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Post by human on Aug 5, 2009 22:07:21 GMT -6
Well, my beloved 1998 Aurora is no more. Shortly after reaching the 75,000- mile mark, I rounded a curve on a mountain road to find a pickup truck stopped in my lane. I tried to avoid it, but to no avail. A glancing blow sent the pickup into the entrance of a cemetery and totaled the Aurora. The amazing thing was I barely felt the impact. I've hit rougher speed bumps! Neither my girlfriend nor I were hurt. The Aurora protected us well. In a couple of days, I'll be picking up my new ride--a 1997 Cadillac Deville Concours. Nice enough ride, albeit kinda big for my needs, but it's no Aurora. I miss my 'rora...  |
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Post by aj on Aug 5, 2009 22:40:53 GMT -6
I am sorry to hear that. At least you and your gf is alright. Aurora's are one of the safest cars ever made and they show it!
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Post by human on Aug 5, 2009 22:52:20 GMT -6
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Post by Oldsnut on Aug 5, 2009 23:49:38 GMT -6
Saddddddddddddddddd.
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Post by oldwino on Aug 6, 2009 0:37:40 GMT -6
WOW! That looks like quite a hard hit. Glad everyone were ok. Sad for your Aurora. She did her job and kept you safe.
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Post by cbburtraw on Aug 6, 2009 6:17:56 GMT -6
^They always do.
Hope the caddy works out for you.
why was a truck stopped in your lane?
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Post by cbburtraw on Aug 6, 2009 6:19:20 GMT -6
Im extra sorry to hear about it due to the low mileage. What a bummer. Any pix of the new whip?
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Post by killroypete on Aug 6, 2009 6:34:36 GMT -6
The windshield didn't even crack! Some engineers did their homework. Thumbs up!
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Post by ntrenn on Aug 6, 2009 9:16:15 GMT -6
Great to hear nobody was hurt. That one actually looks repairable - hood, fender, some time on the rack, and you're good as new...the bridge did $7,500 worth of damage to mine and we're now 30,000 miles later....(if they would have found the windshield crack then, they would have totalled mine too)
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Post by cbburtraw on Aug 6, 2009 9:36:52 GMT -6
I have my doubts there. Maybe if theres no suspension damage and frame damage is not too bad. but you will need a full donor car and a lot of work.
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Post by Marc on Aug 6, 2009 9:43:37 GMT -6
Bad scene
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Post by lanceslambos on Aug 6, 2009 12:19:43 GMT -6
that hurts me. what will you be doing with her now? part it out on here?
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Post by ntrenn on Aug 6, 2009 12:34:09 GMT -6
I have my doubts there. Maybe if theres no suspension damage and frame damage is not too bad. but you will need a full donor car and a lot of work. Righto, on second thought, may be a little involved Radiator, AC, bumper cover, headlight, fender, hood...couple grand in parts. Would be fun if you had the time or the donor car. |
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Post by aurorakid on Aug 6, 2009 19:39:28 GMT -6
What seems to be amazing to me is the bumper cover looks undamaged? I could use one. Long story short I hit the end of a bridge guard rail straight on at 45mph and all I damaged was the bumper cover. HARD impact though. Everything from the back made it's way into the front and my secured Subwoofer box ripped out but thank god no power was hooked up to it at the time.
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Post by cbburtraw on Aug 7, 2009 7:19:48 GMT -6
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Post by human on Aug 7, 2009 7:25:10 GMT -6
Okay, here's a couple of links to pix of the Caddy. It's a '97 Deville Concours, which has a firmer suspension than the standard Deville and the center console and analog gauges from a Seville. Nice enough car, but BIG! img443.imageshack.us/img443/3227/pict0022.jpgimg198.imageshack.us/img198/558/pict0031ihu.jpgAs for the Aurora, my game plan right now is to buy it back from the insurance company once we settle and either fix it or part it out, depending on which makes more logistical sense. It's going to need a front clip and a radiator for sure. The challenge will be finding a suitable donor car. My dad has a friend who can store the car and do the work at a fairly affordable price. |
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Post by cbburtraw on Aug 7, 2009 12:42:13 GMT -6
you may be able to make good use of mine as a donor car, and I would sell it to you real cheap as an acna member. It still drives too so you dont have to tow it  the only thing I can think of that you can't use from mine (other than some electronics) are some suspension parts. I mean you could use it but you would get the downgraded performance. Oh wait.. Some of my suspension is damaged as well  let me know if your interested. It may take me a couple weeks to get a new car so no rush. |
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Post by human on Aug 20, 2009 15:06:40 GMT -6
Well, I finally got a decent settlement from the insurance company. I'm just going to let them take the car for salvage as I don't have the resources to do anything with it. I'm growing accustomed to the Caddy, maybe even starting to like it a little bit, but it is not and never will be an Aurora. Now if I could just remember where I put that darn title...
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Post by cbburtraw on Aug 20, 2009 19:30:55 GMT -6
for some, different cars require time to earn a space in your heart. Heck I am even enjoying the cavalier. Even though everytime I go out and start the Aurora (which I still have) and run it up and down the street I do miss it (the magnasteer still freaks me out if I havent driven it in a while lol)
Give it time, its a gorgeous caddy. While it lacks the style of the Aurora, its chock full of features and is very nice. You can always get another Aurora in the future. They are not expensive. I hope to own a Cadillac one day myself. Im a bigger fan of the Seville but to each his own. Plus, it has the Northstar engine in it, so if you need advice on how to fix it you can still post it in the classic mechanical maintinence/repair section.
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Post by aldrichd on Aug 20, 2009 23:53:57 GMT -6
Looks like everything turned out OK (except for the loss of your Aurora).
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Post by human on Aug 26, 2009 11:03:18 GMT -6
Yeah, the Caddy is gradually growing on me, but it'll never be an Aurora. I think once you've owned one it gets under your skin. I still get wistful when I pass another Aurora on the road. Even though the Caddy weighs a good 500 pounds more than the Aurora, it's still a beast in the performance department with its 300hp Northstar under the hood. I just wish it were a little less thirsty. The difference between 16 and 19 mpg in town and 24 and 29 on the highway is bigger than it sounds. It does have some tuning issues that I plan to address once I get the insurance check for the Aurora. Although it runs smoothly going down the road, it idles rough at stoplights. I think an ignition coil is going bad. Dad replaced one last fall and another appears to have been replaced some time ago as only two of them have cylinder numbers on them. May need plugs and wires as well. for some, different cars require time to earn a space in your heart. Heck I am even enjoying the cavalier. Even though everytime I go out and start the Aurora (which I still have) and run it up and down the street I do miss it (the magnasteer still freaks me out if I havent driven it in a while lol) Give it time, its a gorgeous caddy. While it lacks the style of the Aurora, its chock full of features and is very nice. You can always get another Aurora in the future. They are not expensive. I hope to own a Cadillac one day myself. Im a bigger fan of the Seville but to each his own. Plus, it has the Northstar engine in it, so if you need advice on how to fix it you can still post it in the classic mechanical maintinence/repair section. |
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Post by lanceslambos on Aug 26, 2009 12:48:12 GMT -6
just check around here, i'm seeing more & more auroras being wrecked & parted out all the time.
so sorry man
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Post by human on Sept 28, 2009 10:31:10 GMT -6
Well, as of Friday, I'm now an Aurora alumnus. I settled with my insurance company after two months of rankling and bureaucratic red tape and now its theirs for better or worse.
I'm getting used to my Caddy, but despite a shared heritage, it's no Aurora. Maybe I'll own another one someday...
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Post by cbburtraw on Oct 2, 2009 19:21:43 GMT -6
Likewise.. I sold mine to a 20 year old kid and his GF who plan on (hopefully) fixing it up and continuing to drive it. I miss it... |
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