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Post by tpunk on Mar 22, 2010 15:49:29 GMT -6
Well, it has been a long while since I've posted on the forum. I've been incredibly busy with school and work and whatnot. I come only to bear horrible news. After 6 years of accident-free driving it finally happened. Last weekend my Aurora was in an accident. It's totaled -- over $7,000 worth of damage according to the body shop.  I'm not as devastated as I probably should be, she had started to show some age (increased oil consumption, disappearing coolant, etc) as she creeped past 100k miles, and I'll probably come out with a nice down payment on the next whip once the insurance pays up. The biggest problem is that I just plain can't find a replacement! There is NOTHING in the Aurora's class near the price range. I'm looking to spend anywhere between about $6-10k and looking for something with no more than about 70K on the clock. And I love all of the luxury items! I can't see myself riding on cloth ever again (SPOILED). I found an absolutely BEAUTIFUL replacement on eBay -- it's an '03 Black/Black with only 50k miles and NAV! Alas, there's a catch: It's got a "rebuilt" title in Illinois -- which means it's got a SALVAGE title in Iowa. I would love to buy the car -- and I'm honestly not too scared of the rebuilt title given that IL requires safety inspections and the car was sold from a GM dealer to the current owner. Unfortunately, my bank will only finance 50% of NADA value for a car with a salvage title -- about $5k. Even with a nice $2-3k down payment, the seller told me that their reserve was set at $9.5k. I'd be willing to negotiate them down and try to take it for 8-ish -- but I'm then a little leery of spending $8k on a "rebuilt" Aurora, and that's also banking on $3k down, which I'm thinking is going to be closer to $2k after my deductible comes off the value of the car and I pay back my last chunk of loan. So, I'm in a dilemma and need some advice, or possibly another (semi-)comparable model to look into. Any opinions or advice? I need to figure something out in the next few weeks, I can't keep driving my mom's Trailblazer for much longer.  |
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XJSman89
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Post by XJSman89 on Mar 22, 2010 16:40:44 GMT -6
So sorry to hear that, Tyler! What a shame. Its good that you're looking into another one though. An 03 black/black with nav is about as good as it gets without laying down the cash for a final 500. What kind of cars are you looking at? What about a Bonneville? A friend of mine has an 01 Bonnie SSEi and its fast as all get out what with the supercharger and all.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2010 17:57:37 GMT -6
Pontiacs leather seats are not a strong point. Atleast not on the bonnie. My friend has an 04 GP GTP that feels far more comfortable than my aurora, The leather seats are really nice. Heated drivers seat. Plus the GTP has some serious power. They styling is awesome and it fits perfectly into your price range. You probably don't want to hear it, but ford has a wonderful product called the 500. I have heard they are very reliable. My cousin in illinois has one and while I have only sat in it she said it drives wonderfully. It is very comfrotable and plush. All the goodies including heated and cooled front seats. she payed 11 for it last year with 30k. I'm just giving you an idea of course as to what else you can look at. I loved your aurora and a black on black (actually charcoal) is a good buy. BTW I expect pictures of the accident.
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Post by tpunk on Mar 22, 2010 18:21:51 GMT -6
Man I drove some GTPs before I got the Aurora and was absolutely unimpressed. They have that cheap thin leather that I think is much worse than the Aurora. Plus the cheap plastic interior is devestating.
I've looked a couple different thing but nothing really hits the price/value ratio of the Aurora:
01-03 Lexus IS300
03 CTS
04-05 Impala SS
02-03 BMW 3series
To give you an idea of my payment range I need the following price ranges (based on age and possible financing terms):
01 - $3-4k
02 - $4.5-$5.5k
03-04 - $6-9k
05+ $9.5-12k (MAYBE)
Sorry no pics and I doubt I'll see it again -- it's in the lot at the bodyshop awaiting a verdict.
On the upside one of the guys at the shop wants to buy it from me so he will probably fix it and keep it in commission.
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Post by Marc on Mar 22, 2010 19:54:24 GMT -6
State inspection or not, I'd feel very uneasy buying a car that's listed as salvage.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2010 20:18:04 GMT -6
I think you should probably ask the seller why the car was salvaged. Or if it is really something you are considering then get a carfax report.
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Post by rvrrat on Mar 22, 2010 20:39:18 GMT -6
Buick Regal GS?  i think that is the closest you would get in ways of style and ammenities as your Aurora. and of course I always say anything Ford haha |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 22, 2010 20:59:44 GMT -6
oh nooo on the regal. Bland styling with a bland interior. Too grannyish if you ask me. (no offense A40)
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XJSman89
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Post by XJSman89 on Mar 22, 2010 21:07:28 GMT -6
An IS300 wouldn't be a bad car at all. It is a Toyota so its pretty reliable. I'm sure you know it would be a tad smaller, but thats not necessarily a bad thing.
You could always keep the Subi WRX STI in mind too. One of my old roommates picked up an 04 STI for a lot cheaper than I thought and that thing is FAST.
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Post by tpunk on Mar 22, 2010 23:25:19 GMT -6
An IS300 wouldn't be a bad car at all. It is a Toyota so its pretty reliable. I'm sure you know it would be a tad smaller, but thats not necessarily a bad thing. You could always keep the Subi WRX STI in mind too. One of my old roommates picked up an 04 STI for a lot cheaper than I thought and that thing is FAST. Yeah I really like the IS300s -- only problem is I'm not a huge fan of the 03 changes they made (looks cheaper to me with the new nose). I actually also looked into the WRXs (I sort of think you're reading my mind Collins). I haven't looked into them a ton, but it's sort of a fringe-shot. Kind of a different class. I forgot to address two things: I'm not really worried about speed. I'm way past any interest in go-fast and I've come to grips with the fact that I'm never going to mod out my daily driver. I don't, however, want anything that's got absolutely zero power. Also, Aura you forgot the Ford 500's number 1 feature! It's flat out UGLY! |
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XJSman89
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Post by XJSman89 on Mar 23, 2010 0:49:34 GMT -6
Also, Aura you forgot the Ford 500's number 1 feature! It's flat out UGLY! That one made me laugh. ;D If you're willing to drop a little more you could pick up a nice CTS, although it sounds like that's a little out of your price range. You can't go wrong with another Aurora... I would find a nice black/black 2G and roll with it. Maybe not a salvage one if you're not too sure about it. I'm sure theres a decent Aurora out there under 70K. Mine is one of them but you can't have that one. ;D |
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Post by dodgeman on Mar 23, 2010 14:55:29 GMT -6
Check out Craigslist. If you want another Aurora, you can find one. I remeber not to long after I bought mine seeing one in the Chicago area with only 50,000 miles. As I recall, maybe $7000. You might have to travel a little to get it though.
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Post by rvrrat on Mar 23, 2010 15:16:01 GMT -6
An IS300 wouldn't be a bad car at all. It is a Toyota so its pretty reliable. Wait! HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU MAKE THAT COMMENT? ?? Do you watch the News? |
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Post by toro68 on Mar 23, 2010 15:49:01 GMT -6
State inspection or not, I'd feel very uneasy buying a car that's listed as salvage. Same here. Sorry about your bad new, |
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Post by tpunk on Mar 23, 2010 18:42:43 GMT -6
State inspection or not, I'd feel very uneasy buying a car that's listed as salvage. Same here. Sorry about your bad new, Oh, as am I. Which, as I stated. If I could win the car for $5k, I might certainly consider it and I'm still considering offering them around 6 or $6500 for it, based on further inspection and possibly a local mechanic checking it out. They also stated that it passed the GM 110-pt inspection, but I'm not too overly optimistic about that. The really unfortunate thing is that I will probably NEVER find another car exactly like this one (Blk/Blk 03, Nav, >50k, etc, etc). I've been scouring a couple different places -- Craigslist being one -- and I'm keeping my eyes peeled. The clock is also ticking and this is sort of turning into a full-time job. I'm not opposed to traveling, in fact I've got an inquiry in right now on an '01 IS300 in Georgia, waiting to hear back. I'm also open to the possibility of getting a 1G Aurora, if I can find a Blk/Blk one with low miles and loaded up (I want heated leather this time!). Again, keeping my eyes open -- any suggestions or leads, please share! Thanks. |
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Post by lanceslambos on Mar 23, 2010 20:21:29 GMT -6
An IS300 wouldn't be a bad car at all. It is a Toyota so its pretty reliable. BAHA HA HAA LMAO & 9 grand or more seems high to me especially with the title situtation. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2010 20:47:41 GMT -6
Do yourself a favor..do not get a first gen. You will be highly disappointed in the long run I feel. I am being honest here. Some member may agree others may not. I suggest an STS to be honest. 300 HP, all the goodies including heated and cooled leather....and you are still in northstar territory. Plus you can pick one up for fairly cheap with as much as you are willing to spend.
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Post by tpunk on Mar 23, 2010 21:18:53 GMT -6
Do yourself a favor..do not get a first gen. You will be highly disappointed in the long run I feel. I am being honest here. Some member may agree others may not. I suggest an STS to be honest. 300 HP, all the goodies including heated and cooled leather....and you are still in northstar territory. Plus you can pick one up for fairly cheap with as much as you are willing to spend. I'm surprised to hear you say that. I've never driven a classic -- so it may be true. It certainly has a more out-dated interior look. But, I'm a huge fan of the body lines (I plan on scrapping the front license plate holder -- even though it's illegal, it just ruins the look). I'm assuming your referring to the older SeVille STS models, which I am definitely a fan of. However, from my research it seems that the 01-02 models are considerably more pricey than an Aurora with comparable miles (~ +1-2k). If I'm looking for something in that year range, it needs to be a maximum of $4500-5k so that after my down payment I can finance the balance for a year and be done. EDIT: Did a little more research on '03 and '05 models and found essentially the same. Found a really nice '03 Blk/Blk, Loaded with 63k but they're asking $12k and it books for $11.5k -- about $2k more than an Aurora would book for. So, unless they're seriously willing to deal, I think they're just a smidgen out of my price range. Update on the search: Found a Fully loaded Blk/Blk '99 in the Chicago-land area with only 71k. It's priced a bit high, but I'll try to work him down if it's still available. Potential buyer is supposed to stop by tomorrow so we'll see what happens. |
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Post by aj on Mar 23, 2010 21:37:58 GMT -6
Well both gens are great cars I think? If I was you find yourself a very well taken care of car that the previous owner has taken care of. But even the vehicle with the lowest mileage could need tons of work done on it compared to a higher mileage car. So good luck on the car hunt and I am sorry to hear about your Aurora that you lost.
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XJSman89
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Post by XJSman89 on Mar 24, 2010 15:51:30 GMT -6
An IS300 wouldn't be a bad car at all. It is a Toyota so its pretty reliable. Wait! HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU MAKE THAT COMMENT? ?? Do you watch the News? An IS300 wouldn't be a bad car at all. It is a Toyota so its pretty reliable. BAHA HA HAA LMAO The IS 300 is an older model, guys. The recalls only involve the newer cars. Calm yourselves and don't be so quick to make a comment until you know all of the information. Google is your friend, use it. Yes, the IS300 is quite a reliable car. What did you find, Tyler? Did that 99' black/black stop by? First Gens aren't too bad. After a 2G you might not like it but as long as it has lower mileage I think you'll be fine. Zach, I'm sure you could find enough problems with a 2G to not recommend it if you owned one of those too. Your Aurora had more problems than I've ever heard of... I think you might have just gotten bad luck. |
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Post by rvrrat on Mar 24, 2010 17:03:49 GMT -6
^Collins. First of all. Jeez it was A Joke!!!
and second of all yes it may be an older model and yes the recalls are only on the newer models, BUT Toyota has been keeping information from the public for years!!!!
I'm not sure I personally would trust them.
I mean seriously, how can you keep it from the public. even GM was honest and told people their problems.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2010 17:16:44 GMT -6
Collins I could come up with a list of problems on your car.  I'm not bashing first gens by any means, but I just don't recommend them to someone who has had the luxury of owning a 2G. For a first time aurora buyer they are great. |
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Post by toro68 on Mar 24, 2010 17:24:44 GMT -6
^Collins. First of all. Jeez it was A Joke!!! and second of all yes it may be an older model and yes the recalls are only on the newer models, BUT Toyota has been keeping information from the public for years!!!! I'm not sure I personally would trust them. I mean seriously, how can you keep it from the public. even GM was honest and told people their problems. Toyotas suck ! My father's 1976 Fj40 landcruiser threw a rod 30 years ago, plus it was not great in snow and ice. |
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Post by Aurora40 on Mar 24, 2010 17:49:14 GMT -6
Do yourself a favor..do not get a first gen. You will be highly disappointed in the long run I feel. I am being honest here. Unless you want to name specific things to watch out for with 1st gens, you might want to think twice about what forum you are in before making a comment like that. Tpunk, I wouldn't pay that much for a salvaged car. There are plenty of other nice cars out there. As for cars that are similar, well another Aurora of course. And the Sevilles are nice cars with the same or more features as an Aurora (though less interesting styling to my eye). It sounds like you've narrowed down on a few comparable cars. The trick will be finding one in nice shape in your price range and soon. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2010 18:25:30 GMT -6
Do yourself a favor..do not get a first gen. You will be highly disappointed in the long run I feel. I am being honest here. Unless you want to name specific things to watch out for with 1st gens, you might want to think twice about what forum you are in before making a comment like that. Tpunk, I wouldn't pay that much for a salvaged car. There are plenty of other nice cars out there. As for cars that are similar, well another Aurora of course. And the Sevilles are nice cars with the same or more features as an Aurora (though less interesting styling to my eye). It sounds like you've narrowed down on a few comparable cars. The trick will be finding one in nice shape in your price range and soon. Yes I can name specific things to watch out for, including but not limited too, head gasket failure, Trans solenoid failure, The unavoidable vibration between 65-70, and who knows how many electrical gremlins. I am not bashing the first gen, I've owned two and would not mind owning another. The simple fact stands though that I imagine 70-80 percent of second gen owners are not going to want to purchase a 95-99 aurora simply due to their age, their relatively common issues all across the board, and their all around appeal. I know first hand that I will never own another first gen unless it is purchased from the original owner. If tyler can find a one owner classic with low miles than jump on it if the price is right. If you can not find a one owner then I would pass. That is my $.02 |
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Post by intheb0x on Mar 24, 2010 20:35:13 GMT -6
Pontiacs leather seats are not a strong point. Atleast not on the bonnie. My friend has an 04 GP GTP that feels far more comfortable than my aurora, The leather seats are really nice. Heated drivers seat. Plus the GTP has some serious power. They styling is awesome and it fits perfectly into your price range. You probably don't want to hear it, but ford has a wonderful product called the 500. I have heard they are very reliable. My cousin in illinois has one and while I have only sat in it she said it drives wonderfully. It is very comfrotable and plush. All the goodies including heated and cooled front seats. she payed 11 for it last year with 30k. I'm just giving you an idea of course as to what else you can look at. I loved your aurora and a black on black (actually charcoal) is a good buy. BTW I expect pictures of the accident. i have a hard time finding any ford five hundred or even the better looking 2007-2008 taurus models with cooled seats... |
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Post by rdebord on Mar 24, 2010 20:37:01 GMT -6
Update on the search: Found a Fully loaded Blk/Blk '99 in the Chicago-land area with only 71k. It's priced a bit high, but I'll try to work him down if it's still available. Potential buyer is supposed to stop by tomorrow so we'll see what happens.[/quote]
Sorry,
Potential buyer just put the BLK/BLK 99 Autobahn in the garage for the night. I bought it this afternoon and drove it 440 miles to its new home in Minnesota. I averaged 24.9 MPG for the trip home. I was happy with that for an autobahn. It now has 72,400 miles. The only thing I can find wrong is the button for the rear window defrost is stuck in and won't release.
There is a BLK/BLK 98 with 31,000 miles for sale in California but he wants $7,490.00 for it. I think he will need to come down from that price or he will be waiting a long time.
Rick
1999 Aurora
1995 Aurora
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Post by intheb0x on Mar 24, 2010 21:20:15 GMT -6
Id stick with a Seville SLS or STS if you want a aurora feel thats more classy, faster with more power, and the ride and quietness of the ride is a few notches above the 2g aurora FOR SURE..
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Post by intheb0x on Mar 24, 2010 22:29:02 GMT -6
also heard that the sts has less problems and costs less over time.
just what i heard tho, id take one over my aurora anyday.
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Post by aj on Mar 24, 2010 23:03:09 GMT -6
Sevilles have their problems too. My mom has an 2004 Sevilles SLS and its in the shop a lot. So cant say they are more reliable than an Aurora. I love my Aurora's so I dont care what people think. They are classy, elegant, and luxurious/perfection sedan.
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i think that is the closest you would get in ways of style and ammenities as your Aurora.
I'm not bashing first gens by any means, but I just don't recommend them to someone who has had the luxury of owning a 2G. For a first time aurora buyer they are great.
