Questions about a couple of 1st and 2nd gen features

[skorpiius]

Hi everyone, I've been trying to decide between the two gens and found the original brochures scanned online.

One feature listed for the 1st gen was "light sensitive digital displays" and "perimeter lighting". In the 2nd gen brochure only the perimeter lighting is mentioned.

Can anyone tell me more about the light sensitive displays in the 1st gen and if it is actually a 2nd gen feature as well?

I'm also curious what exactly the perimeter lighting is in each gen.

Thanks!


Oh yeah, the brochures were here:


www.auto-brochures.com/oldsmobile.html

[kbpickle]

Hi skoprpiius,

On deciding between 1st and 2nd Gen Auroras to renovate: A year ago I called maybe 20 salvage yards located within an hour and a half from my house looking for any year Aurora. I visited the six yards that had cars. They were all 2nd Gen, I didn't see even one 1st Gen. YMMV.

I know that front windshield glass for the 2nd Gen is readily available from a commercial auto glass company. Mine was replaced two years ago.

Good luck!

Ken

[RCA1186]

Salvage yard availability is going to diminish as the years go by. When I first got my Aurora you used to be able to find 5-10 1st gens in the yard at a time. Never would see a 2G. VERY rare in the yard. Now a 1G pops up once in a blue moon. 2Gs more often but still not that abundant. Answer to that is there just aren't as many left anymore. The majority reached their life cycle and are crushed. Most parts you will ever need are still available from your local parts store or GM/Cadillac dealer. But there are a few (and more and more) that are not available anymore. Torque axis engine mount, weather stripping immediately come to mind.


To answer your question, perimeter lighting is all the exterior and interior lights turning on and staying on during the night when you unlock the doors with the key FOB. I think they remain on for about 30 seconds. It is kind of nice. Light sensitive displays is a new one to me. I have owned two 1G aurora's and the only difference I see in the displays are when the headlights turn on they dim. Not sure if that is what they are referring to. They're both really nice cars. I happen to prefer the 1G but I wouldn't mind owning either. The 2G can take 87 octane as opposed to the 1G that requires premium.

The 2G is also coil on plug instead of your normal plug, wire, and coil. Other than that the updates are all visual or modernization.

[skorpiius]

Feb 27, 2020 7:25:44 GMT -6 RCA1186 said:

 Light sensitive displays is a new one to me. I have owned two 1G aurora's and the only difference I see in the displays are when the headlights turn on they dim. Not sure if that is what they are referring to. 

You know what I bet it is as there were a number of cars in the 90s that came out with that exact feature.

Thanks for all the info guys!

[skorpiius]

Feb 27, 2020 7:00:24 GMT -6 kbpickle said:

Hi skoprpiius,

On deciding between 1st and 2nd Gen Auroras to renovate: A year ago I called maybe 20 salvage yards located within an hour and a half from my house looking for any year Aurora. I visited the six yards that had cars. They were all 2nd Gen, I didn't see even one 1st Gen. YMMV.

I know that front windshield glass for the 2nd Gen is readily available from a commercial auto glass company. Mine was replaced two years ago.

Good luck!

Ken

That's a great point, and one I need to consider.  Really on paper I prefer the 2nd gen and I also find it attractive.
But I have to admit that the exterior and interior of the 1st gen is more refined.

One thing that really hit that home for me was this comparison of how the 1st and 2nd gens dash meets the door:

1st gen


2nd gen


Even though I think the 2nd gen is a superior car, the care and attention of the 1st gen is evident.

[tigger]

Feb 27, 2020 7:25:44 GMT -6 RCA1186 said:

...The 2G can take 87 octane as opposed to the 1G that requires premium.

"Can" being the key word there, haha! The owner's manual recommends 87 for the 3.5L, and 91 for the 4.0L. However, it does go on to say that the 4.0L may use 87 when premium fuel is unavailable, but decreased performance and economy will result...

I've always ran premium... Just figured the trade off wasn't worth it.

[RCA1186]

Hmm, I always thought 87 was just standard on the 2G, guess I was mistaken. Did they lower the compression on the 2G? Thought they did (by which I mean all 2001+ Northstars)

[tigger]

Well, you aren't exactly wrong...

They did reduce the compression ratio for the 4.0L and 4.6L from 10.3:1 to 10.0:1 starting with the 2000 model year. I would guess this is why they backed off of the "premium fuel only" designation, even though the owner's manuals indicate best performance comes from premium fuel use.

2001



2002/2003