued support!

[@collinwinter6210]

I'll leave the headlights on for ya..... love the reference. I subscribed just for that.

[@autochatter]

Thank you! Started because I was said to sound like the Motel 6 guy LOL.

[@trainglen22]

The Aurora was a beautiful car that really was an equal to a Lexus. Wishing that GM kept it instead of Buick.

[@autochatter]

@@trainglen22 If China was as Oldsmobile obsessed as they were with Buick, you probably would have got your wish.

[@Nothingtoya]

Minus the reliability

[@autochatter]

@@Nothingtoya Good point

[@petestaint8312]

Never liked the Aurora. Odd looking. If they tweaked it more, would have been nicer.

[@autochatter]

@@petestaint8312 Sometimes going crazy with the styling works..Other times you get a 96 Taurus.

[@doug6191]

4:46 - GAH! Grotesque image jump scare!

[@autochatter]

What? You got somthing against 3500lb bars of soap?

[@doug6191]

@autochatter I was thinking more Jumba Jookiba. (You may have to Google that one.)

[@autochatter]

@@doug6191 Jokes on you..I have a daughter who liked Lilo and Stich.

[@Jordi7174]

Always kinda reminded me of a beluga whale.

[@autochatter]

@@Jordi7174 I could see that.

[@MotorMaster_Stunticon]

Good video. I loved the frameless doors of the 1995. Too bad those didn’t carry over to the 2001. The design language of the 1995 was excellent. A shame it didn’t have the reliability built in with it.

[@autochatter]

Hate to say the sequel was made on a lower budget....But it was! I see you just put up a Fiero video. Going to check it out in a few. Thanks for popping by!

[@P_RO_]

Well I was never a fan of 'the blob look' cars, but otherwise the Aurora was reputed to be a most excellent car, perhaps GM's best effort in those times. One local morning radio host here was a dyed-in-the-wool Ford/Mercury fan but the local Olds dealer got him to test drive an Aurora for a month and at the end he said he would have bought one if he hadn't just bought a new car. And he did buy one for his daughter's graduation present. But by then those who saw clearly saw that Olds was on the ropes, and might not last till the bell. That was not Oldsmobiles fault, but the fault of GM in forcing the division to make cars aimed for lower than it's traditional market which put them competing for sales with Buick and even high-end Chevy's. The ploy got the short-term profits GM wanted it to but it killed Oldsmobile on the end which then cost them Pontiac in the later bankruptcy proceedings. GM should have pushed the Aurora harder, doing things like arranging for automotive press tests including equivalent Acura, Lexyus, and Infiniti models and performance driving these by well-known race drivers to show it wasn't just a pretty face on an under-performing chassis, but engineering equal to the others which younger buyers could appreciate and be proud of. Be it price or public perception I've seen few Aurora's on the roads ever, and that's a shame for such a good car. It wasn't the last car for Oldsmobile, but it was them standing proudly till the bitter end and I respect that.

[@autochatter]

GMs shrinking market share in the 80s and all the clones by the different Divisions, was dictating they eventually had too many to support. I admire their effort towards the end too...and Pontiacs as well.

[@P_RO_]

@@autochatter They should have kept Pontiac instead of Buick, but that couldn't happen because of the Chinese market money Buick was getting.

[@autochatter]

You are right!

[@mikeisaacs2314]

I had a Olds 98 1984 full size was a nice car had the pillow back seat and me and all my friends could fit with no problem

[@autochatter]

@@mikeisaacs2314 I'm sure!

[@joeseeking3572]

Came close to getting one of the initial 2nd gen 4.0s but for reasons I don't totally remember, I ended up with a Bonneville SSEi instead. At that time the Bonne had more bells and whistles, and this probably appealed. But I still think the original design was stunning and even the 2nd gen in black cherry is a looker. (That car in that color was one of the few which could pull off chrome wheels and not look like it came from the wrong zip code). Aside from being an Olds - which had been pretty much been pushed into irrelevancy by 2000 - what it really needed (especially in the first gen) was the 50 more hp available with the Cad version of this engine. I wouldn't mind having one around today.

[@autochatter]

@joeseeking3572 I could see you going SSEi then..I probably would have too!

[@Romiman1]

Aurora - When an almost 30 year old car still looks more modern and futuristic then all that stuff on todays roads...

[@autochatter]

@@Romiman1 Makes me wonder if the car would have done better with a Buick badge.

[@Scottj2011]

A very good video. Good job 👍

[@autochatter]

@Scottj2011 I appreciate that thank you!

[@Scottj2011]

@autochatter you're welcome 😁

[@nickpalance3622]

One of my uncles had a mid-90s Aurora. I thought it was pretty neat, although I never rode in it. He also had cars such as a 70s (round headlight) Ford Granada and a Chevy Citation (the first time I saw such tiny pedals, particularly the gas pedal, as I was used to 70s cars and family members with old cars like 60s .. a Mustang and a Catalina and a Le Mans for instance - all 60s still on the road in 1980). I will assume that his Aurora ownership was fine. In 2001 my girlfriend (->wife) took her troubled Cavalier coupe in and the dealer gave her a loaner. She called and said she had a red sedan as a loaner but no idea what kind of car it was. Couldn’t describe the logo. Turned out to be an Alero. Back when a sedan could be had in bright red. But the plastic on the dash was peeling and the tire pressure light would not go out even as we took the beater, sorry - loaner, to the gas station for air. Only had it for a day. But months later the dealer offered to take the Cavalier in as a trade for a few cars that would have the same payment and one car was that same red Alero. Maybe we should have taken it as she chose a tan-ish/gold-ish (me and a friend would call this color simply “ish”) 2001 Alero (this was December 2001 so it was barely a year old). But the CD player quickly quit and the traction control off/problem light would come on. Lotsa little stuff. And the buttons’ labels all wore off. And only 3 out of 4 cylinders were firing when we traded it for an ‘06 Accord leftover. We did NOT miss Oldsmobile going away. But really that’s GM in general. I had a positive opinion of GM until the 90s. It’s saying a lot when I bought a 1997 VW after graduating college , what with all of the free included gremlins from Wolfsburg 😂

[@autochatter]

90s VWs did have a roulette wheel of potential electrical issues.

[@douglaspendergraft1055]

Had a 2001 Aurora 4.0. Beautiful car. Very fast. Unfortunately, the engine failed after 5000 miles. Issue with the dexcool coolant eating through the gaskets in the engine and causing coolant to go into areas of the engine that it shouldn't. After engine was replaced, got another 95,000 miles out of the car before the 2nd engine did the same thing. Tried to rebuild that engine but ended up selling the car for scrap. What a shame! Loved all the bells and whistles on that car.

[@autochatter]

@@douglaspendergraft1055 Ah...Dexcool. The gift that keeps on giving LOL.

[@IgoZoom1]

Very comprehensive and informative video, sir! I really enjoyed it. The demise of Olds still p!sses me off and makes me sad too. They made some great cars, especially for GM, and deserved better. I genuinely liked the Intrigue, 88 LSS and Ninety Eight Touring Sedan. The Aurora was ambitious and it was a very good car. But there was so much competition in the luxury segment that was even better. I've always wondered if Olds could've made it if they kept making some RWD cars? The Cutlass Supreme sold in obscene numbers from '76 well into the early 80s. But they probably couldn't meet CAFE standards. Have you ever considered making a video about the Acura Legend? I know you've done a number of Honda models. I have owned a '89 Legend, '94 Legend and (can't believe I'm even admitting to this) a '90 Sterling 827 SLi. The Legend/Rover 800 story is pretty interesting, so I thought I'd ask. As always, thanks for the GREAT content!

[@autochatter]

Thank you! Yes I'm definately going to do the Legend!

[@robl7532]

What a interesting story and car. Thank you for doing this as always! You da poop!

[@autochatter]

Haha, I appreciate that!

[@robl7532]

@ we appreciate you!

[@autochatter]

@robl7532 Now your making me blush!

[@robl7532]

@ it makes your skin look youthful!

[@autochatter]

@@robl7532 Maybe a future sponsor will notice that LOL.

[@michaelcoffey7362]

Nice 😊

[@autochatter]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@Marc816]

I have been driving a 2001 4.0 since 2000....bought new. Worst engine problem....the starter, replaced earlier this year. And running on 93 octane, more like 350 HP than 250 HP.

[@autochatter]

@@Marc816 Nice!

[@MyerShift7]

Saturn siphoned much needed funds away from Pontiac and Olds. If it weren't for Saturn, and Roger Smith in general, Pontiac and Olds might still be with us

[@autochatter]

@MyerShift7 Maybe..It would be neat to go back and see if pumping more R&D into the Divisions they had, versus creating a new one.

[@pdennis93]

🎶this is NOT your father's Oldsmobile 🎶

[@autochatter]

Haha....That was their plan.

[@arieljones4595]

A buddy of mine had a black on black Aurora in the late aughts. I thought it was a great car. He paid peanuts for it too, in really nice shape.

[@autochatter]

I suspect resale value on them fell.

[@raymond_sycamore]

So where do you find these ads?

[@autochatter]

Same place your at now.

[@ric889]

I don't remember the year i had as a rental. Was very nice and i thought about buying one but went out of business.

[@autochatter]

@ric889 I'm assuming your referring to Olds going out of business LOL. I still think the car would have done better as a Buick..or maybe even a Caddy. Olds as a brand was terminally injured by the 90s IMO.

[@ric889]

@autochatter yes. My Maxima was getting painted after being hit and the Olds was nice! I had a 75 Cutlass Supreme Brougham in high school and I loved it.

[@autochatter]

@ric889 I miss my Wife's 97 Maxima. It was a great car.

[@ric889]

@autochatter mine was a 95

[@autochatter]

@@ric889 First VQ engines, and they were solid!

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

the Aurora was a nice car that came a bit late that was supposed to replace the 98 and 88 though the first gen ran concurrent with those the 98 for the first two model years 98 was discontinued in 1996 after 56.5 yrs. due to the Moratorium on civilian cars during world war II and the 88 ran for 51 model years 49-99 and 5 of them concurrent with the 1st gen Aurora and the 2nd gen Aurora ran for 3 years 2001-2003 the second gen car was 40% shorter than the first the Aurora only managed to sell 208,000 units over two generations while in that same time period for ex the Lexus ES sold 465,000 units in the US

[@autochatter]

@@courtneypuzzo2502 Loving the Olds Trivia! Thank you!

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

@@autochatter what you didn't know that the Aurora was intended to replace the 88 & 98 which were being discontinued after many millions of each sold over their production runs my mom got her license in a 1978 Delta 88 in March 1979

[@autochatter]

@courtneypuzzo2502 Well yeah the Aurora was the 98 successor, but the second gen one was supposed to carry the 88 torch originally

[@mcorleonep]

A friend of mine had one (2nd generation). Very nice car but unfortunately the battery was under the back seat of all places! In those days, GM made some very dodgy engineering decisions. That was around the time I switched over to Honda...

[@autochatter]

WOW...same place they put it in a aircooled VW Beetle!

[@rogeradolf2602]

I want you to do oldsmobile bravada

[@autochatter]

I intend to.

[@doug6191]

This car didn't make sense in 1995, but the 2nd generation was a great alternative to Acura TLs or Lexus ESs.

[@autochatter]

I liked the first gen ones myself. More distinctive.

[@doug6191]

@autochatter Distinctive, sure, but it was in a slot that didn't work. If the Seville (STS/SLS) was supposed to be duking it out with the best of the world, then what was Aurora doing? On top of GM's typically-bad and well-earned reputation for poor interior material quality and generally bad fit & finish, the Aurora was controversially styled for the demographic that was buying Acura RLs, Lexus GSs, Volvo 960s, Saab 9000s, etc. It made no sense, no matter how distinct it was. Oldsmobile wasn't ready to aim so high. They swung for the fences and got a lot of excitement from the crowd when they hit, but they hit a pop out. They did, however, successfully reset the brand's look. A toned-down look worked well for Alero & Intrigue. And that design language with the 2nd generation Aurora's trimmed dimensions placed it more in line with a good competitive set (i35, S60, ES, TL, A6, 9⁵, Lincoln LS6/LS8, etc.) The 2nd Aurora was overall a better car for Oldsmobile than the 1st Aurora was.

[@trevork8925]

Oldsmobile has been gone 20 years!!!!! O boy am I really that old...............................!!

[@autochatter]

@@trevork8925 I know the feeling.

[@michaelbuzzee1964]

Owned a 98 Aurora. Beautiful car, total POS. Blew head gasket at only 72k

[@autochatter]

@@michaelbuzzee1964 Guess they may have inherited some Northstar issues.

[@dalecooper9942]

Oldsmobil Orora

[@eth39232]

In an auto market dominated by pickups and SUV's, no place for Pontiac and Oldsmobile. I think the GMC Acadia and Terrain are about what an Oldsmobile SUV would be anyway.

[@autochatter]

I'm sure if Olds was still here today, it would have a bunch of Crossovers only....Like Buick now.

[@kc0lif]

nice car.

[@autochatter]

Yes it was

[@bobdavis3357]

GM blew this chsnce BIG time. But I have seen a 4.0 ministar V8 with 236000 actual miles on it. A 1996. A single drove it to near death when she came and traded it in for a Rav4 that I bought and threw on the front lot. Got her financed too. I didn't make a profit on her 13 Rav. But we still service it. We build custom engines and cars/trucks for cash paying, well heeled UPS customers (Rich, very rich). We took the 96 and modified it to sccept the W Impala SS V8 and transmission, complete W swap out ECU and wiring harnesses, fuses located under the seat, battery to the trunk. Auctioned it off. The parts were all free and all I invested was my labor (and 4 brothers, of 10). This car was pristine and it's still ripping around AZ. GM ruined this brand.

[@autochatter]

That's a nice swap! Bet she ran great!

[@johnnymason2460]

Oldsmobile was never a competitor to true luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Infiniti. It was supposed to be a challenger to Acura, Audi, Mercury, and Chrysler. Unfortunately, Buick ended up taking over that market and was better at it. By 2000, Oldsmobile had no real identity. This, it was gone by 2004.

[@autochatter]

Not a direct competitor to some of them persay, but they did offer some cheaper models in the Olds price range. Oldsmobiles advertising would try and target BMW and Lexus in some of their Aurora ads.

[@johnnymason2460]

@autochatter If Oldsmobile was trying to compete with the true luxury brands, they were going to fail miserably(and actually did). No one was going to take Oldsmobile that seriously. Just like no one is going to take Mazda seriously if they continue this ridiculous idea of going upscale.

[@autochatter]

@johnnymason2460 Oldsmobile making a power move in the 90s wasn't in the cards. The brand was already hurt too badly to save. Mazdas attempt to be more at a Acura level is actually working.

[@johnnymason2460]

@autochatter Not to me. Long term, this will eventually fail. Mazda is not an upscale brand and will never be considered one. I consider Mazda in the same category as Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. That's where they belong.

[@MyerShift7]

But Audi is considered a full-fledged competitor to Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Lexus. Infiniti never quite measured up. You aren't really making sense.

[@Gudi102]

Shame GM let this iconic brand go... Real shame, same as Plymouth, Pontiac and Mercury.

[@autochatter]

Yeah...Makes for sad automotive tales sometimes.

[@raymond_sycamore]

CHATTER... oh it HURTS every time you do the "$35,000 is the 2024 Equivalent of $75,000" because HOLY HELL BROTHER... holy hell it wasn't THAT long ago. Now think about the fact that standard median salary is now only sitting at $86,000 annually.... DO THE MATH! Help... (sorry I am getting political!)

[@autochatter]

Inlfation...Shes a female dog isn't she?

[@vicp8772]

Acura compared to this. Wow. Legends are still wanted. And ya I know it's a v6. It's too bad gm couldn't fix their ways

[@autochatter]

The Legend was a nice package then.

[@mrwcp63]

Good video the advertising campaign of not your father's was about the stupidest thing father 72 Cutlass was a very good car my 76 Cutlass also good car as was the 91 Delta 88 Coupe Saturday let Pontiac go away too first car was a Firebird a Firebird eventually went over to Mopar completely with a couple dakotaz a couple of Dakotas love them my whole family nobody has a General Motors car anymore and we all had them in the 60s and 70s

[@autochatter]

@mrwcp63 Thank you! Yeah Olds image rebuilding campaigns just didn't pan out!

[@mrwcp63]

Yeah I loved 70s Oldsmobiles

[@autochatter]

@mrwcp63 I did the 442 models awhile back. Interesting decade for them in the 70s.

[@DD-dj4jr]

Olds milked the 1978 Cutlass Supreme 2-door for 10 years….and the Ciera for 15 years. The w-body Cutlass replacement wasn’t relevant - too expensive and the 4-door also late and ugly. That killed olds. No investment or innovation for their volume models. The 1985 Olds 98 and 1986 Olds 88 were too alike - and reskinned with retiree style. Aurora was too late, too expensive, too large. Other than realtors in the Midwest zero Aurora interest by the time it launched in 1995. Brand was already dead person walking. Buick at least was developing the Rendezvous yet Olds was still chasing a shrinking sedan market.

[@autochatter]

All good points IMO!